Mary Models Mindfulness

 

I bought a calendar last year from ministryofthearts.org and liked it so much I got this year's. It has suggestions or "orders" for each day. Building up to the New Year on 29th it said, "Consider your place in time." On the 30th, "Reflect gratefully on 2008." This worked well for me. But then on the 31st, "What would Earth appreciate your doing in 2009?"
That's a big question, bigger than New Year's resolutions. I'm retired, trying to be more prayerful. What could I do for Earth? I looked at the 2009 calendar for January 1, "Reflect with your heart." Just what I'm doing or rather trying to do. It made me think that if everyone in the world was reflecting with their heart, we would see how connected we all are. The God in me would never hurt the God in you, or in any so called enemy.
Mary comes as we begin this New Year to teach us how to reflect and contemplate. After the shepherds have come to the stable in the second chapter of Luke's Gospel, he says, "As for Mary, she treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart." Ponder means to knock ideas and memories up against each other, like stones being polished, turning events over and over in our heads and in our hearts, until we get some glimmer of meaning or insight. Mary models mindfulness.
Contemplation deepens our awareness that the Holy One is in everything and everyone. That's something that Earth might well appreciate.
Filippo Lippi's beautiful Madonna seems lost in contemplation.