Mary - Mother of God, Mother of Faith

Today Fr. Cantalamessa spoke about Mary as mother of God and mother of Faith.  He beautifully spoke about how Mary was a letter of God written to his people not with ink but with the living spirit of God.  Fr. spoke about three different "movements" in the life of Mary.

The first was the INCARNATION.  The incarnation first takes place in Mary's womb.  The Holy Spirit "beatifies" Mary by asking her to be the mother of Jesus, the Savior of the world.  This was not an easy act of faith.  He cites it as the most difficult and dangerous act of faith in the history of salvation, much more difficult than the act and faith of Abraham.  Mary's promise is made without knowing a man and she finds herself in complete solitude with nothing but the word of God to rely on.  She knew that an unmarried woman found pregnant would be subject to stoning by virtue of the Mosaic law.  And yet, she makes her life a "Table Rasa" a blank slate for God to write.

The second was MARY BENEATH THE CROSS.  Mary is at the heart of the Paschal Mystery.  The comparison is made between Mary and Abraham.  Both were asked to sacrifice their sons.  Both are asked to have hope beyond what they could see.   Mary, beloved by the Lord, appears in the garden and Jesus says, "do not touch me."   He is now to be experienced through our heart, not through our vision.  Through faith, hope and obedience, Mary becomes the Mother of the Church.

Finally, MARY AND PENTECOST.  Jesus, would be born by the power of the Holy Spirit because of Mary.  Mary received her Pentecost at her incarnation.  Pentecost is for the church as the incarnation was for Mary.  Fr. states that Mary became the first "cloistered nun" in the church because she spent her final years with John, the beloved disciple, in prayer and reflection.

Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa now lives in a hermitage about an hour from Rome with a group of cloistered sisters.  He relates how much joy he has in living there for it has afforded him so much time for prayer, reflection and writing.  He reminds us priests, "wherever you go, bring a hermitage with you."  Sometimes in the midst of our hectic lives, a thought or a prayer brings us to that hermitage.  Take time, dear brothers, he reminds us to contemplate and pray.  He reminds us that when we do so it multiples our time.

Finally, he speaks to us of hope.  He says, more than anything else, our people need HOPE.  He says that a person without hope wakes up each morning with no new horizon or possibility.  He urges that anything we face, the person must become stronger than the problem.  Kiekegaard writes that when a person is sick, a doctor may give a medicine but when the doctor gives hope to the sick person, he has given the best remedy.  When you read the gospels, Jesus is filled with hope for his people.  We must do the same for the people we serve.

I have been in awe this week by this humble, joyful servant of God, Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa.  I urge you to read his books - his wisdom is amazing!!!!  All of his books, he notes, are taken from his talks to the last 3 popes - so it's good stuff!  I've just finished his biography and it's amazing.  What a great hope for the church he provides.  I thank God I was able to hear him this week and be inspired by the many messages he spoke to us!!!!