Heaven Unveiled: The Apocalypse
Sponsored
Catholic365 is sponsored by
Road to Purity
“And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.” ~ Lk 2:19
As the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God, the Gospel reading brings us back to the humble stable where, attended by shepherds, oxen, and angels, Jesus was born. Through Mary’s acceptance of God’s holy will, she brings forth God’s blessing for the whole human family.
Can you imagine being in a stable, delivering your first child alongside farm animals, visited first by a procession of rough and ragged shepherds, and later by wise men bearing gifts fit for a king? Can you imagine this young couple, Mary and Joseph, after having experienced angelic visitations and heard mysterious promises of great blessing, now finding themselves without a comfortable place for this promised child to be born? What would they have thought of it all? We know from the Gospel stories that Mary, not quite sure what it all meant, often pondered on the meaning of the divine mysteries and miracles she experienced as the Mother of God. In today’s reading, Luke tells us that Mary “kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.” Mary and Joseph may not have known what it all meant, but they responded unfailingly with faithful hearts and trust in God.
Let us also respond in faith to God’s will in our lives, and take time this New Year to reflect ever more deeply on the birth of Jesus, pondering the mystery of God becoming man in our hearts and prayers, and asking God to reveal its meaning to us more and more each day.
Born and raised in a faithful Catholic family, I wandered far from my faith for nearly two decades. Through the infinite mercy of Christ and His Church, I found my way back home to the Catholic Church in the early 90s, and began a path of rediscovery of the beauty and truth of the Catholic faith, eventually earning a Bachelor's degree in Christian Tradition. A stay-at-home Mom for many years, my Church ministries grew to include teaching Catechism and First Eucharist classes, writing and facilitating retreats for healing after abortion, and becoming active in pro-life work with our local 40 Days for Life campaign in the Tri-Cities, Washington as an organizer, participant, speaker, and writer. My desire to share the greatest gift of my life, Jesus Christ in the Eucharist and His Divine Mercy, has found expression in my writing. My articles have been published locally in the Tri-City Herald's Spiritual Life and editorial columns; in the Carmelite Digest; Celebrate Life magazine; and recently in the National Catholic Register.
Links to these articles and more can be found on my blog at http://www.catholicethics.blogspot.com/. My Catholic Ethics page is on Facebook at:https://www.facebook.com/CatholicEthics.
