"He has cast down the mighty from their thrones and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty." Lk 1: 52-53
Too often we idealize Mary, the mother of Jesus. So accustomed are we to seeing her portrayed in a perfectly clean and ordered room, holding Jesus and gazing at him with love, we forget how hard her life was. Consequently, we very easily pass over the words of the Magnificat which remind us that God will cast down the mighty and lift up the lowly.
When we assume or act as if we are in control of life, we ignore the cries of the poor, dismiss the complaints of the lowly and laugh in the face of God. Authentic humility demands that we submit ourselves to God, let go of the false signs of power, and beg God to show us the path we should walk. Mary did this when she said "yes" to God even though she knew little about where God was leading her. Because she trusted God, she was able to offer herself as servant to God and help us understand our Gospel role.
Christmas is near. Do not hesitate to ask God to prepare you to say "yes" to God in order to celebrate the feast with joy and the power only true humility brings.
Today, practice saying yes to all that God is.
What or who has taught you most completely that you are not in charge of life?
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please be discreet in your comments. I will monitor the comments, and only exclude those that are patently offensive.