In the Old Testament, the expectation of the Messiah was the longing of the children of Israel. The Messiah would be the one who, sent by God, would liberate the Jewish people and would introduce a new era of peace and happiness among people all over the world. In fact, the Holy Scriptures express it as follows: " He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore." (Is. 2,4) The Jews, therefore, with the coming of the Messiah, awaited the "messianic era" in which the "Kingdom of God" would prevail.
The Virgin Mary also kept this expectation in her heart. She was an apparently ordinary girl like all the others, but singular before God. Chosen from Eternity, she too awaited the Messiah, unaware however that she would be the Mother of the Son of God. With this vigilant expectation, Mary reopened the doors of Heaven; with her, Heaven and Earth made peace, embraced each other, and gave each other the kiss of peace and love. Human will never had an act of life in the Holy Virgin; from the first instant of her conception, she was shaped and immersed in the Divine Light that continued to invest her in every moment of her life. With Mary, the Three Divine Persons no longer looked upon the earth as foreign to them, for she, possessing the Divine Will, had formed in her soul the Kingdom, where the Word could safely descend and find His heaven and His divine joys.
Love for God led Mary to break the silence and set out for Elizabeth to proclaim the coming of the Messiah, that Messiah who, by now, had taken possession of her most pure bosom. "My soul magnifies the Lord" (Lk 1:46): here silence was transformed into praise and thanksgiving to God who works great things. Blessed Mary realized her universal mission and began her office as Mother and Co-Redemptrix. Her expectation was projected towards the birth of the Son of God who, from the moment of His Incarnation, intertwined his life with hers, from the very breath to the smallest act, then prolonging this intertwining in all humanity, so that Mary would be the Mother of all. In fact, we are all children of Mary, and, like her, we are all in Jesus..
Everyone should mirror themselves in Mary by imitating her! She waited for the Redeemer in constant prayer and in full adherence to the Divine Will. She always responded promptly to the call of Love, so that the divine plan might be fulfilled in her. That's when everything changes in our life: darkness is transformed into light, sacrifice into conquest, deserts into seas and oceans of ever-living graces and joys. Even the most difficult situations can be transformed into ever new occasions to make God's grace visible and operative in our lives. Everyone's life is always waiting for new graces if it follows the Light that leads to Bethlehem.
Holy Mama, if You want, You can.
Just as You had the power to conquer God,
to the point ofmaking Him descend from Heaven to earth,
You will not lack the power to conquer our wills.
In You we hope, from You we will obtain everything.
(The Queen of Heaven - 18th Day)
From the thoughts of Sr. Assunta Marigliano