8th August, 2010 Feast of Mary MacKillop
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For most people… its easy to be gracious when everything is going well…. When people speak well of us and treat us nicely…. And everything is going our way…. Flowing according to plan……..But it takes a saint to be gracious in times of intense difficulty……
Jesus is the model for all saints… and a saint is so named because they allow the person and message (and qualities) of Jesus to shine through their lives and find a home in their actions and attitudes…..
Mary MacKillop is a wonderful example of that… It is an absolute miracle of God’s grace that such a wonderful woman is about to be canonised by the church, so that Mary MacKillop’s life might be an inspiration to Christian discipleship to the universal church.
It is utterly amazing that someone who was once excommunicated by the church, (albeit unjustly and wrongly) could now be beatified and soon to be canonised… whose praises are sung throughout the world……. But it is this ‘grace under fire’ this gracious reflecting of God’s love and faithfulness and justice, even in the face of lies and condemnation, that shows the qualities that Jesus speaks of in the beatitudes…
Mary MacKillop’s life is also an example of complete trust in God’s providence…. But this is not some kind of helpless waiting around and doing nothing … rather Mary MacKillop knew that God’s providence was revealed through the love and care of human beings… So, Mary became famous for her attitude summed up in the saying..”never see a need without doing something to help.” Mary saw a need for education, shelter and support of those most in need.. namely poor children, destitute men and women.. and so set up schools and shelters for people in need….
We can all make a difference by responding to the needs around us and believing that we can make a difference….
May Our Lord inspire us to be people of care, compassion, graciousness and love (in season and out of season) and people of practical action, making a difference to those most in need..
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