Borne in Perplexity
Excerpt from Luke 1: 26 – 38
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin …. And he came to Mary and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Reflection by Lillian Daniel
You notice that at the end of this extraordinary dialogue with an angel, young Mary is restrained in how she describes her emotional state, and in what she commits to. Having offered herself up in service to the Lord, having said “Let it be with me according to your word,” she does not go on to say this: “Oh, yes. And now I understand everything.”
No, the gospel does not ever downplay the fact that Mary is perplexed, and that Christ’s conception is downright confusing, even to his mother. Why, Mary is perplexed even before the angel tells her that she is pregnant.
As one who spends much of life in such a state, I take comfort. I see this passage as a great anthem, a symphony, in honor of those of us who move forward not in clarity, not in certainty, not in single-mindedness, but with perplexity. We’re the ones at the back of the orchestra, hoping but doubting we’re in the right place, playing with gusto nonetheless.
But we live in a society that favors decisiveness over perplexity. You are supposed to know what you want and act on it. There’s no room for uncertainty. It’s considered wishy-washy.
To which I would like to offer this gentle correction: If the mother of God got to be perplexed, you can be, too.
In fact, let’s take perplexity out of the old broom closet, dust it off, shine it up and put it out on the mantle piece in the middle of the ecclesiological living room, because a little perplexity can be a wonderful thing in the life of faith. It’s the people who ask the questions who get the answers.
Prayer
Jesus, both born and borne in perplexity, use my uncertainty and perplexity in service to your creativity and mystery. Amen.
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