Treasuring

“His mother treasured all these things in her heart." Luke 2:51

How much pain can a mother go through in her lifetime? No one knows more than Mary! She was but a young girl when God called her to do a woman's job. The pain of knowing she was to be different from any other woman, set apart. While her son was growing in her womb, the uncertainty of the future, of how others would accept her and her Son. The bittersweetness of giving birth and watching Jesus grow up healthy, strong, wise and good, knowing that there was something big and terrible looming in the horizon. The suffering of having her heart torn when her only Son is tortured and reviled and then killed the cruelest way possible. 

Her reaction to all this? Treasuring. How can you treasure the pain? The suffering? The uncertainty? Obviously it is possible. By focusing on the eternal and not on what passes. Lord, may I learn to see through Your eyes. May I treasure not only the good times, but also the challenging seasons of my life. May I be so beguiled by You that I am always awaiting Your next message, Your next lesson, Your next intervention and experience for me! 

St. Joseph, pray for us!