Our Lady and St. Juan Diego

Our Lady and St. Juan Diego

Friday, September 18, 2015

Entrustment to Mary = Seeing God's Love In Every Situation

FYI: Keep in mind that I enjoy cookies - almost to a gluttonous fault.


This summer had me taking a few flights to destinations to be with family for special occasions. When booking my flight for a niece’s wedding I noticed the day I was to return would be my anniversary date for entrusting myself to the Blessed Mother. I had full confidence in booking on that day, knowing she would be treating me to blessed travel.
 
My departure flight was to leave on a Thursday evening having me fly through the night with one connection to change planes in Phoenix. My son-in-law was meeting me there to join my next flight so to surprise my daughter by arriving a day earlier than planned. We were going to surprise my husband too, not telling him he would be picking up both of us.
 
The departure flight was delayed an hour before loading. There had been a maintenance issue which needed paperwork signed. When we loaded the plane, we sat awaiting the FAX for clearance for another hour. As the time ticked on, I realized I would not make my connection. My son-in-law was already in the air heading toward Phoenix. I texted my husband and told him I would be detained and that he was still to go to the airport and pick up our son-in-law the next morning. After I sent the text message I began to cry. Big crocodile tears rolled down my cheeks. I tried to hold it in as a young man sat next to me and I didn’t want him to think I had “lost it”…which I had. I felt great anxiety not knowing what awaited me in Phoenix. Was I to be sleeping in the airport? The airline was not being very comforting in their announcements, and did not say what would happen if anyone missed their connections. In my desperate state, I prayed more out of a sense of duty - acknowledging God’s power, admitting I knew He would take care of me, but I found no real sense of comfort in Blessed Mom’s arms. I tried to get some rest but an uncertainty covered me like a blanket. When the plane landed we were told to go to the airline’s service desk. When I approached the clerk she asked my final destination. I told her, and she looked through a stack of vouchers and found mine. She handed me a set that included a voucher for a hotel room, breakfast, and plane ticket for the following morning. She told me to contact the phone number on the hotel ticket for their shuttle to pick me up. I headed to baggage claim thinking I would be getting my bag, but found out it was kept to be sent to the final destination. When I called the shuttle they told me to look for the van with the big “cookie” on the side. Once I made it to the hotel at 1:30AM, I was greeted with a fresh baked cookie and a room key. I had to smile and sincerely thank God for His loving care, especially seen through the cookies. My fears started to subside as I drifted off to sleep. The next morning I enjoyed a free breakfast buffet, then a shuttle ride to the airport where I had an uneventful flight and was greeted by my son-in-law and my suitcase!
 
My return flight and travel was indeed blessed like I had assumed it would be. So what I learned in this event is I only trust when I think I “deserve” a blessed event, like an anniversary date, or a holy day. This is why I need my entrustment to Blessed Mom so she can be my daily trust, especially during times when my plans are changed, and my schedule is altered. She has to be my belief that in all events God is taking good care of me - even when there are no cookie surprises, He is still managing my affairs with His love and His mercy!

"If we are surprised that God foils our plans and leads us down a different road than the one we imagined, let us recall that it was the same in the life of the Blessed Mother. Mary also thought of her sanctity, her road, her mission differently. The one who gave up motherhood was called to an exceptional and unique motherhood. This call foiled all of her plans."  
Tadeusz Dajczer, The Gift of Faith, 3rd. ed. (Ft. Collins, CO: IAMF, 2012), 116.
 
"In every situation Mary realized the will of God with full inner peace, because she accepted everything with childlike trust."                         
S.C. Biela, In The Arms of Mary, 2nd. ed, rev. (Ft.Collins, CO: IAMF, 2005), 128.