An Enduring Legacy

Tags

Assumption, birth, Catholic Church, courageous choices, exile, God's will, Luke, Magnificat, Mary, Messiah, Pope Paul VI, poverty, say yes, Second Vatican Council

Today the Roman Catholic Church celebrates the feast of the Assumption of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, into heaven. It is one of many feasts observed by Catholics the world over – in both Eastern and Roman rite – and gives pride of place to the woman who said yes to the call of God to bring Christ to the world in the most significant way possible: by birth. In the renewal of the past half century, begun at the Second Vatican Council, we have come to appreciate Mary in perhaps more expansive ways. What I mean is that if we do indeed recognize her as a young woman (probably still a teenager) who lived in a small village in the Middle East, perhaps illiterate and certainly not privileged in any social way, her “yes” to God seems as extraordinary as it always has, but with one additional understanding that generations rarely if ever conceded – or even considered. This seemingly ordinary, humble young woman who cooperated with grace in an uncharacteristic way is the same girl who responded to the recognition by her kinswoman Elizabeth that she was carrying the Messiah with the following words:

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord…From this day all generations shall call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me…He has shown the strength of his arm and has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones and has lifted up the lowly…(LK 1:39-56)

Commenting on Marialis Cultus, Pope Paul VI’s apostolic letter on Mary, Elizabeth Johnson writes that the Pope “describes Mary as a strong and intelligent woman, one who has the wits to question back when the angel addressed her, one who experienced poverty and suffering, flight and exile. In the midst of these troubles she consistently gave active and responsible consent to the call of God, made courageous choices, and worked to strengthen the faith of others….In the most quoted passage from this letter, the Pope then declares that far from endorsing the particulars of Mary’s own life as exemplary, the Church proposes her to the faithful as an example to be imitated: not precisely in the type of life she led, much less for the socio-cultural background in which she lived and which today scarcely exists anywhere. Rather, she is held up as an example for the way in which, in her own particular life, she fully and responsibly accepted God’s will (see LK 1:38), because she heard the Word of God and acted on it, and because charity and a spirit of service were the driving force of her actions…(#35)“

Johnson concludes that “what has a permanent, universal, exemplary value is the way she walked the path of her own life before God, which can instruct and inspire people’s own creative responses in this new era. We can be inspired by her because we are all human together. Mary is ‘one of our race,’ ‘a true daughter of Eve,’ indeed (as Pope Paul says) ‘truly our sister, who as a poor and humble woman shared our lot’ (#56).”

Which One Are You?

Tags

answer, honest, in over my head, Jesus, Matthew, response, say yes, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, untruthful, vineyard, worker

Today’s gospel (MT 21:28-32) tells the parable of a man who had two sons whom he instructs to go to his vineyard to work. The first one says no but upon reflection does decide to go. The second says yes but doesn’t go. Jesus asks which one did the father’s will. They answer that it is the first son that has done so which is, of course, the right answer.

If I consider these two responses, I certainly hope that normally I fall into neither of these categories of behavior. I’d like to find myself in the middle – as saying “yes” and then doing it. If I am truthful, however, I would probably have to say I am, in a way, like both of the sons. I try to say yes whenever a situation warrants a yes, but sometimes I am too quick to do so and find myself “in over my head” and unable to complete or do a good job with whatever I have agreed to – or sometimes I agree to do something I just forget to do. I can’t say, however, that I have ever knowingly said yes to something that I have had no intention of doing. My issue is lack of reflection on my ability and/or desire to do what is asked of me. This is what I think was the case of the first son who said no but upon reflection, did acquiesce to the father’s request.

So the lesson for me today is to strive for generosity of response in all cases but to pause and consider before I give answer so that I can be confident of the outcome and honest in word and action.

Following

Tags

faith, follow Jesus, followers of Christ, Jesus, Matthew, say yes, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

When I was a freshman in high school one of my favorite songs was “I Will Follow Him” (Follow him wherever he may go. There isn’t an ocean too deep, a mountain so high it can keep, keep me away – away from my love…) A bit extreme – impossible even – but as a 14 year-old who was enamored of a boy in my class (who was “way out of my league”) it was expressive of what I thought was true. Today, it’s much less dramatic to “follow” people on Facebook or Twitter…but it probably could become obsessive as well.

In today’s gospel (MT 8:18-22) a scribe came to Jesus from the midst of a crowd and declared, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus, probably sensing first fervor and wanting the man to be clear about what he was declaring, responded in a rather surprising way. He said, “Foxes have dens and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.” My impression is that Jesus probably encountered this kind of enthusiasm often in his public life. We are often drawn to charismatic speakers or people who exude love for others. It is normal to desire the companionship of such a person or to wish to be part of a community led by such a one. When this kind of encounter happens in our life we often want to grab onto it without thinking of the difference between an encounter and a life commitment. I believe that was the impetus for the response of Jesus to the man. It’s as if he is saying: “You’d better really think about what you’re asking. This is not an easy road and there are no guarantees about what will happen in the end.”

It is the maturity of faith that begins to see what such a life (or any life) is about and which causes us to say “yes” to what it is and what it might cost. And it is a commitment that demands a daily “yes” because life is all about change and growth and surprise and reversal. So I am able today to say that I choose to follow Jesus and I hope to say the same tomorrow. But that declaration is about 22 hours away…