Friday 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 directive: Mary 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 the Lord’s sake. Of course, our consent means that we are opening
ourselves 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.
