Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki
Archbishop of Milwaukee
 

Today is the feast of the Annunciation. It is remarkable to think that Mary in her early teens was told by the Archangel Gabriel that she would be the mother of God’s Son. We live in a world where commitments are fluid. Lifetime guarantees on products may last for a few years. If someone survives five years in a professional position, we’re ready to issue them a gold watch.

This young woman, Mary, was committing herself in faithfulness to God’s will: “I am the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me according to thy will.” She did not ask what was in it for her, but only if this was what God wanted. It was not going to be easy to explain the pregnancy to her espoused Joseph; she had to trust that God would be with her as she surrendered herself to Him.

In the spiritual life of a mature person, one begins to ask God not what we want from God, but what God wants from us. We can begin to understand that statement as we age but here was a young girl, barely a teen, who was reflecting a spiritual maturity in her response. At the heart of that question was a willingness to sacrifice to do it God’s way, not her way.

As I get older and reflect on the various assignments that I have had as a priest and a bishop, I realized that God had me there to fulfill His purpose, if I just opened myself to His will. I could just enjoy the peace that comes from knowing that I was doing God’s will. It wasn’t going to be easy, but God would be with me.

Our choices in life and the decisions we make have consequences not only in our life but in the lives of those that surround us. There are many in leadership roles that understand the importance of the decisions that they make. Leaders will consult and many will offer their advice about how we should act but, in the end, the decision falls to us. That’s why it is so important that we always consider what God would desire from us in everything that we do.

In my Pastoral Letter “Who do you say that I Am?” I stated, “Yes is the one word for which the Blessed Virgin Mary is most acclaimed. She pondered the truth in her heart and she obeyed it, for that is what the truth always elicits: obedience freely given. She may not have known the details of God’s plan or the lengths, to which her fidelity would lead, but she handed over everything- her will, her future, and her aspirations – to the God she knew and trusted.”

Let us learn from this young woman and respond with the same “Yes” to her Son’s command to LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

Note: This blog originally appeared as the March 25, 2014 "Love One Another" email sent to Catholics throughout the Archdiocese of Milwaukee by Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki. If you are interested in signing up for these email messages, please click here.