That is why Holly Schapker’s images of Mary in this month’s article “Mary, Our Muse” are so compelling. Each one presents an image of Mary to fit the vari- ous ways in which people see our Blessed Mother. Schapker also provides a walk through her inspiration behind the images, as well as reflections on what is being portrayed, offering both a visual and spiritual treat.

Also in this issue, we have something that many of our readers are very passionate and vocal about—a fiction story. This touching piece delves into the struggle between being a priest and being a son. Make sure to check it out!

Many people look to Mary for spiritual guidance and nourishment. She’s also a source of inspiration for this artist.

On the night the angel Gabriel visited Mary, as the biblical story goes, he asked her to bear a child who would be called Emmanuel, a name that means “God is with us.” Perhaps a pause ensued until she answered Gabriel, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word” (Lk 1:38). I find personal transformation in Mary’s simple yes and believe this story gives us all hope.

This incredible moment is inspiring to me because it is still alive and with us today. The same story occurs multiple times a day as we say yes to God’s will ourselves. It is important to remember that when Mary spoke to Gabriel, she was speaking for all of us. Engaging with art through the lens of the Catholic imagination has occurred throughout Church history and since the earliest apostles.

Turning to Mary has allowed me to approach her state of humble relinquishment in my painting studio and outside of it in my personal life. The paintings included in this article derived from my interpretation of our Blessed Mother’s life and her ultimate mission of bringing us closer to Christ. I present this work as a woman on her own pilgrimage to spiritual understanding.

My personal path is filled with several detours leading to many self-inflicted grievances. As flawed as my pilgrimage has been, I have found that her mantle embraces us all without limitations. Going to Mary with my weaknesses as a human being and as an artist has turned even the worst mistakes I have made into a measure of profound healing and peace.

The Blessed Mother consoles us with the assurance that there is nothing to be afraid of and shows us how we are all one body and privileged members of a remarkable family in eternal union.

In the end, my study of Mary has further reshaped my image of our creator from one of dominance to a God of overflowing goodness, loving kindness, and unending mercy. It is my hope that each of you experiences this same devotional joy in recognizing the good news.

Maryiam

When I trust the unfolding creative process before me, everything I need is there serving me. This pilgrimage of faith before the blank canvas teaches me many lessons.

Notice this painting is focused on her eyes with the most care and tightest detail. Looking forward, Mary knows us and she knows our Lord. What better advocate could we align with? The rough, unfinished brush marks around the edges help guide the viewer’s eye to her gaze. They also show us that her story is unfinished. Just as the servants were needed to perform Christ’s first miracle at Cana, she asks us to “do whatever he tells you” (Jn 2:5).

Christian Spirituality invites us to imagine what it would be like to know Mary—or even to be her.

St. Maximilian Kolbe said that the greatest way we can give glory to God is to unite oneself to the creature who glorifies God most perfectly. She is the loving example of fulfilling God’s will in humility. Mary pondered in her heart the good things that God was doing in her life. With her example, we can develop the same attitude of gratitude.

Surrealist painters taught us that the unexpected and unbelievable can happen in art. The same can be said of a life of faith.

The Assumption

To create the illusion of space on a two-dimensional surface, the painter builds up texture and contrast in the foreground of the composition. The background then fades away.

Mary focused her life on Christ’s mission. All other concerns faded away in the distance as she pondered her daily experiences in her heart. When we honor Mary, we are celebrating the mystery of the living God and the perfect disciple. It also reminds us that God wants a similar graced relationship with us.

Tasked with giving spiritual birth to Christians, Mary helps us grow closer to Christ. In Mary, we can find hope for humankind. It is interesting to notice that the flowers are placed among the angels. Perhaps they are metaphors for us and our own “flowering of the soul.” May we, too, be able to join the Virgin Mary and say, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord” (Lk 1:46).

My study, based on The Assumption, by Nicolas Poussin (1594–1665), enlivened and embellished by roses and lilies, shows the radical nature and accomplishment of her life as a humble handmaiden of the Lord.

Then Jesus came to her and said, “Come, my chosen one, and I shall place thee upon my throne, for I have desired thy beauty!” Mary answered, “My heart is ready, O Lord, my heart is ready!” And her soul went forth out of her body and flew upward in the arms of her son.

Mother and Child

When on the cross, Jesus entrusted his mother to the care of the “disciple whom he loved, ” and him to her. This holy gift before Christ’s final act of self-emptying love has inspired many of us, including countless artists, to claim her as our own spiritual mother and express our devotion to her in various ways. My life has changed dramatically for the better since I took her into my heart, home, and studio.

I now get to experience the many surprising moments of joy on the canvas and witness an unfolding of art that I know comes from the Holy Spirit. My day revolves around repetitive relinquishment and prayer, which opens me to the mystery of God.

This Mother-and-Child painting is a study based on the work of Pompeo Batoni. Mary is looking to Jesus. The brushwork signifies constant motion. Going to Mary is not an end in itself, for she is the trusted way toward her son. When I see Mary looking at her child, it reminds me that we can draw on her perfect love to look toward others in the same way.

The Visitation

How wonderful it must have felt for Mary to be validated by her cousin, Elizabeth, who truly understood the extraordinary circumstance of her life: being pregnant with God’s child! This may be one of the most beautiful connections shared in human history.

When I mix a color and have it on the tip of my brush, I try to move the same color around the canvas to create a rhythmic harmony. Everything within the composition is connected, and the whole painting changes with every mark. Without knowing how the artwork will manifest, I try to take the next right action. Eventually, I am given a new creation to be shared with others.

Many of my works pay homage to the masterpieces of great painters. It is my desire to honor these artists for their work and to continue their efforts of celebrating creation with my own contributions. This painting is inspired by an early French Renaissance painter, Jacques Daret (c. 1404–c. 1470), who created an altarpiece of the Virgin in Arras, which includes Visitation.

Legend has it that the tiny columbine flower sprang up wherever Mary’s foot touched the earth while she was on her way to visit Elizabeth. The columbine flowers expand beyond the borders as they remind us that God has no boundaries.

Trustworthy Guidance

Our Lord trusted Mary when he was at his most vulnerable. Just as he came to us through her, she is the portal back to God.

The blank canvas teaches me how much I rely on God. First, the journey begins with an act of faith in hope of a successful painting. Then comes the dark stage of vulnerability, where I feel lost, frustrated, and afraid. In art, reflections and perspective change everything. A miracle can happen in an instant, simply because of a new perspective. Finally, the work gets resolved beyond my abilities. This ritual shows me God deserves all credit as the end result does not come from me.

My paintings in this collection portray Mary in a multitude of times, cultures, and ethnic characters to show her omnipresence through the Holy Spirit. Mary is not limited by our constructs. She is forever ancient and forever new in the face of every woman.

The great theologians, saints, and artists honor Mary with good reason. She is us!

I take my place in union with them as we all do every time we go to Mary and dispose ourselves to God’s grace. She shows us how to have the deepest relationship with God, which is simply described by St. Teresa of Calcutta: “Do little things with great love.”

Our Lady of the Way

When I completed the Spiritual Exercises, contemplations, and meditations laid out by St. Ignatius, I got the feeling that I was a part of a royal family. And I am not the only one: We are all invited to be intimate members. I was also taught that our value is not based on the conditions of this world or anything we have done in it. Rather, it is because of God’s love, which is inside every one of us.

During a recent visit to an elderly friend in a nursing home, she shared with me that she can always feel God’s presence with her. She is a holy woman with much wisdom. “All people are God’s children,” she instructed. When employees of the nursing home are more disruptive than kind with her, she understands that they are carrying their own burdens. How do we see others as God’s children? We cannot will it, but we can ask Mary to take our blindness to Christ and ask for his miraculous assistance.

Ignatius Meditated for hours on a small fresco called Madonna Della Strada at the Ges√π Church in Rome. Perhaps he saw an invitation in it for us all.

Our Lady of the Way derives from Madonna Della Strada, with the addition of faces within the garb of Mary and Jesus, which represent all of humanity in Christendom. It has gold leaf, symbolizing the royalty of our inheritance.

Star of Bethlehem

I was once asked what my North Star is. What is it that guides me to Christ? As Pedro Arrupe, SJ, said about falling in love: “It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning, what you do with your evenings, how you spend your weekends, what you read, whom you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you with joy and gratitude. Fall in love, stay in love, and it will decide everything.”

Following the Gospel each day with millions of other Catholics is my North Star, which gives me the constant opportunity to circle back from my daily concerns to the good news of Our Lord. This is my divine direction. Teaching us how to live fully in our earthly life and even conquer death, Jesus’ story is one about the greatest holy act—to die to self.

The Star-of-Bethlehem Flower is said to resemble the star in the east that pointed to the birthplace of Jesus. The star shone brightly in the night and guided the shepherds to the place where the newborn Jesus lay, then broke into little pieces, scattering white blossoms everywhere.

When we look to the heavens for inspiration, we, too, receive an abundance of gifted guidance from above. I used my brushwork to show movement, as we are always in a state of flux, and repetition is key on our spiritual path in hand with the Virgin Mary.

About the Artist

Holly Schapker resides and works in Cincinnati, Ohio. A 1992 graduate of Xavier University’s art program, she continued her painting education by studying under allegorical painter Michael Scott for 10 years. Her work has been featured in many publications and on television and radio. Schapker has been invited to demonstrate her painting techniques and creative process to universities throughout the nation. She has taught beginning, advanced, and thesis painting at Xavier University. In addition to her painting demonstrations, Schapker travels to give lectures as a creative Catholic and hosts spiritual retreats.

Schapker’s paintings and drawings can be found in corporate collections, universities, private schools, and churches throughout the world. Beyond that, Pope Francis has accepted a portrait of his mother painted by the artist that was given to him in Vatican City.

Schapker found new inspiration for her works after completing the Spiritual Exercises laid out by Ignatius Loyola and attending a pilgrimage based on his life throughout Italy and Spain. She later researched the Renaissance painters who honored Our Blessed Mother.

Learn more about her artwork at HollySchapker.com.

Patty Crawford went up against Baylor University after hundreds of women bravely came forward with sexual assault allegations. Her faith is what got her through.

This is a story about the power of faith in the face of a formidable challenge—a choice between the difficult road and the right one. This is Patty Crawford’s story.

It is one that has been full of twists and turns, ups and downs. It has taken her to foreign lands and through troubling times. When she went up against Baylor University regarding a situation she saw as fundamentally wrong, her faith was tested and her integrity questioned. Suddenly, she found herself without a job or a plan for what to do next. But in the end, her faith carried her through.

A Solid Foundation

Crawford’s faith was formed from a young age in Ohio, where she grew up with her parents and six older siblings. Their home, she says, was filled with faith and examples of how to live it. Her parents “committed their lives to their faith and social justice,” she recalls. Her dad was one of the first men to be ordained a permanent deacon in the 1970s, and her mom was on the archdiocesan lay pastoral council in the 1980s.

During her formative years, she developed a passion for social-justice issues. “I remember doing speech contests as a middle schooler, talking about social-justice issues.”

The inspiration, again, came from her parents. Her dad, Crawford proudly says, “was one of the leaders in changing the laws to give rights to people with disabilities, including helping to shut down inhumane institutions for those with developmental disabilities. He ran county programs around the state of Ohio with the work centered on dignity and value for those he served with developmental disabilities.”

The Adventure Begins

As Crawford grew older, that passion didn’t diminish. Following high school, she spent a gap year living in Italy with 64 women from 24 countries before embarking on a backpacking excursion. For a few months, she trekked across Europe on a $300 budget.

After returning home, Crawford enrolled at The Ohio State University, where she earned her degree in strategic communications. Upon graduation, she became the assistant director of the Albert Merritt Learning Center, a small nonprofit she and her friends had established. The center, located in a rural county in Indiana, empowered families in need through free and affordable literacy education programming.

While working there, Crawford began graduate school. Yet, at the same time, she “felt called to do sustainable work through a Christian nonprofit in another country in need.”

Next Stop: Sierra Leone

That is how, during 2005 and 2006, Crawford found herself living in Sierra Leone, where she worked with Hope Micro, a local microfinance organization. The experience, she says, was part of her research “on microfinance and how it empowers women out of acute poverty with a focus on education and their children’s right to an education.”

It “was my first real understanding of how terrible injustices exist, and power and money create a culture of oppression,” she says. It was a lesson she would encounter again later in her career.

Back home, Crawford got a job with Indiana University East, where she worked in a number of diverse roles, including as the school’s Title IX coordinator. Title IX is a one-sentence law that states: “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.”

^{_{“My parents always instilled faith,
education, and loving our neighbor into everything we did,”
says Patty Crawford.}}

The law gives all genders equal rights to educational programs, activities, and federal financial assistance. The role of a Title IX coordinator is responding, remediating, adjudicating, preventing, and educating on complaints related to sexual harassment, stalking, sexual assault (including rape), dating and domestic violence, and any other type of sex discrimination related to success in educational access, such as women’s access to admission, scholarships, sports equity, etc.

A Life-Changing Career Move

It was her work with Title IX that brought Baylor University in Waco, Texas, calling. In 2014, Crawford was recruited to serve as the school’s first ever Title IX coordinator and was tasked with establishing the office and bringing the university into compliance with the law.

“I thought this was a sign. As I navigated cases of sexual harassment and other types of discrimination cases, I realized that the gift of my faith—especially on human rights, justice, and dignity—was essential in this work,” she says.

Crawford immediately got to work fielding reports. During her time at Baylor, over 400 people came to her to report stalking, relationship violence, sexual assault, and harassment. Unfortunately, the situations she was facing are found on many college and university campuses—not only Baylor.

At this time, Baylor found itself amid a media storm regarding the rape conviction of a former football player. Other reports began to emerge regarding the football program and sexual violence, leading to the firing of football coach Art Briles and university president Ken Starr. Crawford says she was unaware of many of the complaints. In 2015, Baylor engaged the law firm Pepper Hamilton to investigate. The firm released a report in May 2016 that said Baylor repeatedly mishandled allegations of sexual assault.

The university’s board of regents then released a Findings of Fact Summary stating that the Pepper Hamilton findings reflected “a fundamental failure by Baylor to implement Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX) and the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 (VAWA).” Pepper Hamilton found that the university’s efforts to implement Title IX were “slow, ad hoc, and hindered by a lack of institutional support and engagement by senior leadership.”

Crawford says that throughout this time, she continually ran into resistance and accused the Baylor board of directors of impeding her from fulfilling the duties of her job as the Title IX coordinator. Yet, despite the red flags she saw, Crawford says she still had hope that Baylor would do the right thing. Things did not change, though, she says.

“I was at an impasse: keep my job and betray those who trusted me with their painful truth by remaining silent, or speak out and risk the consequences. But I felt there was only one way to move forward—to be a voice of truth,” she recalls.

She filed a complaint with the US Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights about the way Baylor was handling Title IX complaints. According to a story in the Houston Chronicle, the university offered Crawford a monetary settlement to sign a nondisclosure agreement. She declined and began telling her story.

Crawford did so, she says, because “standing up for the truth was worth more than millions of dollars or a lucrative career. I knew that I had to speak on behalf of those who didn’t have the opportunity to speak out; to help continue to pave an easier way for the victims, survivors, and others who could be in harm’s way of abuse and violence in the future because of the corrupt systems that made up the foundation of the Baylor community—a community that I had just begun to care for.”

In a statement issued to Texas Monthly, Baylor University said it “was surprised by the action taken by Patty Crawford, given her public comments in August about the strong support she felt from across the university.”

Following her resignation, Crawford spent two days with the media, explaining her side of the situation, and then stepped out of the picture.

“This ultimately wasn’t a story about me or my work but, rather, about working against lies and silence in order for love to heal and rebuild a community and its systems and structures,” Crawford explains.

Moving On

Within six weeks of her resignation, Crawford, her husband, and their three kids sold their house and moved to Georgia, leaving behind a difficult chapter in their family’s story and facing an uncertain future.

“I have had moments that have been very challenging because of leaving Baylor or because I refused a large sum of money in exchange for signing a nondisclosure agreement upon my resignation,” says Crawford.

Following the move, Crawford quickly immersed herself in the details of life—searching for employment, enrolling the kids in school, securing health care. “It was really survival,” she says.

It was only after things started to calm down a bit—when she didn’t have her spiritual guard up—that she says doubt began to set in.

“I’ve had moments where I’m like, ‘I should have just taken the money.’ It wouldn’t have gone public; it wouldn’t have been out in the media. I probably wouldn’t have lost my professional reputation. But it really felt like it would have only benefited me.”

Starting Again

Crawford found herself at a crossroads. There was one thing she knew, though, and that was she would no longer work as a Title IX coordinator. That was confirmed by her former colleagues at Indiana University East after Crawford attempted to go back to her old job.

“I had to start all over career-wise, and that was scary because I was already 35 and had dedicated 15 years to a certain career path.” But, she says, “Most of my education and career path have been rooted in ‘God, whatever your will is, I’ll do it.'”

In January 2017, Crawford shifted gears and joined a web design firm in Georgia. A little more than a year later, her position was eliminated, and she once again found herself in search of a new adventure. Again, her faith sustained her.

_{^{“Most of my education and career path have been rooted in ‘God, whatever your will is, I’ll do it.'”}}

“God’s plan is never easy nor does it always make sense in the moment, but it is real, it is beautiful, and the reward is not earthly. This is where I get strength and continue to seek strength.”

Earlier this year, in a move that some might call providential, Crawford became the marketing coordinator for Franciscan Media, the parent company of this magazine. (She was not, however, on staff at the time of this interview.)

If you ask Crawford, she probably would tell you that God had something to do with it.

“I remember every day a sign in my childhood home,” she says. “It said, ‘The joy of the Lord is my strength.’ This helps me refocus my trust in God, put my worries in him, and also give gratitude for all God has given me, like my faith, family, and the support I have received in so many special and unique ways.

Thoughts on #MeToo

When asked about the #MeToo movement, Crawford says she applauds “anything that brings attention to sex discrimination, from unequitable wages to rape and violence. I am proud of those survivors who have come out and spoken about their injustices. It is amazing and powerful, and I am praying for them and in solidarity with them.”

She does, however, have concerns regarding Hollywood and media-based movements. “There are many complexities to what causes violence and discrimination. I do strongly believe that Hollywood and the mass media have contributed greatly to this current generation of horrific violence and discrimination. They have not only been part of producing pieces, movies, commercials, and TV shows that celebrate violence and discrimination (especially of a sexual nature), but they have also financially benefited from doing it as well.

“A hashtag and a dress aren’t going to solve these problems. We need to be fully committed to disrupting the status quo, even though we’re up against moneymakers and incredibly powerful industries.”

Crawford says she believes that “for things to really shift and change, we must look deeper and change the culture,” such as the devastation that pornography and the Internet have had on young people and their sexual practices and expectations.

“This also pertains to violence in schools—both physical and emotional—and its relationship to abuse in the home, desensitization of violent games and movies, and the lack of human connection in modern technology,” she says. “The only way to do this is to act, each of us, out of love, truth, and with no basis on our own self-interest. This truly has to be out of love for our neighbor—which is not easy, but necessary.”

A shadow hovers over the joyful mysteries of the rosary. In it, we can find parallels to our own lives.

Lately as I have been praying the joyful mysteries, I’ve become aware that there is a dark and stressful side to them. But rather than arousing in me a sad or distasteful feeling, I find them to be even more nourishing for my spirit. I invite you to walk through them with me.

The Annunciation to Mary
(Lk 1:26‚38)

We all know the scene. It’s been pictured by artists for centuries. An angel appears to the Virgin Mary and tells her she is going to conceive and bear a child whom she should name Jesus. This conception will not take place in the usual manner, but “by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Mary is both confused and fearful; but the angel tells her: “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.”

That’s asking a lot of a teenage girl. But Mary’s major fear (and here is the dark side) is: How can I possibly explain this to Joseph? We are not even married yet. What will my parents and the townsfolk think? In the Gospel of Luke, the angel simply tells her: “Don’t worry; God will take care of everything. Place all your trust in him.” At that point Mary simply surrenders to God’s will: “I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done according to your word.” We are not told how Joseph responded to this news. But the fact that the Gospel of Matthew calls him “a just man” tells us that he trusted Mary’s word and took her as his wife.

We think of the times in our lives when we are asked to do or say something that others will not understand or will severely criticize. Like Mary, we feel paralyzed by fear. Yet we take the action or speak the truth because we believe the words the angel spoke to Mary: “Do not be afraid . . . for nothing will be impossible for God.” And in that act of faith and trust, we experience, in spite of our fears, the power and the wisdom of God aiding us.

The Visit with Elizabeth
(Lk 1:39‚56)

The next scene in the Gospel of Luke is Mary’s visit to her elderly cousin Elizabeth. The angel had told her that Elizabeth was in her sixth month of pregnancy. Now, let’s be realistic about this. That visit was not a trip of a few blocks or even miles; it was more like 60 miles. I can imagine Joseph trying to persuade Mary not to make that trip. But when Mary persisted, Joseph probably insisted that a couple of his adult nephews accompany her. I used to assume that Mary’s purpose is simply to help her cousin in the time before the delivery of her child. But now I believe Mary also has another motive: She needs to talk to an older woman, a woman of faith.

Yes, there is a dark side to the joyful mysteries, a combination of joy and pain. But that can make them even more meaningful and relevant for our spiritual lives.”

Recall that Elizabeth’s husband, Zechariah, is unable to speak. But he is a Jewish priest with a deep knowledge of the Old Testament. After listening to Mary’s story, he is convinced that the child she is carrying is the longed-for Messiah. I can picture him writing out passages from the Scriptures that referred to the Messiah. He reminds them that the Messiah will descend from the family of David, to which both Mary and Joseph belong; that he will bring about justice for God’s people; will work great signs and wonders among them; and will be called the Prince of Peace. But—and here is the dark side of the Visitation—he will also be rejected by his own people and endure the sufferings so vividly described by the prophet Isaiah (53:1‚ 12).

In our own lives, too, there is always a mixture of good and bad news. It’s pleasant to visit family and friends; but sometimes the news we hear from them is not very happy. They’ve developed health problems; some of the children are not doing well; there’s talk about layoffs at work; their homes need repairs. Still, we are not sorry we called or visited. Perhaps we even receive some encouragement from them. I picture Mary returning home to Joseph with a grateful heart, knowing that her elderly relatives are praying for them.

The Birth of Jesus
(Lk 2:120; Mt 2:112)

The third joyful mystery is the one we call Christmas: “the most wonderful time of the year,” as the song goes. The events described by the Gospels are certainly joy-filled: the night sky bright with singing angels, humble shepherds kneeling at the crib of the newborn child, the Magi from the East offering the baby their precious gifts. At church we sing our favorite Christmas songs. We exchange gifts in memory of the One who gave himself totally to us.

But, again, the flip side. We can picture Mary eagerly awaiting her time to give birth, Joseph using his skills to build a fine crib for the child. But then comes the stunning news. The Roman emperor has decreed a total census—not only of Roman citizens, but also of Jews and others living in the empire. So Mary and Joseph have to make the arduous journey (again, about 60 miles) from Nazareth to Bethlehem.

_{^{Mary simply surrenders to God’s will:
“I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done according to your word.”}}

But now it is nearly time for Mary to give birth. When they finally arrive, every room for lodging is filled. One innkeeper offers to let them use his animal shelter; at least it is out of the wind and has a straw-filled manger to hold the child. The Bible does not relate the words or feelings of Joseph and Mary. But we can imagine them joining their Jewish ancestors who, time and again, cried out: “Why, dear God, is this happening?”

Is it not often the same with us, when our faith is being tested? When our well-thought-out plans get sabotaged by some unforeseen glitch? It is then that we are called to renew our trust in the wisdom and goodness of our God.

The Presentation in the Temple
(Lk 2:2238)

Joseph and Mary are devout and faithful Jews. Their law requires parents of a firstborn male child to present him to God in a ceremony at the Temple in Jerusalem. The intent is to impress upon the parents that a child is a precious gift from God and that parents are entrusted with this gift. As this ceremony is being carried out, two elderly people come forward.

The first, Simeon, had been told by the Holy Spirit that he will not die until he has seen the Messiah. As Luke says, Simeon “took him [Jesus] in his arms and blessed God, saying: ‘Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace . . . for my eyes have seen your salvation . . . a light for revelation to the gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.'” In other words, this child has come for all people and nations as their Lord and Savior.

Next, 84-year-old Anna comes forward, and, Luke writes, “gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.” These dear elders, who have been waiting and praying so long for the coming of the Messiah, have seen their hopes fulfilled in this child. It’s easy to see why this is a joyful mystery.

But here’s the dark side. After blessing Joseph and Mary, Simeon goes on to tell them: “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted [and you yourself (Mary) a sword will pierce]” (2:34‚ 35). So, when Jesus becomes an adult and begins his public ministry, people will have to choose: either to accept him and his teaching or to reject him. And as that drama plays out, Mary will suffer a broken heart.

This mystery connects closely with parents. Children are a profound source of joy and love for them. At the same time, they can become a cause for much anxiety and disappointment. Parents and grandparents often must live through these emotional swings. At the same time, they need to hold fast to their faith: that God loves their children even more than they do and will continue to hold them in his loving care.

Finding Jesus in the Temple
(Lk 3:41,52)

Jewish law required adults to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem for three major feasts: Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. The Gospel does not state whether Jesus accompanied his parents before turning 12 years old. But on the return trip this time, they discover that Jesus is not with them. One explanation is that each parent presumed that Jesus was with the other. Luke tells us they spend three days looking for him—first among their relatives and friends, then back in Jerusalem. They finally find him in the Temple, “sitting in the midst of the teachers [rabbis], listening to them and asking them questions, and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers” (2:46‚ 47).

Mary and Joseph, however, are upset and scold him: “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” But instead of an apology, Jesus says, in effect, “You should have known I would be in my Father’s house.” But how were they supposed to know that without his telling them?

This event is regarded as joyful because the loss was temporary and the family was reunited. But again, there is another side. It is not difficult to imagine the emotional stress Mary and Joseph had to endure. Did they blame or criticize each other? Possibly, but I don’t think so; their love for each other overcame that. Rather, I imagine each of them feeling a deep sense of guilt: “Why didn’t I check on the boy and make sure he was with one of us?”

Once again, the Scriptures connect us with our own human experience. Who of us has not agonized over decisions, actions, or omissions that caused pain to others and ourselves? Feelings of guilt are not necessarily harmful and can even be healthy because they can lead us to change and to deeper self-knowledge. And spiritually they can move us to repentance and the experience of God’s loving forgiveness.

People sometimes tell me, “I know God has forgiven me, but I can’t forgive myself.” I refer them to the prophet Micah, who says that God “will cast into the depths of the sea all our sins” (7:19). Once they are confessed and forgiven in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, they are gone. As I once heard a pastor say, “And God puts a sign there: No fishing!” Don’t keep going back into those waters.

Darkness and Light

Yes, there is a dark side to the joyful mysteries, a combination of joy and pain. But that can make them even more meaningful and relevant for our spiritual lives. We realize that holy persons like Mary and Joseph still had to struggle with stress and heartache in their lives, even amid their deepest joys—just as we often do.

Their example can give us the patience and encouragement we need in our own spiritual journey. And we invoke their intercession, knowing that they truly understand.

Learn more about the rosary!

“‘We are members one of another.’
From social network communities to the human community.”

—Theme for 2019 World Communication Day

Two months ago, the world was rocked yet again by another mass shooting. This time it was at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, and was perpetrated by an anti-immigrant white supremacist. As of this writing, the death toll stands at 50. Many more suffered serious injuries, including a 4-year-old girl in critical condition. Given the pace of the news cycle, we may never learn the status of those injured in the attack.

At the heart of the situation, as with most events these days, was the Internet and social media. News of the attack spread quickly online, eliciting a wave of statements expressing thoughts and prayers. Unfortunately, the actual attack was also live-streamed by the attacker. Before it could be taken down, the video was viewed and shared by people on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.

Once the initial shock subsided, people immediately began to call for some type of action. It’s a refrain that we’ve heard time and time again following other similar shootings at places of worship, such as Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life Synagogue, where 11 were killed in October 2018, and Charleston’s Emanuel AME Church, where nine people died while worshipping in June 2015.

Add in the staggering number of similar events at schools, nightclubs, concerts, public places, workplaces, and on and on, and we have an epidemic. It is an epidemic that we can’t seem to figure out how to stop.

There is a predictability in one thing, though, and that is people’s reactions to these events. It goes something like this: Almost immediately after something happens, people and organizations issue statements offering their thoughts and prayers for those affected. People go online and change their profile pictures and post statuses, memes, and stickers to show they care. Demands are made to do something to prevent future attacks.

And then, after a few days, those called-for discussions—often surrounding tough issues such as gun control, religion, and immigration—quickly devolve into arguments with people pointing fingers and placing blame. At a time when people should be uniting and searching for solutions, they spend time vilifying anyone who voices a belief or offers a suggestion contrary to theirs. Suddenly, thoughts and prayers become disagreements and arguments.

Not surprisingly, most of these discussions—if you can call them that—take place online, where people can safely spew hatred from the safety of their keyboards. Before long, a type of mob mentality kicks in.

A Timely Message

How ironic, then, that the theme for 2019’s World Communications Day Message—which will be celebrated on June 2—is: “‘We are members one of another’ (Eph 4:25). From social network communities to the human community.” When the Vatican announced the theme this past January, it noted that the theme is a call for “reflection on the current state and nature of relationships on the Internet, starting from the idea of community as a network between people in their wholeness.”

Read that again: interaction, dialogue, meet with others. These three important elements too often are missing from online discussions. Unfortunately, online, people often talk at others instead of with them.

In his message for the day, Pope Francis points out that, despite its capabilities for building up communities, “the social web identity is too often based on opposition to the other, the person outside the group: We define ourselves starting with what divides us rather than with what unites us, giving rise to suspicion and to the venting of every kind of prejudice (ethnic, sexual, religious and other). This tendency encourages groups that exclude diversity, that even in the digital environment nourish unbridled individualism, which sometimes ends up fomenting spirals of hatred. In this way, what ought to be a window on the world becomes a showcase for exhibiting personal narcissism.”

What’s Your Role?

The Internet is not going anywhere. It is going to continue to be a place for potential grace and potential evil. And we are not going to avoid it. It has become too ingrained in our lives. That is why we must realize that we can all be part of the problem or part of the solution.

With every post, like, retweet, and comment, we make our voices heard as part of these conversations. Even as Catholics, we cannot claim to have taken the higher ground online. There are many instances of less-than-Christlike conduct when it comes to discussing difficult issues—both inside and outside the Church.

If we are ever going to work toward preventing another massacre like the one in New Zealand, genuine thoughts and prayers will lead us to action. It’s going to take a lot of work, patience, and communication. We need to ask ourselves what our role will be in those conversations. Will we be a part of the problem or a part of the solution?

We moved in two days earlier on a Friday in 1957. Boxes were strewn all over the large attic, which my brothers and I claimed as our new bedroom. It had windows looking down into the backyard, which made the room airy and bright.

We no longer lived in the one-bedroom, third-floor apartment on the South Side of Chicago with our parents and sister. We no longer made the small dining room our bedroom, as we had since birth. Now our family lived in a huge house, with a backyard, a porch, and a front yard. We could make noise without worrying about someone tapping on their ceiling in the apartment below us, scolding us for being too rambunctious.

We fell in love with our home in a neighborhood that didn’t want us there.

Prayers of Healing

We barely slept before the morning sun filtered through the windows over our beds. Unaccustomed to sleeping alone, on that first night we pushed our single beds together into one large bed. Sleeping apart from one another was unknowable.

The three of us got up knowing Mom was going to make us go to church. After readying ourselves, and a quick bowl of cereal, we walked to St. Clotilde Catholic Church, which was two blocks from our home. It was our first Mass in our new community. It was a quiet walk, with the normal warnings of good behavior from Mom. There was hesitation and nervousness, which came over my mother as we approached the church.

Upon entering, we were greeted by an amalgam of white faces. They turned and stared. We found a pew near the back of the church and sat quietly as the priest began the service. He prayed in Latin and spoke in English, while my brothers and I busied ourselves by poking one another.

There was a quiet tenseness on my mother’s face during the service—and she didn’t go up for Communion. My brothers and I, though older, had not yet received our first Communion. After Mass concluded, we walked out of the church through the sea of white parishioners who, strangely, parted as we approached them. My mother, who was kind and soft-spoken, moaned through a barely opened mouth as we walked home.

It was difficult to determine what she was saying, but whatever it was, she was not happy. I was unfortunately holding her hand as her fingers dug into the flesh of my hand. Again, she muttered something, but we dared not ask what was wrong.

Then I began to understand her angry words: “That man is not going to put me out of my church!” she said over and over.

We later learned the priest was not welcoming to the new Black parishioners. He wanted us to go elsewhere. Evidently, he didn’t realize who my mother was and the depth of her faith and determination to confront what was so terribly wrong. From that day forward, she attended daily Mass and sat in the front pew. But what I found extraordinary was the tenacity of my mother’s faith. For at every meal, as we prayed for God to bless the food, she’d always whisper, “Please heal your priest.” Day after day, meal after meal, she prayed: “Please heal your priest. Please heal your priest.”

What I learned from my mother’s simple prayer was that the reason the priest didn’t want us at the church was because we were Black. He didn’t want us there because he was broken—by fear, ignorance, anger, and by a society that taught him to be afraid of what he did not know. He needed to be healed.

Over the next few years, the priest, Father Mattimore, got to know my mother, and my mother got to know and forgive him. On my parents’ 25th wedding anniversary, he came to our home and blessed their marriage and was blessed in return. That day, Father Mattimore became our pastor.

A great truth was taught to me long ago: We are all God’s children. If I discriminate or hate someone—for reasons of race, gender, capabilities, or lack thereof—it is not that person who is broken. It is me.

Let Us Pray

Lord, there is no better
time than now for our
faith to become more
vibrant, more evident,
more on fire with love.
Our love is needed
in our parishes, our
families, and our communities.
Lord, you
have told us you are
the way. With your
grace, we shall follow.
Amen.