"Mary's journey to heaven began with the 'yes' spoken in Nazareth in response to heavenly messenger's announcement of God's will to her. And in reality it is just like this: every 'yes' to God is a step toward heaven, toward eternal life. Because this is what the Lord wants: that all his children may have life in abundance! God wants us all with him, in his house!'' Pope Francis"

 Mary notices our concerns. Talk to her or your concerns.

" Dear friends, we have come to knock at the door of Mary's house. She has opened it for us, she has let us in and she shows us her son. Now she asks us to 'do whatever He tells you'.

Yes, Mother, we are committed to doing whatever Jesus tells us! And we will do it with hope, trusting in God's surprises and full of joy. Amen." Pope Francis

"Mary helps us to understands what it means to be a disciple of Christ... Her first act was to listen to God... She followed Jesus, listening to every word that issued from His lips. 

She kept all those things in her heart and become the living memory of the signs worked by God's son to awaken our faith. But it is not enough simply to listen. That is certainly the first step, but listening then needs to be translated into concrete action." Pope Francis

"Mary said yes To God. It is a yes that was not easy to live. A yes that bestowed no privileges or distinctions Simeon told her in his prophecy : ' a sword will pierce your heart' (Lk 2:35) and indeed it did. 

That is why we love her so much. We find in her a true Mother, one who helps us to keep faith and hope alive in the midst of complicated situations."  Pope Francis

"Mary Shows the path to her son" Pope Francis

Cooperating With Gods will

We know St.  Joseph was a man of faith, obedient to whatever God asked of him without knowing the outcome. When the angel came to Joseph in a dream and told him the truth about the child Mary was carrying, Joseph immediately and without concern for gossip took  Mary as his wife.

Mans Response to Grace

Today let us ask ourselves: am I a man or woman of 'yes' or a man or woman of 'no'? Or a man or woman who looks away looks away, so as not to respond?' May the lord grant us the grace to take this path of men  and women who know how to say 'yes'." Pope Francis

In December 8 we celebrate the feast of Immaculate conception. Let is prepare for this feast in this days of advent by making a Novena to the Woman clothed with the sun. 

"Be it done to me according to your word. Mary as a good mother teaches us to be like her, capable of making definitive decisions, in the full freedom with which she said 'yes'  to he plan of God had for her life.., let us not be afraid of life commitments, commitments that take up and concern our entire life! in this way our life will be fruitful! And this is freedom: to have the courage to make these decisions with generosity." Pope Francis"

Whatever is True, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

A virtue is a habitual  and firm disposition to do good, It allows a person not only  to perform good acts but  to give the best of himself.

Human virtues are purified and elevated by divine grace. Theological virtues are infused by God in the souls of the faithful to make them capable of acting as children of God  and meriting eternal life.

The goal of a virtuous life is to become like God. 

Mans Freedom-  Freedom is the power , rooted in reason and will ,to act or not to act. True freedom attains its perfection when directed towards God our beatitude - CCC 1731

God created man a rational being, conferring on him the dignity of a person who can initiate and control his own actions. 

God willed that man should be left in the hand of his own counsel, so that he(man) might of his own accord seek his Creator and freely  cleaving to HIM.