A Friday Lenten Meat-fest?
Tomorrow, Friday, we will celebrate the awe-inspiring Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord which commemorates the Angel Gabriel's encounter with the Virgin Mary. We believe that at the moment Mary said 'yes' to his request, the eternal Word of God became human in her womb; God became a zygote. During the recitation of the Creed at Mass, we fall on our knees at the words "...came down from heaven...became man."
This lovely Orthodox hymn sings of Gabriel's stunned response to Mary (see English text under video).
Try to get to Mass, or at least pray the Hours.
ALSO: this feast overshadows the Friday abstinence law of Lent, and you are allowed to eat meat tomorrow. But when you eat, eat to honor the Incarnation of God!
Jacob's Well
This Sunday we will be confronted by the thirsty Samaritan woman at the well, who once found herself confronted by Israel's thirsty God. It is like a New Testament mini Song of Songs.
This melodious exchange between Jesus and the woman finds crescendo in an extraordinary story of the events at the end of her life. The Orthodox Church names this woman St. Photini, and Orthodox hagiography narrates her final journey from Samaria to Rome where she brings her Christ-witness to 'the ends of the earth;' even to the family of the mad Emperor, Nero.
Who's truly Mad?
There in Rome, diabolical madness meets divine madness. The first madness is a dissociation of the mind from communion with reality, while the other madness is a radical communion of the mind with the really Real.
In the language of Proverbs, one is the way of Madam Folly, while the other is the way of Dame Wisdom. Fools see Wisdom as life-limiting madness, while the wise recognize Folly as death-dealing madness.
In the New Testament, Christ, who is God's Wisdom-made-flesh, refines the concept of Dame Wisdom by showing her - fully manifest on the Cross - to be even more mad than the fools previously thought. The obedient, self-giving, self-sacrificing mercy and love that appears on the Cross is the pith of divine Wisdom, and those fools mad enough to pattern their lives on that holy Rood are indeed Perfect Fools.
St. Photini, a symbol of Madam Folly when she arrived at the Well, found herself at first bewildered by her dialogue with Wisdom; and Wisdom exposed her folly, showing her the life-giving Way that He is.
Wisdom allured her into the desert and spoke to her heart, breaking her pseudo-covenant with Folly by showing her she was both known and loved.
She arrived at the stale waters as Madam Folly bearing an empty jar, and left as Dame Wisdom bearing in her heart superabundant living waters.
May we, this Lent, open our mind-heart to Christ that He might expose our folly and lead us to wisdom. May we thirst for that Wisdom, who first thirsted for us.
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DrTomNeal, I'm so happy to have stumbled upon your blog! Its wonderful how the internet makes the world so small.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the reflection on St.Photini - fascinating!
I pray you and the NealFam are having a blessed Lent.
Annunciation – to announce – public notification!
ReplyDeleteAs I think of the Angelic visit from Gabriel and the yes given in Mary’s response, I reflect to an earlier story from the Gospel of John than that of the Samarian woman. Looking back at Chapter 2 of this Gospel, the Wedding Feast at Cana, I recall Mary’s simple and profound statement, “do whatever he tells you”. Who better than Mary to make this public announcement? The one who showed perfect obedience at the announcement made to her. The phrases “be it done” and “do whatever” issue great Wisdom as we as a Christian people must learn acceptance and obedience.
Jacob’s Well is deep which the Samaritan woman notifies Jesus of as a pending obstacle to receiving water. Yes, the well is deep! The well of Wisdom is deep and no bucket is required. Thankfully, we do not draw from the deep well alone – Jesus is with us to help us draw from the well for the opportunity to drink from his living water. Then, as Christ did with the Samaritan women – he sends us out into the deep to make us fishers of men.
Liz, what a THRILL to see your name! I am glad to know we have re-connected!
ReplyDeletebeads2rosaries, I love your take on the feast and texts of John. And knowing the author, I know your insights into those texts are rich indeed.
God bless you on this great Feast!