Skip to main content

 Our Lady! So much to learn from!

If someone offers you something you have no clue about, do you say yes right away or “no thank you?”

Dialogue to me has been, not only talking to the other person; but most importantly, what is my position at that point in time? What’s going on inside of me, am I able to be present in the conversation, am I able to get curious, ask questions, rather than judge, or say no, immediately?

The thing about dialogue is it’s relational. It makes it very hard not to judge or look at (or look to) the other person; therefore, it innately possesses a challenge to look internally within oneself. Bishop Farrell and Monsignor Indunil made it clear that we need to know our own identity before we can start a dialogue with the other.

Many friends posted about their visits to Assisi. Similarly, this altar where St. Francis of Assisi prayed struck me the most. I felt a sense of peace entering this sanctuary.

In the centre of this sanctuary is a sculpture of St. Joseph protecting the Blessed Mother while Jesus in her womb is depicted as an image of a circle of eternity yet fully present in the centre. My increasing devotion to Our Lady and her fiat to God’s will is a clear demonstration of Our Lady’s fully present dialogue with angel Gabriel. After being greeted as “Hail, full of grace” (Luke 1:28), Gabriel requests of her to bear the “Son of the Most High” (1:31-32). Our Mother asked the question: “How can this be, since I have no husband?” It shows Our Mother “was curious and enters more deeply into the conversation, expressing a willingness to grasp something holy and mysterious” (Kun, wau.org).

As a woman, Our Mother has not only been my intercessor, but she has also become a role model to emulate with gentleness, humility, and grace. I might not do it perfectly but I’m confident that I’m in good company to help correct me in dialogue with each other. I just pray that I’m open enough to receive correction with grace and humility while staying true to my identity.

                         Our Blessed Mother with Young Jesus at the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity

                                        Pieta (Michelangelo) at St. Peter's Basilica shows the strength of Our Lady

                     Jesus touching Our Mother's Crown (as Our Queen to emulate) at St. Mary Major's Basilica 

Source:
https://wau.org/resources/article/marys_fiat_the_annunciation/

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Catacombs of Domitilla

The story of Christianity is awe-inspiring.  This is true whether you are a believer or not.  Within 50 years of the physical death of Christ, 12 believers had directly and indirectly converted thousands to the new faith.  Within 300 years, they had converted an empire. This tour begins at the walls of Rome within sight of St. John Lateran where we get our ride to the countryside of Rome.  Making our way outside the walls, the city changes to country quickly.  The Roman countryside is quite beautiful.  The hills begin to roll and the gated villas extend to farms of vegetables, rose hips, or barley.  The air cleaner and the sound clearer. Flavia Domitilla was the granddaughter of the emperor Vespasian.  As daughter of Domitilla "the Younger", Flavia was also the niece of the emperors Titus and Domitian.  These catacombs were founded on her property in about the year 120 A.D.  Flavia and her husband, Flavius Clemens, were likely ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Church Bells in the Eternal City

It was Sunday July 2. I was at St. Peter’s square with the hundreds of pilgrims who had come to listen to Pope Francis’ Angelus preaching. It was a scene that I had viewed many times on television and in photographs. How blessed I felt to be a part of it all that day! The excitement of the crowd grew when the papal window was thrown open and the red banner was let down. It was soon followed by a loud roar of joy and applause when the Holy Father appeared. The mood was celebratory but prayerful as we listened to the Holy Father speak about the importance of being prophetic in our time. He said, “ A prophet is the one who, by virtue of Baptism, helps others read the present under the action of the Holy Spirit. This is very important: to read the present not like news but under the action of the Holy Spirit, who helps to understand God’s plans and conform to them.” According to Pope Francis, the role of the prophet is to “show Jesus to others.”  The Holy Father urged us to pray for Uk...
Post a Comment
Read more

Asissi....sigh....

Assisi. What can I say about this magical little town? I went there yesterday with three friends-Sean, Corina and Paul, and as soon as we stepped onto the platform at the train station we noticed that the air was different, cooler, more refreshing. I'm, not sure even pictures could do this town justice, or maybe I just don't possess sufficient skill in photography (lol), but God knew why he chose a son of this town to start the process of rebuilding his church. To walk where St Francis walked and pray where he prayed will forever be one of the highlights of my life. St Francis of Assisi astonished the church and the world with his humble devotion to God and the poor. He left such a profound legacy, including introducing the custom of Nativity scenes to honor Christ's birth at Christmastime. Did you know we have St Francis of Assisi to thank for that? He is also the patron saint of the environment and of animals. The Basilica of St Francis of Assisi-completed in 1253 Another...
Post a Comment
Read more