Mary’s “Yes” to Pain

Mary is a mystery.

After eager anticipation and hearing reviews abuzz with enthusiasm, I saw Mary of Nazareth last night. While I admittedly had some reservations about the film from a production standpoint (looking at editing, script, looping, and acting only; separating these from the story itself) at a certain point I dropped the Siskel-and-Ebert bit and fully invested myself emotionally, allowing it to become an experience.

A few quick notes:

• It’s always interesting to see a film adaptation of anything biblical. The Bible is a sacred text, read reverently, and spoken of with such solemnity that realizing that “characters” so significant as, oh I don’t know, Jesus and Mary were and are real people. They had hope, sadness, and senses of humor just like the rest of us and it’s this fact that I feel makes them more accessible.
• SPOILER ALERT: The part when Mary Magdalene reaches the pinnacle of her conversion and then rushes to Mary is simply amazing. The embrace between She Who Is Purity and she who was 100% impure was compassionate and hopeful to say the least. They rushed to each other out of love for Christ, which is yet another reason why Mary is the perfect intercessor for all sinners.
• SPOILER ALERT: Personally, I appreciated the very human portrayal of St. Joseph being angry and confused when he learns of Mary’s pregnancy. Seeing it on film validates the idea that maybe he thought she was crazy talking about a visit from an angel and bearing the Messiah. Also, in the Divine Praises, we praise St. Joseph for being chaste and through the movie, at once I understood the valor in his virtue. Amazing.

There is so much to say about the movie as a whole and I wish I could remember every mental note scratched quickly in short-term memory; in the end, it went above and beyond demonstrating Mary’s perspective and steady faith.

More than anything else, I was astounded and moved by the depth of what we Catholics call Mary’s “Yes.” Rightfully, the Blessed Mother is the role model for being Christian with reckless abandon. She is our ideal in marriage, motherhood,and joyful humility. The idea of her “Yes” is spread as encouragement for all Christians to accept God’s will and His infinite wisdom; and quite often in the vocation of marriage and motherhood, following Mary’s “Yes” translates to accepting flaws, inconvenience, messes, tantrums, and general chaos in the spirit of denying oneself and being a handmaid of the Lord. This devotion has always appealed to me – the idea of accepting with humility, trusting and loving so far beyond myself that there is nothing left but Grace – but Mary of Nazareth offers a unique insight into it.

What the movie achieved took me further into humbly trusting God to the point of sheer awe and admiration for Our Lady. It’s true Mary said “Yes” to St. Gabriel the Archangel when he told her of the Word Incarnate, but she was consenting to much more than bearing a Child, bringing Him up, and being present at His death. At the moment of the Annunciation, Mary consents to pain. Simeon advised her that a sword would pierce her heart, and the manifestation of this prophecy is powerfully difficult to witness, especially as a mother. Seeing a live representation of the Gospels conveyed the depth of Mary’s connection with Jesus, not only as her Savior, but as her little boy.

And that’s where the movie got me.

I get boys – I have three. I get being a mama to boys. What’s different about Mary of Nazareth as compared to other films on the life of Christ was the view was entirely from Mary’s window; and so as a witness to her perspective, I looked at Christ in a maternal way. As soon as this clicked, it was easy to regard Him as someone’s Son, who is at-risk constantly, who’s mocked for being loving and compelling, who is beaten up and plotted against, whose fate of terrible death and glorious resurrection is known from His birth. I went through each scene between Mary and Jesus with the tender compulsion to protect Him from pain and I couldn’t help thinking of my boys and how desperately I want them to know I love them. To describe this combination of pain and motherhood as poignant or moving would be underwhelming, but it’s the best I can do. The idea of Mary’s “Yes” holds a deeper implication than I think we (or just I) consider – her acceptance was joyful of course, but thus far that’s all I had understood; I failed to recognize the acceptance of pain into her life.

Ultimately, Mary of Nazareth compels me to simplify my life, to be attentive to my children and supportive to God’s will for them. It helped me understand that saying “Yes” to God’s plan for my life will include heartache that only a parent can know; but the suffering of being a mother is crowned with the glory of lifting little souls to Heaven and imploring God to accept them.

If you should have the opportunity, see the movie. Rumor has it it’s on Netflix?? Under the title Maria di Nazaret – made in 2012 and starring Alyssa Jung.