Mary: Contemplation and Action
The
angel said to Mary, "Even your relative Elizabeth is expecting
a son in her old age, although she was unable to have a child, and
she is now in her sixth month. With God nothing is impossible."
Then Mary said, "I am the servant of the Lord, let it be done
to me as you have said." And the angel left her.
Mary
set out for a town in the hills of Judah. She entered the house of
Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth… Mary remained with Elizabeth
for about three months and then returned home.
When
we read the Gospel passages about Our Lady we notice two things in
particular: her contemplative nature and her loving activity. We find
her listening to God as he speaks to her through the angel who tells
her that she is to be the mother of Christ. We find her pondering
the shepherd's words and the words of her son in the temple, pondering
them in her heart. Her prayerful heart, and the tradition it gave
rise to, gave forth the Magnificat. Meditation is deep listening.
Listening to the prayer word in silence trains one to listen for God
wherever he is in life. It then calls the heart to compassionate response.
We
all know that love is the greatest of the commandments and that it
is shown in love for our neighbor. However, when it comes to concrete
situations this command to love becomes very difficult. If you give
locally you become known as a soft touch and then you are inundated
with sob stories. You may become a Santa Claus to whom everybody runs
for help, or an oak tree under whose great shadow other sprouts cannot
grow. You can contribute generously to a Third World country and then
one day you read in the newspapers about the percentage that goes
into administration, or of rip-offs, or of corruption in the country
being helped, or even of the adverse effects your aid may be having
on the people that you want to help.
It
takes a lot of listening to the situation to give wisely. The contemplative
Mary seemed to have that gift. She could distinguish when it was appropriate
to give, or to just put in a good word, or to provide psychological
support.
At
the Annunciation she was informed that Elizabeth was to have a child.
As a woman she knew that her cousin would need another woman around
the house. She got on her donkey and headed for Ain Karem. Action
was needed and she took it.
Again
at Cana of Galilee, she was tuned in to the situation. She saw that
the wine was running out so she put in a good word with Jesus, "They
have no wine." There was no demanding or imploring - just a confident
statement of need.
On
many other occasions we find her in a supportive role. She was often
in the background when Jesus preached. She was at the foot of the
Cross when he was crucified. She was with the terrified disciples
in the upper room after the death of Jesus.
So too with us in our ministry, sometimes we give financially or by
doing things for people. Sometimes a word is just the right thing,
words can give life and sometimes, too, they can bring death - even
well intentioned words. Most often our greatest effectiveness is in
the things that we support and empower others to do.
Like
Mary we all need contemplative wisdom to distinguish one kind of helping
from the other and to choose the appropriate one. That is why the
twice daily meditation is very important for one who wants to love
wisely as Mary did.
Taken
from Sundays
into Silence - A Pathway to Life. Copyright © 1998 by Claretian
Publications
