A Surprise Visitor

In this charming painting by the chinese Christian artist He Qi we are given a glimpse of the challenge of bringing the message of God to his people. In the health and safety manual for angels there is obviously no section entitled 'Windows and Blinds – FAQs'!

We see the archangel Gabriel at the window, determined (and it has to be said, somewhat bemused) to deliver God's message of peace and goodwill to Mary. The lily, the traditional image of purity and virginity is proffered delicately, the little finger crooked. Gabriel is a well mannered messenger! The flower survives the ordeal of entry in one beautiful piece and stands, centre stage, to remind us that this is an announcement of no ordinary birth.

Mary is at her toilet, combing through the tresses of her rich red hair. Depicting red hair was often used by artists to denote difference, especially in women, although there are some paintings where Judas has red hair. Mary is not like other girls, she already stands out simply by how she looks. God will confirm her uniqueness by making her the mother of his Son, but she was chosen long before. She was, is, and always will be, different.

And yet she is the same. She goes about her ordinary business. Seated at her dressing table near the window (to maximise the light) she attends to her appearance like countless millions of young women have done in the past and will do in the future. Whilst this is a contemporary interpretation of the Annunciation, it is at the same time, timeless. It could be yesterday, today or tomorrow. I love it for that.

So what can account for the pinkness of Mary's cheeks. Is it embarrassment or the over eager application of rouge? Perhaps it's both. If it's embarrassment, then perhaps we understand a little more of the modesty of Mary, her unwillingness to push herself forward. If it's the rouge, perhaps we could interpret that as a sign of her inner strength, the strength which enables her to offer her 'fiat', her 'yes' to God. She is in no way brash, but she's also not a wimp.

All in all it's wonderful. It's colour draws us in to the joy of the moment. It's directness helps us to engage with the simplicity, and, at the same time, the momentous nature of the event.

And if we hear ourselves saying 'It didn't look like that!', let's also asks ourselves 'how do I know what it looked like?'

Ultimately this is an image for our reflection and meditation. God will bring his message to the world regardless of the obstacles in his way. We can receive the call when we least expect it. Let us simply pray that we will have the courage and the strength, like Mary, to say 'yes'.