Author: Heart and Soul (Page 1 of 11)

Happy Easter, dear readers!

The Gospels are filled with beautiful recollections of the Resurrection. John’s Gospel, in particular, poignantly describes that as Jesus rises from the dead, He draws all of us so closely and gently to Him and to the Father:

“Now on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb … But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet.

“They said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’

“She said to them, ‘Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.’

“Saying this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?’

“Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to him, ‘Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.’

“Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’

“She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, ‘Rab-boni!’ (which means Teacher)

“Jesus said to her, ‘Do not hold Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.’

“Mary Magdalene went and said to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord;’ and she told them what He had said to her.'” John 20: 1, 11-18

Let your hearts and minds soak up the glory of that beautiful moment at the tomb, when Mary Magdalene recognizes the sound of Jesus’ voice. Imagine the joy and wonder she feels when she realizes that Jesus is alive.

Still today, the joy and friendship and meaning that we seek is found in the Risen Jesus.

Listen for the sound of His Voice on your hearts, as He offers all of us a share in His glorious life and love.

He loves you deeply.

After Jesus dies, a man named Joseph from the Jewish town of Arimathea approaches Pilate and asks for the body of Jesus. Joseph is a member of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish religious ruling council; but he does not agree with nor support the decision to crucify Jesus. He is known by everyone as a good person dedicated to God.

Pilate agrees to release Jesus’ body to Joseph:

“Then he [Joseph] took it [Jesus’ body] down and wrapped it in a linen shroud, and laid Him in a rock-hewn tomb, where no one had ever yet been laid. It was the day of Preparation, and the sabbath was beginning. The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed and saw the tomb, and how His body was laid; then they returned, and prepared spices and ointments.” Luke 23: 53-56

The Apostles’ Creed states that after Jesus was crucified, died and was buried, “He descended into hell.” The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains that, “Jesus, like all men, experienced death and in His soul joined the others in the realm of the dead.” (CCC 632) The souls within this spiritual realm — “Sheol” in Hebrew or “Hades” in Greek — “are deprived of the vision of God … while they await the Redeemer.” (CCC 633) Hence the Creed’s reference to the hellish state of being separated from God.

Upon His death, Jesus descends to this spiritual realm “as Savior, proclaiming the Good News to the spirits imprisioned there.” (CCC 632 & 1 Peter 3: 18-20)

The beautiful Eastern Orthodox icon shown here is known as the Anastasis (or “Resurrection”) icon. Many versions of this icon have been and are still being created today. The image above is a picture of a wall painting that dates from the 14th century. The wall painting is inside the Chora Church or Kariye Mosque, a former church that is now a mosque in Istanbul.

The imagery, which is based on 1 Peter 3: 18-20, is rich in symbolism. We see the back of Christ’s robe flowing upward, which reflects His rapid descent into hell, to redeem the souls imprisoned there by Satan, the Prince of Hades, and various devils. Jesus has broken through and is now standing firmly on the gates of hell.

The two figures whom Christ has grasped by hand and is pulling from tombs are Adam and Eve. This gesture symbolizes His victory over sin and death that redeems all mankind, all the way back to the beginning of time. It also foreshadows the general resurrection of the body before the Final Judgment.

To the left of Jesus, we see three characters:  David and Solomon, two of his ancestors according to his human nature.  John the Baptist — Jesus’ forerunner in both life and death — stands closest to Him. To the right of Jesus, figures often vary among the Old Testament prophets, within different versions of this icon. If you look closely at the bottom of this image, you see a shrouded figure surrounded by pieces of chain and bolts and locks, representing Jesus’ complete and final victory over Satan.

This icon reassures and reminds us that Jesus’ work to fight for and redeem souls continues forward still today.

“Oh most Sacred Heart of Jesus, fountain of all goodness; we adore You, we love You, and being deeply sorry for our sins, we offer You these poor hearts of ours. Make us humble, patient and pure, and in all things conformed to Your desires of goodness for us.” — Excerpt from Catholic devotion

Note: The photo of the Anastasis icon above is courtesy of Wikipedia.

The Gospel of Luke recounts that as Jesus journeys toward Jerusalem, and the Crucifixion that awaits Him, He spends His time teaching in the towns along the way. (Luke 13: 22)

Jesus is asked constantly about the Kingdom of God. When and how will God fulfill His promise to King David of an everlasting dynasty — a Kingdom where God’s chosen people of Israel can dwell without threat of violence and where God will no longer withhold His merciful love? (2 Samuel – Ch. 7) Centuries have passed since the rule of David and it seems that God has forgotten His Promise.

But God has not forgotten. He has a new and even deeper Promise that perfectly fulfills the Covenant of Old, established through the Ten Commandments; and at the same time poignantly transcends these Laws by offering a New Covenant that is based wholly on relationship. This New Covenant can no longer be met through ritual alone. Rather, the New Covenant is struck heart to heart.

The New Covenant is one of Love. Yes, the Commandments of God still matter — they are the guideposts to relationship with God and with each other. But it is Love that enables the Commandments to transform our relationships into everlasting lives of love and joy and peace with God. Jesus describes this to the Pharisees, or the religious authorities, of that time:

“And one of them, a lawyer, asked Him [Jesus] a question to test Him. ‘Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?’

“‘And Jesus said to Him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.'” Matthew 22: 34-40

With these words, Jesus confirms that while the Commandments enable us to know what God asks of us to create lives of goodness, it is Love that ultimately gives us the power to overcome sin.

Loving the way Jesus loves is a very active thing. As St. Paul describes, this kind of love requires that we are willing to sacrifice our own needs for those we love:

“Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.” 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8

The New Covenant is not visible nor attained by the external rituals of our lives. It is sealed within our hearts (Matthew 23: 25-26) and through our relationships with Jesus and with one another. (Matthew 22: 34-40)

The Crucifixion of Jesus is evidence that the world was not ready to accept this New Covenant. The world was expecting an earthly Kingdom of physical power and might — it was expecting the Kingdom of David times 100! The world was not expecting God to descend to earth in the body of a poor and humble teacher and carpenter from the small, insignificant town of Nazareth. (John 1: 46)

The political and religious leaders of the day — along with countless people — worried that Jesus and His followers were threatening the always delicate balance of physical life and power that exists on earth. (John 11: 47-50; Matthew 14: 1-12) We are still worrying about this today. The arguments about and against Jesus are more virulent than ever.

Why does God allow His Beloved Son to suffer the humiliation of the Cross? And is this man who promises a new Law and Covenant based on loving God and one another (Matthew 22: 34-40); and who freely offers sinners the gift of God’s endless mercy and grace (1 Corinthians 6: 9-11) truly the Messiah?

Because we cannot and/or choose not to see the truth of the Love that Jesus offers, we continue to crucify Him today within our hearts through self-absorbed and sinful acts.

But all is not lost. Through His death on the Cross, Jesus willingly takes upon Himself all the sins and punishments not only of our past lives, but of our present and future lives. His decision to remain on that Cross and fight for souls ushers into the world a Kingdom of Love more powerful than anything else.

Even in His hour of unimaginable suffering and darkness, Jesus’ Love for us prevails. From the Cross, Jesus asks the Father to forgive us:

“And Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.'” Luke 23: 34

Let the wonder of Jesus’ enduring Love fill your hearts and minds and souls.

Jesus loves you deeply. Always know that.

“Nails were not enough to hold God-and-man nailed and fastened on the Cross, had not Love held Him there.” St. Catherine of Siena

May the Cross serve as a reminder that you are cherished by Jesus.

“Remember that you are never alone. Christ is with you on your journey every day of your lives.” Pope St. John Paul II

We are entering the Easter Triduum — which begins the evening of Holy Thursday and continues through the evening of Easter Sunday. These three days, at the end of the Lenten season, offer us the chance each year to contemplate God’s plan of redemption for us, through Jesus’ Passion, Death, Resurrection and glorious Ascension into Heaven.

Known as the Paschal Mystery, this revelation of God’s deep love for us is an essential belief for all Christians.

How does Jesus go willingly and without a word or act of resistance to His death on a Cross? Where does He find the strength and courage to do this? This form of torture was so cruel and horrific that Roman citizens were largely exempted from it except in cases of high treason.

As Jesus celebrates a final meal with His disciples, on the Eve of His Passion, He knows what is coming. In fact He tells His disciples that someone seated at dinner is about to betray Him:

“[Jesus said,] ‘But behold the hand of him who betrays Me is with Me at the table. For the Son of Man goes as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!’ And they began to question one another, which of them it was that would do this.” Luke 22: 21-23

Later on, in the Garden of Gesthemane, on the Mount of Olives, Jesus prays to God about the coming torture:

“And He came out, and went, as was His custom, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed Him. And when He came to the place He said to them, ‘Pray that you may not enter into temptation.’ And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw and knelt down and prayed, ‘Father, if you are willing, remove this chalice [or suffering] from Me; nevertheless, not My will but Yours, be done.’ And there appeared an angel from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly; and His sweat became like drops of blood falling down upon the ground.” Luke 22: 39-44

How did Jesus go through with this? Why would He subject Himself to such a horrific death? Believers and non-believers alike have debated this for centuries. And the debate and wonder continues today.

The only practical answer to these questions is: Love.

Jesus loves us so much. By the time He arrives in human history, the plan of God’s salvation, revealed through various events of the Old Testament, has been long underway. Jesus comes to earth as the Son of God to connect these truths for us and to complete God’s plan for redeeming us from our sins.

Jesus comes to fight for our souls. And through an act of unimaginable Love, He lays down His life for us so that we may know and share in eternal life with Him.

True love is always an active thing. When we love someone, we fight for them, we persevere for them, we sacrifice for them, and we forgive them.

When we love someone, we rejoice in them, we are patient with and kind to them, we believe in their potential for goodness and help them to be better, and we never — ever — give up on them.

Jesus loves us deeply and without end.

“Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the Light of the world; anyone who follows Me will not walk in darkness but will have the Light of life.'” John 8: 12

At the start of Jesus’ earthly ministry, He also sends His twelve disciples out to preach the Word of God. Jesus sends them out “two by two” —

“Calling the Twelve to Him, He sent them out two by two and gave them authority over evil spirits.” Mark 6: 7

Not long after this, Jesus enlists another 70¹ disciples to prepare the towns for His visits:

“After this, the Lord appointed seventy others¹, and sent them on ahead of Him, two by two, into every town and place where He himself was about to come.” Luke 10: 1

Within the parables conveyed by Matthew, Jesus goes even further with His “two by two” concept, reinforcing the power of community to change things for the good, when those plans are aligned with God’s will:

“And Jesus said, ‘Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in My Name, there am I in the midst of them.'” Matthew 18: 19-20

God the Father invokes the power of two by asking Mary to support his Divine Plan to redeem the world through Jesus. The Divine and human Jesus … and the human Mary … become perfect examples of the power of two souls rich in humility and aligned fully with God’s greater plan for humanity.

The wedding scene at Cana (John 2: 1-11) reveals the depth of Mary’s union with Jesus. On the surface, the story recounts the first public miracle of Jesus — He changes water into wine at the wedding of a friend. Jesus performs this miracle at the request of His Mother, Mary. This is a pivotal moment in their relationship and within God’s Redemption plan because we observe the Holy Spirit, through Mary, lovingly encourage Jesus to launch His earthly ministry.

Mary knows the teachings of the Old Testament. She is familiar with the prophet Isaiah’s description of a servant who suffers for the sinfulness of humanity:

“He was despised and rejected by men; a man of of sorrows, and acquainted with grief (Isaiah 53: 3) … He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before it shearers is silent, He opened not His mouth.” Isaiah 53: 3, 7

Isaiah’s prophecy also reveals that Jesus will die and be resurrected:

“And they made His grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although He had done no violence, and there was no deceit in His mouth. Yet it was the will of the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief; when He makes Himself an offering for Sin, He shall see His offspring, He shall prolong His days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in His hand; He shall see the fruit of the travail of His soul and be satisfied.” Isaiah 53: 9-11

Mary likely does not know the details of the Crucifixion or Resurrection to come, as she encourages Jesus to begin His ministry. But she does know that a great sorrow will pierce her soul. Simeon describes this sorrow to Mary, when she and Joseph present the baby Jesus in the temple:

“Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, ‘Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against, and a sword will pierce through your own soul also, that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed.'” Luke 2: 34-35

But Mary’s faith in God’s plan and love for all of humankind is great; and her relationship with her beloved Son, Jesus, is deep and strong and true. Mary’s unparalelled ability to place the needs of others before her own emboldens her to launch Jesus’ Divine mission on earth.

Every Lenten season, I find myself thinking a lot about Jesus and Mary and the special bond they share. Their relationship exemplifies the “power of two.”

Dearest God and Savior, when we hear Your Voice on our hearts, please help us to respond to Your calls as Mary did. Ease any worry of what tomorrow may hold. Surround us with good and holy loved ones and friends to sustain us. Fill us with humility so that our lives may become perfect channels for your peace and mercy and love to flow through and into the world:

“And Mary said, ‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has regarded the low estate of His handmaiden. For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed; for He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name.'” Luke 1: 46-49

¹Some ancient texts depict the number of disciples called as 72 people. The parable is powerful, despite any discrepancy in numbers.

God goes in search of a humble and faithful and pure young Jewish girl to assist Him in bringing Jesus into the world, fulfilling God’s plan and desire that we know and abide in Love with Him. (1 John 4: 16)

Mary’s extraordinary humility enables her to say “yes” to God’s plan.

Her “yes” is a beautiful act of faith that lavishes upon the world what will become the first of countless intercessions that Mary continues to make for us, offering us all the chance to know Him.

As Pope St. Paul John II describes, “Christ offers you His friendship. He gave His life so that those who wish to answer His call can indeed become his friends. His is a friendship which is deep, genuine, loyal, and total, as all true friendship must be.”¹

Mary understands well the power of Jesus’ friendship to change lives.

¹Excerpt from Pope St. John Paul II’s message to tens of thousands of young people at an open air Mass in Camaguey, Cuba on January 23, 1998.

Continuing on with Luke’s story of the revelation of Mary’s divine mission, the archangel Gabriel announces God’s plan for Mary’s life:

“‘And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to Him the throne of his father, David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of His kingdom, there will be no end.'” Luke 1: 31-33

Although Mary is promised in marriage to Joseph, we know that she has also taken a vow of virginity, as a sign of her dedication to God. Among early Jews and Christians, vows of virginity were sometimes taken along with betrothals. These marriages offered protection for women who had taken such vows and, in some cases, also preserved social standing within communities. The Protoevangelium of James, an apocryphal text, also confirms Mary’s virginity and the marriage plan with Joseph.

But this historical context helps us to understand that Mary’s virginity alone is not enough to make her God’s ideal woman to give birth to and raise His only Son. There are certainly other virgins living at that time, who have dedicated their lives to God. Why does God choose Mary?

As we continue with Luke’s story, we observe Mary pressing Gabriel for details about how she will conceive:

“And Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I have no husband?'” Luke 1: 34

Gabriel responds with these words:

“And the angel said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.” Luke 1: 35

We can only wonder what is going through Mary’s mind as she contemplates Gabriel’s announcement. To further validate that, with God, anything is possible, Gabriel also shares some amazing news about Mary’s cousin, Elizabeth:

“‘And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible.'” Luke 1: 36

Luke’s story reveals Mary offering her final decision to Gabriel, which implies that Gabriel is indeed awaiting her reply. Because God loves Mary, He gives her the free will to choose whether or not to accept His plan for her life.

Mary’s reply to Gabriel reveals why God has chosen her as the Mother of Jesus:

“And Mary said, ‘Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.’ And the angel departed from her.” Luke 1: 31-38

God has chosen Mary for this divine mission because of her extraordinary humility.

In Mary’s reply to Gabriel, she describes herself as the “handmaid of the Lord.” A handmaid is a personal maid or female servant — someone whose essential function is to serve or assist.¹ Mary recognizes fully that God has chosen her as His very human assistant in this divine mission. She does not credit herself for receiving the mission — she credits God as the singular and masterful architect of this Divine plan to introduce a Messiah capable of offering a new covenant to humanity.

Mary humbles herself further before Gabriel by saying, “let it be done to me according to your word,” confirming her complete agreement with and surrender to God’s plan, no matter the cost or burden to her personally.

Mary’s extraordinary humility invites God to work within and transform her life so that Divine Love and Mercy may take human form and enter the world.

It is through Mary’s humility that the Word becomes flesh and dwells among us. (John 1: 14)

The painting that appears at the top of today’s post poignantly depicts Mary’s humility and purity. The painting was created by the American artist George Hitchcock in 1887². The white lily is traditionally associated with Mary, symbolizing her purity and innocence. Within artwork depicting The Annunciation, the archangel Gabriel is also often shown offering a white lily to Mary, again as a symbol of her purity. The fact that the artist places Mary within an entire field of lilies, with downcast eyes and a physical stance that suggests both deference and openness, no doubt demonstrates Hitchcok’s desire to highlight the unrivaled purity and humility of Mary.

¹https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/handmaiden

²The Annunciation (1887), by George Hitchcock, today hangs in the Art Institute of Chicago.

My dearest Jesus,
the fog outside my window this morning
is so thick that I cannot see the fields
and life that I know lie there,
just steps from where I sit.

And so it is with You,
sweet Savior.

The fog that clouds my mind is so thick
some days that I cannot see what
You are trying to show me.

Shepherd me, O Jesus, beyond the fog,
and beyond all that I fear.

Fill me with humility so that I can hear You,
and follow You.

Lead me, dearest Friend,
far beyond my self,
to the life of love and joy and peace
that You intend for me,
and for all of us.

I love You.

Thank you for loving us.

© 2025. Stepping Stones to Grace. All Rights Reserved.

The revelation of Mary’s divine mission from God is shared in detail within the Gospel of Luke.

Luke was a physician by trade and a traveling companion of Paul. As confirmed in the opening lines of his Gospel, Luke was not an eyewitness of Jesus’ life, but he was in intimate contact with many who were. In Luke’s own words, his purpose in writing the Gospel was to confirm the certainty of the things early believers had been taught about Jesus:

“Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things which have been accomplished among us, just as they were delivered to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the Word, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus¹, that you may know the truth concerning the things of which you have been informed.” Luke 1: 1-4.

The Gospel of Luke is indeed an orderly and chronologically conscious work that connects the story of Jesus with the larger Jewish and Roman world. As a physician — and as evidenced in his style of writing — Luke is personally responsible and accountable to people. Good physicians naturally possess a blend of medical knowledge and expertise, critical thinking, good communication skills, and ethical integrity. This context makes Luke’s detailed account of an archangel’s announcement, to a young Jewish girl named Mary, that she will conceive and bear a Son through a virgin birth — and become the Mother of Jesus, the Son of God — even more meaningful.

Again, we do not know much about the life of Mary. Apocryphal text² identifies Mary as the only child of a pious couple, Anne and Joachim. Jewish parents viewed children as the greatest blessing from God and loved them dearly. While we do not know the age of Mary when the archangel Gabriel appears to her, we can presume that, as a young Jewish girl of faithful parents, Mary was raised as closely to the letter of Jewish law as possible, and as based on scripture. Mary had no doubt committed various Psalms to memory and studied the Hebrew scriptures closely, encouraged by her parents to contemplate the promises of God.

Mary also would have been taught helpful skills for running a household, such as cooking and weaving and caring for children.

Upon his arrival, the archangel Gabriel confirms the close tie of Mary’s heart to God and her favor with Him:

“In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, ‘Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!'” Luke 1: 26-28

“Hail, Mary” is a very joyful greeting that could be rephrased with modern words such as “Rejoice, most highly favored and beloved daughter of God!” Gabriel’s reference to Mary being “full of grace” confirms her purity — or in other words, Mary’s freedom from the stain of original sin.

Gabriel’s greeting of Mary concludes with the words, “The Lord is with you” — again signifying the depth of her current spiritual state, and perhaps even alluding to what may come for Mary.

Mary must have been startled by the presence of the archangel and perhaps surprised by his greeting, for Luke goes on to recount the following:

“But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.'” Luke 1: 29-30

Gabriel is a powerful archangel – a heavenly messenger from God who makes appearances in both the Old and New Testaments. Archangels are supernatural spirits and forces who help to bridge the gaps that exist between the realities of earth and heaven.

We can only imagine what is going through Mary’s mind and heart as she takes in the presence of this unexpected and supernatural visitor. Gabriel is very direct in asserting that Mary is someone very dear to God. And yet despite Mary’s favor with God, she will be given the freedom to choose whether or not she will accept the plan that the Father has for her life.

But for today, I draw your eyes back to the artwork that appears at the top of this post. The painting was created by Henry Ossawa Tanner in 1898³. Henry grew up in Pennsylvania, the eldest son of a reverend in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. In his depiction of the Annunciation, the artist captures both Mary’s humility and confusion. It appears that Mary has been awakened from her sleep by the archangel Gabriel, who is depicted as a column of bright light — a wonderful symbol of the Light that wishes to enter the world through this young girl.

¹Theophilus is referred to again in Acts 1:1 , but nothing is known of him. Luke is also the author of the Acts of the Apostles.

²From the following apocryphal texts: the Gospel of the Nativity of Mary, Pseudo-Matthew and the Protoevangelium of James.

³The Annunciation (1898), by Henry Ossawa Tanner, today hangs in The Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Humility is a conscious choice to place God’s plans before our own plans. We all possess beauty and love and gifts that are unique to us as individual persons and souls. Humility enables us to slow down, to listen for God, and to contemplate the things that He places on our hearts. This enables us to understand who we are in the eyes of the Lord.

In Mary, the Mother of Jesus and His first disciple, we find humanity’s most profound example of the grace and power of humility.

We know that God is Love; and because we are made in God’s image, we know and believe the Love that God has for us. (1 John 4: 16, Genesis 1: 26-27) We also know that God has a plan for each and every one of our lives — plans to give us a future and hope that covers all things. (Jeremiah 29: 11)

The plan that God had for Mary’s life was extraordinary:

“The Lord created me at the beginning of His work,
the first of His work,
the first of His acts of old.

“Ages ago, I was set up,
at the first, before the beginning of
the earth.

“When there were no depths I was
brought forth,
when there were no springs
abounding with water.

“Before the mountains had been shaped,
before the hills, I was brought forth;
before He had made the earth with its fields,
or the first of the dust of the world.

“When He established the heavens, I was there,
when He drew a circle on the face of the deep,
when He made firm the skies above,
when He established the fountains of the deep,
when He assigned to the sea its limit,
so that the waters might not transgress His command,
when He marked out the foundations of the earth,
then I was beside Him, like a master workman;
and I was daily His delight,
rejoicing before Him, always,
rejoicing in His inhabited world
and delighting in the sons of men.”
Proverbs 8: 22-31

The prophet Isaiah revealed one part of Mary’s mission:

“Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign. Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Emmanuel.” Isaiah 7: 14

What do we know more broadly about Mary’s life? She is largely an indistinct figure within the Bible. She receives the most mention in the Gospels of Luke and Matthew, but there are so many details of Mary’s life that we do not know.

As the human Mother of our Divine Savior, Mary’s mission continues today. Throughout the last 20 centuries, there have been reports of Mary appearing to both children and adults, which again is quite extraordinary. The Catholic Church recorded that her first appearance was to St. James in Spain, around A.D. 40.

No other human in the history of the world has fired the imagination more than Mary, the Mother of Jesus. Mary holds an exalted position even in the Quran, the central religious text of Islam that is believed to be a revelation directly from God. Mary is mentioned 70 times within that text — and she is the only woman mentioned there.

Through Muslim eyes, Mary is also exceptional. While the Islam religion does not recognize the Divinity of Jesus, it does recognize the purity of Mary and Jesus both, and the miraculous Virgin conception of Jesus. The Quran 3:42 says, “O Mary, indeed Allah has chosen you and purified you and chosen you above the women of the worlds.”

But through Christian eyes, Mary’s choice to place God’s plans before her own enabled Divine Love and Mercy to briefly take human form, offering a path to forgiveness and reconciliation with God the Father.

This Lenten season of reflection on the sacrifice and promise that Jesus offers us can also be a special time to ponder the life, humility and love of Mary, His Mother.

On the one-year anniversary of the assassination attempt in St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City, Pope St. John Paul II emphasized in his May 13, 1982, address, “Since Mary is the mother of us all, her care for the life of man is universal.”