Mary Model of Virtue –Obedience

(Sharing at the Novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help on 30 July 2011)

Mary’s response to God’s call is a Perfect “Yes” after a reflective silence and her question asking for further clarification. She gives her consent to the Lord’s invitation: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord, may it be done to me according to your word. Mary wholeheartedly embraces the divine plan. To understand the simplicity and depth of Mary’s response, we have to reflect on it in detail.  Her response consists of two parts that imply and complement each other.

“Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord” which is Mary’s Ecce that expresses her total availability to serve the Lord. Mary offered herself as the “handmaid of the Lord”.  The word “handmaid is a term that indicates an unlimited generosity, an expression of ardent love of God’s will, the responsible love of a mature personality.’ By calling herself “a servant of the Lord” Mary expresses her availability to place herself unreservedly at the service of the Lord and His salvific plan. Mary was fully aware that her vocation to be the mother of the Saviour was God’s unmerited gift to her, that she was not at all worthy of it.  But the Lord had “looked upon the lowliness of his servant and therefore she would place herself at His service. As stated in the Lumen Gentium,(LG 56) “she devoted herself totally, as a handmaid of the Lord, (emphasis by sharer) to the person and work of her Son, under and with Him,… serving the mystery of redemption”. Mary takes her place within Christ’s Messianic service. Therefore to be called means fundamentally to serve God’s plan of salvation like Mary.  Mary’s attitude was by fixing her eyes always on the Lord in order to serve Him unconditionally.  Mary’s humble service reminds consecrated persons that they are no master of their vocation, but only servants whom the Master has entrusted with a special mission. Together with Mary, the handmaid of the Lord, they are called to partake in the salvific mission of Jesus, the “servant of the Lord” who did not come to be served, but to serve. We are reminded of the Lord’s and His mother’s utter humility.

Mary’s Fiat is by joyously consenting to co-operate in God’s salvific plan.  We have to know that the “fiat” of Mary at the Annunciation, “genoito” in Greek, expresses “a joyous desire to”; never a resignation or a constraining submission before something burdensome or painful.  It is rather a joyous desire to collaborate with what God foresees for her.  It is the joy of total abandonment to the good will of God.

Throughout history, man is called by God to co-operate in His plan of salvation, and the former has responded in various ways. Among those called, however, no one has ever given such a perfect and complete response as the Blessed Virgin Mary. Her “fiat” not only sums up and perfects the manifold responses given to God’s call, but it is also the sublime model of response to this call.  (Source: “What you should know about Mary by Charlene Altemose, MSC)

God comes to us not in the dramatic way the angel comes to Mary, but in those deep-felt inspirations, in our quiet, in our listening to the promptings of God’s grace within. God calls each of us to a certain task and, like Mary, we are to be conformed to the divine will. We too need to discern, need to question and need to be open for “impossible possibilities” for which only God has the solution.

Mary’s Annunciation challenges us to consider our own annunciations. Although no angel speaks to us, God does send those who announce God’s will for us. It may be a knock on the door from a needy neighbor; it may be the cry of someone asking us for a favour; it may be the demands and obligations of our job or state of life urging us to complete what we have begun; it may be a prompting deep in our heart that inspires and guides us. No matter what God asks of us, we need only look to Mary for guidance and the example of doing God’s will most perfectly.

In Mark 3:34-35, Jesus’ reply was, “ Whoever does the will of God is my brother, sister and mother”  .  In Luke 11:27-28, a woman cried out with a blessing for Jesus’ mother and Jesus’ response to that cry was, “Blessed rather are those who hear the Word of God and obey it”.

Mary shows us how to prioritise the details of life, always pursuing the will of God, with no personal gain in mind.

Mary, Model of Virtue – Chastity

(Sharing at the Novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help on 2 July 2011)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Today being the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, our sub-theme on Mary, the model of virtues, aptly continues with the virtue of chastity, for chastity leads to purity of heart. From the Catechism of the Catholic Church or CCC, it is to restore fallen creation to its original purity that Jesus came (CCC, #2336), and it is through chastity that we are gathered together and led back to our original unity. (St. Augustine, Confessions, 10, 29, 40 as cited in CCC, #2340)

The CCC states that chastity means the successful integration of sexuality within the person (CCC, #2337). This integrity of the God-given powers of life and love in man ensures the inner unity of man in his bodily and spiritual being. (CCC, #2337 - #2338). “It tolerates neither a double life nor duplicity in speech.” (CCC, #2338)

The virtue of chastity comes under the cardinal virtue of temperance, which seeks to fill with reason the passions and appetites of the senses (CCC, #2341). In Bishop Joseph Martino of Scranton’s words, temperance regulates the use of food and drink — and sex. His predecessor, Bishop James C. Timlin, drew an analogy between the appetite for these two subjects. The appetite for food and drink must be regulated so that they may accomplish God’s purpose, i.e. bodily health, and not become health threats. Likewise, the sexual appetite, given by God for the continuation of the human race, must be regulated so that it achieves the good it is meant to bring instead of causing suffering to individuals and society. Thus, chastity empowers us to make right use of a great gift from God. (Martino, 8 Dec 2004)

In his book Love and Responsibility, Blessed John Paul II, then Karol Wojtyla, wrote that chastity protects love from falling into selfish, utilitarian attitudes; it enables us to love selflessly our beloved for who he or she is as a person — irrespective of the powerful emotions or sensual delight we may receive from our beloved. Thus, chastity is the guardian of love.

The CCC teaches: he who practices chastity bears witness of God's fidelity and loving kindness. Chastity leads friends, whether of the same or opposite sex, to spiritual communion. (CCC, #2347)

The absence of chastity leads to societal ills, which includes pornography, premarital sex, homosexual relations and unions, adultery, divorce, contraception, abortions, cloning and the destruction of human embryos for stem cell research. (Martino, 8 Dec 2004) In short, the culture of death prevails.

Christians, whether married, engaged to marry, widowed or celibate (as a layperson or religious), are called to lead a chaste life, each according to his particular state of life. (CCC, #2348). Likewise for homosexual persons, who are not to be discriminated. The baptised are enabled to imitate the purity of Christ, the model of chastity, by the help of the Holy Spirit, (CCC, #2345 & #2394) and through an apprenticeship in self-mastery (CCC, #2339), which is a life-long training in human freedom (CCC, #2342). In Bishop Martino’s words, “The Church’s message about chastity is simple: the great good of sex may not be separated from procreation, love, and marriage.” He also wrote, “Chastity, which embraces openness to children and the choice to stay together, is the key to a happy marriage.” (Martino, 8 Dec 2004) Indeed, chastity is ever relevant today.

Chastity has been the most difficult of all virtues to practise (Liguori, 1931) and the most resented (Wojtyla, K. as cited by Sri, n.d.). How to overcome temptations against chastity? Bellarmine and the masters of a spiritual life listed three means, namely fasting (especially mortification of the eyes and of the appetite), avoiding occasions of sin and prayer. Bishop Martino advocated frequently receiving the sacraments of the Holy Eucharist and Confession.

The Blessed Virgin Mary is our model and guide. She was discreet; St. Alphonsus Liguori wrote that Mary hastened to Elizabeth’s house, that she might be less seen in public. Mary was most moderate in her food – St. Bonaventure added that “grace and gluttony cannot subsist together." (Liguori, 1931) Mary avoided occasions for sin by leaving Elizabeth’s house before John’s birth, to avoid its accompanying conversations and visits. Thirdly, Mary acquired virtue with effort and continual prayer. Quoting Vatican II and Pope Paul VI, Bishop Martino advocated imitating the Blessed Virgin in purity and openness to God’s will, so that like her, we will be spiritually fruitful. He also encouraged devotion to her and asking for her intercession, for her motherly compassion desires “Christ to be born in us individually and as a pilgrim Church”. (Martino, 8 Dec 2004)

With God’s grace and through Mary, chastity is not impossible for us. Then, we shall see God, for Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Mt. 5:8)

References:

Liguori, A. (1931). The Glories of Mary. Retrieved on 27 June 2011 from http://www.catholictradition.org/Mary/chastity-mary.htm

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Martino, J.F. (8 December 2004). Chastity: A Pastoral Letter. Retrieved on 27 June 2011 from http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=6263

Sri. E.R. (n.d.). Resenting Chastity in Love and Responsibility by Pope John Paul II: A summary and explanation. Retrieved on 27 June 2011 from http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/marriage/mf0073.html