Touched

Luke 1:46-55

        Every so often, you read something, watch something or experience something that deeply touches your soul and in every fiber of your being.

        Today I was reading the story of Jonathan Myrick Daniels, seminarian. It seemed to be a nice enough story of a man who heard the calling, listened to God, even when it did not seem practical and acted in faith and love. It seemed like a nice story. I almost did not finish it in my hurried state. Then it struck me, Seminarian. Not a priest, but remembered as a seminarian. So I kept reading and sure enough the dreaded line came. 'He stood in front of a threatened girl and took a shotgun blast in her place and died instantly'. My heart sank and I was overcome at the grief over an event that took place 45 years ago.  He touched my soul. I am in tears again as I write.

           I suppose another heart rending moment might be when you experience the birth of your child or the joy you feel deep in your heart as you hold your grandchildren for the first time - and the second time - and the third time....

            Our heart and soul are deeply interconnected and when we allow it, when we are jolted, we can experience such joy and such pain, empathy and experiences of profound love and sacrifice.  It stops you in your tracks and makes you think, be grateful, know how precious life is and how graced we are with the lives that travel along side us in our life's journey. Graced moments for sure.

            I recall reading today's scripture passage so often in seminary and it is not until now that I am able to identify the depth of joy that Mary was feeling.  How would we feel if we met Jesus in the most tender and vulnerable of moments and he embraced us with the warmth and love that defines him. I am sure I would be brought to tears yet again.  What joy did Mary feel then as the bearer of the Christ child?

             I am not sure you can summon such depth of feelings on your own but I know that I have experienced it many times in my life.  That feeling, joy down to your bones, or compassion or sadness at the loss of a genuinely beautiful life. That feeling is what Jesus wants us to know is ours from his love. His love embraces us totally. I have said it before, if we could realize the depth of His sorrow and the extent of His pain when he died, and know, absolutely know, that if I was the only person on earth, or if you were the only person on earth - he would have done it  again willingly.  How humbling. How intensely loving, beyond our comprehension I suppose. Yet, we do get glimpses of such strong emotions, joy, sadness, awe. That glimpse is a hint of how much God loves you just as you are.

        How powerful is that?

Mary’s Song of Praise

And Mary said,
‘My soul magnifies the Lord,
  and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant.
   Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
   and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him
   from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
   he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
   and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
   and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
   in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
   to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’