“Verbum caro hic factum est.”
This simple Latin phrase is prominently displayed on an altar inside the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth. The phrase, meaning “the Word here became flesh” gives a profound insight as to why that very Basilica’s exists: Mary said “yes” to becoming the bearer of Christ to the world. Because of Mary’s simple submission to the will of God, there was something truly magnificent that happened there: God became man.
The Gospel for this week actually magnifies in a specific way the fact that Mary said “yes” and put her trust in God in a tangible way by response. When Mary goes to visit her cousin Elizabeth, Luke’s Gospel gives us a beautiful picture of the response that Elizabeth has to Mary’s visit. She is overjoyed at the visit from the Mother of God. Notice, though, what Elizabeth says in the last verse of the Gospel for this Sunday: “Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” (Luke 1:45). Elizabeth draws out something important about this gift of greeting the Mother of God: she is beholding a beautiful cooperation of Mary’s will with God’s will. Her “yes” to God yields a tremendous, and even infinite, amount of fruit. God becomes man!
While we are focusing on this moment of Elizabeth’s greeting to Mary, we should take away a word of encouragement ourselves. Mary trusted in her God with everything she had, even under the possible threat of having earthly repercussions to her “yes.” She simply trusted, and because of that trust, some tremendous things are allowed to take place! That is a tremendous source of blessing for her.
We largely live in an age where it may feel more automatic to be skeptical, whether it’s in dealing with others, with information, and even potential our faith. We want to have hard and fast proof before we believe, and even then, we might still struggle. What about when it comes to our Lord and our faith? As we round the fourth week of Advent, and prepare for the coming of Christ, we should realize that Christ’s coming requires an openness and a vulnerability on our part. Mary had to have that openness and vulnerability in the Lord, to receive the Lord in a physical way. We too are offered the gift of receiving Christ, but this necessitates something from us: trust. We should be willing to also believe that what the Lord speaks to us will be fulfilled. It does challenge us at times when it comes to faith.
Nonetheless, we are given that beautiful image of Mary. Let’s seek to be open to the Lord: not just in a way far removed from our own time, but in a way that continually gives Jesus our “yes” whenever He asks for that belief and trust in His Will. Let us also be willing to believe what the Lord has spoken to us.
Perhaps we too can bear witness to the fact that Jesus has become flesh, and has even entered our own hearts and souls as well.
