b'Blessed William Joseph Chaminade, the founder of the Society In the Gospels, life in its fullness is notof Mary, returned again and again to the importance of faith just a great time, a life-long party that willa gift that needs to be strengthened and deepened. He oftencome, we pray, in the next life. Rather, liferecommended meditating on the Creed, the foundational statement in its fullness is joyful but also scary. Why?of Christianity.Because it calls us to be vulnerable; itsOur committee included the key word, ponder, picking up on being open to Gods will.two instances in the Gospel of Luke. In Luke 1:29, at the Annunciation, Before being vulnerable, we might, likethe Blessed Mother pondered the meaning of the angel Gabriels Mary, want to pause for a moment and ask agreeting, Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you. Then, in Luke few questions: How can this be, as I am not2:19, at the Nativity, she pondered the shepherds amazing story married? The vulnerability of Jesus, whothat angels had foretold their finding the newborn Messiah in emptied himself and did not cling to beingBethlehem. Ponder meansGod (Phil. 2: 6-7), led him to death. No won- Father James Heft, SMto weigh something carefully, der the angel Gabriel told her not to be afraid. She consented, stillthinking and rethinkinghardly understanding what lay ahead for her. Through her act ofimportant events. faith, Gods plan of salvation took a definitive turn: Jesus is con-Faith allows us to sort ceived. Nothing will remain the same.through daily and significant Psalm 139 is one of the most beautiful psalms in the Old Testa-events and discern what they ment. It reminds us that God knits us in our mothers wombsmight mean by looking at and that we are wonderfully made. How much truer is that ofthem through the eyes of faith. Jesus being formed in Marys womb? He is formed in her wombIt would make no sense to through the power of the Holy Spirit. Marys motherhood is sub-come together and ponder ordinate to the Holy Spirit with whom she cooperates in a specialhow God might be working way, but never replaces.in our lives and our world Mary is the promised woman, the new Eve who will crush theunless God was, in fact, within head of the serpent. She participated in all of Jesus mysteries: Histhese events; the Spirit of God conception, gestation, birth, infancy, adolescence, and young adult-calls us now to repentance, hood. What were those 30 years like? Mary, under the guidance ofholiness, and the works of the Holy Spirit, formed Jesus in the faith and taught Him his prayersjustice, peace, and love. God before Joseph taught Him a trade. What was it like to be with Jesuscommunicates within us,as he was growing up before he went public? The question fascinatesespecially when two or three me: so profoundly human and, also, so incredibly more than human! or 20 or 200of us gather Finally, when his hour came, she became, in a special way,Wedding Feast of Cana by MargaretWerlinger. Watercolor, 2008. Courtesy of in faith so that we might better our Mother. In the Gospel of John, the hour is the passion,the Marian Library, University of Dayton. understand Gods will.death, and resurrection of Jesus. Though brutally executed, on theArticle 5 third day, he was miraculously raised up. From the cross, Jesus tellsBy the gift of faith, the Virgin Mary totally opened herself to the the beloved disciple to behold your mother. The beloved disciplemission the Father gave her in his plan of salvation. Jesus was is a proxy for all of us. Jesus is telling us to call Mary our Mother,formed in her by the Holy Spirit. He willed her to be the Promised to treasure her and learn from her how to believe, be faithful, and Woman, sharing in all his mysteries. When his hour had come, attentive to the ways of God. We are not to adore her. She is nothe proclaimed her our Mother.God. But she is absolutely the best of us and teaches us to pay By beginning article 5 with by the gift of faith, we reconnect attention to God, to her Son as revealed in our lives by the Holywith Mary, the woman of great faith. I remember a Protestant stu- Spirit: Do whatever He tells you! (John 2:5). Would that all ofdent of mine who asked, Whats so great about Mary? I replied, our friends were wise enough to say that to us, to keep us on track,By faith, she became the Mother of God. St. Augustine put it and to allow us to be knit into followers of Jesus.\x00even better when he wrote, Mary was more blessed in acceptingfaith in Christ than in conceiving the flesh of Christ. Authentic Marianist Father James Heft is scholar in residence at University of Daytonfaith opens people to what God wishes for them: that they have in Ohio and founder/president emeritus of Institute for Advanced Catholiclife in its fullness (John 10:10).Studies at University of Southern California in Los Angeles.Part 2: Articles 6 through 8, Summer edition of ALIVE magazine.marianist.com/donate 5'