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Theological Reflection

A Theological Reflection

Tapestry with the Annunciation
ca 1410-1430
South Netherlandish
The Metropolitan Museum of Art

St. Luke Looks into Our Lady's Soul

by Fr. Eamon R. Carroll, O. Carm.

      Of the four Gospels, Lt. Luke has the most to say about the mother of Jesus. Beginning with the divine invitation to become the mother of the savior, in the 'annunciation' by the angel Gabriel, he continues with the visit to her elderly cousin Elizabeth (the 'visitation'). He tells us of the birth of Jesus at Bethlehem, then that Mary and Joseph took the infant to the temple forty days later (the 'presentation'), and again there is a temple scene ('finding in the temple'). In her Son's public life his Mother has only rare appearances. In Luke chapter 8 she is found with family and his disciples. Chapter 11 has an oblique reference to her, as an anonymous woman from the crowd praises Jesus by honoring his mother.

      What is St. Luke telling us about the reaction of the humble virgin of Nazareth to the extraordinary interventions in her life? Master writer that the evangelist is, he describes our Lady's attitude in the events of her Son's early life, and turns to her Son's teachings to praise her during his ministry. In answer to Gabriel's announcement she 'asked herself what this greeting could mean' (1,29). Her answer to Elizabeth's praise is the Magnificat, which has long been the preferred evening prayer of the Church, and which echoes Gabriel's assurance ('nothing is impossible to God' (1,37) as she proclaims 'the Almighty has done great things for me' (1,49).

      At the coming of the shepherds 'she treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart' (2,19). When the infant was presented in the temple at the foreboding words of aged Simeon, Mary (Joseph too) 'wondered at the things being said about Jesus (2,33). We are told they went every year to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover. When Jesus was 12 he stayed behind on the way back, to the consternation of both Mary and Joseph, but her final reaction was 'his mother stored up all these things in her heart' (2,51).

      In the public life St. Luke has tailored his account of the 'true kinsmen,' known also as 'the coming of the mother and the brethren' in such a way as to apply to Mary her Son's advice 'my mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and put it into practice' (8,21). When the woman shouts out 'blessed is the womb that bore you and the breast that nursed you,' our Lord's reply was 'more blessed still are those who hear the word of God and keep it' (11,21). For St. Luke no one ever heard the word of God and kept it better than Mary the Mother of Jesus.

Fr. Eamon R. Carroll, O. Carm.,S.T.D., is Professor emeritus at Loyola University of Chicago and on the faculty of the International Marian Research Institute, the Marian Library, University of Dayton, Ohio.
This article first appeared AOH Epistle, May 2000.

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