The promise made to our 1st
parents Adam and Even about the coming of the Saviour of the world was echoing
in the hearts of many generations, even the young, rich and prestigious women of Judea.
It was a fact, many young women of
Mary’s time dreamed of becoming the mother of the Messaiah.
As we all know, Mary lived a very
humble life in the company of her God fearing parents Anna and Joackim.
She did not have any ambitions as the
other young women except to abide by the will of God.
When God the Father wanted to send a
Messenger to her she was available in prayer.
There comes the messenger Angel Gabriel – with the profound salutation
‘Hail Mary Full of Grace! The Lord is
with you! Blessed are you among women! Blessed is the fruit of your womb – Jesus.
Mary’s availability is remarkable. Let us reflect a while our availability to
the people – whom we profess to be available.
It is at times even reproachable to note that we are drifting away from
availability to our customers – more and more, instead of becoming available
more and more.
For example, Mary went in haste to
Elizabeth residence to assist her – and lived with her for 3 months. What about us? We find it even difficult to be present in
our work place even during our duty hours.
We are comfortable inside our Convent walls – safe and secure – a clear
evidence of our selfishness. Do we use
our time for the service of the people or for our own comfort – doing our
personal work?
Availability is well appreciated by all
of us – in theory. Problems are
experienced only in practical life.
Mary was already a pregnant woman when
she went in haste to assist Elizabeth.
Yes – she was pregnant and carrying the God made man Jesus! She was full of Jesus! Her son within her was
Jesus! - Her God. She was fully preoccupied by Jesus! Her Lord and Master.
This very Jesus is within us and around
us.
Are we aware? If so why do we find it difficult to practice
this most admired virtue of availability?
Mary was available at the Wedding feast
of Cana. It was Mary who noticed that
the wine failed during the celebration and the embarrassment of the family was
great. This episode will teach us to be
available and sensitive to the needs of others without being asked for. During her lifetime Mary kept pondering in
her heart everything – thus we have the following events in the Bible.
During the presentation of Jesus in the
temple – Simon’s words to Mary – “A sword shall pierce your heart” – she kept
pondering in the heart.
When Jesus was lost in the temple and
found - Mary’s words to Jesus – “Your Father and were searching for you! Woman don’t you know that I am busy with my
Father’s business?
At the Wedding feast of Cana – ‘woman
my time has not yet come’. Mary knows
what it meant – but kept pondering in her heart.
Last on the cross – “woman behold your
son!” – where Mary became the mother of the whole human race. Willingly took up on her the entire human
race and made herself available to us, her children.
She was a woman who did not hesitate to
proclaim that God vindicates the humble and oppressed, and removes the powerful
people this world from their privileged position. Mary was a woman with intuitive intelligence,
the instinctive compassion, the refinement of justice and sensitivity to the
human suffering. Many times Mary plays a
prophetic role in human affairs. Mary
who stands out among the poor and humble of the Lord, a woman of strength who
experienced poverty and suffering, flight and exile.
From the beginning, her presence has
given dignity to the downtrodden, hope to the exploited, and motivation to all
liberation movements. Mary will appear
not as a Mother exclusively concerned with her own divine son but rather as a
woman who’s action helped to strengthen the apostolic community’s faith in
Christ.
She was one who did not seek favours
for her, but rather was concerned with others for their personal and collective
liberation for all manner of evil. Every
life has its share of pain, struggle and hard times. Mary’s life was no different. While going through the life of transitions
(joys and sorrows) which opened her heart that drew her into a being a woman of
kindness, that kept calling her to go deeper in love and to trust the divine
presence who was always with her.
Her apparitions at various part of the
Globe like Fatima, Lourdes, Velankanni etc. and may other apparitions that are
taking place speaks volumes about the availability and concern of Mary over
us. Hence it is a bounden duty and responsibility
for us her consecrated children to imitate her virtues specially the
“availability” of Mary in our day-to-day life, as Nurses at the service of the
sick
We are provided with ample opportunity to practice this
virtue of availability in our day-to-day life, 24 hours of the day. Let us pray to our Mother to bless us with
all the necessary graces to be faithful in our calling as nurses in the service
of sick, where much demand is made on the virtue of availability.
Availability and humility goes together
because when we are humble, we will be available for the service of God and our
brethren. Availability considered as a
virtue, stands optional for many. But
people engaged in medical and Nursing Profession availability is not only a
virtue, but also a way of life, and its violation may cost the loss of precious
lives. Hence we need to remind ourselves
of the seriousness of this virtue in our lives as consecrated religious who
have vowed our lives ceremoniously and publicly to fulfill our calling by being
effective instruments in the hands of God as Mary was.
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