Our Lady, the Burning Bush, Teaches us How to Live in Equanimity

JMJT! Praise be Jesus Christ! Now and Forever!

Blessings on the first day of 2024 when we honor the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God,

who assists us in preparing our hearts for what God might be calling us to in the months to come! As we begin this year, perhaps we have discerned some goals or resolutions that we are being invited to more intentionally pursue, whether it is working on one particular virtue, strengthening a relationship with God or another, or developing a particular gift or talent more fully in our lives.  Before modeling such goals on an Excel spreadsheet or peppering our Google calendars with reminders  [all potentially very helpful and good things in and of themselves], it can be helpful to check in with our Celestial Mama and Queen who only wants what is best for her children, and who is always there to help. Just be meditating on the Gospels, we can encounter Our Lady's humility, open receptivity, and calm demeanor in every interaction and every twist, turn, and surprise in her life, all of which are worthy of our imitation. 

Recently, the image of Our Lady as the Burning Bush has become a symbol that is soaking ever deeper into my interiority as it is teaching me how to respond to the known and unknown aspects of my life with an increased interior disposition towards eqanimity or calm. The word “equanimity” comes from the combination of two Latin terms: aequus, meaning “even, level” and animus, meaning “mind” or “spirit.” Christian philosophers have characterized equanimity as the ability to remain calm, composed, open and non-reactive in the face of challenging and distressing situations. Some have suggested that the gift of equinimity is an essential component for carrying the virtues of modesty, gentleness, contentment, temperance, and charity. According to St. John Henry Newman in his homily, “Equanimity,” our peace rests on our ability to maintain a supernatural vision of our lives. To enjoy Christ's peace in the midst of events that impact my own interiority, my family and close loved ones, as well as my country and the greater world, he suggests that our eyes must be fixed on Christ, rather than the cares of earthly existence. This does not mean a cold detachment from others or our human embodiment in this life, but it does mean being able to maintain a calmness regardless of circumstances with a spirit of detachment, calm, docility, and flexibility in imitation of Our Lady, knowing that we are pilgrims on this earth who are destined for eternal life.  

Many Church Fathers have commented on the rich symbol of Our Lady as the Burning Bush. St. Ephrem saw the burning bush as a symbol of Mary’s purity and holiness, while St. John of Damascus, who lived in the 8th century AD, saw the burning bush as a symbol of the Incarnation of Christ. The following are inspirations that have come during my prayer time as I have been seeking to grow in equanimity, the exercise of virtue, and emotional sobriety in my life. I am hopeful that these thoughts might be helpful to others. 

The Blessed Virgin Mary is the burning bush because she burns brightly and fully, but is never consumed. The Lord Jesus is contained within her as the New Ark, along with a perpetual flow of Trinitarian Love. Amidst this fire, she is also perpetually the fountain of grace rooted in living waters as one 'who meditates upon the law day and night without ceasing. She is like a tree planted near streams of water, that yields its fruit in due season; Its leaves never wither; whatever he does prospers' [Ps 1:2-3], so she is in perfect balance and equalibrium. In other words, she does not ever become emotionally overheated!  Her feelings do not consume her in a way that she becomes a flamethrower or a dangerous conflagration that spills out in a haphazard or chaotic way. Instead, she ponders all things in Her Immaculate Heart, and is thereby able to respond to any situation, event or circumstance, whether seemingly positive of negative, good or evil, with complete calm. She is 'full of grace' and contains such purity as the New Eve that she receives the flow of Trinitarian Love within which burns as a perpetual lantern of light and love for her spiritual children. By maintaining this equanimity and being perpetually focused on the Divine Will and giving her fiat in each present moment, she contains all within this perfect burning flame of the Holy Spirit. 

She is also grounded [no pun  intended] in the rich soil of humility. She knows that Her Son is the vine and she is the branches and without Him, she can do nothing.  The elements within her very being as contained in the image of the burning bush are completely in balance, with no excess or deficit of any emotion. This allows her to respond in the fullness of grace and calm, in the midst of experiencing feelings and emotions at the deepest levels due to her open Immaculate Heart, her perfect sensitivities to the Divine Will and to the sufferings of both her Son, Jesus, as well as to all of humanity. Yet, she stands at the foot of the Cross in total equanimity. She gathers with the Apostles in the Upper Room in a calm way that unites everyone together in holy expectation, prayerfulness, silence, and harmony. This fire of love burning within her reflects and glorifies the Holy Three. 

As the Burning Bush, she invites us to stay in her Immaculate Heart and Womb perpetually as each contains the proper boundaries to live in such harmony. As one seeking to surrender more to dwelling within the beauty and grace of Her Womb, Our Lady gently molds and shapes us in her tender maternal love, and assists us in avoiding impulsivity or unbalanced reactivity to unforeseen situations. She helps to ensure that one's passions and zeal do not become an unwieldy firestorm that leads to confusion, heightened anxiety, division or tensions. She teaches us how to hold 'this little light of mine' in an orderly way that does not hurt one's relationship with God, with others, or with oneself.  

She also brings us to her Divine Spouse, the Holy Spirit or 'Ruah' breath of life, who leads and guides us in strengthening and developing stronger virtues in a spirit of emotional calm. This literally assists us in breathing calmly to receive grace and release emotional overloads that stir dangerous firestorms interiorly and to instead gain composure and embrace the present moment with a docile spirit.

The journey is arduous and I have a very long way to go, but this beautiful symbol and title of Our Lady has definitely assisted me in making wee baby steps towards increased self-awareness regarding emotional eqanimity and freedom that is expressed in healthy and loving ways. It has helped to ground me in making sure that I am taking time to be rooted in humilty; breathing in the calming gentle wind of the Holy Spirit; drinking from and plunging into the living waters that are provided and available to us whilest rooted in prayer and the Sacraments; and receiving the fire of God's Love in grateful receptivity, with my eyes fixed upon Jesus. I humbly hope this might be helpful to others in some small way, and wish everyone a very blessed New Year!