Pilgrim progress- a disciple on a journey!

Mary carries the Word Advent is the season where God waits for the love of his children. He waits, silently, patiently for the moment of grace until the chronos of life (our time) becomes impregnated with his kairos (God’s time), the Word becomes flesh! During Advent we reflect on Jesus in the womb of Mary, growing slowly, silently and invisibly, present even though invisible. Mary is an Advent woman, a woman very dear to my heart. A woman of life, a woman for life, every fibre of her being says ‘Yes’ to carry Jesus in her womb. Today, 12th of December, we celebrate a beautiful Marian feastday which celebrates the gift of life, that of our Lady of Guadalupe. On the 12th of December 1531, our Lady appeared to an Indian named Juan Diego and requested that a shrine be built and dedicated to her on the Hill of Tepeyac. Juan Diego, upon reporting this event to the bishop, was disappointed because the bishop didn't seem to believe him. Juan returned to the place of the apparition ...

"You knit me together in my mother's womb' (Psalm 139,13) On the 25th of March 2014, feast of the Annunciation, where we celebrate Mary accepting to be the Mother of the Emmanuel, together with some of my classmates in Canada, I spent the morning praying outside an abortion clinic in Ottawa. It was a day I will never forget and I often return to that very cold morning praying for life on this special feastday. It was an act of reparation and prayer for those who for various reasons felt they could not say ‘Yes’ to the gift of life. Some people held pictures of our Lady of Guadalupe, I remember imp loring her maternal heart to change the heart of those who went to the clinic. When I went home, I cried bitterly for the women and babies who went into that clinic and for the babies who never made it out of the clinic. I didn't think that it would affect me so much. As a woman, my maternal heart suffered with these women whose lives had been changed forever. All I cou...

Chalk drawing by Sr. M. Paul, pddm "Mary- she opens her hands and she nods. And the promises come true in the space of her surrender- the pod of the most High God lodging within her willing yes. Beneath her heart- in one yielded space beats the thrumming love of God. There is no need to produce or perform or perfect, simply become a place for God. That is all. Now, here, in this juncture of time and space, God chooses the inconceivable- GRACE. And conceives himself to deliver grace into the world. When grace conceives in you, you take hold of God. You are a space to receive whatever the will of God is in this moment of grace as grace, you take hold of God . You most take hold of God when you simply receive him in this moment taking hold of you. Taking hold of your unsure hand, unseen needs, unknown stress. He wants to take hold of you, to be with you. He wants to carry you, to be carried by you. " Anne Voskamp

One word: Yes! A life programme! Surrender all! Fiat! Amen! Let it be done.   Believe it or not, the word YES is the most powerful prayer you can make. It’s saying that, “I believe God that you probably know what’s best for my life . . . for my life more than I do, and I’m willing to trust you with my life. And I’m willing to go along with what I understand to be your plans for my life.” Today, the liturgy had us meditate the scene of the Annunciation of the archangel Gabriel to Mary. Pope Francis reflecting on this Gospel back in October, sums up the Annunciation like this: “God surprises us, God asks us to be faithful and God is our strength.” He explains saying that God surprised Mary, but despite this she was able to say, “Here I am, the servant of the Lord, be it done onto me according to your word”. God does surprise us, he wreaks havoc with our plans, but he also says “trust me, do not be afraid”. In his second reflection “God asks us to be faithful” Pope Fra...

Annunciation by Fra Angelico This year I have really sought to live a Marian Advent, walking with Mary as she cultivated the gift of life within her. I think this sensitivity towards this gift was heightened by a few things: the birth of my beautiful nephew Isaac in October, becoming part of St. Paul's Students for Life group which prays regularly outside the abortion clinic in Ottawa and thirdly, the ongoing debate and attempt to legislate abortion in Ireland. Today during the homily for the celebration of the Eucharist, Fr. Michael gave us plenty of food for thought with his reflection on Mary's 'yes'. The liturgy of the day offers us Luke's narrative of the Annunciation for our reflection. We all know how the story goes. I wish I could always muster a classy yes like Mary’s. “Let it be done with me according to your word” is a far cry from my usual “OK Lord, if you say so.” We do the best we can.We notice the very human details of the Annunciation. It happene...