2015
January 1 / Mary Mother of God • Numbers
6:22-27 • Psalm 67 • Galatians 4:4-7 • Luke 2:16-21
•
[__01__] In the Gospel we have just read, the
MESSAGE of our Savior’s birth was being SAVED by at least one person, being
SAVED, KEPT, for current reflection and future reference.
Meanwhile, the message
of our Savior’s birth was being FORWARDED by others.
If you and I were to
receive important messages, message of significance, we would probably want to
STORE, … ARCHIVE, them for future reference.
Nevertheless, we would
also read them first, we would endeavor to understand them.
[__02__] There are certainly messages we are
taught not to save, not to forward, not even to read, in case [lest] some
damage could be wrought by a virus or some harm arriving in an electronic
message.
We are taught to
disregard and delete certain messages we receive in the mail, or even in
person.
Not every message would
be worthy of being saved …and of these messages … only a small percentage, a
fraction, would be worthy of being forwarded.
[__03__] It
seems noteworthy that in the Gospel we have just read that there is at least
one individual inclined to save – for future reference – the message of our
Savior’s birth. This is the Blessed Virgin Mary.
We read
that … “Mary
kept all these things [reflecting] pondering them in her heart.” (Luke
2:19)
Our
Lady, our Blessed Mother, was saving the
message.
[__04__] On
the other hand, we have the shepherds of Bethlehem were very eager to tell it
on the mountain and all who heard them were amazed.
“The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and
found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. When they saw this,
they made known the message that had been told them about this child. All who
heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds.” (Luke 2:16-18)
[__05__] The
shepherds are forwarding the message, publicizing the Good News.
It is,
of course, consistent with Mary’s humility, piety, simplicity that she would
not be the one – right now – to forward the message.
Later,
Mary would be the sender and speaker, in word and action.
Later,
at the wedding at Cana in Galilee, Mary spoke up at the moment of the discovery
of the lack – the scarcity – of the wine.
Mary
said authoritatively of Jesus and his mission and credibility, “do whatever he tells you.” (John 2:5)
At the
foot of the cross, on Calvary, Mary will wait with our suffering Savior,
testifying to his mission, being among the few willing to be seen and heard as
a witness in Jerusalem. By her presence, Mary was forwarding the message of our
salvation.
All of
these events would come later…. After this birth and birth announcement in
Bethlehem.
[__09__] For now, in this episode, Mary gave us an
example of reflection, prayer.
Mary
pondered the message of Jesus, about whom others forward their affirmation,
forward their Gloria in Excelsis Deo,
forward their Glory to God in the Highest.
[__10.01__] Is there not a spiritual benefit to this
reflection, this restraint displayed by Mary?
Do we
not, at times, let others do the talking, the forwarding?
For
example, as parents, mothers, fathers or family members, we may have
significant news to share about another member of the family. This news could
be either sorrowful or joyful.
In
either case, as a parent or family member, we would need to read the message
first ourselves, save it..perhaps share it with no one or only a very small
intimate group in order that we would understand it.
We
would do all these things before we forward the message.
[__10.02__] On the other hand, it’s also true that we can
understand our own calling as a parent, mother, father, family member, if we
were to listen carefully – prudently – even critically – to what others say
about our children, our families.
This
does not mean that every statement has equal credibility. Nevertheless, our own treasure of faith can
grow by our understanding of the words and ideas of others.
I
suggest this because St. Ambrose of Milan wrote that the faith of the Blessed
Virgin Mary was enriched, was confirmed by the message forwarded by the
shepherds and heard – about Jesus - in the Bethlehem neighborhood.[1]
[__11__] Can we not also discover our calling – our
vocation – if we were to listen prudently, prayerfully, to what others are
saying?
If we
keep them, ponder them in our heart and with God’s grace determine when and how
to make our reply known, to forward the message ourselves, whether in word or
action.
[1]
St. Ambrose of Milan, “V. 19 Mary ..pondered”, page 108 of Sunday Sermons of
the Great Fathers, Christmas Day, Mass of the Aurora, Catena Aurea
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