A Heart Filled with Treasures

Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover.  When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom.  After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. When his parents saw him, they were astonished.  His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.” “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he was saying to them. Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. (Luke 2:41-51)

After the solemn feast of the heart of Jesus, we commemorate the immaculate heart of Mary.  It is worthwhile to think about Mary, whom I acknowledge as mother, sister and co-servant as she joined Christ in everyday life, in learing from him and being a part of his preparation for his Paschal mystery.

Luke the Evangelist presents Mary as a woman who is a witness of God's saving acts yet cannot understand them fully. However she pondered everything in her heart.  Luke tells that Mary contemplated every mystery that she observes.  Even though she cannot understand every unfolding mystery that she became part of,  she remains faithful.  She does not use her mind but her heart in knowing and understand the uniqueness in her Son.  At the report of the shepherds at the birth of her Son, instead of thinking how these things happened, she just reflected these things in her heart.  Being a simple girl,  she does not understand how God became a little baby in front of her.  Also in the prophecy of Simeon and after hearing Jesus' answer after they found him in the temple.

Like Mary, God is inviting me to contemplate.  Reason is not enough to understand the Divine Things.  God may work in our reason however, it is not enough if we use our intellect.  St. Thomas Aquinas, a brilliant theologian who wrote numerous volumes of books regarding philosophy and theology acknowledged his littleness after God showed him in an instant a portion of God's glory.  He even came to a point that he wanted to burn all his books.  In my favorite book, The Little Prince written by Antoine de St. Exupery, it says, "It is only in one's heart that one can see rightly.  What is essential is invisible to the eye." God is not someone to be known. He is someone to be loved. 

I must pray that like Mary, I may be able to love him purely although I cannot see him, love him more freely and greatly that I may be able to understand and appreciate his goodness.  Like Mary, I may be able to sing the Magnificat, magnifying his greatness and rejoicing in his salvation.

Mary was able to sang the Magnificat because she pondered every good things God has done to her.  She is indeed a true lover of God.