Day Two

Mary of Nazareth, you lived an ordinary life in

Nazareth as a wife and mother. You spent your time

taking care of your family and interacting in

relationships with your neighbors in your village. In

those more than thirty years you experienced both

hardships and joys.

Your joy flowed from a quiet and gentle spirit that

surrendered to God’s loving, providential care in all

the circumstances of each day. This spirit gave birth

to peaceful contentment, a gift worked in your soul

by the Holy Spirit. Your deep faith, trust and love of

God flourished in a self-sacrificing life shared

with others.

Mother Mary, how did you have the strength to

bear the pain of your son Jesus in his passion and

death? Your deep inner strength assisted you in

your painful vigil on the way to Calvary and later

at the foot of the cross of Jesus — Jesus, the reck-

less and lavish lover of humankind! He loved us

sinners so much as to die for us! You shared in your

son’s suffering through compassion. You believed

and trusted. Jesus gave you to us as our Mother

and you said “Yes.” Sorrowful beyond our

understanding, you cradled your dead son’s body

in total surrender to the Father.

But then, inexpressible, unimaginable joy flooded

your whole being at the resurrection of Jesus! And

your joy no one could take from you!

Help me, dear Mother, to move toward a deeper love

and joy in my own life by offering myself in

self-sacrificing love for others. Help me also to receive

with grace and gratitude the love shown to me. This

effort to love and to respond to the needs of people

generates—calls forth—hope in myself and in the

lives of those whom God places along my path.

I pray you, Blessed Mother, “cause of our

joy” to ask the Holy Spirit to help me grow

in loving, trustful abandonment to the

Heavenly Father. Pray for me, that I may

have confidence in God in each event of

my life, each situation painful or joyous—

that I may be always thankful to God, no

matter what happens. The more I witness

to hope and the deep inner joy it generates,

the more hope multiplies! Joyful hope is

contagious! “Let us each bring joy to our

neighbor” (Romans 15:2 Community Bible).