May Mary’s completely obedient “fiat” be yours!
Mary’s complete obedience to the Divine Plan is her ‘Fiat’ leading to the birth of Christianity. As I was reflecting on this encounter between the Mother of God and the archangel, my heart burned within me. I learned earlier in my formation years that God calls each of us personally in responding to his love for us; it’s a personal encounter with the Lord. Looking back to the details of my own 'Annunciation', I have no doubt to confirm that every vocation in life is a personal call from God. But, do we respond likewise in a personal way to God?
Living in the world of high technology and advancing science, I want proof on everything and in anything. I was asked to take care of my youngest sister by my mother while she’s away. Like any other teenager, my youngest sister wouldn’t be a ‘good’ girl at home for long as she has learned that my mother will be gone for a few weeks. She invited friends over at night to watch movies, they have done their teen stuff, and she has gone out passed her curfew. I had been holding my temper for a few weeks by trying to talk to her and listening to her pleas. Her response had been “I’m sorry and I’ll try better.” Until one night, she went out past her curfew without calling me. I confronted her when she got home as you can image we got into a disagreement. She thought that I was so unreasonable to ask her to call home when she was trying to help her friends out of trouble. I thought she was so insensitive that she didn’t care that I had to stay up late to worry about her. We loudly kept going on and on at each other…and I hardly noticed any of Mary’s ‘fiat’ in my sister’s plea as an invitation for me to trust in God and to experience God in deeper personal ways. All I wanted was 'proof' that her friends were in trouble and that she didn't have a chance to call me. Most of all, she was wrong and I was right. As a result, I missed the opportunity to draw closer to God through the act of active listening to the Holy Spirit. Perhaps, my sister didn’t have it all figured out and that her excuses could not be understood right off the bat. She simply just wanted me to listen out of love for her even when I didn’t fully understand anything just like Mary did. I blew it all to satisfy my big ego. In his mercy with Mary as my model I'm confident that I'll have another chance to say my complete obedient 'fiat'.
As Mary continually "ponders all these things in her heart,” I consider as God’s invitation for me to sit down somewhere and ponder in my heart as Mary did. Learning from her openness, I too am called to say “fiat” to whatever God asks of me. So, I can strive to live virtuously to ponder the mysteries of faith and to open my hands in receiving all of the good gifts that the Lord has to offer me even in disguised forms or situations, and you?
Take care and until next time…
Mary’s complete obedience to the Divine Plan is her ‘Fiat’ leading to the birth of Christianity. As I was reflecting on this encounter between the Mother of God and the archangel, my heart burned within me. I learned earlier in my formation years that God calls each of us personally in responding to his love for us; it’s a personal encounter with the Lord. Looking back to the details of my own 'Annunciation', I have no doubt to confirm that every vocation in life is a personal call from God. But, do we respond likewise in a personal way to God?
Living in the world of high technology and advancing science, I want proof on everything and in anything. I was asked to take care of my youngest sister by my mother while she’s away. Like any other teenager, my youngest sister wouldn’t be a ‘good’ girl at home for long as she has learned that my mother will be gone for a few weeks. She invited friends over at night to watch movies, they have done their teen stuff, and she has gone out passed her curfew. I had been holding my temper for a few weeks by trying to talk to her and listening to her pleas. Her response had been “I’m sorry and I’ll try better.” Until one night, she went out past her curfew without calling me. I confronted her when she got home as you can image we got into a disagreement. She thought that I was so unreasonable to ask her to call home when she was trying to help her friends out of trouble. I thought she was so insensitive that she didn’t care that I had to stay up late to worry about her. We loudly kept going on and on at each other…and I hardly noticed any of Mary’s ‘fiat’ in my sister’s plea as an invitation for me to trust in God and to experience God in deeper personal ways. All I wanted was 'proof' that her friends were in trouble and that she didn't have a chance to call me. Most of all, she was wrong and I was right. As a result, I missed the opportunity to draw closer to God through the act of active listening to the Holy Spirit. Perhaps, my sister didn’t have it all figured out and that her excuses could not be understood right off the bat. She simply just wanted me to listen out of love for her even when I didn’t fully understand anything just like Mary did. I blew it all to satisfy my big ego. In his mercy with Mary as my model I'm confident that I'll have another chance to say my complete obedient 'fiat'.
As Mary continually "ponders all these things in her heart,” I consider as God’s invitation for me to sit down somewhere and ponder in my heart as Mary did. Learning from her openness, I too am called to say “fiat” to whatever God asks of me. So, I can strive to live virtuously to ponder the mysteries of faith and to open my hands in receiving all of the good gifts that the Lord has to offer me even in disguised forms or situations, and you?
Take care and until next time…
