Preparation for Total Consecration

WEEK 3:
KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LADY

Our Lady is a superb person to help us come alive to what it means to be baptised. Graced as she is by the Holy Spirit, always reflecting the glory of God on the face of Christ, her authentic living of the Gospel can only help us too if we open ourselves to what she now sees.

Sixth Day Mt. 25: 14-30

THE RISK OF FAITH

Parable.A man going on a journey called his servants and entrusted to them his property ... After a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received five talents came forward, bringing five talents more ... and he who had received two talents came forward with two talents more. The master said, 'Well done, good and faithful servants: you have been faithful over a little, I will set You over much; enter into the joy of your master!'
He also who had received one talent came forward, saying, 'I hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours'. But his master answered him, 'You ought to have invested my money ... with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has the ten talents'.

Reflection.Think of our Lady in the light of this parable. The men in the parable were entrusted with the management of large sums of money. Those who returned it with interest were given appreciation and yet more responsibility. The one who was afraid to risk his capital had even that taken from him and his master's disapproval.

Our Lady was invited by God to allow the Holy Spirit to come upon her and the power of the Most High to overshadow her, so that if she said 'Yes', 'you will conceive in your womb and bear a son.... Jesus, Son of the most High ... and of his kingdom there will be no end'. Mary took the risk and, literally, the rest is history. A new creation has come into existence.

Giving herself to God enabled her to be the one through whom God gave himself to us. She was and is an individual person, not a symbol nor an automaton. The gift of herself in giving us the gift of her Son has made of her life a God-given blessing. Every generation has shared the dividend of God investing in her.

Because Mary did this in faith, trusting in God one day at a time, she can encourage us to take the risk and responsibility of life and faith. Finally, now in glory with her Son, she holds out the promise that one day we too will be there - 'Good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord'.

Prayer.Lord Jesus, the servant afraid to take the risk lost everything, even what he had. We have been given life and faith. You expect us to be fully alive, and invest and make a return on those gifts. We are to take responsibility for ourselves.

May your Mother, who knew the risks of faith and responsibility, and was so blessed among women, encourage us too to take the risk of faith.

Montfort.'Simple faith is both the cause and the effect of Wisdom in our soul. The more faith we have, the more we shall possess Wisdom. The more we possess him, the stronger our faith, without seeing, feeling, tasting or faltering' (LEW 187).