Although Mary of the Cross was canonised in 2010 as the first Australian saint, this is the first year that the feast day has fallen on a Sunday since then. When Mary was declared a saint, her feast day was bumped up in the ecclesiastical and liturgical rankings from a feast day to a solemnity, so that it now bumps off an “ordinary Sunday.” It struck me as appropriate during these days of lockdown that the four-week cycle of readings from John chapter 6 (the Bread of Life discourse) should be interrupted by 2 wonderful feast days (the Assumption next week); it felt too cruel to preach for 4 weeks straight on the beauty and wonders of the Eucharist when so many people are not able to share in this gift while churches remain closed.
Mary lived in a profound way upon providence. She had to trust completely upon her God, especially since so many in the church were a source of persecution rather than support. For so much of her life, as for many of us, Mary did not know what the next day would bring. She had to simply trust in God’s will for her. It is also true for us, especially in this current season of our lives.
