Daily
Thoughts:
Today we celebrate the Feast of the Annunciation. It is usually celebrated on
March 25th but because March 25th was Good Friday this
year our feast today was moved to the second Monday of Easter.
Our feast
today celebrates the moment when Mary is invited to be the Mother of Christ and
she accepts even though it is an overwhelming invitation and will soon become
an overwhelming task. Mary utters “yes” to God’s invitation today and her life
and the life of the world was never the same. We owe Mary a lot but we can also
learn a lot from her still. Her profound trust in God shows us that all things
are possible when our friend is God.
In
Evangelii Gaudium Pope Francis talks about Mary in this way, “Mary was able to
turn a stable into a home for Jesus, with poor swaddling clothes and an
abundance of love. She is the handmaid of the Father who sings his praises. She
is the friend who is ever concerned that wine not be lacking in our lives. She
is the woman whose heart was pierced by a sword and who understands all our
pain. As mother of all, she is a sign of hope for peoples suffering the birth
pangs of justice. She is the missionary who draws near to us and accompanies us
throughout life, opening our hearts to faith by her maternal love. As a true
mother, she walks at our side, she shares our struggles and she constantly
surrounds us with God’s love…Mary is able to recognize the traces of God’s
Spirit in events great and small. She constantly contemplates the mystery of
God in our world, in human history and in our daily lives. She is the woman of
prayer and work in Nazareth, and she is also Our Lady of Help, who sets out
from her town “with haste” (Luke 1:39) to be of service to others.”
This
reflection by Pope Francis offers us a wonderful insight into the gift of Mary
in our lives. He tells us of the many things that we should look for in the
life of Mary. Most importantly Pope Francis reminds us that Mary was always
able to recognize God’s presence in the important and unimportant moment of
life. In other words, Mary always remained connected to God.
In
remembering Mary today, we also remember all mothers, all women who say yes to
the gift of life. Because of a mother’s yes, life forever changes for her and
the world. Another gift gets the chance to enter the world and we get a chance
to share in another part of the image and likeness of God.
So I
honor all mothers today, those living and those deceased. I pray in a special
way for all expectation mothers, especially my niece, Sarah, they carry the
gift of life within them because they said yes! I remember all the mothers who
have played a role in my life especially my own mother Rita, I am most grateful
for her yes, and also Betty, Bernadette, Alice, Rosemarie, Roseann, Alice,
Stephanie, Erica, Alexis, Deb, Ann, Marge, Monica, Sarah and many others. Thank
you all for your yes and the many ways you have given life to me along the way!
I would
also like to mention all those women we say “yes” but are not able for many
reasons to bring the gift of life, a child, into the world. I pray that they
know that they do bring life perhaps not through a child, but through the
unique gifts that they bring to the lives of many. I am thinking of many such
women in my life, especially two aunts named, Mary Helen, a couple of friends
by the name of Mary, and many others.
Have a
great Monday everyone.
Daily
Prayer: O
God of Eternal Love, through the loving “yes” of Mary, your Word, Jesus, took
flesh in her womb. We pray today that we who believe in Christ as our Redeemer
may share in the gift of his presence in our life. We ask for the grace to say
yes each day and thus bring about the birth of your Eternal Word in the world
once again. May the living of our life today be our “yes” to your love.
We also
remember this day all mothers and we ask your blessing through the intercession
of Mary upon them. We are grateful for their “yes” to life and for the way they
have blessed us with their presence and their love! Amen!
A
Runner’s Thoughts: “Endurance is not just the ability to bear a hard thing,
but to turn it into glory.” (William Barclay, Scottish Theologian)
Daily
Blessing:
Monday greetings and blessings to all. I hope your Monday has started off well.
It looks to be a cold, grey, cloudy perhaps even rainy day here in Pelham. Not
the kind of day that get your energy going but I will try to get moving in a
positive direction and I hope wherever you are you can do the same.
I hope
your Monday, your new week, has started well and that your day, your week, will
be blessed with many wonderful and life giving experiences. May the blessing of
God’s mercy and love be with you today and always.
Today’s
blessing prayer goes out to you through the intercession of Mary. I pray that
God will bless us all with the faith and hope of Mary so that our lives too can
be a “yes” to God! I also pray that God will bless all mothers today in
gratitude for their “yes”! And a special prayer of blessing for all expecting
mothers. Blessings on all women for the life they bring to the world! Have a
great day everyone and may God’s blessing be with you! Peace in Christ’s
Passion and Joy in the Risen Lord …Fr. Paul
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