Behold

I’m in a Blessed is She women’s study on the Mysteries of the Rosary this year. Each time the group meets, we ponder more closely one of the mysteries of the rosary. We started with the Joyful Mysteries, which are the mysteries leading up to and immediately following the Incarnation. During this time, we have been led deeper into the joy of these mysteries. Now in this time of Advent and Christmas, these mysteries are being proclaimed liturgically through the Mass and the Divine Office and they seem to be coming alive even more fully.

One thing that has really jumped out at me while studying the mystery reflections is the emphasis on the word “behold”. What I have learned is that when this word is used in scripture, it is an attempt to get the readers attention; to say, listen closely to this, hold these words in your heart, ponder more deeply upon this mystery that is about to be spoken. Three of these instances in scripture are used in today’s gospel as we celebrate this feast day of Our Blessed Mother and her Immaculate Conception. Although the gospel today is not a recounting of Mary’s conception without the stain of Original Sin, it is the recounting of the Annunciation, which is the greatest fruit of her Immaculate Conception.

The first two times the word “behold” is spoken is by the Angel Gabriel who says to Mary, “Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus” and then later on, “And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth moth for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.” The third time we hear the word “behold” is in Mary’s response, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.” These three important statements that come after the word “behold” are worth our time to meditate more deeply upon. What does the Lord want to highlight in these sentences to me in my life? After further reflection myself, I wanted to share a discovery that I had today.

I have heard so often that Mary gave her “yes” her FIAT to becoming the Mother of God. While this is true, I have always assumed it meant she was given a choice as to whether or not she accepted this mission by God; almost as if God was saying will you be my mother? When you take a look at what the Angel Gabriel actually said to Mary, “Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus,” you will see that this is a statement instead of a question. Gabriel appeared to Mary to let her know that God’s will was to be done in and through her. This was part of Mary’s story and she was prepared for it in her Immaculate Conception, but she was not presented with a choice as to whether or not she wanted to actually do it. Gabriel was sent to proclaim the Good News to Mary. He was sent to announce to her what was to occur within and through her. Mary’s journey from this point onward would be filled with sorrow, but it would also be filled with incredible grace and love.

God holds all things within His will. Some situations are passive, others are active, but all are God’s will. How often have I been in situations where God’s will is not easy? These times of struggle and trial are given to me as a gift, even though they may not seem to be. Mary was given the gift of following her Son through His passion and death. This was an extreme suffering, an extreme sorrow that she endured, but it was a gift. She was there not only to comfort her Son by her presence, but she was also there to witness the salvation of all of humanity. God’s grace carried her through the passion because she surrendered to it. Although she did not get to choose what was to come, she was given the opportunity to accept it and to continue to love despite it.

Mary’s response, “Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord,” is one of self surrender. It is one that says, may God’s will be done. Mary accepts God’s will with all her heart and His grace is there to carry her through it. Consenting to being God’s handmaid is to take the lowest place, to give up control to God, but it is also to give God the glory by allowing Him to raise it up. In Mary’s surrender to her own weakness, she was raised up by the Lord to the heights of heaven, as Queen Mother.

When I am in tough situations, where I feel there is no way out, how do I respond? Am I open to what God wills, or do I fight His will at every turn? The truth is that God’s will is done on earth, in order for the glory of heaven to be enjoyed by us for all eternity. This eternal mindset must have helped Mary to surrender in that moment of the Annunciation. She knew that whatever joys and sorrows this journey meant for her, was for the glory of God and the salvation of mankind. We are called to this same shift in focus, from worrying about what we might have to go through, to trusting in God’s goodness and the promise of eternity.

There is much to ponder here, both in the Angel’s announcement and Mary’s response. I am comforted today in discovering that Mary’s journey is my journey too. I don’t get to choose what God sets before me, but I do get to choose how I respond to it. Will I choose to surrender to God’s will? Can I humble myself, taking on the role of being God’s handmaid? My choice to surrender to the will of God is one I will never be perfect at, but I can look to Mary and find hope, and I can run to the cross and seek mercy for the times I have not surrendered. May the Lord live in and through me, so that He may be glorified on earth as it is in Heaven.