The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite contemplation of the message of role reversal and thinking beyond our perceptions that is part of our salvation history.
Role reversal?
The reading from the First Book of Samuel describes how Hannah Presents Samuel to the Lord.
* [1:22] Leave him there forever: a Qumran manuscript adds “I will give him as a nazirite forever”; it interprets v. 11 to mean that Hannah dedicates Samuel under a nazirite vow (cf. Nm 6:4–5).1
In the First Book of Samuel we find Hannah’s Prayer.
* [2:1–10] Hannah appeals to a God who maintains order by keeping human affairs in balance, reversing the fortunes of the arrogant, who, like Peninnah, boast of their good fortune (vv. 1, 3, 9) at the expense of those like Hannah who receive less from the Lord. Hannah’s admission places her among the faithful who trust that God will execute justice on their behalf. The reference “his king…his anointed” (v. 10) recalls the final sentence of the Book of Judges and introduces the kingship theme that dominates the Books of Samuel.2
The Gospel of Luke today is the Magnificat, Mary’s Song of Praise.
* [1:46–55] Although Mary is praised for being the mother of the Lord and because of her belief, she reacts as the servant in a psalm of praise, the Magnificat. Because there is no specific connection of the canticle to the context of Mary’s pregnancy and her visit to Elizabeth, the Magnificat (with the possible exception of v. 48) may have been a Jewish Christian hymn that Luke found appropriate at this point in his story. Even if not composed by Luke, it fits in well with themes found elsewhere in Luke: joy and exultation in the Lord; the lowly being singled out for God’s favor; the reversal of human fortunes; the fulfillment of Old Testament promises. The loose connection between the hymn and the context is further seen in the fact that a few Old Latin manuscripts identify the speaker of the hymn as Elizabeth, even though the overwhelming textual evidence makes Mary the speaker.3
Scott McClure comments that today's reading from Luke is so striking for the season. It shows Mary as Jesus' companion; indeed, his first companion.
Such unwavering trust in God can be difficult, especially during challenging times. In this, Mary (and my wife, I might add) are my models. But to be a companion of Jesus is to have such trust in both good times and in bad. Mary would need such trust, especially as Jesus fulfilled his mission here on earth in his final hours. I give thanks for her example and for the many ways Jesus left us whereby we are invited to build and demonstrate this trust in him. I speak here of the sacraments. In baptism, we place our trust in him. In confession, we place our trust in him. In the Eucharist, we place our trust in him and, like Mary, can also be transformed by Jesus' presence within us.4
Don Schwager quotes “Mary preaches the new kingdom,” by Ephrem the Syrian (306-373 AD).
"[Mary] revealed to Elizabeth what the angel spoke to her in secret, and that he called her blessed because she believed in the realization of the prophecy and the teaching that she heard (Luke 146-55). Then Mary gently brought forth the fruit of what she heard from the angel and Elizabeth: 'My soul bless the Lord.' Elizabeth had said, 'Blessed is she who has believed,' and Mary replied, 'From henceforth all generations will call me blessed.' It was then that Mary began to preach the new kingdom. 'She returned home after three months,' so that the Lord whom she was carrying would not begin service before his servant. She returned to her husband to clarify the matter, for if she had become pregnant through human fruit, it would have been appropriate for her to flee from her husband." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON TATIAN'S DIATESSARON 1.28)5
The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 1:46-56 inspired a reflection that Hannah was ready to rejoice when God did perform a miracle for her. Not only did she conceive a son, Samuel, but once she had consecrated him to the Lord, she went on to bear five more children. She also had the satisfaction of seeing Samuel grow up to become a righteous, powerful prophet and leader of the children of Israel.
The same principle applies to us. Faithfulness in the everyday moments of our lives prepares us for the bigger things that God will do in us and through us. So stay close to him throughout your day, whether you are running errands or working at your job or changing yet another diaper. No moment spent in his company is unimportant. No small act of obedience or love is insignificant. Because he does have great things in store for you. “Lord Almighty, I give you praise for all the great things you have done for me and for the even greater things you have in store for me!”6
Friar Jude Wrinkler recalls the first encounter of Hannah with Eli who thought her drunk. Mary is seen as the Queen of the Anawim married to an artisan carpenter and living as poor as church mice. Friar Jude connects Mary to the history of the Ark of the Covenant in the villages of Ein Karem near Jerusalem and across the valley at Abu Ghosh.
Sr. Joan L. Roccasalvo, C.S.J, addresses the question of “The Anawim: who are they?” The anawim of the Old Testament were the poor of every sort: the vulnerable, the marginalized, and socio-economically oppressed, those of lowly status without earthly power. In fact, they depended totally on God for whatever they owned.
Mary of Nazareth belonged to the anawim. Her life of fidelity had singled her out for a special role in God’s salvific plan. She was already betrothed to Joseph, and when God’s plan was put to her, quite naturally, she asked how it would happen. Mary’s free acceptance allowed the Spirit to work in her. In proclaiming her Magnificat, she acknowledged that the Almighty has done great things for her in her lowliness in contrast to God’s dealings with the proud (Lk 1:47).7
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, comments that for all practical purposes, the dualistic mind is not able to accept the orthodox teaching that Jesus is both fully human and fully divine at the same time. Our dualistic minds need to choose one or the other, with the result that they understand Jesus as only divine and humans as only human, despite all scriptural and mystical affirmations to the contrary. The overcoming of this divide was the whole point of the incarnation of God in Christ, and precisely what we celebrate on Christmas.
With dualistic minds it is always one or the other—it can never be both. The result is that we still think of ourselves as mere humans trying desperately to become “spiritual.” The Christian revelation was precisely that we are already spiritual (“in God”), and our difficult but necessary task is to learn how to become human. Jesus came to model the full integration for us (see 1 Corinthians 15:47–49). He told us, in effect, that divinity looked just like him—while he looked ordinarily human to everybody! It is the contemplative, nondual mind that allows us to say yes to the infinite mystery of Jesus and the infinite mystery that we are to ourselves. They are finally the same mystery.8
The incarnation is the mystery of our relationship with God that invites us to participate in the role reversals that will bring people closer to living in the Spirit of Christ.
References
No comments:
Post a Comment