Mother of the Word Incarnate

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth..." -- John 1:14 (RSV)

Although the months of May and October are dedicated to the Blessed Mother, the liturgical season that brings her most to the forefront, at least for me, is Advent/Christmas. So now, when we're starting another liturgical year, seems like the perfect time to share this beautiful image of Mary reading the Scriptures. (Yes, I know it's anachronistic to show her reading a bound book, but please put that aside for now. :-) )

I found this several months ago on Wikimedia Commons, and I'm glad that I downloaded it when I did, because I haven't been able to find it again since! If I recall correctly, it's an image from a cathedral in Russia.

Aside from the sheer beauty of this image of the Blessed Mother, I love the fact that she, who bore the Word of God Incarnate, is shown contemplating the Word of God. I've heard it said, I think, that Jesus was conceived in Mary's heart long before He was conceived in her womb.  No wonder that both Mary and Jesus are addressed in Scripture as being "full of grace."

Father, by the power of your Spirit, may I study Your Word until I, too, can bring Him forth to the world in the way that You created me to bear Him, according to Your perfect loving will. Amen.

Carrying others to Jesus

"They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd, they opened up the roof above him. After they had broken through, they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic,
'Child, your sins are forgiven.'"--Mark 2:3-5 (NAB)

We all in one way or another have been brought to Jesus thanks to the faith of others. Some of us were brought to Baptism as infants, thanks to the faith of one or both of our parents. Others came to the Lord as adults, borne by the faith of friends or maybe an author we read or someone we heard on the radio or saw on TV.

In addition to the actions of others that we're aware of, we have all been brought to the Lord by the prayers of others. Two months before she died of tuberculosis at age 24, St. Therese said to her sisters, "How often have I thought that I may owe all the graces I've received to the prayers of a person who begged them from God for me, and whom I shall know only in heaven." (St. Therese of Lisieux, Her Last Conversations, July 15, 1897)

Lord Jesus, help me to be both humbled and grateful for all the people, known and unknown, who have borne me by their faith to You throughout my life. And help me--in my words, actions, and especially my prayers--to persevere in bringing others to You. Grant me the faith, determination, and perseverance of the friends of the paralytic, not giving up until those You have given me to carry to You are at Your feet and You speak to their hearts the word of healing that they need to hear. Amen.