Ladder To Heaven: The Three Ladder Rungs Of Mary
Ladder To Heaven: The Three Ladder Rungs Of Mary
2. Ladder rung of humiliations but not curses: Luke’s beatitudes put side by side what blessings really mean… Blessed are you poor, for the kingdom of God is yours. Blessed are the hungry, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are the weeping, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate, exclude and insult you… Rejoice and leap for joy for your reward will be great in heaven... Luke contrasts this with the following curses: Woe to you who are rich… you who are filled now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now… when all speak well of you for you will grieve.
What, in your experience, do you consider your true blessings? Popularity, prestige? Riches, poverty? Victories, failures? To serve as a ladder like Mary, we must learn to celebrate too not only victories but also failures, not only strengths but also our weaknesses. Mary pondered how the humiliations she went through and understood how God understood things. She, con grande animo, was able to grasp God's wisdom that seemed foolish in human understanding. St. Ignatius of Loyola, for one, came to get to know God when he was at the lowest point of his life. The movie Sea Biscuit reminds me of this line that I will never forget, “It is better for a man to have broken bones than broken spirit.” St. Ignatius came very close to the breaking point of his spirit. He was humiliated after losing in a battle, but out of it came a breakthrough. Mary went through humiliations in her life but she held on to God. This is why Mary is not simply to be depicted as an overly sentimental person. She is a paragon of courage and strength, with magnanimous spirit in choosing to be the Mother of God not expecting to be glorified but she chose as any ordinary mother would choose to love and care for her own child. No wonder so many are drawn towards her in pilgrimages around the world to ask for various needs and support.
3. Ladder rung of selfless joy. Mary's joy was always the joy of another: This is the reason behind her blessedness and fullness of grace. If we make a survey, she is the most commonly depicted person in the whole history of art. Mary did not like to be the focus of attention; she did not say “yes” to be the Mother of God while at the same time thinking of her legacy or how she will be remembered. Like most mothers, Mary did not think of herself when raising her son. Mary had only in mind Jesus, how to raise him up well as her own son and prepare him to stand on his own two feet. Mary shied away from the spotlight. How else could we say that for Mary? At the apparition in Lourdes to the 14 year old Bernadette. At first she introduced herself simply “the lady” or even much humbler “that one.” It was enough for her to just accompany this poor, unsassuming girl in praying the rosary. It was only after Bernadette mustered the confidence to ask the lady about her real identity. Finally, the lady, considering Bernadette’s persistence, revealed her name by saying, “I am the Immaculate Conception.” Pope Francis quotes St. Bernard who said that no praise is enough to talk about Mary, but that in the end, nothing is as representative of her “humble discipleship” more than “being faithful to her master, who is her son, the only redeemer.” [Pope Francis on the occasion of the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Thursday, Dec. 12, 2019].
To this day, the poor Jewish girl con grande animo continues to offer herself as an instrument of God’s plan of saving humanity. She does not like to be extolled but every time, God extols her, more people are brought closer to her son. When people remember her, they remember Jesus, whose memory alone is all that matters to her. Do you, like Mary, con grande animo, allow yourself to be God’s instrument to touch other people's lives? Do you count among your blessings humiliations and defeats? Is your joy the joy of another? Let us give to Mary what she deserves for being the woman whose joy is the joy of our God. Amen. Fr. JM Manzano, SJ
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