Detachment is an Act of Love

Holly Novotny offers a reflection on the Feast of the Queenship of Mary, ordinarily celebrated each August 22.

How often do we look at others and wonder how they can live that way or make those decisions? Those family members or neighbors or even parishioners who show up on Sunday for mass, but the rest of their week looks just like those who don’t know Jesus.

What about you? When you are done with your prayer time each morning, do you just move on to your former way of life, without consciousness of the Risen Lord walking beside you? Those in the Gospel passage we read today were in the actual presence of Jesus Christ, yet still found His words too confusing, too challenging to accept, and simply walked away. Yet, we too have encountered this same Jesus, incarnate in the Blessed Sacrament! Do we allow this truth to penetrate our unbelief and transform our hearts in order that our life will reflect this reality?

As we celebrate the Queenship of Mary today, we can reflect on her willingness to say yes in the midst of confusion - her trust in Divine Providence echoed in Peter’s words, convinced the messenger was a holy one of God. Her submission to the King of Kings, to bear His Son into the world, rewarded not only with the delight of such a Son, but to be crowned Queen of Heaven and Earth.

When we embrace our mission with the Lord, as Mary did, and as Peter and the Apostles did, we bring about God’s kingdom on earth. Today, we beg her intercession that we might receive the grace we need in order to be like Peter, as we say, “Yes, Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”

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When we embrace our mission with the Lord, as Mary did, and as Peter and the Apostles did, we bring about God’s kingdom on earth #catholicmom

Prayer

Lord, Jesus, help me to keep my eyes on You. Give me the grace of a deeper faith, that I may grow in fervor and faithfulness to You.

Copyright 2021 Holly Novotny
Image: Johann Jakob Zeiller, "Assumption of Mary" (1745), photo by Wolfgang Sauber, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

About the author: Holly Novotny is a wife and mother of two young adult daughters. The Lord’s mercy and grace continue to transform her into His original plan, much to her astonishment and joy. She is a Lifetime Marian Servant and as a graduate of the Cenacle School of Spirituality offers spiritual direction in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Podcast: numinous.fm/redeemer