“To be a field for the word means to be earth which allows itself to be absorbed by the seed, which assimilates itself to the seed, renouncing itself so as to make the seed germinate.  With her motherhood Mary transfused into it her very substance, body and soul, so that a new life might come forth….Mary makes herself completely available as the soil, she allows herself to be used and consumed so as to be transformed into Him.”
~Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI) 

For Reflection:
Which words in the above quote characterize Mary’s evangelical surrender.  Since these are action words, what does this indicate about surrender and the spiritual life?  To what extent am I seeking, or even willing, to be such “earth”?  What presses me on? What holds me back?  Mary, help of all Christians, pray for me.  (See tomorrow’s GraceLine for a key to Mary’s success.)

Living Life Abundantly
by Johnnette Benkovic
Pb 181 pgs
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 Introduction

In whatever situations we happen to be, we can and we must aspire to the life of perfection.
~St. Francis de Sales

Pope Paul VI said, “Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, or if he listens to teacher he does so because they are witnesses.”