Curious? (Advent) (2014-12-21)

21 December 2014    Sunday of 4^th week Advent

Title: Curious ?

[__01__]  This is the Gospel episode of the Annunciation, the Birth of the Messiah, the Birth of  our Savior, to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and to the world.

What would our disposition – our attitude be toward announcements [annunciations] – or questions – which we had not anticipated or expected?

[__02__]     CURIOSITY?

Our first reaction might be curiosity. We curious regarding the behavior of certain people or curious regarding the turn or consequences of certain events, for the better or for the worse.

Curiosity is a neutral state, a neutral gear in which we neither RESIST nor OPPOSE  new idea, person, or plan.

We are simply curious.

[__03__]    In this first chapter of Luke, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named and Joseph ….

…and Mary is greatly troubled, yet manfests, FIRST, her curiosity which, at this point, is also an act of FIDELITY and HOPE.

“How can this be?”

Mary, the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Lourdes, is curious.

[__04__]    We have, at times, been warned about excesses in curiosity, or inquisitiveness. Sometimes, we could bother another person with many questions.

Curiosity, or “care” according to Shakespeare and one of his contemporaries, is the great pitfall for a animal with an otherwise promising career of nine lives. Curiosity could be fatal.[1]

Indeed, curiosity may not be a downfall as much as a distraction or hindrance.

Under certain circumstances, curiosity is a danger.

[__05__]  Does my curiosity lead to fear – or to faith?

Does my curiosity enable me to follow God’s commands, to follow the commands of my parents, my teachers, my coaches, especially when I do not comprehend them… or does my curiosity become an obstacle?

[__06__]   I recall this encounter with a player on one of my teams….he was truly one of our best, most talented, most gifted, strongest, tallest, most intelligent…and, possibly, also the most curious.

No one could figure him out.

Many times, the coach would correct him, ask him to work harder and he would resist, fight back.   He would not accept the coach’s direction.

When asked about his attitude –and his bitterness -- he concluded that he had figured the coach out… he had figured out the coach that the coach wanted to make him angry so that he would play harder.

No, the coach does not want you to play harder because he’s angry at you …or because he wants you to be angry… he wants you to play harder because he knows you are capable of doing so.

This player could not figure out what question to ask. Fortunately, he turned around… but it took several months.

[__08__]  God does not want to take our curiosity from us…any more than he would take our free will from us.

It is curiosity which enables the Blessed Mother to question and to believe.

Also, it is curiosity that enables her to receive the idea that God – infinitely powerful – could create a Savior among us, both human and divine, both all powerful and vulnerable. 

A Savior who imitates our physical appearance so that we would imitate his divine love, his mercy.

This is the Incarnation, so that we would be ever curious, ever closer to an understanding of his knowledge,and love  using all of our heart, our soul, our mind, our strength. (cf. Mark 12:30)

[__08__]   Curious.

If you were to sit down around with Joe, Joseph, Monsignor Joe, at the end of a long day, perhaps, a difficult day, this would be a word that he would use.

Curious.

Rather than telling you or me who frustrated or annoyed he was at a person’s behavior or a turn of events, he would often say…

Well, it was curious what the person said or why the person acted this way.

Monsingor Joe/Father Joe favored this word to describe human nature, human failing. 

Also, instead of demeaning someone’s behavior or actions – even someone’s outrageous action – he would find them … well .. CURIOUS.

It was curious. He was curious.

[__08__]   And, this was also Monsignor’s patient, prayerful attitude, hoping for more information before he would make any final determination.

è à insert humorous phone call example.... Ash Wednesday…”what time was your last Mass, i.e., the one I just missed?” ….”when is the next bus to NY, to the Port Authority?”

Also, in his ministry, priesthood, in his role as Personnel Director, in his calling as a school teacher and school Principal Monsignor trusted that he was doing God’s work … and that he was not meant to know everything now.

Curiosity is a key to our lives, curiosity enables the Blessed Virgin Mary to say yes, in complete freedom, love, even though questions would have remained.

Curiosity enables you and me to answer the call of God, just as it enabled Monsignor Joe to serve us here at Our Lady of Lourdes for many years, as pastor, priest, father, and brother.

[__fin__]

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[1] Much Ado About Nothing (1599) à “ What, courage man! what though care killed a cat, thou hast mettle enough in thee to kill care.