Mary's Persuasion

This morning, I ran on a path that meandered by a tree-shaded river, enjoying the cool air and a light breeze.  As my feet pounded the pavement, I prayed the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary.  On my third mile, I began the 5th decade and reflected on The Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple. 

At 12 years old, Jesus was considered a man in the Jewish community.  For the first time, He entered the area of the temple denied to Him when He was a child, and He was eager to get to His Father's work.  His mother, however, was not so eager.  Perhaps Simeon's warning, "... and you yourself a sword will pierce," was still very fresh in her mind.  Mary knew the Scriptures and Isaiah's prophecy of the Suffering Servant and no doubt was beside herself at the thought of such a young man-- her young man-- suffering so greatly.  Mary gently led her Son back home, and He obediently complied.

As I contemplated the joyful additional 18 years that Mary spent quietly with Jesus, I actually stopped running and exclaimed "OH!" aloud as I connected the 5th Joyful Mystery to the 2nd Luminous Mystery, The Wedding Feast at Cana.  It was Mary who propelled Jesus back to His Father's work when she gently urged Him to perform His first miracle, changing water into wine.

Jesus loves His mother so much that He permitted her to time the beginning of His Father's work on earth.  When she held Him back in the Temple, He obeyed.  He waited patiently for 18 years until she was prepared to finally let Him go.  When she gently urged Him to perform a miracle at Cana, He changed His mind ("My hour has not yet come...") and agreed to manifest His Godly power through a miracle, thus beginning His final journey to the cross and our salvation.

By prayig the Rosary, we too can compel Jesus to hold back or to take action, through the intercession of His beloved Mother.