The Beauty of Holy Mystery

As a Catholic laywoman, I am a writer not a theologian. The creative curiosity of writing about my faith includes questions and ponderings that appreciate nuance and mystery. I feel it at my core. I cannot speak of other traditions, but Catholicism, in my opinion, is the path of knowing the Divine Mystery or the Triune God in a more expansive and intimate way. As a woman, it is humbling and awe inspiring to know that the God Who Sees Me, as identified by Hagar of Africa in the Book of Genesis, chose a young woman named Maryam from West Asia to bear and give birth to the long awaited Anointed One. Maryam uniquely embodies the beauty of Holy Mystery.

For the curious, I use the Aramaic term “Maryam” because its unfamiliarity to most of my readers is an invitation to pause and ponder her person. Aramaic was likely the primary language of Maryam and her son. Because of her unique role in creation, the Catholic Church honors her, whom I refer to as Our Lady, with a number of Feast Days. The most recent was on August 15. Before moving further I will clarify that we do not worship her, we honor her. Worship is for God alone. Now, back to Maryam.

The oldest Marian feast day is observed on August 15. On this day, the Church commemorates the end of Our Lady’s life on earth and her entry into heaven. Yet, the Church in the east and the Church in the west have two different understandings of how this experience unfolded. In the east, the Feast Day is known as the Feast of the Dormition. According to this tradition, Our Lady sleeps away into a peaceful death before she is literally carried to heaven. The tradition of the west, says that at the end of her life but before her death, she is carried to heaven. This is known as the Feast of Our Lady’s Assumption.

There is a part of me that wonders if what was witnessed was actually beyond our capacity to grasp or comprehend well enough to convey to others. This is an example of Holy Mystery. Even with my Catholic beliefs, there is room for uncertainty and the unknown. I may ponder and explore mystery but there is always more beyond what I may experience or witness. While my womb never knew pregnancy, I am humbled by God elevating Maryam and through her all womankind. God loves, embraces and affirms us. We are not the second rate person of humanity. Like Maryam, we too have the capacity to embody the beauty of the Holy Mystery, each in our own unique way.