Receive God’s Word

Written By Joseph Odell

By Mr. Joey Odell, O.P.

As we approach the Solemnity of the Annunciation, I want to invite you to consider this great event. The moment that opened the door to Christmas. In this painting, Fra Angelico shows us how Mary was disposed to the reception of the Word. Mary’s virtues extolled in this painting can serve as examples for us to follow as we prepare for the reception of the Word this Christmas.

We see a ray of light coming from Heaven, directed at Mary. The ray contains a dove, symbolizing the Holy Spirit overshadowing her. With how profoundly Mary’s head is bowed, you can see the ray reaching towards both her head and her heart. Medieval and Byzantine Annunciation art sometimes depicts the Holy Spirit—often as a dove on a ray of light—directed toward Mary’s ear, echoing the tradition of conceptio per aurem (‘conception through the ear’).¹ That is, the Incarnation occurs in and through Mary hearing and accepting Gabriel’s message. There’s a beautiful metaphor here: in order for God’s Word to penetrate both head and heart, our heads must be bowed in humility, acknowledging our dependence on God.

Look at her hands. They are cradling her belly. I would argue that this gesture symbolizes the theological virtues. The hands are open, accepting in faith the words of the Angel. They are cradling, anticipating in hope the baby she will soon be holding. Cradling of course is also the natural, loving embrace of a newborn. So we have in this gesture faith, hope, and love.²

Mary is seated in the portico, a kind of front porch. She sits on a lush blanket. There’s a bird that’s joined her. She’s reading a book. Mary is at leisure - not merely laying about. She has found a comfortable, peaceful place. Prior to the angel’s arrival, she was alone, and undistracted, save for the bird. I think many of us also enjoy sitting on our porches, reading books. To prepare ourselves for the reception of the Word, we, likewise, should take some time to engage in leisure. We should spend some time in a comfortable place in a solitude that eliminates distraction. I imagine myself with a good book and a hot cup of coffee.

Lastly, it’s important to note what she was reading. She is reading Scripture.³ Fra Angelico included this anachronistic technology in his painting to illustrate that Mary would have been familiar with the Scriptures. It’s unlikely she would have had any kind of written document in her home, but she would have memorized Scripture to fulfill the law: “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise (Duet 6:6-7).” She would be very familiar with Scripture, hearing it read regularly in the Synagogues and at the Temple. And she would be keenly aware of the stories of Passover, Esther, and so many more that are retold in Jewish festivals throughout the year. Like all faithful Jews, she would be longing for the Messiah, wondering what he will be like. In this image, she is meditating on the Scripture, likely on the Messianic prophecies, pondering how they might be fulfilled…hoping. And she receives through the words of Gabriel something she couldn’t have ever imagined.

So, I implore you, be like Mary. Carve out some time in your days before this Solemnity. Find a comfortable spot, free of distraction. Meditate on Scripture. Dispose yourself to the reception of the Word. You might be surprised by what a little bit of leisure can give you…

¹For more details about conceptio per aurem, see the following:

https://aleteia.org/2017/03/24/the-deep-symbolism-of-annunciation-images/

https://produccioncientifica.ucm.es/documentos/5d399a352999520684462041?lang=en

²Grace Johnstone considers Mary’s posture as “protectively close,” indicating an "interminable moment of tension.” Artistic interpretation can very significantly, so my opinion here is but one of many. However, it seems to me that the angel bears the same posture as Mary, and there’s no reason why the Angel Gabriel would be in a protective posture. Rather, in mirroring Gabriel, I would argue that Mary is showing a posture of receptivity: hearing and accepting Gabriel’s words. That is to say, a posture of faith. https://ahva.ubc.ca/wp-content/uploads/sites/37/2016/05/9_120208_121212.pdf

³Mary reading a book as a symbol of her devotion to the Law, the prophets, and Scripture in general became a recurring motif in medieval art.

https://introducingmedievalchristianity.wordpress.com/2019/07/08/medieval-annunciation-symbolism/

https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=56337

Joseph Odell
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Dominican Saints and Blesseds