The Immaculist Character of Spirituality 185 Gospel story of the Annunciation, whereMary first addressed the Archangel Gabriel with a question and then stated: “I do not know man,” (Lk 1:34);65 — prudence (prudentia) derived from the Gospel texts speaking about Mary’s encounter with the Archangel Gabriel, where “she kept all these words, pondering them in her heart” and her flight into Egypt followed by her return to Galilee “for the safety of her Son,” (cf. Lk 1:29; Mt 2:13-23);66 — humility (humilitas), which Mary displayed during the Annunciation by responding to the Archangel Gabriel: “I am the servant of the Lord. Let it be done to me as you say,” (cf. Lk 1:38);67 — faith (fides) combined with humility and obedience, which Mary displayed by “conceiving the Son of God” and by going “up to the hill country, and entering Zechariah’s house, she greeted St. Elizabeth. Indeed, in view of all this, St. Elizabeth congratulated her: ‘Blest is she who trusted that the Lord’s words to her would be fulfilled,” (cf. Lk 1:39-45);68 — devotion (devotio) whose example the author finds in Mary’s behavior during her visit to St. Elizabeth and singing the Magnificat; in her annual pilgrimages to Jerusalem where “following her Son, she listened with greatest devotion to his preaching. She returned often to Nazareth, and finally, with the Apostles, also persevered in prayer” (cf. Acts 1:14);69 — obedience (oboedientia), whose example, the Blessed Mother gave, “not only to God, but for God’s sake, also to men,” primarily by conceiving 65 Rule, p. 41. 66 Rule, p. 44. 67 Rule, p. 46. 68 Rule, p. 49. 69 Rule, p. 51.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjI2Mw==