Today, on the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, I’ve been paying particular attention to the many small, unexpected twists and turns of an average day.  I had an impromptu visit with Sisters Margaret Mary and Kathleen Christa.  I dove into a gift basket of tea that turned out to be a gift basket of coffee.  An unexpected question from Sr. Bertha led me to about 20 minutes of lending a hand and assisting her with a guest.  I later spent about 20 minutes giving away coffee.  And so on.

I’ve noticed these small things in light of Mary, Mother of God, on this her solemnity.  We usually focus, and rightly so, on Mary’s motherhood, her Annunciation, and other major events and aspects of her life that are celebrated liturgically.  But today I thought alot about her flight to Egypt with Joseph and her newborn son.  An unexpected twist and turn in a life full of unexpected twists and turns. 

I do not know what unexpected twists and turns may come in this new year.  I pray that I will greet them with the trust and equipoise of Mary.  And I pray that I will greet  them with the words of praise that form her Magnificat – “My soul glorifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my savior.”