A Faith Like His
Posted by Lisa Hendey in Faith on Tuesday, December 08, 2009 2:00 PM
This morning, prior to our 8:00 Mass in honor of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, our lector made a special announcement requesting prayers for one of our elderly parishioners who was admitted to the hospital last night. I felt a flutter in my heart, a pain, and the sting of tears in my eyes at the hearing of this news.
Mr. B. is one of the bedrocks of our parish. Many may not know his name, but most know his tremendous devotion to our Blessed Mother. For more years than I’ve been alive, he has been quietly attending daily Mass and leading a small group in praying the Rosary. These days, his back is stooped with age and he is always accompanied by a family member, and yet he never misses a day. On those days when I feel too busy to pause and pray, I think of Mr. B. and his quiet devotion to our Mother, his unwavering faith, and his tremendous sense of commitment even in light of an aging body.
I don’t know Mr. B’s condition, but his absence today—on Mary’s day—felt palpable to me. When our priest rose to give his homily and began to speak about our need, above all things, to use Advent as a season of prayer for a strengthened faith, it felt like a kick in the pants. I ask myself how we’ve already come to the second week of Advent, and yet I have fallen so short in my own personal goals for prayer and quiet this Advent. Sure, I have my excuses, but today they seem to fall short.
Today’s solemnity is such a beautiful symbol of the faith I hope in some small way to emulate. Mary’s “yes”, her sinless nature, her personal devotion to her Son, her absolute faith in Him (think “Do whatever he tells you to do”) is the heavenly role model of faith I need. Mr. B’s living out of this faith here on earth gives me a more attainable example of what this can look like on a day to day basis. Today, my Rosary is for Mr. B and for all of us moms - for an increase in the faith that is so vital to our own salvation and to the sharing of that “prize” with our families and loved ones.
“Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word.”
Print Blog
Email a FriendPost a Comment
By submitting this form, you give Faith And Family Magazine permission to publish this comment. Comments will be published at our discretion, and may be edited for clarity and length. For best formatting, please limit your response to one paragraph and don't hit "enter" to force line breaks.
