Be it Done According to your Will

In the Documents, Stewardship: A Disciples Response, and Called and Gifted, the U.S. Catholic Bishops challenged the laity, and all men and women of faith, to be responsible for the faith that they would profess.  Elizabeth and Zechariah, Mary and Joseph, only slightly understand the responsibility in which they are undertaking as they say "Yes" to God the Father.  This is not merely a matter of being surrogate parents to this very special child, but their own lives would be changed and transformed forever because of their faith-filled response. 

I am reminded way too often that men and women do not fully understand the task in which they are understanding when they say "yes" to baptizing their children or bringing them forward for confirmation. In some ways we are beset by a "playschool" mentality of faith and religion.  We endeavor to receive the sacraments, and we pray the prescribed prayers, yet we do not engage in a process of conversion and discipleship.  We might think that our belief in God will be enough to carry us through the pains, sorrows, and most importantly the challenges of our adult faith life.  We proclaim our belief in the middle of a time of rainbows and kittens, yet when some challenge or problem comes about, we question God, our faith, and the Church. 

The aforementioned documents want us to live faithfully, responding to the needs of faith and fellowship.  We have to respond to the need to catechize and evangelize, to offer compassion, reconciliation, and peace to one another.  Our "Yes" to the gospel means that we stand for truth and seek justice along the pathway of life.  But again, such a commitment is about our whole persona, and comes with a sacrifice. 

Mary's who is the model of the perfect disciple invites us to recognize God wherever we are.  As we see our children, the poor, an the anawim, we call to mind that God cares for us and loves us very deeply.  God is the God of the covenant and of the promise of the future.

Today as we begin to look at the candidate for the God things which God has given, we pause to consider God's gifts, and how we might share these with the community.  Mary proclaims Good News to the poor.  With such mercy and faith we can place before the faith community all that we have seen and heard.