On the reverse side of Brother Peter's 25th anniversary of profession of vows holy card yesterday we read, "The Lord is with you."
These words are taken from the Annunciation scene from the first chapter of Saint Luke. Brother Peter Heiskell reflected on the call of the Annunciation mirrored his own life. He had the opportunity to say "yes" twenty-five years ago. And has continuously said "yes" on a daily basis in a myriad of ways.
“In one of his Advent homilies, Bernard of Clairvaux offers a stirring presentation of the drama of this moment. After the error of our first parents, the whole world was shrouded in darkness, under the domain of death. Now God seeks to enter the world anew. He knocks at Mary’s door. He needs human freedom. The only way he can redeem man, who was created free, is by means of a free “yes” to his will. In creating freedom, he made himself in a certain sense dependent upon man. His power is tied the unenforceable “yes” of a human being. So Bernard portrays heaven and earth as it were holding its breath at this moment of the question addressed to Mary. Will she say yes? She hesitates…will her humility hold her back? Just this once – Bernard tells her – do not be humble but daring! Give us your “yes”!…It is the moment of free, humble yet magnanimous obedience in which the loftiest choice of human freedom is made.”
“Mary becomes a mother through her “yes.” The Church Fathers sometimes expressed this by saying that Mary conceived through her ear – that is to say: through her hearing. Through her obedience, the Word entered into her and became fruitful in her. In this connection, the Fathers developed the idea of God’s birth in us through faith and baptism, in which the Logos comes to make us ever anew, making us God’s children.”
He who has begun this good work in you, bring it to completion.
