Calm

The Blessed Virgin know that in saying Yes to the Angel during the Annunciation, she was not really saying yes to the birth of Christ – but YES TO HIS DEATH.

Blessed Virgin (Saint Coleman Church in Pompano)

Recently one of my sisters experienced a death in her family.

It was (and is) a terrible time to witness and to experience (even as an outsider to her family).

There is great suffering associated with the death of a loved one.  And this suffering exists even if we are strong in our faith.  If we know that God is waiting for us in Heaven and if we prepare ourselves for death and have everything arranged – our Sacraments received and our penances completed for atonement – even then, it can be a very painful experience.

There is really no way to handle grief.  Grief is raw and sad and relentless.  It is carried as a boulder on the chest of the person grieving and is difficult to shift or move away from.  And when that grief in death is coupled with a period of watching a loved one suffer then everything is simply more difficult, because the person who died was cared for and monitored and was the centre of that family for such a long time that just having the absence of worry about that person’s life and health and happiness, is in itself a loss.  You see, we give so much love in giving.  And when we have less giving to do then we have love building inside us and this build up of love overwhelms us.

Saint Josemaria said, “We have to be strong and patient and, therefore, calm and composed.”

We are told in the Gospels that “By your patience you will gain possession of your souls.” (Luke 21:19).  And I have been thinking about this today – for I am not calm, and I am not patient.  I am actually the opposite of these things…  And when I struggle to do what is right, my struggle is most often with my own nature to rush and be disruptive.

And I have been thinking about that today as I consider my sister and her situation.  For there is so much patience required to bear grief.  At times it appears that there is an infinite amount of patience to bear it calmly.  The Blessed Virgin bore her grief calmly and with patience.  She knew her Son would die from the moment He was conceived.  She knew that He would suffer first.  She knew He would be misunderstood.  She knew – in the depths of her soul – that there would be a cross and a sacrifice and that she would have to bear that grief calmly and with patience.  And she chose to do that when she agreed to the Angel’s request.

And she knew that in saying Yes to the Angel during the Annunciation, which we commemorate in the First Joyful Mystery of the Most Blessed Rosary, was not really saying yes to the birth of Christ – but YES TO HIS DEATH.  And she consented calmly and patiently.

And today I consider the example of the Blessed Virgin as I consider my own efforts, and I am sad…  For I require the Grace to remain calm and patient.  FO that is simply not what I am…

For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.