Marianist Vows: Stability
Our final blog post in the series on Marianist Vows once again comes from Fr. Marty Solma, SM. We are so appreciative that Fr. Marty has been willing to share his wisdom and thoughts with us over these past weeks. As we as a vibrant Marianist Family live the charism in our world, our final post in this series is on the vow of stability. Both vowed religious and many lay Marianists take this vow to live Mary's mission. Learn more below!
The most distinctive element of Marianist vowed life, lay or religious, is the vow of stability. For Blessed Chaminade, it was the consecrated life, embraced in Mary’s name and lived in service of Mary’s mission, that constituted the “kernel” of the Marianist spirit. As the ancient Benedictines vowed “stability” of life and place, Marianists vow “stability” of alliance and mission with the Mother of the Lord.
Four biblical images expand the meaning of this vow and, more broadly, the Marianist spirit throughout the Marianist Family.
The Annunciation story in the Gospel of Luke presents a paradigm of discipleship: God’s message, delivered by an angelic presence, God’s call is received, at first, with bafflement and awe. Invited to trust in God’s love, Mary is not shy to ask questions and to seek a deeper understanding of what was being asked. Reassured that the Spirit of God would overshadow her, but given no guarantees, Mary opens herself—her heart, her mind, her body—to the miracle of human salvation in Christ. “Be it done unto me as you have said.” What freedom! What availability for God’s purpose. What strength and course in faith.
I have always been moved by the last line of the story: “And then the angel left her.” Like everyone, she lived her days in faith, trusting that the One who calls is trustworthy and can, with our feeble cooperation, accomplish the miracle of His grace. Like Mary, we embrace our Marianist life in faith, in boldness, and forever. That’s the first aspect of our “stability” in life and mission with Mary.
The iconic story of the death of Jesus in the Gospel of St. John presents another aspect of Marianist stability. At the moment of death, Jesus gives the little community at the foot of the cross (the Church) two precious gifts. First, when His side is opened, blood and water pour out. These are birth fluids, so something is being born. As we are told earlier in the Gospel of John (chapter 7), the “water gushing from within” is a reference to the Spirit—Jesus own Spirit that animates the Church. What a gift!
But the second gift is just as startling. Standing at the foot of the cross is the birth-giving Woman and the Beloved Disciple, who is a stand-in for all the disciples loved by Jesus. Our Lord entrusts the Women (a reference to Eve, mother of “all the living in Genesis) to the Beloved Disciple and him to her. We are told that the Disciple takes Mary “into his life.” What a remarkable gift—to have as our mother the very mother of the Crucified Lord. The second aspect of Marianist stability is to grow and deepen in our love for Mary and to entrust ourselves to her maternal care and formation.
On the day of Pentecost, the frightened disciples are gathered together in a locked room with Mary, the Mother of the Lord. The house shakes, tongues of fire descend, and hearts are set aflame with zeal. This is an image of the apostolic community...with Mary at the center of the birth of the Body of Christ, the Church. Fr. Chaminade loved this image of the Church: inclusive, diverse, one in mind and heart. The third aspect of Marianist stability is our life in apostolic communities, formed around the Mother of the Lord.
And, finally, our fourth aspect, decidedly apostolic. At the Wedding Feast of Cana, the Mother of Jesus is aware that something is missing, something essential for a wedding feast. The image of the wedding was the image of the Sacred Scriptures of Israel for the relationship between God and the people. And wine is the element of joy. At Mary’s behest, Jesus begins his public ministry in the Gospel of John and provides the very best wine, even if His hour had not yet come. When that hour does arrive at the Cross, Jesus’ gift of life, His Spirit, His Mother and an unbreakable covenant of love provide the “wine” which brings complete joy, as our Lord has promised. And the servants are told, simply, “to do whatever He tells you.” Those are Mary’s words to us as well, shares in her mission.
Marianist stability means permanence of commitment; it means a loving relationship with Mary (what Fr. Chaminade called filial piety); it means living and serving in an apostolic community; and it means doing whatever Jesus calls us to do. Marianist stability is the kernel of our vocation, a vocation that sets us on fire and opens us to joy.
The most distinctive element of Marianist vowed life, lay or religious, is the vow of stability. For Blessed Chaminade, it was the consecrated life, embraced in Mary’s name and lived in service of Mary’s mission, that constituted the “kernel” of the Marianist spirit. As the ancient Benedictines vowed “stability” of life and place, Marianists vow “stability” of alliance and mission with the Mother of the Lord.
Four biblical images expand the meaning of this vow and, more broadly, the Marianist spirit throughout the Marianist Family.The Annunciation story in the Gospel of Luke presents a paradigm of discipleship: God’s message, delivered by an angelic presence, God’s call is received, at first, with bafflement and awe. Invited to trust in God’s love, Mary is not shy to ask questions and to seek a deeper understanding of what was being asked. Reassured that the Spirit of God would overshadow her, but given no guarantees, Mary opens herself—her heart, her mind, her body—to the miracle of human salvation in Christ. “Be it done unto me as you have said.” What freedom! What availability for God’s purpose. What strength and course in faith.
I have always been moved by the last line of the story: “And then the angel left her.” Like everyone, she lived her days in faith, trusting that the One who calls is trustworthy and can, with our feeble cooperation, accomplish the miracle of His grace. Like Mary, we embrace our Marianist life in faith, in boldness, and forever. That’s the first aspect of our “stability” in life and mission with Mary.The iconic story of the death of Jesus in the Gospel of St. John presents another aspect of Marianist stability. At the moment of death, Jesus gives the little community at the foot of the cross (the Church) two precious gifts. First, when His side is opened, blood and water pour out. These are birth fluids, so something is being born. As we are told earlier in the Gospel of John (chapter 7), the “water gushing from within” is a reference to the Spirit—Jesus own Spirit that animates the Church. What a gift!
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On the day of Pentecost, the frightened disciples are gathered together in a locked room with Mary, the Mother of the Lord. The house shakes, tongues of fire descend, and hearts are set aflame with zeal. This is an image of the apostolic community...with Mary at the center of the birth of the Body of Christ, the Church. Fr. Chaminade loved this image of the Church: inclusive, diverse, one in mind and heart. The third aspect of Marianist stability is our life in apostolic communities, formed around the Mother of the Lord.
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Marianist stability means permanence of commitment; it means a loving relationship with Mary (what Fr. Chaminade called filial piety); it means living and serving in an apostolic community; and it means doing whatever Jesus calls us to do. Marianist stability is the kernel of our vocation, a vocation that sets us on fire and opens us to joy.
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