GARCIA-LUENSE: Revisiting Mary’s ‘Yes’: Art vs. reality

The angel Gabriel greets Mary in this church window depicting the Annunciation. The feast of the Annunciation, celebrating the proclamation that Mary would be the mother of Jesus, is marked March 25 this year. (CNS photo from Crosiers) On March 25, exactly nine months before the observance of the Nativity of the Lord at Christmas, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord. Even as Lent begins to draw to a close on the threshold of Holy Week, we pause our Lenten fasts and once again sing Gloria as we celebrate this great feast. The story coming from the first chapter of the Gospel of Luke is in many ways a familiar one. 

We remember Gabriel coming to Mary and sharing with her the news that she would give birth to the Son of God. In part, because of its familiarity, I think we can be in danger of overlooking some key elements of the story that can have important implications for the message we take from it.

The first point is that in verse 30, Gabriel says, “Do not be afraid, Mary.” This echoes similar messages from Gabriel to Zechariah in verse 13 and to the shepherds in the field in 2:10. The very fact that each time an angel appears to a person in these first chapters of Luke, the angel needs to tell the people not to be afraid emphasizes the fact that they were, in fact, troubled and fearful. 

With no disrespect to the generations of talented visual artists who have sought to depict this event, I feel that most often our image of these angels is not nearly terrifying enough. This is a messenger from the Creator of all beings who, though pure spirit, somehow is made physically visible and breaks into what was otherwise an ordinary day. I have no idea what this angel actually looked like, but I do not think it was a beautiful woman with long hair, a flowing robe, and large feathery wings. Surely it was more disturbing than that.

And yet, despite the terror of the moment, Mary takes the words “Do not be afraid” to heart and engages with the angel, and even dares to ask, “How can this be?” My other criticism of much religious artwork, therefore, is that it presents Mary as too docile. 

Her engagement seems, in my opinion, to be steely strong and not weakly passive. Her choice to say “yes” to the angel represents a similar “yes” to that which her Son makes that night in the garden of Gethsemane. It is a “yes” that comes from confidence and trust. It is a “yes” that understands that the consequences are not fully clear and are potentially wrought with difficulties. But, since “nothing will be impossible for God,” it is a “yes” nonetheless. Therefore, I imagine a much stronger, faith-filled and more determined young woman than is often a part of our collective imagery.

Mary’s assent to the angel’s message, “May it be done to me according to your word,” marks a turning point in human history. Mary is often called the new Eve. Genesis 3 tells a story of The Fall. At its heart, this is a story of how Eve and Adam fail to trust that God’s commands are not arbitrary but in their best interests. 

They choose to try to become like gods themselves instead of remaining in right relationship with God and so suffer separation from God as a result. Humanity enters into a disordered state. Here, Mary chooses to accept a message bordering on the unimaginable and chooses trust and willingness. Mary is the new Eve because she is given a fundamental choice and, in full freedom, chooses relationship and humility. This choice is the opposite choice of Eve’s. It is a critical step in the process of God’s victory over sin and death that flowed from The Fall. Eve’s choice brings about separation from God, and Mary’s leads to reconciliation.

We could benefit from spending some time reflecting on Mary as strong, confident, willing to question, but ultimately willing to choose trust in God and God’s message. God does great things through Mary because of her “yes.” This Annunciation, let us pray that we might be more like this image of Mary, that we might have the confidence to face scary moments, trusting in God’s call, so that God can accomplish great things with and through us.

Brian Garcia-Luense is an associate director with the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis.