The Queenship of Mary

Simple things, done in the beauty of love, have great and lasting power.

Since the earliest days of the Church we have held Mary in the highest esteem. We revere her as the Queen of Heaven. It is very fitting that we look to the Book of Ruth for our beginnings. Ruth, the Moabitess, was widowed and ultimately left alone with her mother in law Naomi, who urged her to return to her family, and not stake her future wiht the dim prospects her mother in law offered. Turly, in that world and time, they had very dim prospects, in thier grief and anguish.

But Ruth spoke those words which have lived on for so long, "Wherever you go, I will go. Wherever you lodge, there will I lodge. Your people shall be my people; and your God, my God too. " What more beautiful example of pure love do we hope to find? She is willing to let the certainty of love guide her in life. And made her choices for that, knowing that a path of certainty was that which would lead her in life, and in love.

In no short order Ruth was married to Boaz, and she and Naomi both fared well and grew in prosperity and abundance. Several generations later, a great-grandson was born and given the name David, and from thier house eventually came the great Messiah, Jesus Christ. Simple things, done in the beauty of love, have great power over time.

The fullness of love is represented in Jesus two simple commandment; Love God with your whole heart, and Love your neighbor as yourself.

We turn our attention to Mary, and her great act of love which allowed the Christ to be born. "behold, I am the handmaiden of the Lord, be it done according to your will." What more perfect model of unselfish love, and acquiesence to a higher ideal? Mary, Queen of Heaven; pray for us.

Jephthah

In further reflection, perhaps Jephtheh did not intend his daughter to die because of his vow; perhaps he intended her to be consecrated to a state of virginity, in service to the Temple.

Rising as he does from the lineage of his mother, who was a harlot, to being one of the judges of ancient Israel, he persists in leading the way from lower base thoughts, to the higher and more pure thoughts that hold to the ideals of goodness and perfection; he leads Israel to victory, and to peace.

So maybe we can take from this a willingness to dwell on those thoughts and actions which we discern to be true, noble, and which will reflect our dignity. Our choices can then be exericised in good judgement, and in good faith.

Memorial of Pius X

The readings today are so filled with light; you can almost see butterflies floating upon the spring breeze as the words roll across your lips. Jephthah was a chieftan of our ancient heritage, who was very strong in the ways of the Lord. Thankfully, the ways of the Lord are much clearer to us now; hopefully none of us would consider killing an only daughter as a sacrifice to God.

But what can this tell us of his mindset, and of a way to live a life of holiness? There is strength; there is conviction; there is great and enormous sacrifice. What can we learn from his daughter? There is a love so strong that she will not allow dishonor to come upon her Father's house. There is a nobility in her mourning, and in her desire for God's will to be done. "Here I am Lord, I come to do your will!"

In the Gospel, Christ tells of the great wedding feast for which no one prepared. The king was mightily enraged, as well he should have been. We don't show up for great events with out proper preparation. In this passage too, we see a call to the responsibility which comes from acceptance of an invitation in a way of life.

If we accept the invitation to live in God's love and mercy, there is the sacrifice of giving up certain other things in life; for some this has eventually resulted in death, so strongly have they held to thier beliefs.

Today, we can earnestly pray, "To do your will O God, is my delight, and your law is within my heart."

Quotable Quotes

"We need no immature criticism from those persons who have never outgrown their religious puberty."

Hugo Rahner (Carl Rahner's older brother) from his ouvre, The Church, God's Strength and Human Weakness.

Here we go, this is to start using the theological reflections blog. This will hopefully encompass every day of my internship at here.