Carriers of God's Message

When I was preparing for confirmation in the 8th grade, I chose the name “Mary” as my confirmation name — not so much because I felt a close connection to the mother of Jesus, but because I grew up in a Carmelite parish that honored Mary through May crowning rituals and by passing out scapulars depicting Our Lady of Mount Carmel. For the most part, it was instilled in me that having a devotion to Mary was necessary to being a good Catholic.

I thought about this yesterday during an online meeting of my oblate group as we reflected on the Annunciation in anticipation of Advent. One of the questions I asked the oblates was, “How are you being called to respond to the gift of the Spirit in your own life? Is Mary a sister / companion to you as you respond to this call?” Several of the oblates somewhat apologetically noted that Mary is not a central figure in their faith life; they said they have gained more sustenance and guidance from saints such as Benedict and Scholastica, Francis of Assisi, or Joseph, Mary’s husband, who is an important saint for Italians.

Mary had a unique role in God’s plan to come into our midst in human form, and over the years I’ve learned that I can gain a lot of insight by meditating on her life. However, as theologian Elizabeth Johnson has said, “To call Mary blessed is to recognize the blessedness of ordinary people who are called to participate in the work of God in our own day.” One of the benefits of having a great cloud of witnesses who loved and served God in their own unique way is that we have a plethora of guides we can call on as we walk our own path. At different times in our lives, different saints may offer wisdom we need to hear, and that’s perfectly fine — ultimately it is the message and not the messenger that is important.

No matter who acts as our companion on our journey of faith, the need remains for us to discern how we will respond to the gift of the Spirit that has been given to us. May Advent, which begins next Sunday, provide fertile ground for our discernment.