Today’s gospel brings us Luke’s account of the Annunciation. This is the second time we have heard this during Advent, the first being on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

This most compelling story is brought to life in a painting by the American Realist painter Henry Ossawa Tanner (1859-1937). Tanner’s work differs dramatically from traditional annunciation scenes, which feature handsome versions of the angel Gabriel, with flowing robes and hair, while Mary is typically portrayed as regal and queen-like, looking beneficent and serene.

As a realist painter, Tanner grapples with the details of the annunciation from a completely different perspective. Stepping away from convention, he depicts Mary as the poor, teenage girl she was. Far from a queen, she is a peasant, sitting on an unmade bed, in simple clothes and bare feet. And Gabriel? No wings, no halos, no flowing locks, not even a body. Rather, God’s angelic messenger is a beam of light illuminating the simple, austere room.

As I view the painting, Mary, awakened from sleep, seems to be wondering “what the heck is going on here?” But she is open. She listens. She asks a question on how the seemingly impossible could happen…to her! She takes a leap of faith, placing her trust in the God for whom “nothing will be impossible.” And she makes a decision—the “yes” that will change the course of human history forever.

How extraordinary! Tanner’s painting captures Mary’s ability to discern God’s plan in the face of total uncertainty and in the dark of night. To me, the stark realism of Tanner’s depiction makes Mary’s affirmative response even more impressive and inspiring.

Mary’s ability to say “yes” without hesitation and without additional information about the unfolding of God’s plan for her is related to our lives and our decisions in a statement from Father Richard Rohr. He takes Mary’s response, amplifies it, and applies it to all of us: “Whatever your personal calling or your delivery system for the world, it must proceed from a foundational ‘yes’ to life.”

Tanner’s Annunciation explores the mystery of what an encounter with the divine might look like. It is suggestive rather than definitive. It is open to interpretation. But when it comes to God it ultimately demands a personal, decisive action.

If we follow Mary’s lead, we know that we should trust God and just say yes.

You can view the painting here:

https://www.faithandculture.com/home/2020/4/2/the-annunciation-1898-by-henry-ossawa-tanner