⁃ Maria Sangeetha
At the recently concluded World Youth Day, Pope Francis in the presence of a million youth
called on the Church to acknowledge Mary with a new title: ‘Our Lady in a haste’. This is
based on the verse, which was also the theme of the World Youth Day, “Mary arose and went
in haste” (Lk 1:39).
Mother Mary has many titles. In the litany we find many of these. We usually tend to call
someone by many endearing names when this person is extremely dear to us. In a family, the
little child might have an official name, but invariably it is called by all sorts of loving words
and even sounds! It is true that these multiple titles reflect how beloved Mary is to the church.
More importantly, every title directs us to contemplate a scriptural value, a promise and
specially a model for us as Disciples of Christ.
THE SCRIPTURAL VALUE
“Oh that today, you would hear His voice, harden not your hearts.” (Heb 4:7)
“Our Lady in a haste” is by any standards an unusual title. We usually associate haste with
that wise saying “Haste makes waste.” Yet when it comes to Christian spirituality, making
haste is crucial. A moment lost is the grace lost. When one hears the voice of God, one must
hasten to respond. Nothing else is of such value to delay us from responding to God. ‘Kairos’
or ‘hour of grace’ is a term that reminds us that taking hold of the most blessed moments of
life is governed by the principle that “it’s now or never.” God is always present, but there are
special moments of intervention. At such moments if we are not alert to sense and to respond,
we actually miss the grace! Through the scriptures there is therefore an emphasis on the
‘today’ and the ‘now’.
There is a certain peculiar trend in the call of the disciples. The Lord always seemed to call
them while they were in the middle of a task. And every time, you see them immediately
respond, abandoning whatever else they were doing. The gospels say just as Simon and
Andrew were in the waters casting the net, Jesus called out to them. “At once they left their
nets and followed him” (May 4:20). They left their catch, the nets, the boat and followed
Jesus. Next we see James and John in the boat mending nets with their father. They hear
Jesus calling them, and “immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him”
(Mat 4:22). Matthew is at the customs office doing his work. It is day and business is
happening as usual. But at the w sound of two words, “Follow me” (Mat 9:9), Matthew
leaves his post to follow Jesus. There’s a certain urgency that’s to be observed when the Lord
calls. When the Lord reveals to us a sin to give up, a good deed to observe, a mission to take
up, we cannot afford to postpone our response. St Augustine speaking of his early life
mentions how day after day he procrastinated his conversion praying “God give me chastity,
but not today.” Yet in one instant when God spoke to him through the Bible “The night is
advanced, the day is at hand. Let us then throw off the works of darkness [and] put on the
armor of light” (Rom 13:12), he broke with the life of sin, once and for all.
When blind Bartimaeus knew Jesus was passing that way, while everyone else thought it was
inopportune, he knew it was a moment of grace and cried out incessantly until he was
touched by the Saviour (Mk 10). He did not take it for granted that Christ should pass that
way again.
When we sense a direction from God, we need to follow the Blessed Mother in haste.
MODEL OF DISCIPLESHIP
“I was unwell and you cared for me” (Mat 25:36)
Scripture says “Mary arose and went in haste” (Lk 1:39). She arose from the most exalted
moment of her life. She has just been “appointed”, so to say, as the Mother of the Son of God.
She does not get herself a throne, expecting others to care for her. She rushes instead, to care
for her cousin Elizabeth who in her advanced years is pregnant. Mary doesn’t receive an
intimation from Elizabeth. She does not insist on formalities! The angel of God merely
informs her and she realizes her cousin was in need. Elizabeth was a person who would have
been ridiculed all her life for having been unable to have a child. Yet for Mary, to serve
Elizabeth was the most sacred mission at that moment.
Here we come to recognize that unique aspect of Christian spirituality where human
relationships have an utmost sacred value. The caliber of my spirituality is marked not by
how many hours I pray, not even by the fascinating spiritual gifts I may exercise or the scale
of my ministry, but by the kindness and compassion I offer my neighbour. Jesus said, “This is
how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).
Considering that the young Virgin Mary has had a tremendous experience of the glory of
heaven, it is amazing that she doesn’t drag her feet to reach out to the needy (and not so near)
neighbour! She would traverse a difficult journey across the hills of Judea, in what were
important months for herself since she too was carrying a child within. She is indeed a
shining model of discipleship.
THE PROMISE
“Will He be slow to answer them?” (Lk 18:7)
Pope Francis presenting “Our Lady in haste” said this is our consolation and confidence that
we have a mother who will not delay in reaching help to her needy children. We can turn to
the Mother in trouble and she will rush to our side. She cannot be indifferent, nor can she be
late for she is “Our Lady in haste.”
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