Finding Mary

I have two confessions to make...

- I have never had a strong devotion to Mary.
- I don't really know how to pray the rosary.

I hope you won't dismiss me just yet because there is more to the story. You would think that I would be more "into" Mary, considering I was educated by nuns, raised in a good Catholic family, and even received a Marian award in Camp Fire. But I always figured it was best to go straight to the top, so my prayer life has always revolved around the Holy Trinity. Recently I have started to see things differently.

There is a wonderful book called The Godbearing Life* which gets its name from a beautiful understanding of Mary's role in bearing Jesus into the world. It was through that book that I began to see the importance of Mary's "yes" to God. I think this is the part of Mary's story I had missed. Not only had Mary born Jesus into the world, but she did so after pondering God's invitation. I like to think that this God-invitation is a part of all of our lives, although we don't always respond with Mary's courage and acceptance. There have been times when I have embraced God's invitation in my life and there have been other times when I have turned my back on the "angels" who have visited me.

One of the most important moments in my faith journey was when I recognized that my response to a God-invitation had been a persistent "no." Imagine where we would be now if Mary had done the same. I am comforted by the fact that we don't know how long Mary "pondered," although I know it wasn't as long as I did! Luckily God's invitations to us come with no deadline and eventually, I was able to say "yes!"

I think I am now drawn to the Annunciation story specifically because God invites Mary. God doesn't enter Mary and then send Gabriel to tell her what God has done. Gabriel is sent to Mary with an invitation. It is only after Mary says "Here I am the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word" (Luke 1:38) that she becomes pregnant with Jesus. God does not seize her or take her by force. He invites her. And he invites all of us to bear Jesus into the world.

The other place that I have found a new understanding of Mary is in the Magnificat, most specifically through the song version of Holy Is Your Name. In the past, I thought there was a bit of arrogance on Mary's part ("Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed" (Luke 1:48) but I realize now I was missing the forest for the trees. Mary is blessed because she magnifies the Lord. When I read the Magificat now I am drawn to her humble heart. (Isn't getting older and smarter great?)

"My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name. (Luke 1:46-49)

I still haven't found my way into praying the rosary but there is still time. I will treasure the Mary I have found in the past few years and await all the new ways in which God will invite me to change in the years to come.

For today, my prayer has to echo Mary's...

"Here am I, the servant of the Lord: Let it be with me according to your word." (Luke 1:38)

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Spirit Compass reflections are developed in partnership
with the Center for Ministry Development.