Mater Christi: Meditations on Our LadySt. Paul, Mother
Religion
Mater Christi: Meditations on Our Lady
St. Paul, Mother
Mary, Blessed Virgin, Saint -- Meditations
The perfect understanding that existed between Mary and her Son made her
quite sure from His answer that all would be well, that a miracle would
be worked, and the need supplied; and so she prepared the way for it by
speaking her seventh recorded word. It is to the waiters that she
speaks--to those whose work it is to minister to the needs of JESUS and
His brethren. "Whatsoever He shall say to you, do ye." St Bernardine
calls this word "a flame of consummating love," (_flamma amoris
consummantis_), because Mary shows by it that her love for her Son and
for all her other children is so great, that she desires that all should
obey Him, and accomplish His commandments perfectly. She is not content
with loving and serving Him herself, the flame of love that makes her
own obedience so perfect, burns that others too may consummate their
love by their obedience: "Whatsoever He shall say to you, do ye." If you
want my Son to show you some special favour, be very careful about your
obedience.
Mary's word is for _all_ her children, but it is intended principally
for the waiters, to whom it was primarily addressed. It is those who
have, in any way, to minister to JESUS under the guise of His "least
brethren," who have to remember so specially that they are to do only
what _He_ says--that they are only His agents waiting for His orders.
How much better His servants would do their work if they carried out His
Mother's direction, and did all that He says and only what He says! His
"least brethren," who are sick, would never feel neglected, would never
hear that impatient word which makes them long to get up, and wait on
themselves, instead of being left to the tender mercies of the servants
of JESUS and Mary! His "least brethren" who are tiresome and difficult
to get on with--perhaps only because they are lonely and in need of
sympathy--would be quite sure of never getting an unkind, cutting, or
thoughtless word from those who are waiting on JESUS and Mary; it is
what _He_ saith that they will say and do--nothing else.
And amongst the waiters themselves there would be no jealousies, and
heart-burnings, and envyings, and criticisms; no thinking that others
are preferred to them, that they are left out and taken no notice of,
that their services are not wanted. The waiters would remember that they
are waiting upon _His_ Brethren, and that they have no right to do or
say or plan anything that He does not tell them; and if He tells them
nothing for the moment, and they have to stand by, and see others do His
work, they are nevertheless His servants, waiting for His next orders.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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