A Sister Reflects - Reflexión de una Hermana



Are You Willing to Trust?

Mary’s “yes” to the angel when told she was favored and chosen to bear the Son of God, inspires us by its simple consent and its leap of faith into an uncertain future. She knew she couldn’t fully know or understand what she was getting herself into. But Mary placed her trust in God.

None of us when discerning our future path knows for sure that this or that is the right choice for us because there is no way to know the unknown. It really is all about our willingness to trust that God loves us. In our love and trust, when we have done our best to listen to what the Holy Spirit has in mind for our lives, we step onto the path, continuing to trust in God’s love.

In these days of Advent waiting we can allow ourselves a little extra time to be still, to welcome silence into our lives. Silence is God’s best way to communicate. Our listening and really hearing is best done in silence too.

May you be still enough to hear the still, small whispers of God,
Sister Tarianne

To jump start your listening: http://www.adriandominicans.org/BecomeaSister/EnteringtheLife.aspx



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Avatar  Ed M 5 years ago

Also, sorry, just like to add, I think many more Catholics would have a stronger devotion to Mary, if they understood, well / better, this gritty side to Mary (a gritty side that appeals to me as a man - and the gritty, tough side we see in great female saints such as Joan of Arc, Theresa of Avila and Catherine of Sienna - not forgetting, of course, that as a peasant girl / women in the Holy Land back then, she would have worked really hard outside and inside, whilst bringing up and raising Our Lord in general.

I'll stop there (although was going to say, it would also be great to see the Catholic Church explore more / teach more, Mary's close connection to The Holy Spirit. We know she is the good mother and dutiful daughter. But often leave out that she also has a really important relationship, too, with The Holy Spirit. And by doing this, we honour her more, as well as, of course, The Holy Spirit and the Blessed Trinity as well. And not forgetting, Mary's special place at the hearth of The Blessed Trinity, where she has a special spot, giving us all hope, that we too, are invited to sit at the hearth of The Blessed Trinity, with Mary and all the angels of saints, although Mary has a particularly important position, because she is the mother of Jesus, and was born and lived without sin. So Mary is really important too in Trinitarian theology - that our real and ultimate goal, please God, is to be with The Family of The Blessed Trinity as children of God through Christ.
God bless.

Avatar  Ed M 5 years ago

Dear Sister,
I agree with you. And Mary said 'Yes' to God all her life. But in particular here. But I also think at another time as well little mentioned (from my experience) in Catholic (or Christian) culture in general. And that is when she said 'Yes' to the Father in challenging her son, Jesus, to begin his ministry, by challenging him to turn water into wine (at the Wedding at Cana). She must have known, at some intuitive level, that when Jesus did this, he would begin his ministry, and this would, in turn, lead to his Passion and death (and Resurrection etc).
Instead of taking away from Mary, I'm honouring her double over. She wasn't just the nurturing mother who said 'Yes' to God in becoming Jesus' mother (important as that is of course). She was also the tough mother (in good sense) who challenged her son (not that he needed challenging, but he allowed himself to be challenged because of his humility to share our human experience - in everything, except sin) to begin his ministry (and knowing intuitively what this would lead to).
And how to Jesus respond to Mary here? He called her 'Woman' (the new Eve). What a compliment he was paying his mother (although many misinterpret this)!
So Mary is an amazing mother twice over. Not just for saying 'Yes' to being the nurturing mother. But also saying 'Yes' for being the tough (in good sense) mother as well. I think we Catholics (and Christians in general even more) often forget the second bit. And this double 'Yes' Mary makes Mary much more three-dimensional and human (in good sense, she was, of course, completely sinless). I think a lot of men and Protestants would embrace Mary a lot more if they saw Mary like this, and not just as the nurturing mother (important as that is, of course).
Ed. Hampshire, UK.
(If I'm wrong or said anything heretical, apologies).



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