Day 8

Today, Michael Gaitley asks us to ponder with St. Maximilian Kolbe the question, "Who are you, O Immaculate Conception?" With GOD-incidence, Matthew Kelley asks us to ponder, "Who is Jesus Christ?" Maximilian Kolbe dedicated his life to this question. The apostles gave up EVERYTHING to follow Jesus for three years to come to understand Christ's own probe: "Who do you say that I am?"

What have I sacrificed in my life to truly come to know and be in deeper relationship with Christ and his beautiful heavenly mother? Why is "knowing" them, not just knowing about them so important?
St. Bernadette ate mud, forsake her image or what others might think of her, trusted beyond doubt when she saw and heard Mary speak to her. What have I done? Well…I chose Catholic Schools. I did so being only 3 years away from being vested. I did so knowing I would have to give up teaching at Delta. I did so with a $15,000 pay cut. I did so know that St. Mary's might not be viable - that I could be jobless if I didn't cut it. But, I have gained so much more in the past four years than I can put into words. I pray with children everyday. I pray with my colleagues everyday. I receive Communion more often than I ever could before. I read more scripture. I know more people striving for Holiness that influence me to want to strive for Holiness.

Perhaps even more importantly - when I made the decision to marry and enter into this vocation I sacrificed myself to get to know Christ and the Immaculate Conception. We are the domestic church. The challenges of our little unit make me turn to Christ often and submit to His will. Having my children deepens my understanding of Mary's maternal love for all of us. For example, nursing. When  a mother nurses an infant, it is said that it is best for the Mother to respond to the baby's cues and feed on call. As a mother, I spent hours trying to decipher the cries of the baby to come to know His needs and respond to them. There is no greater priority than nourishing him. I've always seen myself as this lowly little creature (which I am) turning to Mary and Jesus for favors because they call the shots. But it is not that way at all. Rather, Mary is mommy. To nourish me she is sitting and waiting patiently. She is studying the language of me so that she can be there for me. She is listening for my cues. She knows I am helpless but she never abandons me or leave me hungry.