"God-Bearer"

We celebrate Mary as the, Theotokos, or "God Bearer."  She is prepared by God to be the sacred vessel by which the Son of God would be made Incarnate into the world.  Her unconditional 'Yes' unites her to God, and to all men and women through this holy and sacred sign.  Most certainly we come to know that she must have understood the faithfulness of God, and God's desire to bring a radical salvation into the world, in order to place her life at the service of the Lord.

Throughout the sacred scriptures we have this description of Sin and Evil which afflicts the world.  We experience this in the minor frustrations and the nuances of life, and when we hear of the intense poverty and deprivation of human dignity that is suffered by so many.  God desires peace and salvation in the world.  To be sure we are not talking about a scene taken from a Coke commercial, but a communion with all men and women in which there is a profound respect of the human person.

Mary ponders this faith experience and mulls over these events in her heart.  This posture of receiving God's word, and reflecting on it, so that it might be birthed into the world, is a model that we can follow.  The shepherds and magi take time to seek the Christ, and spend time with the Holy Family.  There is a necessity of taking time for reflection and consideration of the holy signs of God.  Reflecting upon God's love and salvation moves us more and more towards grace, and away from Sin and Evil.

St Paul will remind us that we possess something sacred and holy in the depths of our very selves.  Peace and blessings are ours when we enflesh what we have received in a very real and practical manner.  We are called to ponder the deeds of God which we encounter so as to proclaim the greatness of God in our midst.  In the midst of fear and violence we can be a source of light and healing for those around us. 

Seeking the example of Mary this year can fill us with awe and wonder.  All the more it will enable us to give our unconditional Yes to God's invitation to bring Christ into the world.  So we begin today to ponder the mysteries of faith in our hearts.