97. Prayer and Action (Mark 1:29-39)

“If you seek to know where you can stay, stay close to Christ, because he is the way.”  - St. Thomas Aquinas

Mark 1:29-39: On leaving the synagogue, he went with James and John straight to the house of Simon and Andrew. Now Simon’s mother-in-law had gone to bed with fever, and they told him about her straightaway. He went to her, took her by the hand and helped her up. And the fever left her and she began to wait on them. That evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were sick and those who were possessed by devils. The whole town came crowding round the door, and he cured many who were suffering from diseases of one kind or another; he also cast out many devils, but he would not allow them to speak, because they knew who he was.  In the morning, long before dawn, he got up and left the house, and went off to a lonely place and prayed there. Simon and his companions set out in search of him, and when they found him they said, ‘Everybody is looking for you.’ He answered, ‘Let us go elsewhere, to the neighbouring country towns, so that I can preach there too, because that is why I came.’ And he went all through Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out devils.

Christ the Lord Christ is a man whose whole attention is focused on others. Simon and his disciples come to him the morning after a day like none they had ever known before. Christ’s popularity was at a zenith, after his immensely successful preaching, his casting out a demon in the synagogue, and his evening of miraculous cures and exorcisms. They surely thought that he would claim the Messianic kingship right away and gather an army to cast off the despicable Roman rule, or something to that effect. When they awoke to find him gone, they searched apprehensively for him, lest they miss their chance for glory (the townspeople were already rallying and demanding his presence). But when they find him, alone in prayer on the mountaintop, and they tell him that everyone is looking for him, Christ answers with what was to be the first of many surprises: it is not for personal glory that he has come, but to fulfill a mission received from another, and so he must move on. They are welcome to come with him, but whether they do or not, he will be faithful to his Father’s will.

In a world inundated with the ethos of “success” and “achievement,” where great souls are withered by the rat race of petty promotions and vaporous rewards, the selfless, transcendent purpose of a man entirely focused on fulfilling someone else’s plan (i.e., God’s) may perhaps furrow our brow, but doesn’t it also stir us to admiration? Such is our Lord, who hopes that our admiration will evolve into heartfelt emulation.

Christ the Teacher  Jesus Christ was God become man. His human nature was united with the power of his divine person. He was perfect, sinless, without any selfishness, laziness, or pride. His character was flawless, as firm as the mountains and as gentle as a mother’s caress. His mind was beyond brilliant, filled with the radiance of divine light and understanding. No emotional scars from a difficult family upbringing (Mary was without sin too, and Joseph was a saint), no personality disorders or imbalanced self-esteem – no lacks, no wounds, no imperfections at all. And yet, over and over again in the Gospels, we see him go off to be alone in prayer: “In the morning long before dawn, he got up and left the house, and went off to a lonely place and prayed there.”

Christ was perfect, God from God and light from light, and yet he needed to reserve time just to be alone with his Father; he needed to go off and pray. He even had to get up early to make time for it. Sometimes he had to stay up late in order to make time for it. But he always did it.

If he, who was perfect, needed prayer in order to fulfill his life’s mission, what does that imply for us, who are so imperfect, so weak, so vulnerable to every sort of temptation and wounded by every kind of sin? Christ was a man of prayer, and, as he himself put it, “no disciple is greater than his master” (John 15:20).

Christ the Friend  It’s not only the simple fact of Christ’s miracles that demonstrates his personal love, but even the manner in which he performs them. Simon’s mother-in-law is sick in bed with a fever. In the ancient world, fevers posed greater threats than they do today. If the fever was the result of an infection (which fevers frequently are), it could indicate an impending death, since there were no antibiotics; this explains the apostles’ concern. Jesus could have snapped his fingers and immediately cured her; but instead, he goes over to the bed where she lay, grasps her sweaty, feverish hand in his own firm, gentle grip, relieving her sickness with his touch, and then helps her up. In Jesus Christ, God comes to meet us in the reality of our humanity, bringing the warmth of his divine light into its most ordinary nooks and crannies.

Simon’s mother-in-law: When I woke from the fever, I felt… well, how can I describe how I felt? Normally such a long, severe fever wears you out, but when I woke from this one I felt buoyant, glad, strong. I felt a healthy, invigorating warmth flowing through me, banishing the fever’s enfeebling heat. And then I realized that this new strength was flowing into me. Only then did I turn and look to see who was holding my hand: Jesus.

Simon had told me about him, but I had never met him before. And yet, his smiling eyes told me he knew me. He didn’t have to speak any words. Right away he was my oldest friend as well as my newest friend. It sounds so strange, but it’s true. Suddenly, under his gaze, with his hand holding mine, all the different parts of my life fell into place. My heart and mind came into focus as they never had before. I wasn’t just cured from the fever; I was somehow new. Without even thinking, I smiled back at him and rose to start preparing some supper for him and his companions. Healthy? Yes, I was healthy again, healthier than I had ever been before.

Christ in My Life  Lord, by making me your disciple, you have shared your mission with me. I am your missionary. You want to reach out to others through me; I am part of your mystical body. O Lord, fill me with enthusiasm and zeal for this wonderful and daunting mission of building your Kingdom! It is far beyond my capacities, but that doesn’t matter, as long as you lead me.

Prayer is a mystery to me, Jesus. Sometimes I seem to pray well, while other times I’m completely lost. But I know that you have given me the gift of the Holy Spirit, who dwells within me, teaching me and coaching me. Lord Jesus, I believe in you, and I know that without a healthy, growing life of prayer, my soul will wither. Dear Lord, teach me to be docile to the promptings of your Holy Spirit.

You continue to touch me, just as you touched Peter’s mother-in-law, whenever I receive you in the Eucharist. Thank you, Lord, for staying so close to me, for bringing your saving grace into my life in such a human way. Teach me this same gentle, caring manner as I reach out to help my neighbors.

PS: This is just one of 303 units of Fr. John’s fantastic book The Better Part. To learn more about The Better Part or to purchase in print, Kindle or iPhone editions, click here. Also, please help us get these resources to people who do not have the funds or ability to acquire them by clicking here.

96. The Devil Cares (Mark 1:21-28)

“Here it is fitting for us to think of that great, true, eternal light… namely Christ our Savior, the Redeemer of the world, who was made man and came to the last extremity of the human condition.”
- St. Gregory Agrigentinus

Mark 1:21-28: They went as far as Capernaum, and as soon as the sabbath came he went to the synagogue and began to teach. And his teaching made a deep impression on them because, unlike the scribes, he taught them with authority. In their synagogue just then there was a man possessed by an unclean spirit and it shouted, ‘What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God.’ But Jesus said sharply, ‘Be quiet! Come out of him!’ And the unclean spirit threw the man into convulsions and with a loud cry went out of him. The people were so astonished that they started asking each other what it all meant. ‘Here is a teaching that is new’ they said ‘and with authority behind it: he gives orders even to unclean spirits and they obey him.’ And his reputation rapidly spread everywhere, through all the surrounding Galilean countryside.

Christ the Lord  Authority: coming from the “author.” Those who heard and saw Jesus were impressed most by his authority. The “scribes,” the teachers of the Jewish law, prided themselves on a detailed knowledge of the scriptures and on the myriad scriptural commentaries that rabbis and teachers had made through the centuries, but their words lacked the force of Christ’s. Jesus Christ in himself is the fulfillment of all previous and partial revelation. He “has seen the Father” (John 6:46) and reveals him.

Whether we realize it or not, in our hearts we yearn for God, and so when we come into contact with someone close to God, our hearts are moved. When the crowds came into contact with Jesus Christ, the Son of God become man, their hearts burst with astonished joy. Jesus is no average teacher, nor even a great human preacher. Jesus Christ is Lord, the “Holy One of God,” and when he began his public ministry, the people could tell.

Christ the Teacher  We are only in the first chapter of St Mark’s Gospel, and already the devil makes his appearance. One of his minions has taken possession of a child of God and cries out in panic at the Savior’s approach.

The story of Christ’s life and ministry cannot be told without giving due space to Satan’s activity. The Gospel writers carefully distinguish between cases of mere physical ailments and cases of a demonic character (both of which Jesus cures). Jesus frequently refers to the devil in his parables and other teachings, and the devil himself tempts Jesus in the desert and returns again later to engineer Judas’ betrayal (cf. John 13:2).

This Gospel motif teaches us an undeniable, if uncomfortable lesson: the devil is real, and he is interested in counteracting the work of grace. In one sense, accepting this fundamental truth, and keeping it always in the back of our minds, can comfort us tremendously: it helps us make sense of all the unpleasant influences at work in and around us. We are not crazy; we are not failures; we are simply engaged in a spiritual battle. If we believe in Jesus Christ, we must also believe in the devil – doomed as he is, he would love to take as many souls as he can along with him.

Christ the Friend  Imagine how the man with the unclean spirit would have felt after this incident. He had been tormented by an evil presence perhaps for years. His life was a series of momentary respites from unending and violent demonic attacks. He had no comfort in family, no rest in friendships, no capacity to carry on a normal, peaceful existence. To a great extent he had lost his most precious gift, freedom. His only hope in the face of such a hell on earth was the direct intervention of God – a miracle.

Perhaps while he was listening to Jesus in the synagogue he felt the agitation of the evil spirit. Perhaps he could sense that the demon felt threatened; perhaps he moved closer to the Lord, drawn by a mysterious, subconscious hope. Suddenly the spirit exerts his usual power and takes over the man’s body and senses (who can describe the agony of such an experience?) in order to lash out at the Holy One. With a mere word, Jesus silences him and orders him to depart. The man is thrown to the ground in a final burst of evil fury and then, silence. Peace. Dare he believe it? He opens his eyes and knows that he is now himself again, freed at last from the unspeakable torment. His eyes meet Christ’s…. What gratitude fills his heart! What love and gladness he finds in the glance of Jesus! Jesus Christ came to bring new life and new hope to every human heart, and he rejoices whenever we let him have his way.

Christ in My Life  Lord Jesus, please help me to experience the power of your grace. Let me hear the words that astonished your listeners when you first came to earth; let me witness the divine authority that flowed out of your every decision and deed. Dear Jesus, it’s so hard to stay in tune with your truth; please let me see you, hear you, and love you more and more…

Parts of me are still in chains, Lord. I am still possessed by selfishness. Free me, Lord. Free me from this weight of egoism that keeps me from being all that you created me to be! You are the Lord; come rule in my heart, my mind, my words, and my actions. Rule them all today, tomorrow, and forever…

How many souls are enslaved to sin and unknowingly under Satan’s evil spell – confused, depressed, headed for destruction! Jesus, you came to save them all. Your Church is your sacrament of salvation. Here I am, Lord – send me as your ambassador. Fill me with love so I might bring your light to those around me who are in need…

PS: This is just one of 303 units of Fr. John’s fantastic book The Better Part. To learn more about The Better Part or to purchase in print, Kindle or iPhone editions, click here. Also, please help us get these resources to people who do not have the funds or ability to acquire them by clicking here.

95. Fishing for Fishermen (Mark 1:14-20)

“Indeed, as all know, for the spread of God’s kingdom Jesus Christ used no other weapon than the preaching of the gospel, that is, the living voice of his heralds, who diffused everywhere the celestial doctrine.” - Pope Benedict XV

Mark 1:14-20: After John had been arrested, Jesus went into Galilee. There he proclaimed the Good News from God. ‘The time has come,’ he said, ‘and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent, and believe the Good News.’ As he was walking along by the Sea of Galilee he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net in the lake – for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you into fishers of men.’ And at once they left their nets and followed him. Going on a little further, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they too were in their boat, mending their nets. He called them at once and, leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the men he employed, they went after him.

Christ the Lord  Jesus Christ ushers in the third age in the history of humanity. First there was the age of creation, when mankind lived in the fullness of communion with God and the freshness of an absolute beginning. This ended with original sin and the subsequent fall from grace, after which the second age began, the age of the Promise. God promised Adam and Eve that he would send a Savior to free the human family from domination by the devil (cf. Genesis 3:15). In this second age, God gradually prepares the world through the education of his chosen people, Israel, for the arrival of Jesus Christ, whose advent marks the time of fulfillment (“the time has come” – the third age), when God actually enters into time and space in order to rescue it from sin and destruction. The end of this third age will yield the new heavens and the new earth, the definitive and final victory of Christ’s eternal Kingdom.

As pressing and absorbing as current affairs may seem to the men and women of every historical epoch, it is the presence and action of Jesus Christ in and through his Church that gives the human story its true meaning and propels its fundamental drama. All things hinge on Jesus Christ, because he alone holds the key to communion with God, and only that can satisfy the human heart.

Evidence of his continuing intervention in history surrounds us. One of the most eloquent signs is the ongoing flow of vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life. Just as Jesus called his apostles to leave everything and follow him two thousand years ago, so he continues to call men and women today. Each vocation is proof of his Lordship, proof that the King still reigns. Asking the Lord to keep calling, and asking him to give courage and faith to those he calls, should be a part of every Christian’s prayer life – nothing bolsters the Kingdom more.

Christ the Teacher  “The Kingdom of God” is one of Christ’s most frequently used phrases. He came to establish it, he rules it, and he taught us to pray constantly for its coming (“Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done…”). In his initial announcement of its arrival, Jesus gives us the first lesson about what it entails.

“The Kingdom of God is close at hand,” he proclaims, and then he adds, “repent and believe the Good News.” The “Kingdom of God” merely refers to wherever things are done God’s way, wherever his will and his heart infuse life into the souls of men and women. To repent means to turn away from doing things our own, selfish way (which is the way we tend to do things ever since Adam and Eve set the unfortunate precedent). To believe in the Good News means to trust that God’s way, God’s will, is the best choice. If we trust in the love, wisdom, and power of God, we will have the courage to fashion our lives according to his standards (which are made clear and practical in the Church’s teachings). If we recognize our own limitations and selfish tendencies, we will have the necessary humility to repent. If we want to enter this Kingdom and share in its unequaled vitality and meaning, we simply need to trust in God more than ourselves – over and over again.

Christ the Friend  From St. John’s Gospel we know that Jesus had already met and spent time with the four apostles whom he calls so suddenly in this passage. It’s important to keep this in mind: far from unexpectedly demanding an irrational abandonment of family, career, and previous plans, Jesus built up a relationship of mutual knowledge and trust before he invited Peter, Andrew, James, and John to become his full-time disciples.

Likewise, only as we cultivate a true friendship and an intimate and ongoing exchange of hearts with our Lord will we be able to hear and heed his call in our life. This is not a God who demands blind obedience to his awesome power; this is Jesus Christ, true man, who meets us right where we are and walks along the shore of our lives, who wishes to get to know us, to spend time with us, and to call us by our names. This is a Lord and God who wants our friendship, so that he can share his life with us.

Christ in My Life  It’s so easy to lose sight of you in my life, Lord. You exercise your authority so gently. I know that history hinges on you, and yet, I still let myself get worried and angry and perturbed by minutiae. Jesus, increase my faith, strengthen my hope, and enlighten my mind – make me your convinced and formidable disciple.

I have heard your call in my life, Jesus, more than once. You have looked into my eyes and invited me to follow you more closely, just as you did with the apostles. Thank you for coming into my life. I am sorry for the times I have been unfaithful. Call me again, Lord, today, so that I can show you my love and loyalty by leaving behind everything that’s not your will.

You called these apostles because you wanted to give them a mission in life, something so worthwhile that you didn’t hesitate to invite them to leave their careers and their families. You have given me a mission too. Thank you, Lord, for giving me direction and meaning. Make me a fisher of men for your Kingdom.

PS: This is just one of 303 units of Fr. John’s fantastic book The Better Part. To learn more about The Better Part or to purchase in print, Kindle or iPhone editions, click here. Also, please help us get these resources to people who do not have the funds or ability to acquire them by clicking here.

242. Wanting the Right Thing (John 1:35-42)

“If, then, you seek to know what path to follow, take Christ because he is the way.” - St. Thomas Aquinas

John 1:35-42: On the following day as John stood there again with two of his disciples, Jesus passed, and John stared hard at him and said, ‘Look, there is the lamb of God.’ Hearing this, the two disciples followed Jesus. Jesus turned round, saw them following and said, ‘What do you want?’ They answered, ‘Rabbi,’ – which means Teacher – ’where do you live?’ ‘Come and see’ he replied; so they went and saw where he lived, and stayed with him the rest of that day. It was about the tenth hour. One of these two who became followers of Jesus after hearing what John had said was Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter. Early next morning, Andrew met his brother and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ – which means the Christ – and he took Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked hard at him and said, ‘You are Simon son of John; you are to be called Cephas’ – meaning Rock.

Christ the Lord  In these few verses St John gives us three key titles of Christ, each of which should stir our hearts to gratitude, praise, and adoration.

First, John reemphasizes that Jesus is the “Lamb of God,” a title worth reflecting on again and again. The lamb appeared over and over in the Jewish scriptures and in their traditions. The central allusion, however, was to the Passover, when the Israelites sprinkled the blood of the Passover lamb on the lintels of their doors (cf. Exodus 12). The lamb had been sacrificed in order to save the Israelites, so that Moses would be able to lead them out of slavery. Christ was to be slain as well – on the cross of Calvary – and his blood was to be sprinkled on the lips of his faithful when they receive Holy Communion. In this way, Christians would be saved from the slavery of sin and led into the freedom of eternal life, the unquenchable abundance of heaven, by Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. Christ is not only Lord; he is also Savior.

Second, Jesus is called “the Messiah,” or “the Anointed One” (the Greek word for this gives us the title “Christ”). This title referred to the promised successor to the throne of David, whom God had anointed king of his Chosen People. Under David’s kingship Israel had become a world power, reaching its peak of greatness and influence. God had promised that the line of David would never entirely fail, and he promised that a son of David would ascend to the throne to reinstate a new and even greater golden age for Israel. This Messiah (kings were “anointed” as a sign of their being chosen and strengthened by God for their divine mission on his behalf) would save Israel from all her sufferings and oppression, from all the misery that her sin had heaped upon her.

It is to save us, to rescue us from our own ignorance, weakness, and confusion that Jesus came. In relation to mankind, God’s glory consists in the human race reaching its full potential, in all people discovering the joy of a life lived in communion with God. Christ is the bearer of this glory, the King who comes to establish the sovereignty of God – with the peace and the fullness it entails – in every human heart.

Christ the Teacher  Third, St John points out that the two disciples called Jesus “Rabbi,” which means “teacher” or “master.” Rabbis were popular Jewish leaders, not by position or birth, but by their knowledge of the things of God and their ability to teach and pass on that knowledge. In Matthew 19 and John 13, Christ makes an explicit and exclusive claim to this title, affirming that he is the definitive teacher of the things of God and demanding the absolute allegiance of his followers.

Even in this passage, we detect the unprecedented authority Jesus claims when he renames Simon. In the Jewish scriptural tradition, only God gave new names to people, and he only did so when he gave them a prominent role in his plan of salvation and connected them in a special way to his covenantal promise. Christ’s exercise of such authority during his first meeting with Simon certainly would have given these disciples a hint that this Galilean was no average rabbi. (It also is one of the many indications in the gospels that the preeminent role of Peter, and thus of the Papacy, was instituted and intended by Christ himself, and not merely an invention of the early Church.) Christ is Lord and Savior, but he is also the Master, a Teacher unlike any other. To follow him and learn from him should be our greatest joy.

Although Christ’s titles bespeak his greatness, his behavior in this first encounter with John and Andrew shows his simplicity and humility. He walks by the place where they and John the Baptist are baptizing. He simply walks by. He makes no grand entrance, employs no intimidating tactics. When John and Andrew finally decide to go after him, he turns around to welcome them. He makes no demands, gives no orders, and passes no judgment. Rather, he engages them in a conversation and issues an invitation to come and spend time with him. This is how Jesus works. This is how he calls us, gently, unexpectedly, personally. The era of flashing fire on the mountaintop is over; the era of good-hearted friendship and intimate companionship with the eternal God has begun.

Christ the Friend  This is Jesus’ first encounter with his first disciples. It is the beginning of the second half of human history – an important occasion. Surely the evangelist is describing every detail with care, most especially the very first words that Jesus speaks in this Gospel. He asks his future Apostles a simple question: “What do you want?” (What do you seek? What are you hoping for?) It is still one of Christ’s favorite questions. Jesus already knows the deepest desires of every heart, but many people never take the time to reflect on their own deepest desires. Jesus poses the question in order to spur that kind of reflection. Unless we take time to examine ourselves and our lives, we can easily end up looking for meaning and happiness in the wrong places, mindlessly latching onto every passing fancy and popular guru, bouncing from fashion to fad, never drinking of the living water that only he can give.

Jesus: My first two disciples gave the right answer to this question. They asked where I was staying. What did they want? They only wanted to come and stay with me. That is how you answered the question too. How it pleases me to find humble, thirsting hearts – what a feast I have in store for them! What do you want? What are you seeking? If you want the right thing, everything else will fall into place. If you don’t, nothing you do will give rest to your soul.

Christ in My Life  Where do you live, Lord? I want to find you and stay with you. You are the creator of the mountains, the ocean, the clouds, and the stars. You are the wisdom that gives order to the universe. You are the spark of light that gives man a knowing mind and a loving heart. You are the source and goal of all things. And you have come to live in my heart. You are mine, and I am yours. Let me stay with you…

I need a Teacher, Lord, and I choose to sit at your feet and listen to you. Sometimes I find myself yearning so much to understand things – to have true wisdom – that I am almost in pain. You made me with a need for truth. You are the Truth. Speak to my heart, Lord. Send your Spirit to teach and guide me. Never take your eyes off of me…

What do I want? I want so many things! I want happiness, Lord. I want happiness for myself and for those around me. Fulfillment, meaning, satisfaction. I want my life to bear the fruit you created it to bear. I want to look into your eyes and see you smile on the day you call me home to eternity, and I want to hear you say, “Well done, good and faithful servant…”

PS: This is just one of 303 units of Fr. John’s fantastic book The Better Part. To learn more about The Better Part or to purchase in print, Kindle or iPhone editions, click here. Also, please help us get these resources to people who do not have the funds or ability to acquire them by clicking here.

Hidden Delights

“The world is not only hungry for food, but also for beauty.” With those words, Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta helps explain why Pope Benedict is encouraging us to return to Catholic art as a privileged place for prayer. The vision of a gifted, accomplished, faith-filled artist can reveal to us a glimpse of God’s beauty, sparking an encounter with his love – and that’s the heart of all Christian prayer.

When I was just discovering the Catholic faith, before entering the Catholic Church, I used to wander into churches and gaze at the works of art, sometimes for hours at a time (college students have plenty of free time). This high relief sculpture of the Annunciation caught my eye, and my heart, even before I discovered that the Renaissance master, Donatello, had carved it out of pietra serena (a type of gray sandstone native to Tuscany) in the early 1400s.

What I Wasn’t Looking For

I have to make a confession about this work of art. It is located in a famous Italian Gothic church in Florence, Santa Croce. This church is home to immortal monuments like frescoes by Giotto, chapels by Brunelleschi, and the tombs of Galileo and Michelangelo. The first time I visited this church, I was interested in those famous monuments, not in Donatello’s little relief sculpture. Likewise the second time, and the third. In fact, this Florentine treasure of a church became a favorite stop on my way to class – I would light a candle for prayer intentions there as a part of my morning routine.

These repeated visits brought me in regular contact with Donatello’s Annunciation. It is located on the right side of the nave, between other monuments and side altars. I would walk by it every time I went through the church. Gradually, day by day, it began to demand more attention.

An Elegant Drama

We are used to seeing this type of depiction of the Annunciation, the moment when the Archangel Gabriel appears to the Blessed Virgin Mary and invites her to be the Mother of our Lord. But Donatello was the first sculptor to depict this scene with such drama. And it was the drama that struck a chord with me.

On the one hand, we can see that St. Gabriel is interrupting Our Lady. She is just closing her little prayer book with one hand, and with the other hand she is pulling her cloak over her as if to protect herself. Her right knee is turning away from the angel, but her left foot is still planted and hasn’t yet caught up with her body’s motion. But even while her body is moving away from the angel, as if she is surprised or frightened, her face and head show that she is actually mesmerized by the vision and the angelic presence.

And isn’t that exactly how it is with all of us? When God breaks into our lives, interrupting our routine with an invitation to repent, or to serve in a new way, or to somehow follow him more closely, isn’t our automatic reaction one of fright or resistance? We say, “Well, Lord, I have a lot to do, and I don’t think your idea is going to fit into my plans.” And yet, even as we resist, there is a place in our hearts, way down deep, at the very core of our being, where we feel the excitement and the draw of the Christian adventure. We know that we are made for God and that his will is the path to the meaningful, worthwhile life that we truly desire. And so, our true self – represented in the sculpture by the Virgin’s face, since the face is always the fullest expression of the person – wants to pay attention to God’s voice and invitations as they stir our hearts and conscience. But our lower tendencies of selfishness, represented by the lower body of the figure in the sculpture, tend to flee from the Lord. As St. Paul put it: “For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind…” (Romans 7:22-23).

The Charm of Grace

The charming elegance and sincere reverence with which Donatello depicts that drama was something else that resonated with me, in addition to the drama itself. In Mary’s case, the interior battle was much less violent than in our case. She was preserved from original sin and free from personal sin. And so, though the angel’s message caused her to be “greatly troubled” (Luke 1:29), she recovered quickly. Donatello’s rendition captures in Mary’s postures and attitudes the graciousness and gracefulness of her soul: he says with pietra serena what Gabriel said in words: “Hail, full of grace!” How could I not be attracted and intrigued by such beauty? How could I not be inspired by seeing the Mary’s natural agitation being conquered by her supernatural affinity for God?

The year that I visited Santa Croce so frequently was the year that God first began calling me into his Catholic Church. Throughout that year, I played out in my own soul this drama that Donatello captures so beautifully. My lower self resisted God’s interruptions, but my soul was mesmerized, and dazzled, and won over by the sheer goodness and beauty of God.

This Advent, as we spend time contemplating Our Lady’s journey of faith, so full of joy and trepidation, perhaps admiring Donatello’s magnificent snapshot will release the adventuresome spirit within us, and give us a share of Mary’s courage so that we, like her, can answer God’s invitation (whatever it may be) with the perfect prayer: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done unto me according to thy word” (Luke 1:38).