Day Two
Mary of Nazareth, you lived an ordinary life in Nazareth as a wife and mother. You spent your time taking care of your family and interacting in relationships with your neighbors in your village. In those more than thirty years you experienced both hardships and joys.
Your joy flowed from a quiet and gentle spirit that surrendered to God’s loving, providential care in all the circumstances of each day. This spirit gave birth to peaceful contentment, a gift worked in your soul by the Holy Spirit. Your deep faith, trust and love of God flourished in a self-sacrificing life shared with others.
Mother Mary, how did you have the strength to bear the pain of your son Jesus in his passion and death? Your deep inner strength assisted you in your painful vigil on the way to Calvary and later at the foot of the cross of Jesus — Jesus, the reckless and lavish lover of humankind! He loved us sinners so much as to die for us! You shared in your son’s suffering through compassion. You believed and trusted. Jesus gave you to us as our Mother and you said “Yes.” Sorrowful beyond our understanding, you cradled your dead son’s body in total surrender to the Father.
But then, inexpressible, unimaginable joy flooded your whole being at the resurrection of Jesus! And your joy no one could take from you!
Help me, dear Mother, to move toward a deeper love and joy in my own life by offering myself in self-sacrificing love for others. Help me also to receive with grace and gratitude the love shown to me. This effort to love and to respond to the needs of people generates—calls forth—hope in myself and in the lives of those whom God places along my path.
I pray you, Blessed Mother, “cause of our joy” to ask the Holy Spirit to help me grow in loving, trustful abandonment to the Heavenly Father. Pray for me, that I may have confidence in God in each event of my life, each situation painful or joyous— that I may be always thankful to God, no matter what happens. The more I witness to hope and the deep inner joy it generates, the more hope multiplies! Joyful hope is contagious! “Let us each bring joy to our neighbor” (Romans 15:2 Community Bible).