Yesterday, I had the privilege of speaking with Wendy Wiese, who was filling in for Sean Herriott on Relevant Radio's Morning Air. A link to the half-hour interview is here. Since the time always flies, we raced through some ideas on the Blessed Mother and our preparations for Christmas, but there were a few ideas left undeveloped:
- Saint Ambrose says that Our Lady learned from the shepherds who visited her. They must have related what they had seen and heard (which she didn't see or hear) and their genuine faith and wonder edified her as well. It's not that she was lacking, but surely this was another item that she stored in her heart, and then later shared so that we would have a more fullsome account of what transpired;
- Saint Cyprian says "You cannot have God for your Father if you do not have the Church for your mother." I spoke of the "single-parent family" that constitutes Protestantism. They have God the Father and love him dearly, but they have no room for Mary (outside of the Christmas season) even though the Scriptures they depend on say, "behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed" (Luke 1:48b). Whether you consider the Church for your mother or Mary (who is the first fruit and most perfect image of the Church), both are missing in the non-ecclesial sects, which impacts their entire faith;
- I only glanced on the notion of living in the moment, which Mary did, but it's an essential point. As long as we're reduced to living in time, all we have is now. NOW. I cannot love tomorrow until it becomes now. I can only love in this very instant, and then it is gone. We have to prepare, we have to be prudent, and we have to anticipate all the needs of tomorrow, but we have to do that while living fully in the present moment which is our greatest gift -- it's a gift because that is where God is for us finite creatures. He's eternal, we are not. So love now, live now, be present to God and neighbour now;
- I expand on Our Lady here, in an essay which unpacks a little more of the nativity story, and especially the question that Mary had previously asked of the Angel. Saint Jacob of Serug has some penetrating thoughts on that exchange.
Let's use these last days of Advent to clear out the detritus and make room for the Saviour. He alone will grant us the peace and wisdom we need!
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