Stop! Read! Listen!

     “Indeed, the word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.”     
                                                                                        Hebrews 4:12

     God never ceases to amaze me, at the ways in which His Word in Holy Scripture, touches my heart, mind and life.

     As I journeyed through Advent, the richness of the liturgical readings was chock full of treasures, overwhelming me at times, with the generosity of our God!

     The beauty and gift of God’s Word continued throughout the Christmas season, filling me with gratitude and love for the wonderful gift of Christ, His Son.

     But what has amazed me the most, was the way in which the scriptures, the last couple of days, have penetrated my life in a specific and direct way.  As we were coming to the end of the Christmas season, our eyes turned from the manger and focused instead on St. John the Baptist, Our Lady and the Magi.

     As I meditated on St. John in scripture, it became clear that he knew who he was and what God was calling him to do. He did not lose his focus, but stayed true to the mission God had given to him. He realized that he must stay the course if he was to bring others to God and grow in holiness.

     Looking at St. John and his faithfulness to God, lead me to look at myself and my own vocation. How was I doing? Was I doing my best, or had I grown weary or distracted?

     My next lesson came from Our Lady and her presence at the Wedding feast of Cana.

     Because of St. John, I was looking at my vocation, which is marriage, and trying to see how God was calling me to change. As with every vocation, when it is in the early stages, it seems easier – or that’s what you recall. You have not had as many disappointments, disillusionments or gotten so “used to” one another. As time moves on, there are moments when you just don’t feel like going the extra mile and putting in the effort – you’ve grown weary and let go of your dreams.

     “But you have kept the good wine until now.”

     As those words were proclaimed at Mass, I was taken aback!

     The previous evening in prayer, I had asked Mary to intercede to Jesus asking Him to change the water of our marriage to the best wine, to fill our jars to the brim, to help me to take my focus off of myself and on to my husband. I prayed to be open to all the possibilities that God still has in store for us.

     When I heard those stunning words, I knew that Our Lady had interceded for me. I felt in my heart that there was a promise being spoken to me by God. It wouldn’t happen magically, but with His grace and my effort, we could experience the best wine of our marriage.

     Now don’t get me wrong, my husband and I have a very good marriage and I am grateful for his love and faithfulness all these years, but I don’t want to settle for good when I can have best! As with my relationship with God, I am always looking for more – and I wanted more. The fact that God made it clear that more was possible, made me eager to do what I could to move in that direction.

     The next piece that came to light was with the Magi.

     Similarly, like St. John and Our Lady, the Magi were intent on fulfilling their vocation to the best of their ability. God had given them a mission. In order to carry it out, it took great effort, sacrifice, time, trust and determination.

     God had set the star in the sky for them to follow, but there were times when the star seemed to disappear. This setback did not deter them from moving ahead. They had their mission and were determined to fulfill it. They did not turn back or throw in the towel. When they needed help, they asked for it and were given the guidance needed. They kept their focus, until the star, once again, appeared in the sky and brought them to their destination. They never lost the dream of achieving their goal.

      God has given each of us a vocation to fulfill to the best of our ability. It is the primary source of grace and our path to holiness and sainthood.

     Like the Magi, there will be times when the star of our vocation is not shining brightly, or has stopped shining all together. There will be times when our efforts seem fruitless or futile. There will be times when we may need help, assistance or direction to stay the course.

     Don’t allow those times to dishearten or discourage you. Look to God, and begin to dream again. Look for the star that God will send. Go to Our Lady and ask that she intercede for you. Believe that God will intervene and has saved the best wine till now.

     Imitate St. John, Mary and the Magi and look to God for help. He will assist you with the graces necessary to fulfill the mission He has ordained for you. Stay steeped in His Holy Word, that it may be effective in your life and help you to discern the thoughts and reflections in your heart. Believe in God’s promise and keep your eyes on the star, until you have accomplished your mission and experience the dreams God has for you!

     “Rise up in splendor! Your light has come, the glory of the Lord shines upon you. Then you shall be radiant at what you see, your heart shall throb and overflow for the riches of the sea shall be emptied out before you, the wealth of the nations be brought to you” (Is 6:1,5).