Discerning With Mary

First, “I will not serve!” echoed through the heavens, but the second great rebellion was silent, the fruit in the mouth of Eve speaking louder than words. Yet stronger than these rang the simple statement of a Virgin: “Be it done to me according to thy word.” Mary’s fiat of perfect accordance with her Lord made history, reversing the prior streak of humanity’s noncompliance with God’s plan. In this, even separate from the wonderful work of salvation that was begotten of it, she provides us all an example for responding to His call. Conveniently for those among us who struggle to follow directions (me), the “how tos” are laid out for us in the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary.

The First Joyful Mystery: The Annunciation.

First, God tells us: do this. In all probability, He will not send Gabriel knocking with news of such import as Mary received, but that doesn’t mean that the message will be less insistent. Wait. Forgive your husband. Send Josephine a text to let her know you haven’t forgotten her. Move to Chicago. Whatever it is, if you listen, He will let you know. And Mary? She clarifies. “What of my vow of chastity?” When the answer is provided, she accepts, saying, “Yes, Lord, so shall it be, as You will.” In our lives, when we question God, are we seeking clarity or doubting His plan? Do we simply say yes, then trust Him to reveal more in His time? Mary essentially asked, “Should I actively do something to make this happen?” and when the answer was negative, she moved on to step two:

The Second Joyful Mystery: The Visitation.

Discovering that she was asked to wait nine months (presumably, she wouldn’t have missed the advent of Christ’s presence, but even if she had, waiting was still the order), she immediately went to serve her cousin. In the new consequences of God’s ask, she, without hesitation, threw herself into the service of others, even as the upheaval in her life began and she must wait. But wait is not a passive order, and Mary cared for Elizabeth ans Elizabeth’s family as well as the Child in her own womb. Perhaps God gives us a heads up when He desires change for us, and there is a small or indefinite amount of waiting. In this case, moping around and bewailing the delay is very un-Marylike. As we should bear wrongs patiently, we should bear rights patiently, dust off the stagnation, and apply ourselves to the matters at hand. For soon enough will come

The Third Joyful Mystery: The Birth of Our Lord.

The climax has come! Or, has it? It comes in a filthy environment caused by a tyrannical government, away from home, friends, and medical care (such as it was). Not ideal, many would agree. But circumstances will never be “ideal” in our eyes, only God’s. We must, like Mary, accept the gift into whatever swaddling clothes we have prepared, even if we can only have animals for company.

The Fourth Joyful Mystery: The Presentation.

Next, we must present the circumstance or gift or trial or baby back to God. Praise Him from Whom all blessings flow! Blessed be the name of the Lord! Praise Him in all circumstances, as Betsie ten Boom reminds us. This blessing, trial, or both, is His, and, on receiving it, we should always remember to take, not ownership, but stewardship. As Mary, in obedience, followed the law, and in doing so, brought God to His temple, so we, when we dedicate all our works to God, put them in their proper place – His hands. And they will prosper, not in the ways of the world, but in the Way of God.

So we come to the last mystery, the Fifth Joyful: The Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple.

The fiat is coming to fruition. Here, for the first time in scripture, in His House, Christ reveals Himself. I hope, in all endeavors, to so completely live out my yes that I reach this point, where God is revealed in that thing He asked of us, when even the first glimmering of a purpose suggests itself. Maybe it will never come, and if it doesn’t, God grant me the grace to always strive for it. For, if He calls, we must answer, whether it is the first “non serviam!” or the perfect fiat or anything in between.

God has spent much effort giving us directions, and we expend much energy misunderstanding and avoiding them. Thankfully, He shared His Mother with us to provide a human example of the acceptance of His will, since Christ is the Way that Mary ceaselessly points toward. Perhaps we, too, may finally reach the point where we accept His requests of us without demur. Should we not, Mary is always there to remind us: “Do whatever He tells you” (John 2:5).