This feast reminds me that “Earth is crammed with heavenly purpose” every moment afire with the glory of God. We gaze upon this incredible Triptych gilded within an inch of heaven – not for vanity’s sake – but to remind us that the story of our salvation is at the heart of our thanksgiving and also, that from the furthest corner of this church for the most determined or even blinkered pilgrim we can do nothing other than see, glimmering in the periphery of our vision, something of the narrative of God’s love to which we are called to celebrate and be part.
We are the equivalent of this glimmering story of the realisation of God’s heavenly purpose on earth. Rough and mostly shabby and unrestored, yet – crammed with heaven, each of us shining, even ablaze with the revelation and purpose of God’s love.
Mary said yes. Joseph was obedient. Even the blessed donkey had a part to play.
How will you be a shining testimony even on the periphery of other people’s lives to draw them into the story of God and purposes of his Kingdom?
This is the challenge for the Christian. For none of us can claim the whole attention of the world. But we can, if we are prepared to be gilded with the stories of our God’s love towards us: shine before others’ the light of Christ.
And that light introduced in the love between Our Lady and our God compels us to say: Hail Mary full of Grace… Amen