Behold Your Child

Behold Your Child

“And when the day came for them to be purified as laid down by the Law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord- observing what stands written in the Law of the Lord: Every first-born male must be consecrated to the Lord” (LK 2:22+)

         Ever faithful to the Mosaic Law, Mary and Joseph bring their Precious Jesus to the temple, to be presented into the service of God, to be set apart, dedicated, freely given to do His bidding –thus, establishing the feet of The Only Son, onto the path to Calvary.  

         As soon as they enter, Simeon, a saintly old man seized by the Holy Spirit, joyfully snatches the Fated Child from Mary’s arms, and prophesies: “… 'You see this child: he is destined for the fall and for the rising of many in Israel, destined to be a sign that is rejected- and a sword will pierce your own soul too- so that the secret thoughts of many may be laid bare'.” (Luke 2:34)   St. Luke takes us, from the joyful beginning of the Good News, and thrusts us into the darkness of the Crucifixion, where the murderous thoughts of humanity are laid bare -through the Blood of Mary's Lamb.

         By custom, a Jew’s heritage is verified via the mother -as a child’s father could be uncertain.  And so Jesus, whose Father was hidden, hanging on that Cross…“Seeing his mother and the disciple he loved standing near her …said to his mother, 'Woman, this is your son. Then to the disciple he said, 'This is your mother'.” (John 19:26-7)  As his last wish, Jesus, wanting his Beloved Disciple to know his true identity, consecrates him to his Mother.  Pronouncing John ‘son of the Mother of God’ confirms him as Brother to the Savior of the world -son of the Father.  And Mary, with her soul pierced by the Sword of the Cross, was ever consecrated to mother His Beloved.

         Now, we all are His Beloved.  And Mary eternally retains her mantle as ‘Mother of His Beloved’.  So we too, can be sure of our heritage, for in looking upon his Beloved John, Jesus saw our needy faces, and pronounced His Mother as our own.

As we read then, Luke’s Presentation of Our Lord, let us pause …close our eyes …and see our Mother …with her heavenly mantle …lifting us up and saying…  “Holy Father, behold Your Child, whom I consecrate to do your bidding, to follow wherever the footsteps of my Son will lead –fill this son, this daughter, with the fullness of your Spirit, to be His Light unto the world.”

          Father, in the Name of your Son, Jesus our Lord and Brother, hear this perpetual prayer of His…of Our Mother. 

Reduced To Love

Reduced To Love (John 13:34)

I recently read a reflection on the “New Commandment” which Jesus bequeathed upon us –those final Words which gives focus to everything he stood for: ‘I give you a new commandment: love one another; just as I have loved you, you also must love one another.’

The unnamed author concluded his refection with a simple five word prayer which is still stirring my heart: “Jesus, reduce me to love!”  An entire book begs to be written to release the power –the profundity- of this little prayer.

2COR 6:6 reads: We prove we are God's servants by our purity, knowledge, patience and kindness; by a spirit of holiness, by a love free from affectation.  Affectation is a behavior which is assumed, or put on, as opposed to unpretentious.  Love wrapped in affectation is an act, by design, to impress others.  If we love as Jesus loves, then we are reduced of our need for appearances; we are stripped of Self’s hidden motives, its desire for reciprocation, its need for appreciation.

This is all impossible -to love as Jesus loves- unless we first have received his Love, the very Love his is commanding us to give away.  To love as Jesus loves is to love with the Love we receive from Jesus.  It is as if our love is stripped of our face and cloaked with the touch of Jesus -devoid of an earthly source, free of Self’s stain.  By the Grace of his Spirit, our Love, truly given, becomes Pure-Gift.

How else is it possible to love the Loathsome, to love when no love is felt, indeed, to love when we desire to hurt?  It is possible only because Jesus is Ever Present –ever giving us His Love that we may give it away.   This is the Will of God –to be so surrendered to his Spirit, that we are Reduced to Love.

In surrendering her Self to God, to his Holy Spirit, Blessed Mary became the Mother of God.  Her yes put Flesh onto her God.  She gave us Jesus, the Greatest Love the world has ever known.  Her selflessness became Love, it became Jesus, who is Love –the Glory of Humanity Revealed.  Her Love, Jesus, allowed us to see for the very first time, to find the meaning of Life, to find the Way to Love Eternal.

“Behold your Mother.” Christ spoke from the Cross.  In giving birth to The One, she has given Life to all.  From my sinfulness I cry, oh Lord: Make me like her.  Remove from me everything that blocks the flow of your Love into my heart.  I too want to be a Vessel Of Love.  Jesus, reduce me to Love!