“[Mary] desired not to make known the secrets she had learned from Christ, but places the things she had read were yet to be accomplished with those she knew were now fulfilled; not breaking forth in speech, but keeping these things enclosed within her heart.” -Bede
I have always been deeply moved by Luke 2:19: “But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.” After the birth of Jesus, Mary’s quiet reflection becomes a profound moment in scripture. She isn’t swept up by the excitement or the miraculous events surrounding her; instead, she takes it all in, pondering the significance of the child she has just brought into the world.
Of course, even before this moment, during the months leading up to Jesus’ birth, Mary didn’t make a spectacle of the fact that she was carrying the Son of God. She didn’t seek attention or validation—her focus was inward, prayerful, and deeply attuned to the mystery of what God was doing through her.
This shows us something important about our own journey with God. Jesus was born to bring us into deeper union with him, and Mary’s example reminds us that this union requires a lot of reflection and prayer, not distractions or entertainment. In our busy world in which we are bombarded with new ideas every day, it’s easy to look for quick fixes or flashy solutions, even within the Church, hoping that some program or plan will “save us” or revive our faith. But as Mary shows us, a real relationship with God isn’t built on gimmicks. It’s built in the quiet places of our hearts, in moments of prayer, self-examination, and reflection on the mystery of Christ.
C. S. Lewis wrote that the Church’s primary task is to draw us to Christ and to make us “little Christs.” He said that if the Church is not doing this, then all its other works—cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself—are ultimately pointless. The mission of the Church is to lead us into transformation, to help us become more like Christ.
Like Mary, we are called to keep these things in our hearts, never letting them drift far from who we are. Her reflection was an active thing in her life. She prayed, she pondered, and she likely struggled with concerns for her son, wondering if she was doing all she could for him. (Doesn’t every parent?)
In the same way, our prayer lives should not be passive or neglected. We must take responsibility for our own spiritual growth, nurturing our relationship with Christ through personal prayer, reflection, study of the Bible, and daily commitment. The path to becoming more like Jesus is not lined with flashy slogans or shortcuts, but with genuine devotion, much like the quiet yet profound faith that Mary showed us.
Merry Christmas!
