NBVM Novena Day 3: Mary, Model For The Young
Continuing to the 3rd Feast day, themed Mary, Model For The Young it focuses on the influence of our beloved Mother Mary on the youths and children. Mother Mary plays a significant role in our lives and especially for all young people that seek love and trust.
Looking into the readings for the day, Fr. Dom shares a few important takeaways that can help us reflect on our actions and faith in Christ. He first shares about the message from the second reading which describes the shift in relationship between Philemon and Onesimus. Philemon, a wealthy Christian owned Onesimus as his slave. Onesimus had run away after possibly doing something wrong. Paul and Onesimus cross paths and Paul knew about what happened between Onesimus and Philemon. While Onesimus was away and had some time with Paul, he had introduced Christ to Onesimus and soon after accepted his faith in Christ and became a believer. Paul decides to write a letter to Philemon not to take him back as his slave but to accept him as a brother in Christ. With that, Onesimus needed to have the courage and strength to go back although it may seem difficult and challenging.
Fr. Dom mentions based on the reading, the message is to Face the Giants. He explains that we tend to quickly resort to running away or escaping our problems and responsibilities in life that can be stressful and hard sometimes. But, we must learn to face them and put our trust in Christ to give us the strength and resilience to overcome any trials or tribulations that come our way.
Just like Mary, she stood by Jesus in his most difficult moments, showing unwavering loyalty and strength in the face of suffering. Her capacity to maintain her faith through hardship serves as a source of inspiration, showing that one can find strength even in seemingly insurmountable circumstances.
Another perspective that Fr. Dom shares during his homily is to Carry Your Cross and Follow Christ. He shares about how Jesus was preaching to the people openly and many were listening and were aware of the situation that Jesus was in. Doing what He did was risky and can lead to treason in which according to the Roman law, those that have committed a crime will be crucified. In this process, Jesus himself carried his own cross as a punishment to be crucified.
Jesus even told his disciples that if they have the desire to follow him they need to carry their cross even to the point of death. In other words, for us today if we have the same desire to follow Jesus, we need to be committed and able to go through hardship, persecution, rejection, etc. when doing God’s work like serving in the church as a leader or in other ways. Accepting the cross that God has given us and trusting Him in the process will gives us a sense of peace and fulfilment.
Lastly, Fr. Dom spoke about having Wisdom. He also mentions that Mother Mary is known as the Seat of Wisdom. He encourages us to pray that God will grant us wisdom which is having true knowledge of God that is beyond our understanding. Being silent and allowing God to work in us will enrich us with wisdom from God. It is also said that being a wise person is allowing God to mould us and use us as his instrument.
For Mary, her wisdom began with her real attentiveness and willingness to “treasure” and ponder the events of God’s work in her life, as noted in the Gospel of Luke (2:19). Mother Mary overall, stands as a guiding example for young people by reflecting virtues of faith, courage, compassion, and humility. Her acceptance of God’s plan, even amid uncertainty, inspires openness to new opportunities and challenges. Through her life, she also models integrity, dignity, and perseverance in the face of peer pressure or hardship, motivating the strength to remain true to one’s values.
By Emily Valentine