MARY, OUR MOTHER

Meditation 40

ON THE ROAD TO BETHLEHEM

1. The Register.

The degree of Augustus enjoining a general registration in the whole of his empire gave the occasion for this journey to Bethlehem, enabling Our Lady to exercise those most beautiful and difficult virues, submission and obedience. Contemplate Mary in the company of St. Joseph in their poor dwelling of Nazareth. Poor indeed, but nothing in wanting to them. With the greatest love She had prepared, down to the minutest detail, th ethings required for Her Son's birth so near approaching. The little cradle had been made by Joseph. The swaddling clothes have been stitched and embroided by Her. It is true, there is poverty in everything but there is much love. And love has such a store of ingenuity and inventiveness: love has taught Her how best to comfort and receive Her dear Divine Child.

All of a sudden a rumor going round the village reaches the humble couple. Soon they have the confirmation of that rumor. Everybody is to be compelled to go and get registered in his place of origin. And since She and Joseph belong to the clan of David, there is no choice: they must undertake the journey to the royal city of Bethlehem. What a set-back! How can they undertake such a journey now, just when the divine birth is expected? And that too just at the whim of a proud man, who tyranically decrees that it should be so. Is there no means of evading the order? Could it, at least, be deferred? Why not wait just a little at least until the happy event has taken place?

Yet Our Heavenly Mother speaks not a word, utters no citicism, no protest. Although with a heavy heart, She submits to the divine will, trusts in God, thrusts Herself into His Arms and sets Herself to obey. Was there at any time any person anywhere with better reason to disregard an order than Our Blessed Lady then? If She had not submitted to the order or had just ignored it, who could have blamed Her? Would we not have said that She had done very well; that it would have been a great imprudence to embark on such a journey at such a time? And yet Mary does not listen to the prudence of the worldly wise. She thinks only of obedience ignoring all else. What a submission of will and of judgement!

Note this well, because this is the hardest point of obedience. She had ample reasons to excuse Her; but with Mary obedience comes first. For above obedience there is nothing. A hard, painful and practical lesson is thus given to us by Mary!

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