Friday, August 8, 2008

Dear God,

Today is Mary's birthday, the mother of God. Your own blessed mother. The one who said yes when the angel asked her to carry you for the world. "Let it be to me as you have said." The scriptures report she said.

My Carmelite sisters will celebrate her birthday today. And probably for a moment they will think of me as they took great delight in my coming to love her across several years. A renewal of one life captured by this great woman gives them much joy.

I don't know how this day was determined. It doesn't really matter. It is a remembering one soul, one person who made a life-transforming decision to touch the world. And so she carried you, first just a seed of faith, then full blown.

Thinking of Mary makes me think of the Carmelites, the sisters who've moved to their retirement place aside the Franciscan sisters. I think of their daily prayers. Teresa prays very early in the morning by sitting in silence, listening. Others will verbalize their prayers by thinking of world events, people, even the Olympics participants. They will offer the intentions of those they know and don't know. They will utter their joy-filled meditations for Mary.

More than anything they will give thanks to you for her generous spirit, for her great love for an earth needing redemption. Universally and personally they will feel her spirit, take hold, offer thanksgiving and pray for our cleansing.

Today is Mary's birthday, a day of hope.

Mary, your mother,
I pray
for your mother,
dear sweet God.
How beautiful
her spirit,
how generous
her willingness
to serve you
and the greater good.
What great sacrifice
she made,
to be changed
and to allow
the world
to be changed
by you.
What greater gift
is there
than one
who gives life
to so many others.
What words
can I offer,
what song
can I sing
for this lady
of grace?
Weave my heart
with her
and my sisters
so we can celebrate
her birth,
of life
and the spirit.

Love, Andrea