God's Co-workers

THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for September 8th, 2014
Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

I hope you have had a chance to read my meditation on Mary, The Masterwork. Because, really, it reveals a truth about who you are and should be in Christ. After all, what we say of Mary can be said of the Church, and by this is meant not only the Church as a whole, but individuals on a certain level as well.

When either [Mary or the Church] is spoken of, the meaning can be understood of both, almost without qualification. —Blessed Isaac of Stella, Liturgy of the Hours, Vol. I, pg. 252

God’s plan was not only for the salvation of mankind, but He also desired to make us into sons and daughters.

…he also predestined [us] to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. (First reading)

It’s not a matter of simply being “saved” but transformed so as to be participants in God’s own glory:

…those he called he also justified; and those he justified he also glorified.

We have to be careful that we do not fall into a a false humility or a distorted view of the incredible place that Jesus has won for us. I often hear people who are ministers of the Gospel, or singers, evangelists, etc. say, “I did nothing. It was all God.” Now, there is a certain truth to this. Jesus said that, unless we remain in Him, we can do nothing. But He did not say you are nothing. I think those of us who witness for Christ are tempted to see ourselves as mere conduits of grace, like a lifeless plastic pipe through which water flows. We misunderstand Ash Wednesday when the priest says, “You are dust and to dust you shall return.” It is a reminder that our bodies and our earthly lives are temporal… but Easter tells us that, already, Christ has risen in our hearts.

Test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you? (2 Cor 13:5)

You are more than a shell! More than an inert pipeline of grace. You are part of the mystical body of Christ. You are God’s own child, made in His image. Oh, how Satan fears such a soul who not only understands this, but begins to live in that truth!

Today on this Feast of Our Lady’s birth we recall how she is “full of grace.” God wants you to be full of grace too, not only so that you can be an instrument of that grace, but so that you may “give birth” to Christ himself in your every thought, word, and action—indeed, become another “Christ” in the world.

For we are God’s co-workers. (1 Cor 3:9)

There is no one who understands what this means more, or who is able to help us to do this more than Our Blessed Mother. Like Joseph…

…do not be afraid to take Mary… into your home. (Today’s Gospel)