The Virtue of the Handmaid

Downton Abbey's Head Housemaid, Anna

"Handmaid" - the Blessed Mother used that word for herself when she responded to Gabriel, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word" (Lk 1:38).  

Handmaid - what does it mean?  The Greek word is doule - meaning servant, slave girl. That is how our Blessed Mother, who possessed more grace than all the saints and angels combined - understood herself.  And there was nothing derogatory about it.  

There is no shame in being a servant; it is part of reality. That same word (in its masculine form, doulos) is used in the Bible for Moses, Joshua, David, and Jesus!  That's right, God became man to make himself a servant, the Servant (Is 52:13-53:12).  Listen to our Lord:

• "If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all." (Mk 9:35)
• "Who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves." (Lk 22:27)
• "If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you." (Jn 13:14-15)

On Monday, I shared how inspired I have been by Gary Zimak's Listen to Your Blessed Mother.  Listen to how he brings all of this down to earth:

We view certain tasks and jobs as being “beneath us”.  On the other hand, Mary understood and embraced her role as God’s handmaid.  She made her proclamation without any qualifications whatsoever.  She was the Lord’s servant in all circumstances, not just the favorable ones.  The details didn’t really matter to her.  What was important was that she was willing to do anything that God asked of her.  That’s exactly what a good and faithful servant does.    

Fresh Insights Into the Heart of Mary - Gary Zimak's "Listen to Your Blessed Mother"

Gary Zimak is one of those rare people who can share profoundly deep insights, but in the language of the break room; and that's exactly what we need in these days of the New Evangelization!  I was fortunate enough to get an advance copy of his latest book, Listen to Your Blessed Mother: Mary's Words in Scripture; and Gary has crafted another winner. 

In it, he gives us a program of Christian life, drawn wholly from the words of Mary.  "What?  She only spoke like four times in the Bible!"  I know, but as Gary shows, it is the depth of Mary's recorded words, and the actions that accompanied them, that fully encapsulate the life of the believer.  Throughout the book he moves flawlessly back and forth from reflection to real-life application.

What I love most about this book is how tenaciously Gary digs into Mary's words - we're talking five chapters on the Magnificat alone!  Could you do that?  I couldn't.  That's what makes this book fantastic though: he did the work, and we reap the benefits - the Communion of Saints in action. What else can you expect to find?  Three chapters covering the Annunciation, two for the Finding in the Temple, two on the Marriage at Cana, and five drawing lessons from Mary's other (silent) appearances in the gospels and Acts. This book has me excited - I want to do a couple of posts this week sparked by Gary's insights.

The book will be released on August 15th, the Feast of the Assumption; but I was shocked to see Amazon offering 25% off on pre-orders ($9.74 instead of $12.99).  I don't know how long they plan to do that; but it's a steal.  Hope you can take advantage of it.

 

EWTN's "The Journey Home" - A Year Later

When I heard today's date, I realized that it was my one year anniversary of visiting with Marcus Grodi on The Journey Home.  I remember watching the interview with my family and a few close friends - how completely mortified I was seeing myself, "You guys have to look at that goofy face all of the time?!"  Sure I had looked in the mirror before, but watching my facial expressions as I  told a story was a whole new ball game.  Once again though God showed Himself more than capable of writing straight with crooked lines, because all of the feedback I received was overwhelmingly positive - people were not distracted by me, but instead heard how awesomely generous, powerful, and patient God is with His children.

The thing I am personally most grateful for regarding the visit was how it gave me a chance to visit with my friend Kevin Lowry (COO of the Coming Home Network that produces TJH).  I had started reading Kevin's blog a year before, and we struck up a friendship via email; but my visit to the show was my first chance to speak to him face-to-face. He is such a personable, authentically holy, down-to-earth guy - a true brother in Christ.  I felt such a tremendous comfort sharing more of my story with him - in particular my experience of the Cross in the years following those I shared about on TJH. I am very fortunate to have had Kevin interceding for me this past year.  

So has anything changed as a result of my appearance on The Journey Home?  Well, it certainly made more people aware of this blog; the traffic for this past year was 300% greater than the four previous years combined!  (Thanks are also due of course to Gary Zimak and Devin Rose for their kind recommendations of Just a Catholic to their readers.)  TJH is an incredible platform to speak from, and I am tremendously honored to have been able to share some of the high points in the story of what the Lord Jesus has done for me.  My sincerest thanks to Marcus, Kevin, Scott Scholten, Bill Bateson, Mary Claire Piecynski, and JonMarc Grodi for welcoming me and making it such a memorable visit.

A Worrier's Guide to the Bible - Book Review

I have looked forward to reading this book since I first caught wind of it several months ago on Facebook.  Gary's Following The Truth website, articles, and radio visits are fantastic, so I had the bar set pretty high for his first book; and I have to tell you, Gary sailed over it.  A Worrier's Guide to the Bible: 50 Verses to Ease Anxieties is on my Christmas list for quite a few people.

It's a subject that is always relevant but at this moment in history, when our Church, country, and world seem deluged by difficulties, Gary brings the message of Scripture to us in a fresh, honest, energizing way.  As the subtitle of the book says, Gary unpacks 50 Bible verses that, if interiorized, will free us from worry and anxiety.  This isn't pop psychology but an opportunity to ground ourselves in God's truth, the really Real.  "These are [the Lord's] words and they mean something. Like a parent who responds to a child’s 'why?' with, 'Because I said so,' the Lord is telling us not to worry about these things. And looking at this realistically, doesn’t it make sense that the Lord knows best? ... let’s look at why Jesus’ advice is solid and how it can be followed." 

And Gary does exactly that, illuminating each of the 50 verses with unflinchingly honest stories from his and his family's lives.  Having read Gary's blog for some time, I can tell you that he is no stranger to trials.  "Hard-wired for worry," Gary has been learning about God's desire to calm our fears and carry us through for decades.  He has grouped the 50 verses that have spoken most deeply to him into seven areas:  Confusion, Despair, Doubt, Fear, Persecution, Sickness, Trials &Tribulations.  What a great way for readers to find what they need in the heat of the moment!

I was impressed by the pattern Gary chose for the book.  First, he quotes one of the 50 verses.  Next, he digs into it, explaining its original context and how it has been understood by the saints down through the centuries.  Then he shows how God used this truth to help set him free from anxiety.  And finally, and most importantly, he puts the reader directly into contact with God, leading them in prayer that the Lord seal this truth in their hearts.  That's lectio divina, an ancient form of prayer - read Scripture, meditate deeply on its message, and speak to the Lord in response, so as to achieve a transforming union with Him (contemplation)!

Let me finish by saying that Gary Zimak is a gifted writer.  He is able to weave profound ideas into stories that anyone can relate to - comforting, encouraging, and challenging us as he goes.  I believe that A Worrier's Guide to the Bible is destined to do a lot of good.