"They deceive themselves who believe that union with God consists in ecstasies or raptures, and in the enjoyment of Him. For it consists in nothing except the surrender and subjection of our will - with our thoughts, words and actions - to the will of God." (St Teresa of Avila) Wasn't this the life and teaching of Jesus? Embracing the will of God for me in the present moment brings me into union with God in a way that the world does not begin to understand. The initial sin of the human race was: "I will not be obedient to God in all things." The redemption of human beings came through the obedience of Jesus to the will of the Father, even to the death of the cross.  What united Jesus in his humanity to the Father was this act of trust and surrender. What reflected Mary's true identity as the Mother of Jesus was hearing the word of God and acting on it. As we surrender to the Father's will, especially in those areas which we don't understand, we will be one with the Father. This is the singular path to holiness.