The Annunciation
“Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.” Luke 1.28
What is the connection between macaroni and today’s Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord?
Well, it is to be found in the communion motet. I thought that as we were following our sermon series during Lent based on the communion motets, we would continue the pattern today.
The text of the communion motet, usually referred to as ‘A Hymn to the Virgin’ dates back to the 13th century. And like many other mediaeval carols, it is macaronic. That is, it is partly in English and partly in Latin.
The adjective ‘macaronic’, is used to describe any text which is a jumbled mixture of the vernacular, Latin or Latinized words or indeed words from any other languages. The word comes from the New Latin ‘macaronicus’, literally, resembling macaroni: presumably, suggesting lack of sophistication or simple rustic wisdom.
And this is one of the hallmarks of these mediaeval texts, which makes them so attractive, and at the same time rather annoying. They are often full of homespun devotion and theological naivety. The Latin is perhaps supposed to give them a bit more weight. But rather like putting on a posh accent while still using appalling grammar, the overall effect is one of lovable simplicity.
It is best not to look at such texts in too much detail. What shines through the three verses we will hear later (there are two other verses to this hymn as well) is an echo of the angel’s words to Our Lady: “Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.”
It was music which first began to give me an inkling of devotion to Our Lady, back in my teens. Not surprisingly, my good puritan baptist church had no images of any kind in the building - not even a cross until the swinging 60s.
So Mary only featured in Christmas Carols. And even then some of the words had to be changed to protect theological sensibilities. That line in Adam lay y bounden: ‘Ne had the apple taken been, the apple taken been, ne had never Our Lady a-been heavene queen’; was changed to ‘Ne had never Christ’s glory on earth ever been seen.’ A not-so-subtle Christological shift!
But despite all this, as a teenager exploring passion and fallings in love, it was hymns and carols which often inspired my devotion. I recognised that just as Jesus was the most lovable man; the man from God; the second Adam; the man who was God; so Mary was the most loveable woman, the woman chosen by God, the second Eve; the perfect Mother of Our Lord; a friend, a comforter, who like a mother, understands and cares.
It was probably similar feelings which drew the 17-year old Benjamin Britten to the text in 1930. He wrote relatively little specifically Christian music, but here we catch a glimpse of an early intimation of religious mystery.
Whatever happened between Mary and God, between this Angel and Mary; it was such an exceptional happening that no other human being has ever experienced such, before or since.
And the words of these mediaeval poems pile up epithets and allegories to draw us out in Love of God, and love of this simple woman who became such a channel of grace.
It is amazement at the way God involves human beings, supremely, Mary, in his plans for salvation which calls for us to praise God; and to offer our admiration and devotion to those saints who submit themselves to the will of God. Chief among these is Mary, the unique God-bearer.
Rainer Maria Rilke in his poem on the Annunciation from Das Marienleben, deepens our wonder of God’s mysterious workings, by suggesting that even the Angel is astonished at the message he is bringing to this peasant girl.
When the angel stepped in, he did not take her by surprise,“Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.” Luke 1.28
It was as though a ray of sunlight or moonlight
had entered her room,
No, she did not even blink!
But when he bent close his youthful face
she looked into eyes that looked into hers,
their gaze so powerful that the world outside was suddenly empty
and the multitudes' visions, their deeds and their burdens
all were crowded into them: just she and he;
this girl, this angel, this spot.
And they were both astonished.
Then the angel sang his melody.
(Rainer Maria Rilke, from Das Marienleben
translated & adapted by Alice Van Buren and Russell Walden)
