The Holy Name of Mary Helps Us Turn Our Work Into Prayer
We recently saw how important it was to imitate our Lord, specifically in applying the virtues of meekness and humility to our work. While the very idea of imitating Our Lord can sometimes be daunting, we should remember that we can call on Mary. During her life on earth, she imitated His life. She can help us imitate the life of her Son in our own lives. I was reminded of this on her feast day of the Holy Name of Mary, in combination with a book I recently read.
Through Mary's prayer, the Magnificat, we find the best way to work "for the greater glory of God." Amy Welborn describes this prayer in her book, Mary and the Christian Life.
Mary spoke the words of the Magnificat in St. Luke's Gospel, during her "visitation" to her cousin Elizabeth. At the Annunciation, the angel Gabriel told Mary that Elizabeth was in the sixth month of her pregnancy. With Our Lord now physically present (incarnated) in her womb, Mary traveled "in haste" to be with her cousin. You know the story. As she arrives, she greets Elizabeth, who calls Our Lady "blessed...among woman" and tells her that the baby in her womb (St. John the Baptist) "leaped." Mary's response to this exchange begins:
In telling Him that we work for His greater glory, we unite our will to His. We praise Him. Thus we have a prayer of praise. We ask for nothing for ourselves. Along with Mary, our soul magnifies the Lord in our work.
As Ms. Welborn explains,
Would that I could do this daily! Of course, my ego inevitably horns its way in. While the purity of my intention may remain unsullied, the expression of that intention becomes stained by the selfishness and even sinfulness of my fallen human nature. Maybe I'm not charitable towards others, not diligent in my efforts. When that happens I can call to her, to Mary. Her holy name helps me to forget myself, my imperfections, my sins. In her holy name, I can praise God again in my work.
Through Mary's prayer, the Magnificat, we find the best way to work "for the greater glory of God." Amy Welborn describes this prayer in her book, Mary and the Christian Life.
Mary spoke the words of the Magnificat in St. Luke's Gospel, during her "visitation" to her cousin Elizabeth. At the Annunciation, the angel Gabriel told Mary that Elizabeth was in the sixth month of her pregnancy. With Our Lord now physically present (incarnated) in her womb, Mary traveled "in haste" to be with her cousin. You know the story. As she arrives, she greets Elizabeth, who calls Our Lady "blessed...among woman" and tells her that the baby in her womb (St. John the Baptist) "leaped." Mary's response to this exchange begins:
My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior...
Mary's Magnificat is a prayer of praise. In the words of Pope Benedict XVI, "we see how her thoughts are attuned to the thoughts of God, how her will is one with the will of God." Author Welborn further explains:
If we want to work each day for the greater glory of God, what better way than to turn our work - all of it - into a prayer. We do this simply by expressing our intention to work "for the greater glory of God." This intention is expressed by our will. We make this intention before we go about our business each day. We can make it, as well, throughout the day.Jesus tells us over and over to bring all of our needs to God. No matter how small our request, no matter how small we think of ourselves...But he also gave us a commandment. A first commandment. A greatest commandment: to love the Lord your God with all your heart.What is love if it is not expressed? In our prayers of praise and gratitude, we live in obedience to the greatest commandment. After all, how authentic would we judge the affection of another from whom we only heard requests and needs?
In telling Him that we work for His greater glory, we unite our will to His. We praise Him. Thus we have a prayer of praise. We ask for nothing for ourselves. Along with Mary, our soul magnifies the Lord in our work.
As Ms. Welborn explains,
To praise, to thank, to bless. This is at the heart of prayer...
Look carefully at Mary’s prayer. For what is she praising God? Satisfying her needs, making her personally “happy,” or fixing her problems? Not really. It seems as if she is praising and thanking God for his power and his mercy and that she, his handmaid, is playing a role in his plan of redemption...Furthermore:
In the words of Joseph Ratzinger, to magnify the Lord means not to want to magnify ourselves, our own name, our own ego; not to spread ourselves and take up more space, but to give him room so that he may be more present in the world. It means to become more truly what we are: not a self-enclosed monad that displays nothing but itself...It means to get free of the dust and soot that obscures and begrimes the transparency of the image and to become truly human by pointing exclusively to him.And so Mary teaches us that with our intention to work for the greater glory of God, we turn away from ourselves, from any selfish motives that attend our work. As we complete each task, interact with each person during the day, we magnify the Lord, not ourselves.
Would that I could do this daily! Of course, my ego inevitably horns its way in. While the purity of my intention may remain unsullied, the expression of that intention becomes stained by the selfishness and even sinfulness of my fallen human nature. Maybe I'm not charitable towards others, not diligent in my efforts. When that happens I can call to her, to Mary. Her holy name helps me to forget myself, my imperfections, my sins. In her holy name, I can praise God again in my work.
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