Mary’s Fidelity, from the Annunciation to Calvary

Mary’s fidelity is one of the most contemplative themes of Marian Theology. Unlike Mary’s faith, which bears on the act of believing, fidelity designates perseverance and constancy in following God’s will throughout an entire lifetime.

The Fiat as a Lasting Commitment

The Fiat of the Annunciation was not an isolated act: it was the beginning of a journey of faithful obedience that passed through the obscurity of Nazareth, the hardship of the flight into Egypt, the mystery of the loss in the Temple, the incomprehension during the public life of Jesus, and the terror of Calvary.

Fidelity in Trial

Saint Ignatius of Loyola, in his meditation on the Resurrection, notes that Christ appears first to Mary, something that does not appear in the Gospel text. It is a datum of Christian pietas: Mary, who was faithful to the end in the darkest hour, deserves to be the first to share the joy of the victory. Fidelity in the night of faith is rewarded with the light of the Resurrection.

A Model for the Faithful

Mary’s fidelity is a model for every Christian who passes through crises of faith or moments of spiritual darkness. John Paul II, in the encyclical Redemptoris Mater, devotes remarkable pages to the dimension of Mary’s faith-fidelity as a path for all pilgrims of faith.

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Magisterium of the Church

Mary, however, after being greeted by the Angel and having suffered much on the journey of faith, always remained faithful to the Lord with her heart clinging to Him, even to the Cross, where she saw her Son dying.

Second Vatican Council, Dogmatic Const. Lumen Gentium, no. 58

📚 Literal translation: Mary, greeted by the Angel and passing through trials on the journey of faith, always kept herself faithful to the Lord in her heart, even to the Cross where she saw her Son dying.