On Learning How to Receive

I cancelled my piano lessons today, picked up our daughter from school and drove  down to SMU this afternoon in time to hear my  husband deliver his inaugural lecture as the new occupier of  the Lehman Chair, an event that surely would have baffled Mr. and Mrs. Lehman had they been present. It is likely that the Methodist Lehmans, back in the 1920s never imagined their gift would one day support a talk  about Mary as the model for theologians, certainly not at an event carrying their name at Southern Methodist University.

It was a moving occasion. For from Mary my husband has learned that sustained reflection, indeed prayer, centered around any given theological topic is the pathway outlined by Mary who herself took things and pondered them in her heart. From prayer that first listens and attends to  what God has done comes  theology.

It has been a cliche among psychologists to assert that various forms of unhappiness stem from an inability to "receive", a notion that has more often irritated me than illumined me.

But applied to the proper of course of theology it has a certain force.

Mary received , indeed she showed humanity how to receive more than any person before or since has done. "Let it be to me according to your word"; fiat.  I hear you God and I take you at your word, every inch of me, body and soul.

It's when we fail to receive God's holy word in it's entirety that we cripple ourselves theologically. For then we attempt to substitute reason, argument, emotion, experience or tradition for those parts of God's word that we can't hear or accept, that we can't receive.  The astonishing fact of Mary's virginity becomes a source of embarrassment that needs to be explained away , and eventually Mary is covered with tissue paper and put away in a box. The cross itself is a stumbling block because it is too bloody  and a risen Jesus  is substituted, one with outstretched arms who will welcome everyone, no questions asked , the Lord who needn't help with redemptive suffering because if we just focus on the joy we won't need to worry too much about that whole suffering thing.

Theology, Catholic theology, begins with God, all of God who has been revealed, and it continues with hands outstretched or folded to receive and to ponder what has been offered.

From Mary we learn how to receive and from Mary we learn how to do theology.

The Methodists in the audience today were perhaps not aware that October is Mary's month in the church.

But for those of us who are aware, it was a fitting beginning to a month of tribute to our Mother. Yes it was financed by the Methodist Lehmans, but I don't doubt that Mary in her own way is sheltering them, receiving them into her care as she receives all of us. "Fiat. Let it be to me according toyour word."

Ave Maria, gratias plena.