HOW MARY RESPONDS TO UNCERTAINTY
When I told my mom that a friend was getting a divorce, she asked why. Wishing to respect my friend’s privacy, I answered, “I don’t know.” My mother then interrogated me until she independently came up with multiple theories on how the marriage failed. None were correct.
What my mother shows is how we humans are great at creating stories. Stories help us make sense of a chaotic world because reality is open-ended and very uncertain. We don’t have to search far for examples. Even if you ignore the news, we all have unsettled issues, something that didn’t go as expected. We crave instant gratification, so our imaginations fill in the gaps and write an ending. And as my mother showed, we can do it in seconds.
Being overzealous about having all the facts, however, can cause anxiety, make us over-anticipate, and lead to false conclusions. Another friend used to confide about how unlucky he was in dating. He believed he would marry someone he didn’t love and be unhappy. When I pointed out that no one can predict the future, he strongly responded, “But it feels that way.” Impatience leaves us vulnerable to despair, a “strangely attractive voice [that] takes all uncertainties away and puts an end to the struggle. It speaks unambiguously for the darkness and offers a clear-cut negative identity.” [1]
Today’s Gospel shows how Mary has the opposite response to uncertainty. When shepherds come with their joyful message, “Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.” Luke writes a similar verse after she finds the lost Jesus in the temple.
Mary understands that a know-it-all attitude can’t encounter God. Because her trust in God is greater than a desire for certainty, she is open to receive all of God’s unimaginable gifts--the life, death, and resurrection of her son.
What is God calling me to keep and reflect on in my heart? How can I better hear the voice of hope, especially when times are difficult?
Susan Liem