Who Was More Centered than Mary?

To quote a famous mother: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done unto me according to thy word." (Luke 1: 38) Can you even imagine how different our lives would be if we would utter those words every day? How we fear to let go of our own will to find out what God has planned for us!

Who knows better than God what we need? Yet we try so hard to control everything. The recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan shakes us to our core because we see just how NOT in control we are. We think we are in control because we plan so much of our lives; what time we get up, who we call on the phone, the kind of car we drive, the house we live in and on and on. This is why, when the unexpected happens, we complain and carry on.

Jesus has given us His own Mother Mary to show us the path to freedom by being open to the will of the Father. Mary was so centered that even the appearance of an angel did not cause her fear. She listened as the angel told her what God needed of her, and then she gave her Fiat. Having a child was not on her list of things to do. Mary had consecrated her life to God. She had planned to spend her life in a chaste manner, meaning she would never have children. Yet God had other plans for her. She not only would have a child, but THE Child. Talk about not being in control!

Today, decide to lose control. Decide to open your hands to receive what God has to offer you. Decide to "Do whatever He tells you." (John 2:5)