The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary on the Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary connect us to the eternal Covenant and an example from Mary for dealing with cognitive dissonance in our exploration of relationship with God and others.
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| Community of the Covenant |
The reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah declares the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.
* [61:10–11] The new life of the restored Zion is expressed in nuptial (cf. also 62:5) and agricultural (cf. v. 3; 60:21) imagery.1
Psalm 89 celebrates God’s Covenant with David.
* [89:3–5] David’s dynasty is to be as long-lasting as the heavens, a statement reinforced by using the same verbs (establish, stand) both of the divine love and loyalty and of the Davidic dynasty and throne, cf. Ps 89:29–30.2
The passage from Gospel of Luke describes finding the boy Jesus in the Temple after three days of searching.
* [2:49] I must be in my Father’s house: this phrase can also be translated, “I must be about my Father’s work.” In either translation, Jesus refers to God as his Father. His divine sonship, and his obedience to his heavenly Father’s will, take precedence over his ties to his family.3
Eileen Wirth shares how the story of Jesus remaining in Jerusalem opened her to the Love of Mary.
That day changed my relationship with Mary. She was still perfect and I wasn’t but I had seen her terrified and vulnerable. I could even confide in her about my problems with Jacob. In turn, she trusted me because I had been with her when she needed it. I learned that raising a strong-willed paragon who asked a lot of questions wasn’t easy either. She feared for his safety. What if Jesus got in trouble for defying the authorities?
Mary was right to be worried. I was with her at the cross when Jesus died. Now I ache for her terrible loss but it has made her more human and given her more empathy for others who suffer. Anyone in need can turn to her for help because she gets it. I LOVE my perfect cousin. Bless you, Mary.4
Don Schwager quotes “Mary dwelt in meditation on Jesus' words and actions,” by Bede the Venerable, 672-735 A.D.
"Consider the most prudent woman Mary, mother of true Wisdom, as the pupil of her Son. For she learned from him, not as from a child or man but as from God. Yes, she dwelt in meditation on his words and actions. Nothing of what was said or done by him fell idly on her mind. As before, when she conceived the Word itself in her womb, so now does she hold within her his ways and words, cherishing them as it were in her heart. That which she now beholds in the present, she waits to have revealed with greater clarity in the future. This practice she followed as a rule and law through all her life." (excerpt from EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 2.51.20)5
The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 2:41-51 comments it could sound as if Jesus were giving his mother back talk or showing Mary and Joseph some measure of disrespect. How many of us would give our children a stern rebuke if we were treated that way? But Mary responded differently. At first, like the elders in the Temple, she was “astonished” at Jesus’ question (Luke 2:47, 48). But she moved beyond her initial surprise and took up a more prayerful attitude: she “kept all these things in her heart” (2:51).
This is probably one of the clearest illustrations of Mary’s immaculate heart. She trusted that Jesus had the best of intentions when he stayed behind at the Temple. She didn’t nurse a grudge against him for putting her and Joseph through the ordeal of searching for him. She didn’t act defensively or presume that Jesus was disrespecting her when he asked his question. She didn’t feel the need to put Jesus in his place or to use harsh words to establish her authority over him. She just took her concerns to God in prayer and asked him to help her understand.6
Friar Jude Winkler comments on the text from 2 Chronicles 24, the USCCB choice for the first reading. The truly wise questions of the twelve year old Jesus, may be part of His self revelation as He becomes a Jewish man. Friar Jude reminds us that Luke is foreshadowing the three days Jesus will spend in the tomb in this text.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, invites us to spend some time with Dr. Joan Borysenko, PhD, a cancer cell biologist, licensed psychologist, and author living in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She offers us practices that support our contemplative journey to deepen inner and outer freedom in her book “7 Paths to God: The Ways of the Mystic”.
1.(of 7) Reflect on love. When you are feeling zealous or righteous about anything, reflect on whether you are doing God’s Will, your own, or someone else’s. Ask the question “Is my belief or action respectful and kind, or is it based on anger or judgement?” If the latter is true, pursue the personal healing required to give up the childish things that St. Paul spoke about.7
The practice of Mary as she prayerfully takes the events of Jesus' life to her heart, models for us a way of prayer and meditation to deal with the difficult events of our lives.
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