Lady in Blue: Didn't You Know?
Advent 4: Mary Sunday coming up. "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen."
Common in anglo-catholicism of the Episcopal Church, Anglican Communion, Marian devotion is not unique to Roman Catholics. It makes sense, seeing Mary's picture in art, in every nativity window, on every other Christmas card. Present in the most intimate Bible scenes. Our dearest stories of Jesus include his mother, even if an artist just paints her into the scene.
This is one I especially like, found on line.
Exasperated with her motherly pride when she embarrasses him in front of his friends at the wedding in Cana of Galilee, "Motherrrr! Not yet! Mommm, please! Don't do this to me." In fact, I remember, I had a mother like that, always bragging on me, wanting to show me off, maybe you did too. It was embarrassing, wasn't it!
Earlier, when Jesus is twelve years and, distraught with anxiety, Mary finally finds him at the Temple in Jerusalem, is perplexed as he asks with the ultimate mix of childish innocence and budding adolescent cockiness, "Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?" (KJV) Do you swat his behind for scaring you out of your wits, or collapse in tears of relief and thankfulness that he is safe and well?
"Wist ye not" is "Don't you know?" As in "Mary, did you know?"
Films, the most moving images of Mary I have ever seen are as she is portrayed in Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" Jesus as a little boy, Mary remembers seeing him fall, rushing to scoop him up in mother's arms and hold him close;
then years later, Simeon's prophecy, "A sword will pierce your very soul" coming true in spades as, frantic with anguish, Mary chases along the sidelines of Via Dolorosa as he carries his cross, he stumbles, falls, the cross comes down on him, she breaks through the crowd and rushes out to him and hears him say, "See mother. I make all things new".
How much is it possible to love someone?
She's there at Calvary as he hands her off to a beloved friend whom he trusts more than life.
After Easter there are so many depictions of the ascension that I won't look for the perfect one, but she's there too, in blue, as he returns to the Father.
She's always there when he needs her. Did he need her? Who, or what, does God really need? Does a perfect God have needs?
About the pictures. "The disappearing feet" may make us laugh, or grimace, but it is the classic presentation of the Ascension. Mary is the prominent woman in blue.
Of the annunciation on Advent 4, I may like best John Colliers' painting (top picture), a fourteen year old schoolgirl, surprised at the front door as she arrives home from classes. Does she have a Crush? Joseph, smitten, a shy sixteen year old high school junior who adores her? How will he feel about this? Why did he take Shop instead of Latin One? "Isn't this Joseph's son?" Will Joseph be swept up in the story until he's no longer needed and then seem never to have been in the picture in the first place?!
John Colliers talks about his Ascension painting, you can listen if you click the link:
Mary, did you know? "Mary, did you know?" There a discussion on Facebook about whether and what Mary knew. As well as saving you, did Jesus deliver Mary too, save her from her sins? Oh? Mary? Sins? Born free of Original Sin because she did not get it from her mother - - a Catholic dogmatic assertion, theologically, theoretically, did Mary sin in life and therefore need delivering/saving? The pop hit "Mary, Did You Know?" is an emotion grabber: how does it stand up biblically, theologically, doctrinally, dogmatically, devotionally?
All art found online.
On their way to Bethlehem is from the organization Rejoice and is available for sale online.
Batik by P. Solomon Raj (20th century.
Unintentionally careless, I neglected to jot down my source of the medieval work "Disappearing Feet", of which there are at least hundreds.
T+
26 ... in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. 29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. 30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. 36 And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing shall be impossible. 38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her. (Luke 1, KJV)