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Spiritual GPS
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THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE
BLESSED VIRGIN
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The Angel's explanation does not pervent many future events and
circumstances from remaining hidden and obscure to Mary. She finds
herself fact to face with a mystery, a mystery which she knows
intuitively to be rich in suffering; for she has learned from Sacred
Scripture that the Redeemer will be a man of sorrows, sacrificed for the
salvation of mankind. Therefore the ineffable joy of the divine maternity
is presented to her wrapped in a mystery of sorrow: to be willing to be
the Mother of the Son of God means consenting to be the mother of
one condemned to death. Yet Mary accepts everything in her "fiat" - in
joy as well as in the sorrow of the mystery she has but one simple
answer: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord." By this acceptance the
Blessed Virgin becomes intimately associated with the life of suffering
of her Son Jesus, and therefore with His work of Redemption, thus
becoming the spiritual Mother of the human race. This is the divine plan
for her, and Mary accepts it wholly without reserve, precisely because
her will is wholly united to the will of God.
Every Christian receives a vocation from God, a mission to fulfill, by
means of which he is called to participate in the redemptive work of
Jesus. For souls consecrated to God, this mission always finds its
culminating point in a task of spiritual paternity or maternity. If ever
souls would respond to the divine appeal by as complete an acceptance
as Mary's! Behold, the handmaid of the Lord, Be it done!
Many times in the course of our life we have received invitations from
the Lord - and we shall certainly continue to receive them - invitations
to suffering, to sacrifice - to the gift of self. How have we
corresponded? Perhaps the thought of the fatigue and suffering which
we would have to embrace has held us back. Let us try in the future to
keep the eyes of our soul open to the light of faith, so that, like Mary,
we shall understand that it is through suffering that God calls us to
collaborate with Jesus in the sanctification of souls.
©2009 Fr. Louis Schlangen
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