"Dear children! In this time of grace I call all of you: pray more and speak less. In prayer seek the will of God and live it according to the commandments to which God calls you. I am with you and am praying with you... ."
When I first read this message, I thought that Mary, like a gentle but admonishing mother, was telling us to be quiet. Stop talking. But why???
Did she mean that when we talk about God we run into the danger of making His words and will reflect our words and will? Like that nasty group that runs around protesting at Christian churches and military funerals?
I was ready to shut down my blog, withdraw from doing reflections for the Women's Bible Study, and keep my trap shut.
But wait.
We are supposed to proclaim the Good News, and one of the best ways is through our own actions and our words, by sharing our experiences. What some might call "witnessing", though that word has always carried bad connotations for me. Someone living like a hypocrite, yet shouting "Praise, Jesus!" after ever sentence. So what could Mary have meant? My brain was shorting out.
Then, I found Jesus' own words to St. Foustina, to whom He revealed His desire for a devotion to His Divine Mercy. These words were recorded in her diary:
My daughter, when I was before Herod, I obtained a grace for you; namely, that you would be able to rise above human scorn and follow faithfully in My footsteps. Be silent when they do not want to acknowledge your truth, because it is then that you speak more eloquently (Diary, 1164).
He was telling us that we should speak the truth. It was when people chose to ignore us that our silence would "speak more eloquently". So, discuss the truth, but don't rant at those who dissent. Don't turn proclaiming the good news into a Jerry Springer show. So, tell Nancy Pelosi that she's choosing to turn her back on Jesus when she encourages abortion, and when she responds with something inane about killing babies being all about women's health, walk away. She's heard the truth; now she has to choose.
It's really, really difficult not to shake someone by the shoulders to wake them up, but it's not my job. We all have free will, so I can present it, and then it's up to the other person to accept it or not. Only God knows what's in their heart. Maybe, I'll have planted that tiny seed in the person's brain and, when they are less defensive, they will think about it, explore it, and come to the truth on their own (with some help from the Holy Spirit).
Good deal.
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