Walking With Mary (Paert 2)

  

  Mary walked alongside the rest of the group as they returned to Nazareth. Most of the women enjoyed each other's small talk and company, but Mary was content to remain quiet. Her thoughts were on special moments she shared with God during Passover. Mary loved Passover.  Each year, she prayed for God to open her mind to God's love for His people. "My God, I could never tire of contemplating your love."  Her mind was so far from the voices of the others that she did not even hear Joseph's voice as he approached.

  Joseph was all too familiar with Mary's smile as he approached. She did not ignore his voice but focused entirely on her silent conversation with God. Joseph gently touched Mary's arm as he asked, "Mary, where is Jesus?"

  Joseph's soft touch gently brought her back to the world's reality. "Hello, Joseph. I thought Jesus was walking with you and the men. When did you see him last?"

  "Mary, I thought he was with you and the woman.  Some of the other boys were looking for him."

  Mary's eyes grew wide with worry. "Joseph, we have traveled all day, and he wasn't with either of us?"

  "Mary, I'm sure he is somewhere in the group. Let's look for him together." Joseph and Mary grew more worried as each moment passed, and no one had seen Jesus since leaving Jerusalem.

  "Joseph, he is not here. What could have happened?  He knew we were leaving for home.  He helped us pack up."  The silence grew heavy as Mary and Joseph each imagined the worst. "Joseph, we have to go back!  We have to find him!"

  As they gathered their belongings, the others pleaded to wait until morning.  It was too dangerous to be alone on the road in the dark. Joseph understood the danger but could not escape the thought that Jesus was in danger.  He had promised God, and he had promised Mary that he would protect them.  He felt as if he had failed everyone. Joseph's head was spinning, and his stomach was nauseous as they began the trip back to Jerusalem.  

  He and Mary walked quickly without a word. Both were praying and pleading that Jesus was somewhere safe. Both were struggling with imagined horrible fears of what Jesus may be experiencing. A group of loud men were coming closer to them.  Joseph could tell they had been drinking, and he pulled Mary close. The men made rude comments as they passed, but that was all.

  "Joseph, do you think Simeon's prophecy is coming true?  We never knew how things were to occur.  Will we not be around him as he grows?"

  "I am as frightened as you, Mary.  I keep asking myself how this could have happened.  He has never wandered from us.  Did someone snatch him?'

  "Joesph, there is nothing for us to do but trust and pray to the Lord. We found ourselves on a dark path when we fled to Egypt.  It was difficult, but the Lord guided us."

  "Mary, I have been praying but have not received any answers.  Forgive me, Mary.  I have failed you and God.  I am afraid His silence is all my fault."

 Mary stopped walking and forced Josesh to turn and look at her.  "Joseph, do not stop trusting God. He has been silent with me as well.  I don't know why our prayers have not been answered yet. Let's pray together, 'Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy."

  For three days, they prayed without ceasing. They barely slept or ate as they searched for Jesus. And then, on the third day, their prayers were answered.    

-Susan

Walking With Mary (Part 1)

   October is known as the month of Mary and the Holy Rosary. As I have previously confessed, the Rosary is my favorite prayer. This month, I would like to write a series of short fictional stories based on the mysteries of the Holy Rosary. The series will be entitled "Walking With Mary."

 As Mary lay her head to sleep, she allowed the day's events to play again in her heart and mind. So many times, I have prayed in the temple for the Messiah to come, and today, I carried the Son of God into the holy temple. Mary smiled as she prayed, "Praise be to you, O Lord, for You keep all your promises.  You have sent your Son to save Your people.  Your love and goodness know no measure.  You are generous indeed! My heart overflows with love for you."  Exhausted from the day, she closed her eyes for a second and instantly fell asleep.

 "Mary, Mary, wake up!" 

 May's eyes opened wide as she sensed the fear in Joseph's voice,  "Joseph, what's wrong?"

 "Hurry, we must leave at once!"

 Mary glanced toward the window. "Joseph, it is still dark.  Why must we leave now?

 "Jesus is in danger! Herod is going to kill him.  We must leave at once! The angel told me to leave immediately.  We must go to Egypt!"

 Mary carefully picked up Jesus, trying not to wake him.  She held him close, trying to keep him warm as they quickly made their way down the street. "Joseph, have you ever been to Egypt? Do you know the way?"

 "Mary, I'm sorry, I don't. I know the direction but not the path. I promise I will do everything I can to keep you and Jesus safe. I promise."

 Mary could hear Joseph's panic, yet she felt reassured and safe with his promise.  She had never met a man more devoted to God.  If an angel instructed Joseph, then without question, she would too.  "Joseph, the Lord will guide our steps.  We will trust in His Plan."

(To be continued...) 

-Susan

Linger With Me

 

  While praying the rosary this week, I felt the pull to linger on the Transfiguration a little longer. Of course, the Transfiguration is a significant moment for Jesus, Peter, James, and John. It is a moment when the apostles come face to face with Jesus' divinity. They witness the Presence of the Holy Spirit and God as a bright cloud and then audibly hear the voice of God speak directly to them.  Wow!

  The apostles experienced the Divine with their senses. But how do we experience God’s Divine Presence? The Holy Spirit has been dwelling within us since our baptism.  Do you allow yourself to fully embrace this truth?  Have you truly taken the time to consider how incredibly unique and miraculous this reality is?  The Transfiguration was a miraculous moment in time, and since Pentecost and our own Baptisms, we have been living miraculous lives!  And if this was not enough, we touch the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ every time we receive the Holy Eucharist! What a privilege! Wow!

  I need to address a question that came to mind while praying.  Do I believe God is who He has revealed himself to be?  Do I believe He is truly present in me and my life, or am I like so many in the crowds that followed Jesus shouting, “Give us another miracle so we can believe!”

-Susan

Time To Declutter

 

  My children gave me a wonderful surprise last weekend.  "Mom, we are going to clean out your garage!"

 My eyes grew with excitement.  "Really?"  I asked.  "That is going to be a huge job."  

 "We know!"

 It turned out to be a monumental task that spanned over two days. Not because my garage is oversized; it was just filled with stuff. I've lived in my house for a long time. Little by little, things were put in the garage: toys, costumes, and books my kids had outgrown but wanted to keep for their children, furniture, picture frames, and holiday decorations that had long been forgotten about.  There were just too many things.  We began making piles to donate, throw away, or recycle.  I have to admit the size of the piles was embarrassing.  I was obviously not traveling through life lightly.  The world of things was definitely weighing me down.

 Amidst the boxes of accumulated items, I stumbled upon papers from religious classes I had taught. This discovery served as a reminder that while my garage may be cluttered, my faith remains clear and unwavering. My belongings may take up physical space, but my faith fills my heart. These papers, mere words on a page to some, are cherished moments of prayer and communion with the Lord to me.

 As I looked around my garage, I noticed it reflected the inner struggles of daily life. Side by side, the world sits next to my faith. But there isn't enough room for both. I need to declutter my thoughts and affection for worldly things. What I allow to remain in my heart must center around God. Will that be a big job to accomplish? Probably. But when you come together as a family, big things can happen.

-Susan  

Birthday Wishes

 

  My granddaughter has a September birthday.  She has been reminding me that it's almost her birthday since the beginning of summer.  "Of course, I know your birthday is almost here!  That's a very special day!  And who else has a September birthday?"

  "Mary!" she will answer.

  One day, she told me she had shared our conversation with another relative. That person told her, "Oh, we don't celebrate Mary's birthday; we only celebrate Jesus' birthday."  She looked sad and asked if that was true.

  "I celebrate Mary's birthday! She is my mother in heaven, and I love her!  I would feel bad if I didn't wish Mary Happy Birthday. I bet Jesus celebrates Mary's birthday.  I know it makes Jesus very happy when people love Mary, too!"

  My granddaughter smiled, "Yes, I think so too!"

  Don't let the day go by without wishing Mary a Happy Birthday!  Let your love for Mary show!  Spoil her with flowers, a bouquet of good works, or a joyful song.  The best present you could give Mary, is your "Yes" to God.  Mary is so happy when people say yes to God!  And be sure to carve out fifteen minutes of special time with Mary praying the Rosary. 

 I have a hunch that when Mary blows out the candles on her cake, her birthday wish is for everyone to pray the Rosary and give God their "Yes!"  Enjoy your day with Mom, and remember, her love for you is boundless.

-Susan

  

Keep Your Focus On Jesus

 

    I love reading about the saints!  Their unwavering focus on Jesus is something I strive to emulate. I often find myself lost in thoughts about what it might be like to have a mystical vision of Jesus. If the Lord stood before me today, would I look away even for one second?  I imagined at that moment that I would be so overwhelmed with love that nothing could distract me. It would be the most glorious moment of my life!  

  Ironically, my closest experiences of Jesus standing before me occurred during Mass with my eyes closed. My eyes aren’t closed because  I’m trying to look holy. My eyes are closed because I am not holy. My eyes can’t perceive how close Jesus is to me. My eyes see what is in front of me. The person who walked into Mass late, the person texting on their phone, the time on my watch, etc. With my eyes closed, I can feel His Presence and hear His whispers, and my heart longs for heaven. I have found that my eyes see Jesus best when they allow my heart to see the vision. 

   This week, I encourage you to find your own unique ways to keep your focus on Jesus. Whether through prayer, meditation, or simply reflecting on His teachings, see what works best for you and embrace it.  

-Susan

Honestly Does It Really Matter?

 

  My dog began hitting the front window and barking loudly. He ran back and forth, obviously upset about something. I got up to look, but my daughter said, "It's just a squirrel, Mom."

    I looked at my dog and said, "Fitz, I'm sorry, but I just can't get excited or recognize the threat of a little squirrel." As I returned to folding the laundry, I wondered what other little threats I did not take seriously. Almost instantly, one word came to mind--truth. I've been thinking about truth and honesty lately.

  We live in a time where bending the truth and spinning our own truths are so common that it seems the laws of physics have changed. What happens to society when truth becomes arbitrary? Jesus discovered firsthand that a mob mentality can influence grave injustice when people stop listening to the truth. Jesus said, "For this, I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth.  Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."

  This week, let's pray to hear God's voice. If we can't hear anything, ask God to clarify any truths that have our heads spinning. The world is good at shouting words, but as disciples of Jesus, we need to value honesty. God is still speaking to us daily, and we need to hear His words of everlasting life. Small lies may seem like a small threat until you find yourself echoing Pilate's question, "What is truth?"

-Susan