entirely turn to God, a people is prepared. The soul experiences the consummation of perfection.
Zechariah said to the angel, “How will I know that this is so? For I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years.” The angel replied, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. But now, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, you will become mute, unable to speak, until the day these things occur” (Luke 1:18–20).
The archangel Gabriel announces the mystery of the incarnation. Always standing before God, Gabriel’s ministry is of the Word and he announces this Word in souls. The archangel Michael comes to destroy self-love and all that opposes the reign of God through the movement of the Word into the soul. Yet when Gabriel speaks, Zechariah asks, How will I know the truth of these words? He asks for a testimony contrary to faith. Mary does not ask for this testimony when Gabriel announces to her, because she is not in defiance. Instead, she asks, How will this happen? She does not doubt or defy but wants to be instructed in the will of God so that she may do this, even at an expense to her. Had God wanted something more, she would have consented. But Zechariah does not ask, How will this happen? He wants a testimony to the truth that is announced to him. This is offensive to God.
Gabriel assures him that he is the angel that stands in the presence of God and brings this good news. It as if he says, “The truth of my words cannot be better manifested than by the continual presence of God that I possess. If you had the same advantage of the presence, you would have more faith. I bring you the news that you will be given the divine presence. This is why you will become mute, unable to speak. With the cessation of words, you will be in a state where you will hear. You will be mute until the voice is given to you and this voice brings light.” This voice is John in an apostolic state who brings the Word of his Father. The voice is given to the apostles, who will speak of Jesus Christ coming to the hearts as the Word. God the Father chose John to announce and serve Jesus Christ. I am, he says, the voice of one crying in the wilderness.
But why does the angel speak to Zechariah as if his silence is a punishment for his lack of faith, since this silence brings an advantage to him? We need to know that there are two silences, one exterior and the other interior: the exterior is a punishment and the interior one a grace. Ministers are placed in their place to announce the reign of God. Their mission is hurt by their faults but the words they announce do not fail to accomplish their mission in the right time. Their words are necessary to teach all persons these extraordinary things. Minister should not be anxious about the interior words. Neither should they try to make them happen, but to trust everything to divine providence, who will bring this about in the right time. These words are accomplished in the time that God destines. Sometimes God promises many things that are not accomplished for a long time. The promises to Abraham are an example of this.
Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondered at his delay in the sanctuary. 22 When he did come out, he could not speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He kept motioning to them and remained unable to speak. 23 When his time of service was ended, he went to his home. 24 After those days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she remained in seclusion. She said, 25 “This is what the Lord has done for me when he looked favorably on me and took away the disgrace I have endured among my people.” (Luke 1:21–25)
All the people witnessed this miracle that Zechariah had in his ministry. Through grace of God, Gabriel had witnessed to Zechariah, but he was forbidden to speak words about this. God gives grace at times and wants this hidden until certain times. Because Elizabeth heard the Lord’s voice at the time of her conception, she hid herself as much as possible. She learned as a newly interior soul that God creates the interior, and the person must be hidden as much as possible to receive this manifestation of God. This is the work that God does within the soul, and this operation is preserved and heightened by silence. This is why Elizabeth says, “This is what the Lord has done for me when he looked favorably on me.” It is known that if the soul turns toward God as if God is the sun, and the soul exposes herself to the Sun with a steady gaze, as an atom or small ray is attracted by the Sun, then God looks steadily also at the soul. A consequence of the soul exposing herself to the divine gaze is that in a very short time the formerly sterile soul becomes very fertile.
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. (Luke 1:26–27)
After Gabriel announces the conception of the child who will prepare the way for the Word, he also announces the incarnation of this same Word. John arrives six months before Jesus Christ. He has this short amount of time to prepare the way, and when this is done, Jesus Christ comes quickly. The angel was sent to a virgin because what the Word was producing in the world. She was a virgin of both soul and body. This virgin was engaged to a man, but she had not known a man. This is to show the union that must happen between the Word and the Virgin to better hide this grand mystery. The conception of John was announced with light but the incarnation of the Word was hidden with care. God hid his grand and marvelous ways under the ordinary and natural. Joseph was of the house of David, because Jesus Christ must be born of David according to the flesh. And this virgin’s name was Mary because she must produce a fruit of both joy and sorrow.
And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” (Luke 1:28)
This heavenly ambassador enters into the presence of the holy virgin. She still lived bodily on earth while being transformed into God. As this was the message that would astonish both human beings and angels, God took all the necessary measures, so that this would be hidden from humanity for a time. This message to Mary carried the blessing of reconciliation of God with humanity by receiving within herself the Mediator who reconciles all of humanity. As Eve had been the mediator for sin and division, Mary would serve as the mediator for grace and reconciliation. Therefore, Mary consented to peace on behalf of the entire human race.
In close rapport with God, the angel with his pure spirit and intelligence brings the message of a real marriage between God and the humanity. He chooses words that show this mediation. “Greetings, Favored One!” he says. He shows his respect and at the same time declares the secret of his mission. He salutes her with grace. Because of this, she knew a perfect fullness of grace without any emptiness. God continually increased both the fullness of grace and her capacity to receive grace through all her days. A perfect annihilation brings an absolute emptiness and a capacity for this emptiness: this excessive emptiness through grace becomes an excessive fullness. The measure of emptiness in the self brings the measure of fullness she will know because God never lets the emptiness stay open without filling it. This brings strength and not sin. Being empty inside without faith causes anger and wrath but emptiness with grace brings generous love. Mary was entirely filled with love.
But, Mary, if you were so full, how did you receive the Word? Oh, it is the fullness of God that always causes both the emptiness and then the gift of reception. God made Mary a pure creature. She received the fullness of the Word but she was not herself the incarnation. She received the Word mystically. O wonderful interior of Mary with its perfect grandeur! What can we say about this? Because God is outside of all that we can comprehend, we can say little about God except what God says, “I am who I am.” We may say nothing about Mary except that you are the mother of God and in saying that, we say all that we can say. If we say more than that, we weaken the Word. O the interior heart, mind, and soul of Mary! No one can understand you and what is happening! The Lord is with you. You are united to the Lord in a perfect way, although you do not have the incarnation yet. Blessed are you among women! Your production is worth infinitely more than all others. O infinite and fruitful virgin! O fullness of infinity! O immense emptiness of Mary! Who can comprehend this?
But she was much perplexed at his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. (Luke 1:29)
Mary
