MOTHER OF ALL THE LIVING

PRAYER MOMENT 

Monday 8 December 2014, The Immaculate Conception

MOTHER OF ALL THE LIVING

             

Pause. Enter into the stillness of God within.

Reading: “The man named his wife ‘Eve’ because she was the mother of all the living.” (Gen 3:9…20)

Reflection. We have two stories today to celebrate ‘Mother Mary’ – the title given her by Mehmet, a Muslim guide who once showed a group of us round the ruins of Ephesus. The first is ‘the Fall’ - how the evil spirit tempts Eve and she leads Adam into taking the fruit and landing us all in trouble ever after. The second is of Mary led by the good spirit into the choice that brings ‘life to the full’ to all the living who make that choice their own. Our focus is on Mary and how God prepared her from her conception to be the mother of his Son. We must not remove her from the rough and tumble of daily life as we know it, as if she was not touched by ordinary life. She experienced all the joys and anxieties of our mothers, even to the pain of watching her Son die. What makes her different is how she lived the fullness of life God offers from the beginning. We call her ‘Mother’ and her desire is to lead us to her Son and help us live that life too to the full.

Prayer. Mary, our Mother, we rejoice in you today and ask you to help us to live to the full the life your Son offers. Amen.  

David Harold-Barry SJ