First Wednesday of Advent (Feast of Saint Andrew, Apostle)
ROM 10:9-18
PS 19:8, 9, 10, 11
MT 4:18-22
But I ask, did they not hear?
Certainly they did; for
“Their voice has gone forth to all the earth,
and their words to the ends of the world.” -Romans 10:18
As I read the scripture
passages for today, I could not help but think of the popular Advent song, Mary, did you know?, which every year sparks
discussion and anger on my social media pages (Spoiler: I’m a theology nerd,
and so are my friends). We are only 4 days in and already people are sharing
posts and pictures for the dislike of this song and the theological
implications for the question it poses.
In
the first reading, Paul writes to the Romans concerning the passing on of faith
through oral tradition and a personal claim of that same faith by those who
proclaim that Jesus is the Christ. Often when talking about this reading,
people choose to focus on faith as a gift (for without the Church and her
members how would one know about Jesus Christ) or they focus on faith in terms
of belief as a means of justification.
While these may be
important discussions, my identities as a woman and a mother move me to instead
focus on the moment of hearing in regards to Christian discipleship. During
Advent, the most significant point of hearing takes place during the
Annunciation, the moment that Mary heard from the Angel Gabriel that she
was to bear a Son who would be the Savior of the world. What follows from Mary
is her canticle (i.e. the Magnificat) to God in praise and thanksgiving.
Like Paul and many of the critics above, I am certain that Mary heard and
believed that what the Angel Gabriel had said for her canticle has gone forth
to all the earth and her words to the end of the world. Nevertheless, this does
not mean that we cannot imagine the moment that she first heard the Gabriel’s
words calling her favored and loved by God and pondered what sort of greeting
this might be (cf. Luke 1:28-29). Sung as a prayer, the song Mary,
did you know provides us a contemporary imaginative contemplation in the
experience of Mary as she grasps with the fullness of what this great news will
mean for her, her family, her people, and the world.
I have had the blessing of
being pregnant twice during Advent and experiencing solidarity with Mary as she
discovers the gift within her, her fears and anxieties about bringing this gift
to term, and the pain and suffering of birthing this gift who will bring light
and life to the world. Even those who have not, cannot, or chose not to have
children can still imagine themselves in a similar situation as Mary during
this holiday season - fears and anxiety,
joy and light in the darkness, abundant life after pain and suffering. My
prayer is that through the inspiration of the Spirit we can all use our
prayerful imaginations to enter more deeply into the Advent season and the
struggles of others so that words of faith, hope, joy, and love can echo to the
ends of the world.
Erin Schmidt is the Campus Ministry Liturgy Coordinator.
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