Among the many words pronounced by the Father in all of his Creation, one was unique. Not so much an object of thought but more of intuition, not so much the splendor of divine sun but a cool and gentle shade, like a little cloud, fresh and white, that screens and adjusts the sun’s rays so that human eyes can see. It was in the plans of Providence that the Word be made flesh, that a word, the Word, be written on earth in flesh and blood; and this Word needed a background. The heavenly harmonies longed, out of love for us, to transfer their peerless concert within our tents; and for this they needed a silence. The Protagonist of all humanity, who gave meaning to centuries past, enlightened and drew after him centuries to come, had to appear on this world’s stage, but needed a backdrop of white to make him alone stand out. The greatest design that God-Love could invent had to be drawn majestic and divine, with all the colors of virtue, and had to be found in a heart composed and ready to serve him. This marvelous shade that contains the sun, losing and finding itself therein; this white background so immense, almost an abyss that contains the Word which is Christ submerging itself in him, light in the Light; this lofty silence is silent no more, for within it sing the divine harmonies of the Word and in him it becomes the note of notes, almost setting the tone for heaven’s endless song; this scene majestic and fair as nature, synthesis of the beauty the Creator lavished throughout the universe, a little universe for the Son of God, which is seen no more because it yields its interests and its parts to the One who was to come, and has come, for what he had to do, and did; this rainbow of virtue that says “peace” to the entire world because Peace it has given the world; this creature, first thought of in the mysterious abyss of the Trinity and given to us, was Mary. Of her we do not speak, of her we sing. Of her we do not think, but we call upon her and love her. She is not the subject of study, but of poetry. The greatest geniuses of the world have put brush and pen at her service. If Jesus incarnates the Word, the Logos, the Light, Reason, Mary personifies Art, Beauty, Love. Masterpiece of the Creator, Mary, on whom the Holy Spirit delighted to bestow all he invented, and poured out so many of his inspirations. Beautiful Mary! About her we can never say enough. (taken from Mary, The Transparency of God, New City Press, New York 2003) Source: Chiara Lubich Center