Living Marist Spirituality

Excerpt from The Work of Mary

The following is excerpted from the Society of Mary text, The Work of Mary, for the Marist Laity.

The Work of Mary: A Missionary Spirit
When the early Marists, in the 19th century, spoke of the enterprise they were engaged in, they often used the expression, “the work of Mary,” indicating by this what Mary wanted done, at that time, by them.

For us, too, we believe that Mary maintains a special interest in bringing the women and men of our time into contact with her Son, Jesus. Marists feel called to share in this concern of Mary’s and to become part of her family to work on her behalf. The term “work of Mary” covers both the whole breadth of the Society of Mary, including all its branches, as well as denoting that the conditions under which Marists work are not set by themselves but by Mary. It is, to be sure, her work, done on her terms.

Marists embrace this missionary spirit, essentially open to all people. It excludes no one and would like to see a brotherhood and sisterhood of everyone united in Jesus Christ.

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A Church with Mary’s Features
Here is a useful way to describe the work of the Marist enterprise: to enable the Church to grow and develop. The Church is made up of weak human beings and is in constant need of reform. Inasmuch as we are members of the Church, the way we live affects it.

Father Colin originally envisioned a vast enterprise embracing all people: lay people as well as religious, brothers, sisters, and priests, all working for the same goal.

As Marists, we want to live in such a way that the Church is ever more clearly a church of mercy and compassion, and a church where the Gospel is lived according to the manner of Mary, always reflecting Christ’s great love for the world. We want the Church to be a place where everyone can grow in the life of Christ, a place characterized by compassion and relationship.

A church with the "face of Mary" would make a choice for compassion over competition, an option for relationship over dogmatism, for humility over power, for service over control. A Church in which Mary is present will open its doors to welcome all people to Jesus Christ rather than issuing strict regulations so as to admit only some specially chosen souls.

This goal of a Church with a Marian face does not refer to promoting one or another special devotion to the Mother of Jesus, but it points, rather, to Christ’s love and Mary’s presence in the Church community in such a way as to transform it into a more loving, more open, more inclusive, and more merciful Church.

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Nazareth

Nazareth represents the first of two points of reference in Mary’s life and in the life of the first Marists. The second is Pentecost. Nazareth is the setting, Mary’s home, where Marists go in spirit to see things from the same vantage point that she saw them. At Nazareth, Mary “stored up in her heart” and pondered the words of Jesus. It is the place where slowly, silently, and unobtrusively Jesus grew in wisdom, age, and grace.

As long as we stand in our own place in the world, we run the risk of being caught up in our own interests and ulterior motives. But at Nazareth, we, too, can learn the wisdom that comes from seeing things from God’s point of view. Nazareth also serves as an approach to life, which simply means to “ponder the things of God” and treasure them in one’s heart. From Nazareth we can get a balanced perspective on life.

It could even be called a place of the heart: it is a place of silence and faith, a center point of stillness and tranquility. Nazareth means openness and growth and waiting for the Spirit who is gradually, quietly, and imperceptibly changing us from within.

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Mary at Pentecost and in the Newborn Church

The mystery of the newborn Church following Pentecost, the image of Mary in the midst of the apostles and of the other first Christians, is the second major reference point for Marists. The Church came to birth in the Spirit’s fire, and as a result believers, in communion of mind and heart, gave powerful witness to the resurrection of Jesus. (Acts 2:1-4, 42-47)

We find here a rich figure of Church: all believers from the very beginning until our own day, gathered around the apostles and Mary, and all living in harmony and unity. We picture Mary present in this group of her Son’s followers, and we acknowledge how much she is able to contribute to the life of the Church, in her hidden way, through her faith and wisdom.

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