Thursday of the Third
Week of Advent
(Isaiah 7:10-14; Luke 1:26-38)
Jerome Miller, a Catholic theologian, wrote a reflection
on the Renaissance painter Sandro Botticelli’s depiction of the
Annunciation. According to Miller, the artist,
like any exegete, has much to teach us about this critical moment in the
history of salvation.
Miller begins his study by noting how the action of the
painting takes places on a floor of perfectly arranged rectangles. He says these figures represent lives that
are dominated by order which brings meaning and gives a platform for
action. Then Miller notes how the angel
appears as an eruption of grace into Mary’s well-ordered life. In the painting the angel’s hand makes a
gesture of command: she is to give birth to the Son of God who will bring peace
to earth. The hand is open and not
pointing directly to Mary but giving her permission to refuse the mandate. Mary, however, is pictured as all receptivity.
Her body curves in what can be seen as a
bow of compliance. Her hands are open like
Jesus’ on the cross. Their positioning indicates
awareness that her decision will cause her suffering.
All of us are so approached in life with a proposition of
divine grace. We are called out of the ordinariness
of making a living to sacrifice ourselves for others. Of course, our consent to grace will make us
vulnerable to suffering. But we should not
shrink from the mission. We like Mary
are nothing greater, but nothing less either, than servants of the Lord.
