(white). In such scenes Mary is serene and pious, often kneeling or seated, reading scripture and she is usually portrayed as a women in her 20's or even 30's.There are exceptions, however, even in the Baroque period. One painting by Lorenzo Lotto has a startled, wide-eyed Mary (and her cat) practically fleeing the scen before an urgent Gabriel. Later periods capture a range of emotions from puzzled, to troubled, to joyful. In nearly every age, she reflects the artist's own setting and time. English Marys are fair-haired while Spanish Virgins have dark, soulful eyes. There is, even a Catholic Church in McKinney, Texas, St. Gabriel's, that has a very contemporary Mary, about 14, dressed in saddle shoes in front of her suburban home as a handsome Gabriel respectfully approaches, head bowed and wings folded. The painting is by John Collier and the church is St. Gabriel's if ever you are there.
The point, of course, is that Mary is for all people and all ages and that this story of the Visitation is one that uniquely opens up for us the divine mystery of Incarnation. Try spending some time with your own prayerful imagination and consider how you would envision the scene if you were an artist. What was Mary doing? Was she saying her prayers before bed? Kneading dough or baking bread? Was she walking in the hills or at a stream washing clothes? Was she drawing water from a well or spreading grain before chickens? Was there a brilliant light, flutter of wings or flash of thunder? Was there a polite heavenly guest with questioning face or only the glowing light of celestial being? How old was Mary? What look was upon her face....wonder, joy, concern, confusion, fear, peace, happiness...? Spend some time with these questions; they will lead you to others. And come to St. Luke's, Shoreline if you can.
God bless, Kathleen