Hail Mary
Hail Mary, full of grace.
Our Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb,
Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
Once a year, whether you are a fan or not, the Sunday comes around where everyone crowds in front of the television to watch one game. It's Super Bowl Sunday! I'm a girl who can get into the game, and while my team may not be competing for the win this season, I appreciate a close game and a well fought for victory. So as the snacks on the table quickly disappear, and the seconds on the clock tick away, I find myself cheering for a fair match. I want the game to go down to the wire. I want to see the team who wants it more fighting with all they have for the winning play. A blow out is boring. I don't want to know who wins before the second half even rolls around. And, perhaps, as a girl with strong faith, I'd love nothing more than the game coming down to a Hail Mary play to win it all.
The Hail Mary play is a desperate pass made near the end of the game with little likelihood of success. It's that moment when you have to just take your chances and make the throw trusting that you have what it takes to make it down the field. As a Catholic, I realized it's kind of awesome, we have a football play, named after such a beautiful part of our faith. Think about it, football players get to take those risks on the field, put it all on the line and hope for the best. And then they call it the Hail Mary. But we as Catholics, we get to put it all on the line in real life. We get to risk it all for our love of the Lord, and on our journey we have the privilege of calling on none other than Mary for guidance and prayers.
I was considering this for a second and realized, in my own life, as small as the moments seem to the rest of the world, I have had my own Hail Mary plays. But what's the difference between my throws and those of a quarterback? Well besides the Super Bowl being on the line, a quarterback throws the ball desperately, expecting no real chance of success. I, on the other hand, make the throws knowing they may not always make it to the other end of the field but also knowing that regardless, God will make it a success in the exact way He wants it. Mary isn't just who my passes are named after, she's a role model in my life and she inspires so many of the throws I make.
Mary willing said yes to God when He presented her with a scenario she could never have imagined. She listened to His call and lived out fully His plans for her. She is a beautiful example and absolutely a gift to be hailed. Her example, is what gives me the courage to say yes to her son, our Lord. Her intercessions are what sustain me, even when I can't find the words to pray myself. And when I find myself ready to throw a pass, even if it's a long shot, I'm willing to risk it all to follow God.
I can't imagine it being easy for Mary to make the choice to follow the will of God. The world, I'm sure passed their judgement. And there is no way I can imagine the agony she must have felt as she watched her Son die on the cross. But when following God in life means taking a risk, or trusting in something even though it may bring hurt, I do it. Why? Because that's what it means to be a disciple of Christ. You risk it all to live the life He has planned for you!
Yes, it might hurt sometimes. Yes, it could be scary. Yes, the pass might be intercepted, or dropped, or ran in for the touchdown. You throw it regardless, because you trust that God is calling you to make the throw. And no matter what the result is, His love will sustain you and with His mother Mary protecting us, He will make the throw we make into His victory if we trust and fully follow Him.
Our Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb,
Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
Once a year, whether you are a fan or not, the Sunday comes around where everyone crowds in front of the television to watch one game. It's Super Bowl Sunday! I'm a girl who can get into the game, and while my team may not be competing for the win this season, I appreciate a close game and a well fought for victory. So as the snacks on the table quickly disappear, and the seconds on the clock tick away, I find myself cheering for a fair match. I want the game to go down to the wire. I want to see the team who wants it more fighting with all they have for the winning play. A blow out is boring. I don't want to know who wins before the second half even rolls around. And, perhaps, as a girl with strong faith, I'd love nothing more than the game coming down to a Hail Mary play to win it all.
The Hail Mary play is a desperate pass made near the end of the game with little likelihood of success. It's that moment when you have to just take your chances and make the throw trusting that you have what it takes to make it down the field. As a Catholic, I realized it's kind of awesome, we have a football play, named after such a beautiful part of our faith. Think about it, football players get to take those risks on the field, put it all on the line and hope for the best. And then they call it the Hail Mary. But we as Catholics, we get to put it all on the line in real life. We get to risk it all for our love of the Lord, and on our journey we have the privilege of calling on none other than Mary for guidance and prayers.
I was considering this for a second and realized, in my own life, as small as the moments seem to the rest of the world, I have had my own Hail Mary plays. But what's the difference between my throws and those of a quarterback? Well besides the Super Bowl being on the line, a quarterback throws the ball desperately, expecting no real chance of success. I, on the other hand, make the throws knowing they may not always make it to the other end of the field but also knowing that regardless, God will make it a success in the exact way He wants it. Mary isn't just who my passes are named after, she's a role model in my life and she inspires so many of the throws I make.
Mary willing said yes to God when He presented her with a scenario she could never have imagined. She listened to His call and lived out fully His plans for her. She is a beautiful example and absolutely a gift to be hailed. Her example, is what gives me the courage to say yes to her son, our Lord. Her intercessions are what sustain me, even when I can't find the words to pray myself. And when I find myself ready to throw a pass, even if it's a long shot, I'm willing to risk it all to follow God.
I can't imagine it being easy for Mary to make the choice to follow the will of God. The world, I'm sure passed their judgement. And there is no way I can imagine the agony she must have felt as she watched her Son die on the cross. But when following God in life means taking a risk, or trusting in something even though it may bring hurt, I do it. Why? Because that's what it means to be a disciple of Christ. You risk it all to live the life He has planned for you!
Yes, it might hurt sometimes. Yes, it could be scary. Yes, the pass might be intercepted, or dropped, or ran in for the touchdown. You throw it regardless, because you trust that God is calling you to make the throw. And no matter what the result is, His love will sustain you and with His mother Mary protecting us, He will make the throw we make into His victory if we trust and fully follow Him.
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