We learned in Metaphysics this week, after reviewing our progress so far, on which we will be tested this coming week, that everything that exists is one (singular), true, and good, and that the combination of all of these is beauty. These are the transcendental characteristics of all things.
This week has been filled with many blessings as I met with different people, grew in experience and appreciation of my Confirmation students, and learned SO MUCH in all of my classes! Latin is growing quite fascinating, with new vocabulary every class meeting (we have over 230 words, with all of their various mutations according to the grammar), and at our last class, we learned the entire Imperfect Indicative tense, in both active and passive forms, for all 4 conjugations (kind of 5, since there are two subdivisions of the 3rd conjugation). That means knowing how to modify the basic form of verbs a total of (active and passive voice, 5 conjugation families, 6 personal endings) 60 different ways, all to express the continuing/progressive past! Capiuntur (they understood) or capiabantur (they were understood by somebody)??? As I frequently say in class, "That's awesome!"
Today, we had a day of recollection, with a guest priest from the Archdiocese of Boston Chancery directing. The focus was on the example of Mary at the Annunciation and the Visitation, and how she teaches us to both expect and to seek out newness from God. Mary was pleasantly surprised at the Annunciation, for, though she knew that God works anew in the lives of His people, she did not create her own fantasy of His new creation in her life, but rather lived in eager anticipation of what it might be, and then tested it when it came upon her: "how can this be?" Like Mary, we should be aware that the eternal activity of the Trinity is a work of creation, both of new beings and of events and relationships among men. Also, like Mary, we should look outside of ourselves to be aware of this beautiful work of creation around us, and seek to experience the Divine Creator who is responsible for it all. We must not let ourselves obstruct our own path to this knowledge of God, nor grow stagnant in admiration of what already exists, to the point that we do not recognize the new birth around us. Mary's example of going "in haste" to visit her cousin is a manifestation of her appreciation for the newness in her own person, as well as that of Elizabeth. When she arrives, she recalls the goodness of God to His people in the past, and looks forward to the future, giving herself over to His will in perfect servitude.
Our director also raised the nuanced difference between a servant and a volunteer: a volunteer typically chooses his own time and manner of contribution to the cause at hand; a servant is employed fully, always ready to do whatever the master requires, regardless of his own discomfort in the task, knowing that the master's understanding of what is right and how it must be done is so much greater, and resolving, with interior peace, to accomplish what is asked of him. So, too, should we seek to perfect our servitude in order to better serve our Divine Master, departing from the self-concerned volunteerism to a whole-hearted offering of self to Him.
The words of Venerable Fr. Pio Bruno Lanteri are particularly appropriate today: "Nunc coepi" – Now I begin!
Love the Immaculata!
Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca
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