‘They did not understand’ Lk.2.51

The first words spoken by Jesus in the Gospel of Luke is a question, a question he asks his parents Mary and Joseph, “Why did you search for me?” Having received no answer he asks another question, “Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” Lk. 2:49. The parents are surprised and perhaps even a bit annoyed at his question. Luke concludes the incident with a passing comment, “they did not understand what he meant. His mother treasured all these things in her heart” Lk.2.51.

To understand the greatness of Mary and Joseph we must meditate on this passing remark of Luke. In Mary’s heart there was a big store of things she did not understand. She did not understand fully all  the words of angel Gabriel at the annunciation. She did not fully grasp why the promised child had to be born in a stable. She did not understand why she had to flee with the child to Egypt soon after his birth. She did not understand fully the words of Simeon, “a sword shall pierce your own soul.”  She did not understand the first ‘why’ of Jesus to her at the temple of Jerusalem. She did not understand when later  at Cana  Jesus said, “Woman, what concern is that to us and to you?”  Mary did not understand when during Jesus’ public life he asked, “Who is my mother and who are my brothers?” Mt. 12.48.  Mary did not fully understand why her son had to die a shameful death on  Calvary.

There is a school of thought which says that Mary perfectly understood from the beginning all that was going to happen to Jesus. There is another school of thought which says together with St Luke that ‘they did not understand’ all that Jesus said and did. 

Faith is to believe in things that we don’t see. At Cana we are told the disciples believed in Jesus after the  miracle, but Mary believed in Jesus before the miracle. By telling Jesus, “They have no wine”, Mary was not just passing an information but asking for a miracle. How did she know Jesus could work a miracle for he had not worked a miracle until now, for St John says,  “this was the first of his signs.” Jn. 2.11

Faith is to believe without signs. Faith is to believe that God is larger than our mind. Faith is to give a place in our hearts for things we don’t understand.  There are things which  the heart knows that the mind don’t understand. Faith is to make a big store in our hearts for things we don’t understand. Mary teaches us the truth that we can hold on to God’s promises even when we don’t understand.

Elizabeth was the first to recognize the true greatness of Mary when she said, “Blessed are you who believed.” Lk.1.45. Thirty years later Jesus would reaffirm what Elizabeth had said, “Blessed are those who hear the word and keep it”. Again Jesus would praise her faith when he said, “Whoever does the will of my Father is my brother and sister and mother.” The ability to believe, the ability to hear the word, is the greatest gift that Mary received. In the estimate  of both Elizabeth and Jesus, two persons who knew Mary better than anyone else, spoke of her greatness as her ability to hear the word and keep it. There is a proverb which says, “What you are speaks so loud, I cannot hear what you say!”. The life of Mary speaks so loud there was no need for her to say many words. The only sermons she has preached has just five words, “Do whatever he tells you”. These  words to the servants at Cana is the shortest of sermons, the best of sermons. What she preached is what she has lived from her Annunciation to her Assumption.   

Mary walked the pilgrimage of faith. Just as Abraham walked up the mountain of Moriah with Isaac by his side and the wood for sacrifice on Issac’s shoulders and yet he had the ability to believe that God is faithful to his promises. In the same way Mary would walk up another  mountain  with her Son by her side and the wood for  sacrifice on his shoulders and like Abraham,  Mary too believed that God will bring about a fulfillment of his promises.  By their extraordinary ability to believe against all odds and counter signs,  Abraham  became the Father of Faith and Mary, the Mother of Faith.

The true greatness of  Mary is her faith. Her life was like ours. She faced the same sort of oppressive, hopeless, insoluble situations in which we often find ourselves placed. Life seems so full of contradictions and false promises. The bright happy world we were promised, is full of hunger and sickness,  violence and war,  pollution and corruption, false guarantees and sufferings. Confronted with this dichotomy and falsehood we cannot let go the only hope we have – our faith.

Like Abraham we need to walk where there isn’t any path. Like Peter we need to dare and step on the water and walk on the raging waves. Like Mary of Nazareth we need to see where there isn’t any light and hold on to the promise of a new dawn.

-        Fr T.V.George sdb