"Risen Lamb Writings"
"Whispers of Light" (part 14)
Mary is a woman of daring, courageous
and expectant f.a.i.t.h. (full
assurance in things happening)--of bold, persevering
and empowered prayer. One might call Mary a woman of "dare prayer" in
the presence of God--a woman of ironclad intercession through whose
faith God works miracles. If we are to expect "Marian miracles" through
our communal intercession gathered around Mary, then there is great need
today for intercessors to be formed in Mary's Immaculate Heart, and to be
guided by her intercessory influence and pleading power. Mary shows us
that a fierce love within a holy, spousal heart has a potent, "persuasive
power" in the presence of God: In response to Mary's rich and deep faith, God
at times suspends the very laws of nature that He, Himself, has set in place.
In the scriptures we read of miracles
that take place at the Annunciation, the Wedding Feast at Cana, and in the
upper room at Pentecost. Mary is involved in each of these mysteries. Here, we
will speak briefly of the first two. At
the Annunciation God entered into time, into the history of humanity, through a
miracle. By her faith, Mary contributed to this miracle of "new birth" that
represents the beginning of humanity's new religious history. Mary's faith
might be reflective of the words in scripture, "Let it be done for you
according to your faith" (Mt. 9:29):
"At the Annunciation [Mary] believed in
what was humanly impossible" (Pope John Paul II, General Audience, November
22, 1995); "She had contributed to the miracle of the Virginal
conception by believing in Jesus before seeing him." (JP II, General Audience,
February 26, 1997).
Faith
is a covenant, and hence, real faith involves the heart, love, relationship and
union. Both at the Annunciation and at the Wedding Feast of Cana, Mary "gave
voice" to the abundance of faith within her heart: "I believed, therefore I
spoke" (2 Cr. 4:13). In the Wedding Feast at Cana, Mary obtained the
miracle of the "new wine". The Second Vatican Council says this of Mary:
"At the marriage feast of Cana, moved
with pity, she brought about by her intercession the beginning of the
miracles of Jesus the Messiah" (The Sixteen Documents of Vatican II.
"Lumen Gentuim" # 58).
At Cana,
upon noticing that the wine had run short, Mary spoke forth her concern to
Jesus, "They have no wine" (John 2:3). Her request was quite daring for, until
this moment, Jesus had not worked any miracles yet. Mary spoke her concern to
him in words of faith. She expected him to intervene; she was expecting a
miracle! The response of Jesus, "Woman, how does your concern affect me? My
hour has not yet come" (John 2:4) "can be seen as an obstacle that may have
seemed insurmountable" (JP II. General Audience, May 6, 1998); Mary responded to his seeming reluctance with
confidence as she told the servants to, "Do whatever he tells you" (John
2:5).
The Cana wedding story illustrates
both the courage of Mary's faith and the power of her persevering intercession:
"O woman, great is your faith! Let
it be done for you as you wish" (Mt. 15:28).
Her witness calls us to risk interceding
for the impossible, to stand in the breach in prayer until the breakthrough
comes, to persevere in the midst of obstacles! "Mary is thus presented as
the model of a faith in Jesus that rises above all obstacles" (JP II.
General Audience, May 6, 1998). Mary desires to prepare us for a new time of "Marian miracles", and to
teach us how to "storm" Heaven for them
in prayer:
"All that you ask for in prayer,
believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours" (Mark 11:24).
Questions:
1) Do
I believe in miracles, and am I praying actively for any right now?
2) Are
there any particular situations where I struggle most to pray for
miracles?
Scriptures:
Any scripture from the text; Mt. 9:28B-29; Mk. 10:27; Mk.
11:22-14; John 14:12-14; Eph. 1:19
