“Learn to be stronger in spirit than in your muscles. If you are you will be real apostles of faith in God” (Man of the Beatitudes, 118).
This morning, I sauntered out to my car this morning about ten minutes before Mass thinking I would hop in and head on my way. Well, my car was encased in ice so that plan was a bust. My car looked like a toy car that had been placed in an icicle mold. Without exaggeration, I couldn’t open the driver side door the ice was so high. I attempted to shovel for about twenty minutes but quickly decided it might be better to shovel after the sun warmed up. When I attempted a second time to free my car, I quickly recognized I would need some help as I wasn’t going to be able to do it on my own.
As I chiseled away like a sculptor does his masterpiece, I recognized the progress I made was the result of many little actions. Though I had found a patch of the road and was excited to see the progress, I started to think about tools. I was using a plastic shovel and realized an old school spade, the heavy metal shovel that could have been found in my grandfather’s basement, would be much more efficient. Shortly thereafter a man offered to let me borrow a replica of my grandfather’s shovel. It surely made a significant difference. A little while later another man came and offered to help break up some of the ice while his mom ran into her apartment. He broke up some of the frozen mass and even pointed the direction to which I needed to go in order to get my car out. Next the PLOW TRUCK came. No joke, kids. The kind driver honked me out of the way and plowed the remaining blockade, which would have taken me hours to get through on my own. Each stage of this excavation was enjoyable and beneficial.
As I prayed and played in the snow, I was thinking about Pier Giorgio’s tools which he had in his arsenal. I thought about his good deeds, his investment in community, his love for the Eucharist (in both Mass and Adoration), and his devotion to Our Lady. Similar to the tools used to get my car out, each has their value and was needed at different times. The plow was the quickest and surest way to freeing my car. Today, I’d like to focus on what is analogous in the spiritual life - devotion to our Lady.
The surest way to Jesus is through Mother Mary. It is in fact how He chose to come. If we are to imitate Him most perfectly, we are to entrust ourselves to her mantle and intercession as Christ vulnerably did. She is both gentle and strong. She gently nurses us to nourishment and growth while also safeguarding us from the snares of the Devil. She can melt our hardened hearts like the sun melts ice over time and she can cut through and crush the head of the serpent. Are you clinging to her Mantle? She desires to bring us closer to her Son.
Whatever means God uses to bestow His grace, be it difficulty or consolation, let us implore His mother to intercede so that we may always see with eyes of faith His loving hand of Providence. Also, let us remember the gifts He has given – especially the gift of His love, the Sacred Heart of a crucified Messiah, who holds us in existence. Mary teach us to do “whatever he tells us,” to go in haste to visit our Lord in our brothers and sister in need, and to behold Him from conception through eternity. Let us enjoy the journey and to remember to pray and play along the way.Verso l’alto,Kathryn CooperIn the sorrow and the dancing … Your Grace Finds MeITS TIME TO PLAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (This is my new favorite song. In case you couldn’t tell)“The glory of God is Man fully alive.” St. Irenaeus .
No comments:
Post a Comment