But not all have turned a deaf ear to the lead of the Spirit.  Mary knew the joys of the highs as well as  the difficulties and pains of the lows.  The Virgin of Virgins was acclaimed by the Angel as “highly favored daughter of God”. She was told that God was with her; she was to conceive by the power of the Holy Spirit and the child to be born would be the Son of the Most High God. She then has to struggle with  Joseph’s initial reaction to divorce her quietly, with the discomforts of traveling over rough roads for miles during the last days before the birth of the child, experience the humiliation of giving birth to the Son of God in a smelly stable. What made the difference for this Mother of the Redeemer?  What enabled her to cope with the opportunities of grace and not allow them to be temptations leading to sin? “My grace is sufficient.” 

The highs brought about by the extraordinary words of the Shepherds and the unexpected appearance of the wise men with their unusual gifts was counteracted by the prophetic words of Simeon in the temple--”This child is destined to be the downfall and the rise of many in Israel, a sign that will be opposed--and you yourself shall be pierced with a sword.” The initial realization and fulfillment of this prophetic utterance comes shortly afterwards by the fear brought about by Herod’s attempt to kill the new born king and the need to hastily flee to a foreign land. “My grace is sufficient” were not formulated in words but experienced in the strength she and Joseph received at this time to walk the journey not by sight but by faith and trust. She is truly called Mother most Admirable.

Hearing the crowds shout “Hosanna to the Son of David” must have elated Mary’s heart. Then hearing the crowds call for his death, seeing the figure of her son weighed under the burden of a cross, standing under the same cross as the life-breath slowly ebbed from his crucified body, hearing the words: “Woman, behold your Son.” “Son, behold your mother.”--words which were like a sword piercing her maternal heart, what could possibly sustain this Mother of Sorrows through this agony of mind and heart? “My grace is sufficient.”
(To be continued)