| Mary the Mother |
 |
 |
 |
|
Wednesday, December 9, 2009 Advent Musings -- Day 11 When I was growing up, Mary the mother of Jesus was consigned to a minor role, not because her role was minor, but because in my tradition there was a fear of the worship of Mary. That fear of Mary and the neglect of her story sort of oozed and leaked over into other attitudes and practices within my religious tradition, but 'tis the season to focus on other things, I think. Now that I've got some history at putting away childish things and attempting to grow up, I"m incredulous about that fear of Mary. When I expressed to my spiritual director, Bishop Mike Pfeifer, that there were some in my tradition who held to the idea that sin came into the world through a woman, he quickly said, "But, Jeanie, the Savior also came into the world through a woman." That statement he made poured the oil of grace over a painful wound in my soul. I'd begun to be curious about Mary before I began the sacred process of spiritual direction with Bishop MIke, but when I had my first appointment for spiritual direction many years ago, he said something else that was life-changing to me. "You need the Blessed Mother, Jeanie," he told me, and while I wasn't sure what that meant at the time, I knew intuitively that he was onto something big for me. When we moved from San Angelo, Texas, to Houston, Sister Mary Dennison, the director of the Spiritual Direction Institute at the Cenacle Retreat Center in Houston became my spiritual director. She became a powerful instrument of my journey, moving me along in accepting and understanding what Bishop Mike had suggested as she modeled the warm, open and receptive heart of Mary for me. In recent years, I've spent a great deal of time studying the women of the Bible from a fresh perspective. While I was writing my book on gender, JOINING FORCES: BALANCING MASCULINE AND FEMININE, I decided I would also teach a year-long study on the women in the Bible. I contacted Rosalie Beck, professor in the religion department at Baylor University about a text that could guide my teaching, and she recommended WOMEN AND CHRISTIANITY, a three-volume set by Mary T. Malone. Coincidentally, at the same time Pam Stockton led a yearl-long group study of Malone's books at Christ Church Cathedral in Houston. Malone's books, the discussion group and my own research for teaching the women of the Bible changed my perspective forever. Through the years, then, Mary's story has become a source of great inspiration to me, but I did have to outside my religious tradition to find the meaning and power in her life. Sometimes God colors outside the lines of the safe little worlds we are in. Always God is beckoning us into the largeness of our lives, and always, it's a risk to step into the unknown, do what challenges "the authorities" and take a chance that meaning and purpose, joy and gladness lie on the other side of fear. Mary took the risk, when God asked her to do so. Maybe God takes the biggest risk of all, loving us. What risks have you taken in order to grow up? What would have happened if you hadn't taken those risks? What was the cost? Has it been worth it? Grace to you -- especially on the growing edges of your day.....
Grace to you..... Jeanie Comments (4)
Trouble, right there in River City
written by rick davis, December 10, 2009
Precious Friend,
You are going to get yourself in trouble with all this truth telling. Be ye warned, one trouble make to another.
Thank God for God.........
written by anne, December 12, 2009
Wow -- what a thought! Why did God elect to bring His Son to us via a virgin yet to be married? HUGE. To your point, indirectly/directly -- Jesus let the world know He is here for everyone (how cliche), yet, your question does not exist in the normal Christian World. Mary was a woman among women (and I believe she was); however, that is NOT the answer to your question. I "feel" the answer and I "know" the answer you provoke; however, words fail me to put them into a coherent written answer. HUGE and wonderfully asked. His purpose for the WORLD - His message to everyone about forgiveness, redemption. Jeanie -- my verbose ramble says nothing -- your question, in its very asking, answers it all !!!!!! Please, someone else..... ?
metin2yang written by metin2yang, March 09, 2010
The furthest distance in the world Is not between life and death metin2 yangmetin2 yangBut when I
Write comment
|
Subscribe to this comment's feed
And I'm glad for those along my path who have blazed that trail ahead of me!