Life is such a wonderful experience, so thrilling and exhilarating, that I often wish for more and wishing for it never to end. But life is also punctuated by moments of emptiness and boredom. Life is meant to be lived in the sunshine and the fresh air but there will always be the darkness and the shadows as well. I have lived my life with a beautiful soundtrack always playing in the background, be it the rustling of the wind, the singing of the birds, a well-loved and favorite song or a sweet lilting melody made up just for me by Jane. But I also look for moments of silence and solitude. Thus, is the rhythm of life: light and shadows, fullness and emptiness, sounds and silence. Often, I seek only the light and fullness of life, not wanting the shadows, the emptiness and the silence. I succumb to addictions to cheap substitutes. There are many things that I do not understand. But one thing I have consistently experienced is a Presence that leads me into life and all its fullness. He has not promised to take away the shadows, or the empty moments or the noisy distractions. He has guaranteed to bring me to my final destination.
Today is the Feast of the Mary’s Immaculate Conception. This events in her life were difficult to understand. We hail her as a great woman but she had her share of darkness, shadows and tumultuous noise. I am sure there were many things she did not comprehend. She just kept these things in her heart and, in faith and full trust, she simply gave her Fiat.
Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her. Luke 1:26-38