Surrender and receptivity. These are the themes on my heart as I create this blog. I pray that those of you who so kindly take the time to read what I write from time to time, may find some words of inspiration and comfort as you navigate (with me) through the joys and trials of this ever-changing life.
So I was inspired to start this blog, as I reflected on today's gospel from Luke chapter 1. Here we see the power that total surrender and receptivity have to CHANGE THE WORLD. Yes YOU are called to be a world changer through your own journey of surrender and receptivity, and there is so much that we can learn from the example of our Blessed Mother. In the gospel today, the angel Gabriel visits sweet, young Mary, with the pronouncement that she is going to bear the Son of God. Imagine yourself in her shoes for a moment... living your life, and then - boom - a messenger of God comes to visit you and brings you the HUGE life-changing news about becoming mother to the Son of God.... How would you respond? What would go through your mind? Stop and consider it deeply for a moment... I think we often too quickly breeze over this powerful story because it's so familiar to us, but there is MUCH to learn from the example of Mary here. She, being fully human like us, must have had a million questions and uncertainties running through her mind... "Is this for real? What will people think? What will JOSEPH think? What about her reputation? What about HER PLANS?!"
I don't think we can ever fully wrap our mind around what it would be like to have an angel visit us with word that we are called to bear the Son of the Most High God, but I do think we can relate to this on a smaller scale and try to receive inspiration from the example of Mary.
How often have we been visited by God's "messenger" through an unexpected change in our plans? When was the last time you were going along in your life, feeling good, feeling confident, following "God's will" and then suddenly something comes along that TOTALLY throws you for a loop? Or maybe it's just the the day-to-day challenges we might face, where we have our day "all mapped out". We are going to be "so productive" today, and suddenly we hit some CRAZY traffic, or our child suddenly gets sick, or our car suddenly breaks down.... How do we react in these moments? Do we rebel or receive? Do we trust in God's plan our our plan? Do we rest in the TRUTH of God's love and care for us? Do we TRULY believe that "all things work for good" (Rm 8:28).
I submit that for women one of the BIGGEST challenges we face, and honestly the challenge that has been ours from "the beginning" with our mother Eve, has been the challenge of being receptive to God's will. Like Eve, we long to GRASP for the "beautiful apples" of our desires and plans, rather than trusting in and receiving God's perfect plan for our lives. God puts desires on our hearts, and we are called to pursue them (I am not arguing here for a passive approach to life); however, frequently as we pursue our desires, and what appears to also be the "will of God" as we perceive it, something happens that seems to throw the whole plan off track.
Can you relate to this? You land the job you have been pursuing for years just to be laid off six months later... You get pregnant after months of trying and lose the baby in a miscarriage... You finally start dating the "perfect guy." You really think he's the "one," and he unexpectedly breaks up with you... Fill in the blank with your own story, and you can maybe see where I am going...
How do we respond in those difficult moments where our plans, our dreams are "rudely" interrupted? Do we learn from the example of Mary. "Be it done unto me according to your word..." She let go of her own plans and surrendered in faith to the plans of her Heavenly Father. She trusted in his love for her and submitted to his will.
May we learn from Mary's beautiful example as we reflect on the birth our Lord this Christmas and seek to more frequently submit to his perfect will in those difficult moments of life. I trust that through those moments of humble surrender we will witness The Lord working in marvelous ways to satisfy those desires of our hearts that can only be known and touched by our Heavenly Father, who loves us beyond our ability to understand...
