Our Lady, Our Life

This past weekend, my husband and I traveled to Fargo, North Dakota for the Marian Eucharistic Congress. It was amazing! This was our first time to go to this particular Congress. I admit it was a bit overwhelming, in a really good way, but there were so many powerful talks that I am still reeling from it all. I would like to share most of what I learned there, but it will have to come in little pieces because it is a lot to process.

One of the speakers was Sr. M. Timothea Elliott, and she spoke eloquently about the way St. Luke "paints a vivid word picture of the Annunciation with with the Angel Gabriel and Mary in the foreground and a theological exposition of the Old Testament in the background", similar to the this beautiful painting by Fra Angelico "expressing the significance of the Annunciation in light of the Old Testament." Today, on this feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, let us remember as we pray each of the mysteries of the Rosary, the depth and riches of God's grace given to us throughout salvation history. And as we study and reflect upon God's word in Sacred Scripture, let us open our hearts to receive all God gives us, namely a beautiful Mother who leads us always to our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.

Sr. Timothea Elliott shared this quote with us from St. Ephraim, Deacon and Doctor of the Church:

"Lord who can grasp all the wealth of just one of your words? What we understand is much less than we leave behind; like thirsty people who drink from a fountain. For your word, Lord, has many shades of meaning just as those who study it have many different points of view. The Lord has colored his word with many hues so that each person who studies it can see in it what he loves. He has hidden many treasures in his word so that each of us is enriched as we meditate on it.

The word of God is a tree of life that from all its parts offers you fruit that is blessed. It is like that rock opened in the desert that from all its parts gave forth a spiritual drink. He who comes into contact with some share of its treasure should not think that the only thing contained in the word is what he himself has found. He should realize that he has only been able to find that one thing from among many others. Nor, because only that one part has become his, should he say that the word is void and empty and look down on it. But because he could not exhaust it, he should give thanks for its riches. Be glad that you are overcome and do not be sad that it overcame you. The thirsty man rejoices when he drinks and he is not downcast because he cannot empty the fountain. Rather let the fountain quench your thirst than have your thirst quench the fountain. Because if your thirst is quenched and the fountain is not exhausted, you can drink from it again whenever you are thirsty. But if when your thirst is quenched and the fountain is also dried up, your victory will bode evil for you. So be grateful for what you have received and don't grumble about the abundance left behind. What you have received and what you have reached is your share. What remains is your heritage. What at one time you were unable to receive because of your weakness, you will be able to receive at other times if you persevere. Do not have the presumption to try to take in one draft what cannot be taken in one draft and do not abandon out of laziness what can only be taken little by little."