#50 With John Dear: Did a Holy Jewish mother teach Jesus to be nonviolent? Mary's story of her Advent journey.

This week I reflect on what I call “Mary’s Advent Journey of Nonviolence,” from the Anunciation to the Visitation to the Magnificat.

Luke tells her story as the three movements of the spiritual life--from contemplative nonviolence to active nonviolence to the Magnificat as prophetic nonviolence.

How did Jesus learn his spectacular nonviolence? Luke tells us it is from his Holy Jewish mother, Mary and she can be our teacher too.

In the Anunciation, contemplates what God has told her in silence and stillness.

In the Visitation as active nonviolence, Mary reaches out to “love her neighbor” and “show compassion to someone in need.”

These public actions would become the bedrock teachings of Luke’s Jesus. In this second movement of nonviolence, when we reach out in love to serve someone in need, we bring peace, j ...