from St. Louis du Montfort: True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, #248
Reflection:
The Word Made Flesh. This is a huge deal! That the Word given by God was made manifest in flesh and bone upon Mary's great "Yes!" Because of the Incarnation, it became possible to encounter God in a very real way. I can't imagine what it must have been like to see and interact with Jesus in real life. Surely it must have been a great joy to encounter God ... in the flesh. Can I even imagine Mary's joy to have the Word Made Flesh dwell within her womb? Can I even fathom the meaning and importance of this, for its immensity is truly great and significant?
And so God allowed us to begin to have a real, personal encounter with Him in the Incarnation of His Son but now that He has died and is risen, I can still have a very real and personal encounter with Him in the flesh.
I'm grateful that one of the few major things that I was able to be truly convinced about regarding the Catholic faith is that the Eucharist is truly Jesus present in the flesh. What great consolations I've received from devotion and faith to Jesus in the Eucharist! Worthy of separate, proper treatment blog posts, for sure. But one thing is for certain: since the Eucharist is Jesus, every time I go to Mass or adore Christ in the Eucharist, it is a personal encounter with the Incarnated One.
Response:
And as a metaphor for my faith journey, the availability of encountering Jesus in this way is a constant reminder of Jesus' presence in my life. I should keep conscious of this fact throughout these days, everyday.
In the words of Simeon,
...my own eyes have seen the salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of every people.Ad Jesum per Mariam,
- JD
