To this end, I invoke the intercession of the Most Holy and Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of God, daring to remind her in all humility, but with consolation, of the filial devotion of my whole life, and of the desire I have always had to make her known and loved, and to spread her devotion everywhere through the ministry of those whom the Church has given to me as children, who have had the same desire as myself…
Extract from Eugene de Mazenod’s will, 1 August 1854, E.O. XV n. 191
When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.
John 19:26-27
There is mystery around Our Lady, we actually know so little of her. For me she gives a face to trust, to trusting what the angel told her, trusting that her ‘fiat’, her yes to giving herself totally to God would be okay, Trusting God as she found herself pregnant when not yet married, that God would provide and that she would be able to survive judgement from Joseph, her family, others she knew. She was a young woman in a world dominated by men and there were very strict rules, I think that it was this trust in God that gave her the strength to live as she did. Mary served – she served her family but above all she served God with her entire life – she served, she loved. From her I learn patience, perseverence, and gentleness.
I think of Mary as our mother, as my mother. Solid, guiding, loving, supporting, being there. I go to her to talk, to ask her to pray for me and guide me in a world, and as part of a church that is so very much male dominated and try to figure out how I can live out my dreams and desires, my call from God. I have often asked her how she might handle certain situations, or sorrows. Here was a young woman who knew sorrow and yet we never hear of her “railing against the world in anger”. She was human – I wonder if she erupted like I have been known to do.
It just struck me – that what Eugene was writing was a part of his will. Have wills changed in the last 200 years? Did I read that correctly? I guess I think of wills as documents which we use to “leave our belongings, things to each other”. Perhaps this is the ‘testament’ part, his letter to “his children” as it were. Again another glimpse of how just as Mary gave her “fiat”, so did Eugene give his “all”. Let my day be a yes, a “let it be done unto me according to your word”. I don’t see how that could be possible, but perhaps that spirit will be enough.
I have really appreciated all the posts on the devotion to Mary, the mother of Jesus . She has always been such an inspiration to me, both because of her trust in her God, and I think as a result, of herself, but also because of what she endured as a mother. I know in other faith traditions there is also a “Mary” as “the” mother. I think of Mary as the mother of all, indeed the mother of all of Creation. I often with (and fall asleep with) Mary and my beads. Eugene certainly had that devotion, and perhaps it helped to bring out a softer side in him. Thank you for these.