pondering like mary

today is the feast of the immaculate conception. may mary’s prayers bring us advent joy!

this morning i am preparing for a talk for this coming monday. the talk is “why is mary a big deal?” the participants will be young adults in a program called “theology on tap”. it will be at kells irish pub at the pike place market. i really love talking theology over good beer!

as i prepared the slides for the presentation, i happened upon one of my personal favorites of mary in our claretian communities. this is the stained glass of mary and jesus in our dominguez chapel in compton, ca.

simeon prophesied that a sword would pierced mary’s heart. (luke 1) after jesus’ birth, mary “pondered all these things in her heart” (luke 2). the sword that pierced mary’s heart was the Word of God. her being was pierced with love. to ponder all these things of the Word/love like mary, is to realize our salvation.

to have a heart like mary is to ponder continually the power of incarnation-the Word among us- in our lives and the world. allowing ourselves to be pierced by this sword of love. a pondering heart is key.

sweet heart of mary, be my salvation!

in this picture, mary’s heart is united to the sacred heart of jesus. two hearts connected by love. her continued gift to the world will always be her son jesus. mary’s messages to us are about jesus’ love and peace.

i like the season of advent because it prepares us to be renewed in the incarnation. it prepares us for a renewal of heart and the sacred act of pondering the Word in all our relationships.