— Dr. Barb Jarvis Pauls
HOW CAN I SURRENDER my fears of reaching out to others today and be present like Mother Mary? Is there someone I know who needs a friend to inspire faith and give reassurance of God’s abiding love?
Prayer: Holy Mary, Mother of God, thank you for all the ways you have been my friend and confidante. Help me to open up and surrender to the faith and love that you share in Jesus, your Son.
March 5
“Yet with a contrite heart and a humble spirit may we be accepted / … / for there will be no shame for those who trust in you.” — Daniel 3:39-40*
In our business-as-usual reactive mode, it is often difficult for us to be contrite and humble, much less forgiving. Mary’s life inspires us to prayerfully reflect upon things before we act or react. In times of difficulties and great challenges, Mary prayerfully surrendered the events in her life over to the Lord. In this responsive mode, she was able to fulfill God’s plan for her.
Surrender is a choice we make of our own free will and with God’s grace. With Mary’s help, we can prayerfully surrender our anger, our desire for control, and our need for security over to the Lord. When we do, we grow in our spiritual life.
— John Holmes
CHOOSE A TIME TODAY, even if only for five minutes, to sit quietly with God. Prayerfully ponder the following: What are the one or two major blocks to God’s grace in your life? Pray to let go of those obstacles so that you can become more receptive to God’s grace.
Prayer: Dearest Mother Mary, continue to lead me to your Son and help me to be in a better position to do what God calls me to do.
* Some texts identify this passage as part of “The Prayer of Azariah in the Furnace” (vv. 16-17) within Daniel 3.
March 6
“Yet, O LORD, you are our Father; / we are the clay, and you are our potter; / we are all the work of your hand.” — Isaiah 64:8
It is startling to learn how deeply we have been living in delusion, or to come face to face with the realization of how we have not been relying on God, really.
My twenty-year-old son had never had any health issues more serious than a pitching injury during high school baseball. On a recent study-abroad program, he had trouble breathing and Italian doctors found a large tumor in his sinus and cranial cavity. The life that we knew, his and mine, immediately came to a screeching halt. There had been absolutely no warning signs of a detour ahead. After a twelve-hour operation, six weeks of recovery, and daily radiation for six-plus weeks, they found more cancer. Now more radiation is scheduled. Daily, I ask God, “Where are you?”
— Betty Crane
IN MOMENTS OF DESPAIR, I think of Mary at the foot of Jesus’ cross, looking up at his brutalized, crucified body. What were her thoughts? How was she able to surrender to the Crucifixion? In the darkness, let us cling to Mary for help in surrendering to our heavenly Father.
Prayer: Mary, help me learn to surrender to God’s plan for me and for those I love just as you surrendered your life to your heavenly Father. Help me to accept how God shapes my life and my heart.
March 7
“But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” — Joshua 24:15
Mary’s decision to serve God came in the form of her unconditional yes, her willingness not only to bear Jesus, the Son of God, but to raise him and accompany him through life. As his mother, Mary freely and completely devoted herself to this divine calling. When Jesus grew up and took on public ministry, Mary continued to offer her life in supporting Jesus as he healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, and offered mercy to those in need.
Today’s families come in all shapes and sizes, and not everyone’s household is in perfect order; yet Mary’s life gives us hope. Mary invites us to follow in her steps as we place God at the center of our family life. Then we and our house will be able to serve the Lord.
— Lauren Nelson
CONSIDER YOUR OWN FAMILY. What could you surrender so that you and your household could better serve God? What does serving the Lord look like in your particular family?
Prayer: Mary, help me to surrender my heart and the lives of all those that I love over to the Lord, so that our house may love and serve God all the days of our lives.
March 8
“This is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” — John 17:3
There is a Navajo tale that tells of a warrior who searched for God. Seeing God on a mountaintop, the scout rode up and dismounted. He took three arrows and held them high above his head, then placed the arrows at God’s feet. God waved the scout away.
The scout returned to his horse, took the woven blanket, held it high above his head, and laid it at God’s feet. God waved the scout away. Then the scout took his most prized possession; he led his horse to God, and placed the reins in God’s hands. God waived the scout away. The scout extended his arms toward God and dropped to his knees. God looked at the scout and smiled. The warrior realized he could not negotiate a relationship with God on his terms. He must surrender all.
Mary made a total surrender to God. She held nothing back. She did not negotiate. All she was and had she handed over to God to do as he pleased. Surrender brought her freedom, and surrender can bring freedom to us as well.
— Joseph Abel, PhD
WHAT DO YOU CLING TO? How can you surrender it to God today?
Prayer: Mary, your life shows us the way of surrender. May we follow that path and come to true freedom.
March 9
“And he called to him the multitude with his disciples, and said to them, ‘If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.’” — Mark 8:34-35
To those of us who want to follow Christ, the challenge is clear. Denying ourselves and taking up our crosses is an act of surrender. We surrender our desire for security, affection, and, most of all, control. We surrender those ego drivers we think are so important. Mary did this from the outset. She surrendered in perfect trust to God’s will for her.
When our crosses seem more than we can bear, we can turn to Mother Mary, who can help us find the courage to surrender our lives to God. When we surrender our crosses, we gain the strength to carry them, and a better perspective on bearing the trials in our lives.
— John Holmes
WHAT CROSS ARE YOU CARRYING at the moment? Ask Mary’s help in placing this matter into the hands of our loving Lord.
Prayer: Holy Mother, thank you for your example of trusting in the Lord. Help me to surrender all that I have in the hopes of gaining eternal life.
March 10
“How hard it will be for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God.” — Mark 10:23
How much value do we place on objects? Do we cling to the things of this world, giving them power over ourselves, or our relationships with family and friends? This Gospel passage challenges us to think of everything relative to eternal life. This is what our Blessed Mother did. Because she kept everything in proper perspective, she was able to surrender everything about her earthly life for the sake of what was eternal.
When Mother Mary fled to Elizabeth, with Jesus conceived in her womb, she surrendered everything, even that which was not material possessions, for the love of God. Mary surrendered her fear of being judged, her safety, her reputation, and her attachment to her