Entrustment To Mary = Acknowledging I Can Do Nothing Without Christ

Humility is so important because God is ready to give everything to a person who credits nothing to himself. If you live in the truth and acknowledge that you can do nothing without Christ, it is as if you are beckoning to Him: Come and live in me. It is only then that Christ comes. Tadeusz Dajczer, The Gift of Faith, 3rd ed. (Ft. Collins, CO. IAMF, 2012), 259-260.

I experienced this message in the above quote just last week. At work we were changing computer programs. We had to load all of our patients' information onto the new program before their appointment times. My coworker and I were working overtime. I really wanted to be a helper to her for I saw she was very stressed by the changeover. I made a decision to input the patients' new ID numbers a certain way. I went to lunch quite proud of myself believing I was such an asset to our office and to her. When I returned, my coworker informed me she had devised a "better" way to input the ID numbers and that was the way we were to do it. My ego was crushed and my pride bruised. I became dejected, but also perturbed that we have to always do it her way. I sulked as I finished my work day. At home I felt depressed thinking maybe I am not cut out for the job after all, for my nerves were fried and I was full of anxiety. Becoming emotional, I offered supplications to God, Jesus, and the Blessed Mother - to rescue me, help me, and comfort me. Then, with bestowed graces, I could look back at the day's happenings and see I had wanted to be in control, and my pride had wanted to be successful. I had not asked for heavenly help during the day as I had wanted to do it all on my own. In my Blessed Mom's arms, WE could stand in the truth admitting who I was and could ask for God's mercy.

 

The next day was a complete turnaround. The office setting was peaceful. I could see that the way my coworker had inputted the numbers was better than mine. I was surprised to have my boss give me my first performance review, and it was very positive. Christ gave me "everything" that day, but only after I admitted I could do nothing without Him. The complete clarity of this event again shows me how much I am loved for the bungler I am. Thanks to my entrustment to my Blessed Mother, God can trust me to see my weaknesses, ask for forgiveness, and with Her pick myself up and begin anew.

 

 

Entrustment to Mary = Road to Humility

I was recently listening to a homily about how Blessed Mother is the true help for the most lost souls. The priest was encouraging all of us to entrust our dear ones to Mary. Those who are far from the Church, who are so lost and as if unable to return as prodigal sons and daughters, who even despise God, these are the ones to entrust to Our Blessed Mother – “Virgin, most merciful”…“Refuge of sinners.”

As I was listening I started to think about my entrustment and it occurred to me – I was the lost one. I was the prodigal daughter. I was the one living as if God did not exist. I was the one entrusted to Mary.

This was a very profound moment of truth. It has been over 10 years since I was entrusted to my Blessed Mother, consecrated to Her entirely for the service to the Church. I was told at the time of my entrustment that it “was in advance”. I wasn’t exactly sure what that meant at the time, but I figured it meant I wasn’t completely aware of my misery yet. Definitely, that was and is the case. But that “in advance” prescription has been absolutely critical for my growth in faith and humility.  I believe that, without being given the gift of Blessed Mother’s arms to carry me I would not be on this road to humility at all.

There are many I know who believe they have a deep relationship with Christ. I talk to them about Mary, and I can see them turning their ears off as if I am one of those teachers from Charlie Brown “Waaaa, waaa, wa, waa, wa wa….”  It confuses me, but I have to respect God’s timing. After all, there was a time I thought I loved Christ with my whole heart too. I thought I was okay and only sinned a little bit. I remember being in a Bible study thinking I was the seed that fell on the rich soil, maybe yielding thirty-fold (cf Mt 13:8)? 

Why did I receive my entrustment to Mary before I was at the foot of the Cross? I think it was because I never would make it to the Cross without Her. If the priest had waited until that moment of truth – that moment of seeing all that I am and all the reasons Christ died on the Cross for me, it may have been too late for me to accept His mercy and His gift of MOM.  Maybe because the road to pride that I was on was so attractive and getting me so lost, the priest saw the only hope for me was to plop me into Mary’s arms. “Quick” he must have thought – “grab her MOM! Rescue her! She knows not what she is doing and how lost she is becoming – take her and never let her go.” 

All I can say is “THANK YOU!!!!” for my entrustment.

Blessed Mother does not put up a wall between me and my Savior – She is the bridge over the abyss of my pride that leads me to His Sacred Heart. 

I was wondering once why Our Lord so dearly loved this virtue of humility; and all of a sudden – without, I believe, my having previously thought of it – the following reason came into my mind: that it is because God is Sovereign Truth and to be humble is to walk in truth, for it is absolutely true to say that we have no good things in ourselves, but only misery and nothingness; and anyone who fails to understand this is walking in falsehood. He who best understands it is most pleasing to Sovereign Truth because he is walking in truth. (Teresa of Avila, “Sixth Mansion,” in Interior Castle, trans. and ed. E. Allison Peers [New York: Image Books / Doubleday, 1989], 196. From the Critical Edition of P. Silvero, de Santa Teresa, Las Moradas [“The Mansions”].)

Entrustment to Mary = Discovering Christ's Humility

I recently celebrated my 13th anniversary of Entrustment to Mary - an act of consecration to Christ through Mary that I made with my confessor totally in service to the Church. The anniversary date is always something very special to me. It reminds me of God’s Divine Mercy and Love and fills me with gratitude that I am His beloved daughter. Having spent 13 years walking the path of this spirituality, I have many concrete examples of how it has helped me live more peacefully. Longanimity is no longer a word that confuses me, but a fruit the Spirit has made a regular part of my diet. I take no credit, other than to acknowledge Blessed Mother’s perseverance and patience in my life.

I have learned to anticipate gifts as the anniversary approaches. I never know what kind of treat I will get - corporal, spiritual or mental. This year, I was given such a “sweet” it brought me to tears.  A friend was sharing with me a conversation she had with an acquaintance. This fellow Catholic was vocalizing concerns about receiving the Blessed Blood from a shared Chalice. It was just short of repulsive to the person and so this person had made up his mind not to receive for fear of germs.  My friend, however, saw it differently. She shared how she believes Jesus purifies the germs on the way to our lips.

It is hard to explain what happened to me in listening to this story, but it absolutely rocked my world. I have not had trouble receiving my Lord from the Chalice. I am an Extraordinary Minister at my parish, and I make sure I wipe the Chalice well when I am in that service. But this was a matter of faith. In and through faith, I took a “deeper” look at the humility of Christ. HE comes in contact with my neighbors “germs” and purifies them before HE then touches all my “germs” ~ and so how can I fear? Every Mass this lesson is taught, and I was closed to it completely. But, on my day of Entrustment, Blessed Mother (MOM) opened my ears and heart to this truth.

The example of the Body and Blood of Christ purifying the Chalice can be applied in so many areas of my life. For example, when I catch myself yelling at my kids due to my impatience and self-absorption, I can immediately make an act of contrition - praying to be immersed in the Eucharistic Sacrifice. Or, when I am unjustly treated, I can remember Christ’s humility - realizing He makes Himself present to my neighbor and to me in my neighbor. Focusing on Jesus’ humility can allow me to desire more humility in my own life, and often leads me to beg for closer union with Him through Mary. Most importantly, it reminds me that humility is the Christian road. Christ reaches out and touches my sin - and in so doing purifies me from it. In faith, I see now why we must run to the fountain of His Mercy, allowing it to wash us clean.

One of the spiritualities of the New Evangelization is called the Families of Nazareth Movement (FNM). It’s role is to help its members to grow in humility so that they can be more open to God’s Redeeming Love. Since it is so hard to believe we are loved as we are, the FNM members turn to Blessed Mother who lived that truth (that She was purely loved as She was). Obeying Christ’s dying words from the Crucifix, “Behold, your mother,” (Jn 19:27) its members allow Her to work in their lives to more openly see who they are - who GOD loves. Ultimately, a FNM member will be so joyfully overcome with God’s love that he/she will want to spread that love to all those around him/her. This is how FNM members serve the Church...becoming instruments of God’s love in the world.  

"God falls in love with the posture of humility precisely because He can pour out the ocean of His mercy into the humble spirit." (S.C. Biela, Behold, I Stand at the Door and Knock (Ft. Collins, CO: IAMF, 2005), 31.

Free reflections on faith are available at the In the Arms of Mary Foundation website that deal with the themes we blog about. There is a 5-reflections series called “Behold, Your Mother.” I strongly encourage it for anyone desiring to grow in deeper communion of life with Christ through His Mother.

Entrustment to Mary = Finding "Joy" in My Weakness

This week’s life events’ theme:  We (by this “we” I mean I and many of my friends) are trained to despise weakness. We parent to follow rules out of duty rather than out of love. We live to please fellow humans while learning to despise God. And then, we are taught to avoid this truth at all costs!

Sound negative? That’s what people tell me. I am told I focus too much on my sinfulness and weakness. But, if that truly were the case, I wouldn’t call myself “High Hopes!”

You see, WE (by this “WE” I mean I and Blessed Mother) can very willingly look at the truth about myself:

·  I despise weakness.

· I taught my kids to obey in order not to disappoint me, rather than because it is a way to love Christ.

· I choose not to say something to a friend about something he is doing against the Lord, to keep the friendship, while sacrificing the graces I could have received for being persecuted in the name of my Lord….or worse yet, the graces my friend could have received to know the Truth.

But, thanks to communion of life with Christ through Mary, WE follow each revelation with the prayer: 

“I have only my sins,

but You love me Lord –

thank You.”¹

I know that it is a miracle that I am able to say this prayer. It took years of spiritual direction, spiritual reading, meditation, regular confession, and daily Eucharist for this slow poke to begin desiring that this prayer be my response. There is no way I could have trusted its truth without being reminded to be faithful in small things² time, after time, after time. And, I still continue to need this same advice! But now, I am beginning to listen to the message that WE need to rejoice when I see my misery! This is a whole new way to live from how I was raised. There really is joy being immersed in the truth about my misery and how it calls upon the abyss of God's merciful love! Thank goodness Blessed Mother is not intimidated by these “deep waters.” She reminds me, I was never meant to swim alone.

St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus tried especially to take advantage of various situations in order to lower herself before God. She said that she wanted “to remain a little child before God.” But according to her, to be a small child meant “to recognize our nothingness, to [await] everything from God…it is not to become discouraged over one’s faults, for children fall often, but they are too little to hurt themselves very much.”²² It is possible to imagine that, on the shore itself, St. Thérèse immediately assumed the spiritual “position of a swimmer.” She did not wait until the water became deep; she lowered herself into the shallow water of tiny failures and swam rather than wading with her feet on the bottom. That way of moving is safer and faster. Furthermore, it is unimportant how deep the water might be beneath us. Even when we are far from shore, we remain safe because we do not rely on the sense of support that the bottom gives us. When we are far from the shore, we allow the water to carry us. This happens, however, under the condition that we deeply humble ourselves and trust in the power of God’s action. (S.C. Biela, The Two Pillars, (Ft.Collins, CO: IAMF, 2006),58)

¹ S.C. Biela, In The Arms of Mary, 2nd. ed, rev. (Ft.Collins, CO: IAMF, 2005), 10.

²“Faithfulness in small things” when used in this paragraph means faithfully trying to obey my spiritual direction to remember to be grateful that I am loved as I am, with all the truth about me. It is a small thing, but can have amazing results!