Lk 1:26-38
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, ‘Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.’
But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.’
Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I am a virgin?’ The angel said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.’
Then Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’ Then the angel departed from her.
New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved.
Seeing Through the Eyes of Mary
The early mystics of the Church had an expression, Capax Dei, meaning to have the capacity for God. Or, put another way, it means one can receive God. You can find the idea in St. Augustine’s writings. Also from Augustine is the quote, “He whom the heavens cannot contain, the womb of one woman bore.” The Gospel today highlights in extraordinary brilliance why the Church venerates Mary so affectionately. She remains the only human being not consubstantial with God who never failed him. Her entire life, she was always ready to receive him, and as we see in Scripture throughout the life of Jesus, she also was prepared to offer him in turn. We call her Full of Grace, and Advocata Nostra, Our Help, because by her strictly human example, we see the fullness of our potential for Capax Dei. We owe her thanks. And out of hope for union with God, we have much to learn from her.
This Advent, this Christmas, how much better could you know him? How much more could you love him than through the virginal vision of the woman who held him? Why not break out the rosary, huh? If she lent you her sight to gaze at him, wouldn’t you be curious?
—Adam Bohan, SJ, is a scholastic of the Midwest Province working as a registered nurse in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Loyola University Medical Center.
Prayer
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy,
our life, our sweetness and our hope.
To you do we cry,
poor banished children of Eve.
To you do we send up our sighs,
mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn then, most gracious advocate,
your eyes of mercy toward us,
and after this exile
show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb,
Jesus.
O clement, O loving,
O sweet Virgin Mary.
Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
—Salve Regina