I shall begin with a small story:
One
day, a very wealthy man was walking on the road. Along the way, he saw
a beggar on the sidewalk. The rich man looked kindly on the beggar and
spoke with him. The beggar said, "You look like a rich man. Sir, if you'll
give me a job, I'll stop begging." The rich man smiled and said, "I
want to help you. But I won't give you a job. I'll do something better. I
want you to be my business partner. Let's start a business together.” The
beggar blinked hard. He didn't understand what the older man was
saying. "What do you mean, Sir?” “I own a rice plantation. You could
sell my rice in the market. I'll provide you the sacks of rice. I'll pay the
rent for the market stall. All you'll have to do is sell my rice. And at the
end of the month, as Business Partners, we'll share in the profits. Tears of
joy rolled down his cheeks. "Oh Sir," he said, "you're a gift
from Heaven. You're the answer to my prayers. Thank you, thank you, thank
you!"
He
then paused and said, Sir, how will we divide the profits? Do I keep 10% and
you get the 90%? Do I keep 5% and you get the 95%? I'll be happy with any
arrangement. The rich man shook his head and chuckled. "No, I want you to
give me the 10%. And you keep the 90%. For a moment, the beggar couldn't speak.
He couldn't believe his ears. The rich man laughed loudly. He explained, I
don't need the money, my friend. I'm already wealthy beyond what you can ever
imagine. I want you to give me 10% of your profits so you grow in gratitude.”
The beggar knelt down before his benefactor and said, “Yes Sir, I will do as
you say. Even now, I'm so grateful for what you've done for me!”
He
worked very hard. He woke up early in the morning and slept late at night. And
sales were brisk, also because the rice was of good quality. And after 30
days, the profits were astounding. At the end of the month, as the ex-beggar
was counting the money, and liking very much the feeling of money in his
hands, an idea grew in his mind. He told himself, “Why should I give 10% to my
Business Partner? I didn't see him the whole month! I was the one who was
working day and night for this business. I did all this work! I deserve
the 100% profits! A few minutes later, the rich man was knocking on the door. The
ex-beggar opened the door and said, "You don't deserve the 10%. I worked
hard for this. I deserve all of it!" And he slammed the door on his face.
Let us replay the whole story keeping the Lord as
the generous rich man and put ourselves in the place of the poor man. (Pause)
We have all gathered here during the Novena of the
Immaculate Conception, ie our own Mother Mary. Many lofty titles that are
attributed to our Lady crossed my mind. But there is one title, no! not a title,
it is something that I have grown to believe, it is something close to my
heart, it is THE TRUTH that Mary is my Mother, OUR MOTHER. Somehow I like to
look at her as a human being, just like us. It is certain that she lived with
the God-Man Jesus. And on occasions she perhaps said: “Hey Jesus! Eat your food
on time; It’s raining outside, it’s better not to go outside now; Go wash
yourself and come.” She carried Jesus in her arms, kissed his tears away, cleaned
his wounds…all that a mother would do for her child.
Although She was a human being, a
woman; She was blest with grace, rather - filled with grace. When God came to
ask for just 10%, she readily gave her 100% - placing her complete trust in His
hands. In doing so, She becomes a model for us. All of us present here have
said “Yes” to His plan for us, that’s the reason we are all here. We are all
growing in this response in many ways. (And you know what!) Jesus on the Cross,
asked His Mother to be our Mother. She in Her humility and in Her greatness
fulfilled His wish. She is with us now, individually and personally, always by
our side. She walks with us in this journey, in this pilgrimage, ever lending a
guiding hand. It is up to us to take out our hands from our pockets and put them
in her hand as a loving child would do.
I feel very special when I think of Her
presence with me. Jesus in the Parable of the Lost Coin, alludes to our place
and relationship with God. Each one of us has made mistakes – some great, some
small, some knowingly, some unknowingly. This parable touched me when I heard
this interpretation. The lost coin was of very little value. Today it would be
about 25 paise, what we call charanna.
We are also like this, all of us charannas,
but note the greatness of our God. He has given away His diamond – His Mother
- for all of us charannas. Moreover
He rejoices when we return to Him, He wants us to come back to Him, and that is
the reason He has sent us help, in the form of our Loving Mother. Such is the
merciful and tender heart of God, readily made visible in the gift of His
mother.
Yes Our Lady, Mary (whatever title you want to give Her)
She is our Mother!!! Don Bosco said, “Every boy who comes to a Salesian House
is brought by Our Lady.” He, himself asked Our Lady to be his Mother, to be the
Mother of all those in the Oratory. He assures us of Her presence in our life.
As we journey to be signs and bearers of God’s love
to the young, let us make the most of our time in formation. It is a time of gestation
to nurture Christ and give birth to Him in all our actions, words and most of
all in the life which we live. To whom shall we ask for guidance than our
loving Mother who Herself bore the Son of God?
Let us spend a moment in silence - praying to God,
our Father, thanking Him for the gift of Our Mother and also asking for the
grace to realize Her loving presence in our lives.
-Nelson
Mudaliar
