22 August, Monday — Mary, our role model

Aug 22 – Our Lady, Mother and Queen

Whoever, therefore, reverences the Queen of heaven and earth – and let no one consider himself exempt from this tribute of a grateful and loving soul – let him invoke the most effective of Queens, the Mediatrix of Peace; let him respect and preserve peace, which is not wickedness unpunished nor freedom without restraint; but a well-ordered harmony under the rule of the will of God; to its safeguarding and growth, the gentle urgings and commands of the Virgin Mary impel us.

– Pope Pius XII

Is 9:1-7
Lk 1:26-38

You have made their gladness greater, you have made their joy increase.

We live in an uncertain world. There have been conflicts across the entire world and the uncertainty wrought by the challenges of living alongside the COVID-19 virus has brought a tremendous amount of fatigue. The readings of today remind us of the joy that comes to us when we discover what it means to have found God. The angel Gabriel greeted Mother Mary with the word “Rejoice.” Mary would rightfully have been worried at such a greeting, given the abruptness of the greeting.

I believe that this fear has been around in our lives for the longest time. Fear stems from an inability to respond to the demands made on our lives. Sometimes, the source of fear is legitimate but most of the time, it is irrational. There are many self-help books available to teach people on how to overcome their fears, but I have learnt that trust in God will assist us to discover where the source of fear is coming and how we can approach it.

To possess joy means we need to turn over our concerns to God and allow God to do the rest. This means that we need to let go of the need for control. This is easier said than done, but we should do so because the current way of life which we are facing now is already causing tremendous pain to us. We can turn to Mary as an example for us to follow, because she has gone through all the struggles which we are facing in our lives. She had to deal with the societal pressure of having a child before marriage and having to see her son being accused of a crime which he did not commit.

Indeed, Mother Mary is an example for each one of us who shows us that trusting in God will allow us to face the challenges in life with boldness and courage.

(Today’s OXYGEN by Nicholas Chia)

Prayer: Mary, help us to remember that all our problems are lighter when we depend on you.

Thanksgiving: We give thanks for those who show us how to pray.