Wednesday of the 1st Week of Advent - Mary’s Heart Reflection: In the Gospel of Matthew, we hear Jesus speaking in his own words to his closest followers and aides: “My heart is moved with pity for the crowd,” he told them (from Matthew 15). Why did he feel such pity? Because he feared that those who were with him may be hungry. And then he translated his pity into action, feeding the crowds by sharing among all the little had by a few. Jesus’ heart, we know, was formed by his mom. Our moms have a way of teaching us how to feel for others at times when many others might not. Mary’s own heart must have been filled with the very compassion, mercy, and care for others which later became evident in the heart of her son. Advent can be a time for us to allow Mary to also form our hearts with the same sense of compassion and mercy. We often read these gorgeous lines from Psalm 23, “Only goodness and kindness follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for years to come.” These could have been the very words with which Mary taught Jesus to feel compassion, knowing it is a reflection of the very face of God. Share with others or ponder alone: For whom do we humans need to feel the most compassion today? Who is waiting for mercy? For justice? For kindness? Take action: Write a short list of people in response to the questions just above. Take that list and begin in whatever way you can to show such mercy. Prayer for today: Mary, form my own heart as you did the heart of Jesus, and help me to deepen my sense of mercy and compassion for those in our world. Amen.
Posted on: Wed, 04 Dec 2013 12:00:01 +0000