VinFormation

contributed by Fr. Tom McKenna, CM
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Vincent’s key insights about the Blessed Mother and Praising God

There were three events in Mary’s life that Vincent referred to often, because they carry three basic attitudes that enable us to praise God rightly:

1. The Immaculate Conception, Mary conceived without sin.
• Mary put up no resistances to the workings of God within her. She was 100% cooperative.
• Rather than closing down to the movements of God within her, she was wide open to them, fully sensitive to them.
• Rather than filtering out any of the light of God shining within her, right from the beginning she let herself be totally exposed to it.
2. The Annunciation, the scene where the angel visits Mary and announces she is to be the Mother of God.
• She offers herself for whatever God wants– “Be it done unto me according to your word.”
• “Who am I that the Lord should come to me?”
• My spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
3. The Visitation, the time when Mary travels to be with her Cousin, Elizabeth, to help her in her old-age pregnancy.
• The detail that Vincent picks up on is how Mary went to Elizabeth, how she left her own house in haste.
• She is not just open to God, not just ready to serve – but she actually serves, actually gets on the road, really jumps at the chance to act.
• Vincent sees this quality as an integral part of coming before God – not only being ready and willing to serve God’s cause, but actually serving.