Ruth: Reflections par. 26 - 34

I hope to catch up on my reading today but I don't want to rush through it.  Here are just a few highlights and comments on what I have read over the last week.
par. 26 Fr. Harlow's commentary ends with "We make progress in the lifestyle of true devotion to the degree ultimately that we make progress in love." The question that popped in my mind was, "Do we ever love enough those we love?" ... and what about those that are hard to love? ... and those who we are called to love and who don't love us?   Mary please teach me and help me to love more purely all the people the Lord calls me to love.

par. 27 Right at the beginning of this section we are reminded that Jesus is still Mary's most perfect son which includes obedience and submission toward the best of all mothers. I sometimes forget of the intimacy of this holy mother and son even now. Of course, Mary "does notheing contrary to the eternal and immutable will of God." ....thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. ... it all ties together.

par. 28  notes was powerful to me. "Humility empties the soul of self-conceit and self-preoccupation in order for the soul to be filled with grace."  (Luke 1:52) "As we live this lifestyle we seek daily to be humble and to accept humiliations as part of our formationin sanctity -- that God may empower us with His grace." I am always drawn to the prayer of humility and appreciated that our last book offered that prayer as a lead in prayer for our reading and mediation times.  Humility is so beautifully exemplied in our Lady's magnificat.

par. 30 I struggled with this reading a bit when thinking about how my protestant friends fit into this. They love Jesus with their whole heart but are somewhat indifferent to Mary. Their influence actually pulled me away from Mary for many years. "He who has not Mary for his Mother has not God for his Father."  It makes sense as a statement and I know Mary as mother is part of God's plan but I can't wrap my head around it in relating to my protestant friends. I need to reread and pray about this section.

par. 34 - 34  Mary has lots of work to do.
I loved this section.  There is hope for me. From the commentary: "The Holy Spirit wants Mary to form chosen souls and He aids her in that formation process. Mary leads the soul in virtue and holiness. The Holy spirit ... finds her in those souls who practice her virtues, especially those of faith, humility, mortification, prayer, charity and hope." "The cooperation between Mary and the Holy Spirit, after having formed Jesus in human histtory, is now to form us into saints."     These sections reminded me of how frequently our pastor calls us, at daily Mass, to practice those same virtues especially humility, prayer and mortification. He really encourages us in our faith life and challenges us from the pulpit to grow in holiness by these same tools ...faith, humility, mortification, prayer, charity and hope.  Praise God for good and holy priest who are not afraid to call us to holiness.  ... "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven".  (One additional though that just came to me is that I wonder how many people are in hell or purgatory because of priest no be pastors of souls. What a responsibility they and we have.  Let's pray for our pastors and for more good and holy leaders both ordained and lay leaders.

Time to prepare for Mass. Have a blessed Sunday


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