Day 169: The Faithful “Yes”
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Hi, I'm Fr. Mark Mary with Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, and this is the Rosary in a Year podcast, where through prayer and meditation, the rosary brings us deeper into relationship with Jesus and Mary and becomes a source of grace for the whole world. The Rosary in a Year is brought to you by Ascension. This is Day 169.

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Today we will be meditating upon and praying with the first joyful mystery, the Annunciation with help from a painting by the artist Jan van Eyck entitled The Annunciation. And now a brief introduction to our artists and artwork. Our artist Jan van Eyck was born in the year 1390. He died in the year 1441.

And he was a pioneering Flemish painter and one of the most significant figures of the early Netherlandish and Northern Renaissance art movements. Known for his mastery of oil painting and meticulous realism, van Eyck revolutionized artistic techniques and introduced a level of detail and naturalism that profoundly influenced European art.

The Annunciation that we'll be looking at today was painted between the years 1434 and 1436. Our painting today is an oil painting. It was originally painted on wood, but it was later transferred to canvas. And now a description of our painting. In this Flemish depiction of the Annunciation, the Virgin Mary sits opposite the angel Gabriel, both adorned in ornate robes in a Gothic vaulted hall.

with stained glass windows. Gabriel, fair-haired, has colorful wings dotted with eye-like patterns reminiscent of peacock feathers. He wears a crown and a richly decorated robe of gold and scarlet embellished with opulent jewels. Mary, with blonde hair, wears a tiara and gown of rich ultra-marine blue cinched with a red belt. She is seated before a table with an open book, her hands raised to shoulder height.

and gently opened, her gaze towards the viewer. A bouquet of blooming lilies rests before her, and Old Testament scenes are etched into the floor. A dove descends from an upper window, emanating thin golden rays and approaching the Virgin Mary. The words Gabriel speaks and then Mary's response are inscribed in fine gold lettering. Now our painting today by Jan van Eyck, it really is a masterpiece.

It's obviously visually striking, but also symbolically so rich, so full of meaning. And before we dive into our particular focus, I want to explore a couple of the symbolic details included by Van Eyck. First, if you note the architecture, you'll notice that the upper story of the church interior is in a Romanesque style, while the lower story is a Gothic style.

Romanesque style being older than transitioning into Gothic, which is a newer style of art. And this is to represent that the movement taking place in the Annunciation as the Old Testament is being fulfilled by the new here, namely by the incarnation of the second person of the most holy trinity. Similarly, if you notice the tiles on the floor, they are depicting different events

in salvation history of battle and victory of God's chosen ones. The two that we have clear access to show David conquering Goliath and then Samson destroying the Philistine temple. These are Old Testament precursors to the ultimate victory of Jesus, right? A victory quickly impending by his taking flesh, but also it's appropriate, right? And so far as Mary has a role in this victory,

as their ongoing fiat will crush the head of Satan. Like with the symbolism of the architecture, van Eyck is clearly communicating that history has been building up to this moment, this moment of the annunciation and incarnation, and that it's not a break from what has been, but a fulfillment of what has been. A last little detail is that we notice that Mary's response is written in Latin, but it's also upside down.

which is different from the words of the angel Gabriel, which are written in Latin, but are clearly visible, like as normal texts would be to the viewer. And what van Eyck is doing here is using this little stylistic detail to point out that Mary's "behold the handmaiden of the Lord"

It's directed to God, right? From earth, we can read the words of the angel, but then Mary's words are flipped because they're not directed to us. They're not directed primarily to the angel, but they are directed to a divine recipient. The angel speaks to a person, right? To Mary, but Mary is speaking to God. So I want us to spend some time with this last image, the image of Mary speaking directly to God, right?

right? Her obedience is to God as her trust is in God. One of Mother Teresa's sayings, that's one of my favorites, is take whatever he gives and give whatever he takes with a big smile. The he, of course, alluding to God. And the way in which God will give and take

It's going to be through very concrete circumstances and events, more so than by a direct and unmediated purification, which we could see, for example, in the angel Gabriel coming directly to Mary. This is very clearly an invitation from God. But also for us, we can see this in the call to fidelity, to the duties of our vocation.

So it's directly from God. Certainly that can happen, but it's going to be extraordinary not to be expected. And we can see this as Mary journeys through a variety of difficulties and sufferings, including the passion of our Lord. Similarly, like we can see certain health struggles or natural disasters happening and technically being allowed by God, though not directly willed by him.

And also there's like what events or circumstances God wants us to not just passively accept, but actively try and remedy. So in all of this, we have God either like with his hand extended in an offering or his hand extended in an invitation. Either he's giving this to us or he's inviting us like to bring it to him, to carry it, to traverse it with him. But ultimately like our trust and our hope is,

are above all of these circumstances and they go directly to God. Like we don't place our hope in princes or horses and chariot, right? To quote a Psalm, but in God, in a God who speaks to us, who invites us, who forms us, who transforms us and who carries us through the unfolding events and circumstances and particularities and realities of life.

Again, we don't see all of this happening. It's just radically and totally arbitrary or purely as obstacles. But as I've said, we want to see in all that's happening the hand of God. It can be a hand of offering or a hand of invitation. And particularly in the difficult moments, there's this invitation to radical surrender.

There's this invitation to come to Him and say, "Help me. I can't do this alone. I don't get it, but I trust you. May your grace carry me." But like Mary who pondered everything in her heart, who took it all in and dialogued through it all with God, we keep our primary conversation, our primary focus and hope and confidence in God. And it's true that the world often doesn't understand it. They may not understand why you're being faithful.

Like they may not understand your fidelity or your purity or your obedience. Like it might seem like what you're doing is upside down, but that's okay. We're not talking to them, right? Your yes is to God. Your focus is Him. Now Mary's obedience, her fiat, it was a yes to whatever God would give and whatever He would take for her whole life. And as we said again and again and again, He was faithful to her.

He delivered her. He conquered the chaos, the disorder, the suffering, and the darkness. By our yes to him, already now we share in that victory. So asking for a greater capacity to stay in trust of God, to see his hand of offering or invitation to all things, and to keep our primary conversation with him and not the world, with Mary, let us now pray. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen. 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. 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. 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. 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.

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. 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.

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. 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.

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. 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.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. All right, thanks so much for joining me and praying with me today. I look forward to continuing this journey with you again tomorrow. Poco a poco, friends. God bless y'all.