Learning Fellowship from Mary

Last updated on: March 29, 2015 at 2:46 pm by Leah Libresco

Learning Fellowship from Mary 2015-03-29T14:46:28-04:00 Leah Libresco

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Wikimedia Commons

Before I picked up Denise Bossert’s Gifts of the Visitation: Nine Spiritual Encounters with Mary and Elizabeth, I had run into a very short meditation on Mary’s visit to Elizabeth on a friend’s tumblr.

the first christian and the first person to make a declaration of christian faith

the visitation is so important. 2 pregnant women, caring for each other, prophesying, acting radically on their faith in god’s power and intention to lift up the lowly, knowing their sons will do incredible things while probably apprehensive about the danger they would face, and meanwhile the only dude around is mute

Bossert’s series of reflections uses the Visitation to bring Mary’s virtues into focus, and, in her consideration of each one, she explores where this strength expressed itself elsewhere in Mary’s life and where Bossert herself succeeds and struggles to allow space for these gifts in her own life.

There were virtues I expected to see listed (humility, readiness, etc), but what I found most striking was Bossert’s choice to explore these aspects of Mary as she expressed them before the birth of Christ, when, during what I might have thought of a period of waiting, Mary was already in motion, sharing love with Elizabeth.

When I might be running “When Will My Life Begin?” again in my head, I could stand to look over this passage from Bossert’s book:

Is it time to take a look around you and see who needs some practical assistance? Who needs a little help just to get through the day? Can you become Mary to another Elizabeth? Perhaps you have overlooked someone because you tend to see someone from your own perspective and are caught in a trap of elevating yourself and your own position as a Christ-bearer. Is there someone who is not seen by the crowds, but who is far greater than you in this mission to share Christ? Can you receive that one with hospitality even as Elizabeth recieved Mary into her home?

If hospitality is not a gift you possess on a natural level, are you open to receiving supernatural help in this area?

I’m working on developing my hospitality reflexes (what Capon would call my capacity to be a “fat mother”), and Bossert’s book is a reminder that I don’t need to wind up at the center of the activity when I’m trying to offer my home to others. And that spending time with others isn’t what I’m doing while I wait to have a settled life of my own, it’s an end in itself.

I received a review copy as part of the Patheos Book Club.

Reviews/Recommendations

Previous Post

March 28, 2015

Preparing for Holy Week [Radio Readings]

Next Post

March 30, 2015 Even a Small Saint is an Urgent Need [Saints Bookclub]

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category 7 Quick Takes Apologetics Atheism Book Conversion Debate Tactics Debates Epistemology/Philosophy Housekeeping Ideological Turing Test Marriage Morality in Practice Parsing Catholicism Possibly Heretical Radio Reviews/Recommendations Sequence Index Spiritual Practice Uncategorized

Select a Month April 2017 March 2017 January 2017 December 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who is described as "a beloved physician" and accompanied Paul?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Silas Luke Titus Mark