Do you have any spiritual goals for the New Year? If so, the example of Mary can help. When we read the story about how the angel Gabriel appeared to her and how the encounter changed her life forever, we realize that her own goals must have changed rather quickly. She went from being a normal bride-to-be to a young woman with a daunting spiritual challenge. As she dedicated herself to her new life, she displayed attributes that can help us with our own New Year’s aspirations.
Humility
When Mary said yes to a miraculous pregnancy before marriage, she must have known that people wouldn’t believe her. If Joseph had decided not to marry her, she would have been publicly humiliated. She was willing to forget about her own reputation to be true to her calling. Achieving spiritual goals often takes humility on our part, such as admitting that a bad habit needs to be changed.
Open-mindedness
Most of us have dreams and plans for how we want our lives to unfold in 2018. But what if an unexpected opportunity (or disaster) changes everything in the blink of an eye? Mary is open minded about changes in her life. When everything is different it can be unsettling, but change also offers tremendous opportunities for personal growth. Being open-minded can help us seize opportunities for spiritual growth, even if they’re unexpected.
Adventure
When Mary said yes to becoming the mother of God, she embarked on a great adventure. Adventures are full of excitement, but also bring fear, uncertainty, and maybe even sorrow. Mary followed her son through all the highs and lows of his life, including staying by his side during his death. It is understandable that many of us are satisfied with our comfortable routines, but sometimes a bit of adventure, with all of its good and bad, is exactly what we need. Don’t be afraid to get out of your comfort zone!
Courage
Saying yes to a new goal can be daunting and it takes courage to commit to spiritual growth. Mary risked her whole life when she committed to her exceptional motherhood and was never the same. We still talk about her today, so her courage definitely made a difference not just to her, but to the entire world. She changed history by her lifelong commitment to her personal and spiritual goals. It truly is amazing how much each of us can affect the world around us for the better if we have the courage to say yes.
Read more:
The forgotten story of Mary’s midwife
And today we celebrate...