foot of the cross. He witnessed first hand her holy grief and affliction, but witnessed as well her steadfast devotion to her Son and her maternal entrance into his sufferings.
So profound was Mary's witness that St. John records the event in his Gospel account. It was the fulfillment of Simeon's prophesy of the Infant Jesus in the temple: "And a sword will pierce you own heart so that the thoughts of many hearts would be revealed." You can read about that moment in the second chapter of St. Luke's Gospel.
Theologians tell us that Mary's fiat to God, her yes, at the moment of her annunciation was also her yes to the all of the contradictions and sorrows that would accompany her motherhood. And it was the grace-filled strength of that yes that held her under that tree for three long hours as she watched her Son's agonizing death.
Steadfast Cross
Steadfast cross, among all other
Thou art a tree of great prize;
In a branch and flower such another
I ne wot non in wood nor rise.
Sweet be the nails, and sweet be the tree,
And sweeter be the burden that hangs upon thee.
Anonymous from the Middle Ages
Yesterday the Church celebrated the Feast of the Birth of Mary and encouraged us to turn our hearts and our minds to her in a special way. She is, after all, the woman whose "yes" birthed Salvation to the world.
Sadly, however, far too many Catholics are leary of Mary. Some fear that a relationship with her will potentially diminish their relationship with Jesus Christ. They fear that to embrace Mary means to let go of Jesus.
Still other Catholics have fallen sway to the Marian misconceptions propagated by Protestantism and proclaimed by its members. They see devotion to her as unbiblical and in some way a sin against the First Commandment.
And finally, some Catholics believe Mary's intercession isn't important-- why bother if they can go straight to Jesus. After all, wasn't devotion to her simply the invention of misguided (or worse yet, corrupt) clerics from the Middle Ages? Who needs her anyway?
The plain fact is -- we all need Mary! Devotion to Mary is not capricious, it is abundantly beneficial. Devotion to her wasn't started by clerics in the Middle Ages, but by her Son, Jesus Christ. The Bible does not prove Marian devotion is non-essential but actually proves just the opposite .
At the Women of Grace Leadership Institute, Martha Nicolli (Boca Raton, Florida, St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church) shared the following poem.
It had been printed in her parish bulletin. Today, I pass it along to you to consider.
Do you trust God? To what extent are you willing to risk to do the will of God? What is He asking you to do now and will you say "yes"?
We receive many letters and emails about situations in life that are not easily resolved. And yet, we know God has a plan for us in the midst of every circumstance and event. Recently, I heard from a woman who had just discovered her husband of nearly twenty years had been cheating on her.
She was devastated and reeling from the shock. However, she wanted to try to make a go of things and wondered if I had ever heard of a couple who were able to repair the damage caused by such a deep and pervasive marital breach.
My sad reply was, "Not many." And I think there is a reason for this. If a marriage has survived infidelity, I doubt the couple would talk about it freely. It is just too private a matter.
But it occurred to me that if there were an anonymous way for individuals who have healed from this pain to offer encouragement, support, and suggestions for others who were experiencing it, then much good might be accomplished.
The past two days mark the feasts of two great saints of the Church, a mother and a son, whose lives give testimony to a sure-fired method of evangelizing those we love.
St. Monica (August 27) is the mother of St. Augustine (August 28), though Augustine was no saint when Monica began her earnest intercession. At that time he was a pagan and a member of the heretical Manichean sect. He was known to be a carouser who lived with a woman to whom he had fathered a child. A brilliant mind, he was "devoted" to his views and his lifestyle, and had no intention of converting to the Catholic faith.
St. Monica was distraught about her son's dissolute ways and decided to do something about it. She prayed. And in the end, her prayers won the soul of her son.
What was it that made St. Monica's prayers so effective? I think five strategies are primarily responsible. Perhaps you can implement them as you seek to evangelize those you love.
Not long ago, a woman aspiring to sanctity and holiness of life shared with me that she received a beautiful gift from the Lord on her birthday. It was during her time of prayer when she seemed to "hear" the voice of God deep down in the inner recesses of her heart.
This is what she heard:
"Let me love you, my daughter. Let me love you in those areas of pain, in those areas of shame, in those areas that seem to be the refuse of your life. Let me love you there."
Two weeks ago, I was in Huntsville, Alabama for two beautiful and heartwarming events -- a tea and a retreat. Both events were the fulfillment of a dream for one very gifted, magnanimous woman, Carole Esk'ridge. A true "woman of grace," Carole has a vision and mission that can significantly impact the lives of the "poorest of the poor." And both events were first steps in realizing her dream. If you need any artist related blog then check this out.
From time to time we hear from people at the apostolate who are fairly convinced that God just doesn't answer their prayers. Is it possible that we can petition the Lord and He would turn a deaf ear to us? Not if we understand the nature of God.
As St. John tells us in his epistle, God is love (1 John 4:8). And love, defines Pope John Paul II, is an act of total self-donation. All we need do is look at a crucifix to see the truth of it: "For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that everyone who believed in Him might not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).
So, it logically follows that if God is love, and love is an act of total self-donation, then God to be God, must give us all of Himself. He, who is Perfect Goodness, must give us the Good Who is Himself. Therefore, we can deduce that God not only answers our prayer, but must always be answering our prayer.
Why, then, does it sometimes seem like He isn't? Three reasons may well answer this question.
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