Friends of God, 284
She teaches us to have faith. “Blessed art thou for thy
believing,” were the words of greeting uttered by her cousin Elizabeth when Our
Lady went up into the hill country to visit her. Mary’s act of faith had been a
wonderful one, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done unto me according
to thy word.” When her Son was born she contemplated the greatness of God on
earth: a choir of angels was present, and not only the shepherds, but also
important men of this world came to adore the Child. Afterwards, however, the
Holy Family had to flee to Egypt, to escape Herod’s murderous intent. Then,
silence; thirty long years of simple, ordinary life, just like that of any
other home in a small village in Galilee.
Friends of God, 204
Lord, I do believe! I
have been brought up to believe in you. I have decided to follow you closely.
Repeatedly during my life I have implored your mercy. And repeatedly too I have
thought it impossible that you could perform such marvels in the hearts of your
children. Lord, I do believe, but help me to believe more and better! Let us
address this same plea to Our Lady, Mother of God and our Mother, and Teacher
of faith: “Blessed art thou for thy believing; the message that was brought to
thee from the Lord shall have fulfilment.”
Christ is Passing By, 173
The Virgin did not merely pronounce her fiat; in every
moment she fulfilled that firm and irrevocable decision. So should we. When
God’s love gets through to us and we come to know what he desires, we ought to
commit ourselves to be faithful and loyal – and then be so in fact. Because
“not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven,
but he who does the will of my Father in heaven.”
Christ is Passing By, 172
Don’t forget: if God exalted his Mother, it is equally true
that he did not spare her pain, exhaustion in her work or trials of her faith.
A village woman one day broke into praise for Jesus, exclaiming: “Blessed is
the womb that bore you and the breasts that nourished you!” Jesus said in
reply: “Rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it.” It was
a compliment to his Mother on her fiat, her “be it done.” She lived it
sincerely, unstintingly, fulfilling its every consequence, but never amid
fanfare, rather in the hidden and silent sacrifice of each day
PRAYER “Mother!” Call her again and again. She is listening,
she sees you in danger perhaps, and with her Son’s grace she, your holy Mother
Mary, offers you the refuge of her arms, the tenderness of her embrace. Call
her, and you will find yourself with added strength for the new struggle. The
Way, 516
