Holy Mary, Mother of the Lord, you remained faithful when the disciples...
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ARTIST: Br. Mickey McGrath, OSFS
ARTWORK NARRATIVE:
God gave us Mary as a prism shining light and color on the conundrum. We see it partly in Mary’s words to the archangel Gabriel: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done unto me according to God’s will”.
(Luke 1:38)
The first step of our enlightenment – the first step of our passing from our own earthly selves to our cosmic selves – is to discern, accept, do and rejoice in the will of God.
God gave us Mary as a prism shining light and color on the conundrum. We see it partly in Mary's words to the archangel Gabriel: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done unto me according to God's will". (Luke 1:38) The first step of our enlightenment " the first step of our passing from our own earthly selves to our cosmic selves " is to discern, accept, do and rejoice in the will of God. When Mary visited Elizabeth, she said, "My soul rejoices in God my savior." (Luke 1:46-47) Being happy, finding true joy in the Lord, is another important step along the way. Mary said, "the Lord has looked upon me in my lowliness." (Luke 1:48) Recognizing our own limitations, weaknesses and sinfulness with honest humility is another important step. "From this day every generation will call me blessed " the Lord has done great things for me!" (Luke 1:48-49) Even in our humility, we are called upon to recognize the great gifts God has given us and to rejoice in them, and to use them for others.
Mary's greatest example, however " and I say this with trepidation because I know that I shall never experience this firsthand " is the example she gave as a mother. The job of every parent is to pour your heart and soul and strength, your life's blood, your joy, your tears, your hopes, your fears, your dreams, your being, into your children " just to let them go in the end, to say goodbye as they move out into the world. Mary did that with Jesus.
And Mary did that with her own life. The passage from the earthly Mary to the cosmic Mary was made possible by Mary's willingness to let go. "Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled." (Luke 1:45)
Fulfillment of our calling means to be like the Virgin Mary. St. Francis of Assisi said, "We become the Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ when we carry Him in our heart and body through a divine love and a pure and sincere conscience, we give birth to Jesus through a holy activity which must shine as an example before others." (Earlier Exhortation to the Brothers and Sisters of Penance, chap. 1)
