MARY, A WOMAN OF CHARACTER

A person is known more by his character than his personality, because it is character that makes a person. Even Mary, our mother possessed and exemplified a character that always kept her in the presence of God. She was the most magnificent creature that God had ever created. The creator had created Eve perfect but her disobedience distorted her character.  “Talent develops in quiet places and character in the full current of human life “-said Johann Wolfgang. So also, Mother Mary’s exemplary character upholds  five  qualities that shone vividly in her life. I would like to call it the five point Marian programme -
1. Her obeying character – At the time of the Annunciation , Mary’s  “Yes “ to God’s call in bearing the Messiah revealed her obeying character . She entrusted her will completely to God by saying –“I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done unto me according to your word”.
2. Her caring character –Thirteen years later, when Jesus was lost in the temple at Jerusalem. Mother Mary and Joseph searched for him in and around the temple for three days. Here we see her caring   character, which ultimately leads her and Joseph to find Jesus in the temple with the doctors.
3. Her helping character – At the Wedding feast at Cana, when the wine ran out. It was Mary, who at once approached Jesus to help them, thus she showed her helping character. And Jesus works the miracle by changing the water into wine.
4. Her loving  character – Even  at the foot of the Cross ,  Mary was  there besides Jesus ,  giving our Lord more concern than anyone else. She showed her deep love for her son by just being besides him.
5. Her cheerful character – After the death and resurrection of Jesus, it was Mary our mother who guided the apostles and the church as they took their infant steps. Though, faced by trials and difficulties, she cheerfully did everything under the guidance of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. In his book The World’s First Love, Archbishop Fulton Sheen speaks about three things that a person requires to be happy i.e. to have everything one wants; to have it united in one person who is loved with all the ardor of one’s soul; and to know that this is possessed without sin. He goes on to say that, Mary possessed all the three.
Mary, our mother‘s obeying, caring helping, loving and cheerful character has made a deep impression on me. Some of you may feel the same. The best way to acknowledge her is by looking at our own lives and inculcating within ourselves the five point Marian programme of obeying, caring, helping, loving and being cheerful.
I would like to end with this small poem:

The rose, when shaken, fragrance spreads around; the bell, when struck, pours forth melodious sound. The heart of Mary, moved by earnest prayers, Will scatter grace and sweetness everywhere.

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