MARY, OUR MOTHER

THE ANNUNCIATION

THE HANDMAID OF THE LORD

2. True servitude.

But you must not limit yourself to mere lip service. You also have often raised to God words of offering, of surrender, of servitude. Yes, but then afterwards how have you kept your word? With Mary it was otherwise. She says what She feels and She does what She says. On account of that She repeats Be it done to me according to Thy word!

Ponder and relish the world of meaning enclosed in the word Fiat, "Be it done!", the formula of true servitude to God. "I am a Handmaid and therefore I have nothing, I can want nothing except God. Everything must come from God, nothing from the Handmaid." Fiat, then, implies a total renunciation, a complete, perfect and absolute surrender of Her being. Neither self-will, nor freedom, nor choice; only what God wants and orders. Sublime servitude indeed!

But there is still more. This servitude must not halt in the face of any sacrifice, heavy and painful though it be. Mary at this point proceeds quite cautiously. She is perfectly aware of the step She is taking. Without haste, she thinks, ponders things over, raises objections to the Angel, advancing reasons, suggesting solutions. All this is a clear sign that She is proceeding with full knowledge. She knows from now on all that She must suffer, if She is going to be the Mother of God. She knows in advance the tortures lying in wait for Her; She appreciates that to be a co-Redemptrix will mean wading through a sea of bitter sorrows. Nevertheless, she knows that such is God's will; hence that suffices. Until she clearly knows what God wants, she raises some difficulties; but as soon as She knows the will of God, she has naught to say than Be it done! Remember the words of Christ in His Passion. He also said Let Thy will, not Mine, be done! Is not this fiat the same as that of His Mother? Do you also say, "Let God's will be done!" especially when self-love rises in rebellion? Why do you not ask your Mother to help you follow her example in order that you also may do the Holy Will of God?

[Excerpted from 'MARIAN MEDITATIONS' Book by Rev. Dr. Ildefonso R. Villar, Salesian Philippine Province, Nihil Obstat; Imprimatur]