Like Mary, we can receive, nurture and bring forth Christ for others in our daily lives
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
We celebrate the feasts of the Assumption (Aug. 15) and the Queenship of Mary (Aug. 22) in these late summer days.
The Assumption and the Queenship of Mary are not just facts of the faith, they’re facts that also present a hope and a challenge for us. Where does God dwell? God came to dwell in Mary. Where does Mary dwell? Because she let God dwell in her, she now dwells with Him. Those truths are meant to be the pattern of our own lives. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin is a singular participation in her Son’s Resurrection and an anticipation of the resurrection of other Christians” (CCC 966).
Now, how do we get there? If that’s the goal, what’s the path?
Let me suggest that Mary’s life also provides the pattern for every one of us to grow in discipleship and holiness. The pattern is simple: receive, nurture and bring forth.
By a singular grace, Mary received the Word of God into her body. By the sacramental graces of baptism and the Eucharist and by the daily graces given by God, we can receive the life of Jesus in our souls.
Having received the life of Jesus, Mary nurtured that life in her womb. By regular attendance at the sacraments and by a regular life of prayer, we can nurture the life of Christ in our souls.
Mary brought forth Jesus from her body, that He might be seen and known by others. We can bring forth Jesus through our words and deeds, that His truth and love might be known by all those with whom we come in contact, so that they can encounter and accept His saving love. We don’t all have to do that the same way, but we do all have to do it!
Consider the Gospel episode of the rich young man. I think it contains two key lessons for all of us as we follow this Marian pattern of living.
In response to the man’s initial question — “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” — Jesus first tells him something simple: Follow the second tablet of the law. Jesus knows there’s more! (What about the first tablet?!) He wants to see: Does the young man persist beyond the simple? There’s the first lesson: That’s a good question for us, too!
Second, when the young man does persist, Jesus raises the bar. He asks for something hard! There’s the second lesson: Where does Jesus press in with each of us and ask for something that’s hard? Here, again: He doesn’t necessarily ask the same thing from each of us. He asks because there’s something unique that each of us needs to give up in order to make room for Him in our lives. And when He asks, we can walk away or follow Him.
Mary gave up something in order to make room for the King of Heaven to dwell in her, and now she dwells with Him in heaven. Let’s lean into the pattern of Mary’s life – both as a goal and as a challenge – as we celebrate the Assumption and the Queenship of Mary.
