FROM EMBRACING TO PRAISING
“And Mary said: ‘My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior.’” - Luke 1:46-47
When today’s gospel states that Mary greeted her cousin Elizabeth, I imagine a joyful and tender embrace between them. An embrace where not only did Mary feel safe being held in the arms of her cousin, whom she loved, but also one that filled her with gratitude for the miracles that God was performing through both of them. After this embrace, Mary shares her magnificat: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior.” While she may have been filled with uncertainty for what was to come, her trust in the Lord in the present moment filled her with gratitude, consolation, and joy. While Mary is known for pondering things in her heart, she shares these words aloud with her cousin, and she shares them with all of us today.
For much of my life, I’ve struggled with living up to the weight of my name- the mother of Jesus, the model woman who cooperated with God and readily gave him her yes, the pride of Mexico and the Americas. Am I worthy of this name? Does it really fit me? These feelings of inadequacy often kept me from getting too close to Our Lady and to her son whom she carried in her womb. I created unrealistic criteria for success that I thought I needed to meet in order to allow myself to be fully embraced by Mary and ultimately, by God.
In the last year, I’ve been blessed with being embraced by several communities who have been present to me and have helped me to be more present to children, young adults, the unhoused, and the everyday people I encounter. These communities have shown me love, which I am then able to give to others. All of this was made possible when I decided to let go of the false expectations I created and prayed to allow myself to be held by Mary and by Jesus. In doing so, my heart softened and made room for people that have nurtured me into becoming more of my authentic self. Out of gratitude for the generosity I have received, I have a deep desire to share my time and talents. Through service, and with others, I am able to proclaim the greatness of the Lord in my life, and it brings me such great joy!
In this season of Advent, who can you embrace and who do you need to be embraced by? What might you need to let go of in order to be held and to hold others? How might this lead to your own praising of the greatness of the Lord?
Guadalupe De La O