We Have A Mother
“When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son,
born of a woman, born under the law,
to ransom those under the law,
so that we might receive adoption as sons.”Galatians 4:4-5
On the first day of the new year, the Church gives us a day of great festive rejoicing, the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God. Although the title is about Mary, every Marian feast day really points to Christ. In proclaiming that Mary is the Mother of God, the Church is reminding us of the divinity of Christ, that He is both fully man and fully God, that Jesus is One with the Father and the Holy Spirit, One God. And, as such, since Jesus is God, then His mother, Mary is indeed the Mother of God, the Θεοτόκος, Theotokos, the “God-bearer.”
In the Gospel passage for this celebration, we hear that “Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart” (Luke 2:19). “These things” are what the shepherds shared with Mary, the Good News that the angels proclaimed to them, that a Messiah and Savior has been born, a Savior for them too, and with Him comes peace. Mary shows us the power of saying “yes” to God and the fruits of living it out in one’s life. God’s will is our lives may not always be easy, but it will always bring peace and joy. Mary’s “yes” at the Annunciation, when the Angel Gabriel came to her to tell her that God has chosen her to be the mother of His Son, was a sign of trust that is rooted in a relationship of love. From that point on, Mary’s verbal “yes” is expressed by both active and passive ways. After saying “yes,” Mary traveled to see Elizabeth and then with Joseph journeyed to Bethlehem where Jesus was to be born. Then we see the passage that we hear today. While Mary gazes upon her newborn Son, shepherd comes to tell her of the great things told to them about her Son. She listens, reflects, and ponders. Mary acts (goes to Elizabeth and travels to Bethlehem) and then Mary listens. Soon, she will act again when Joseph brings Mary and Jesus and flees to Egypt. Thirty-three years later Mary will stand gazing upon her Son one again, but this time not down upon the manger but up upon the Cross.
At the foot of the Cross, Mary shows us what it means to be a disciple of her Son. If we are to truly follow Jesus, we must even to the Cross. It is not easy to endure or to witness, but it is an inevitable part of our journey. Only by going to the Cross will we be able to share in the glory of the Resurrection. Like Mary, we must listen, reflect, and ponder at the Cross. Listen to the Voice of God as He calls us by name and tugs at our hearts. Reflect on how far He has brought us and the moments of grace and Providence in our lives. Ponder the unmerited and undeserved love with which God has, continues to, and will love us. Then, when the time comes, we will have the strength, courage, and hope to continue our journey, even through the harsh storms that might face us along the way. We need not fear for Jesus, who is Emmanuel, is with us and He has given to us Mary, His Mother to be our Mother, who knows well the journey of discipleship with its trials, its graces, and its fruits. If we have Our Lord and Our Mother, then we truly need not be afraid.
May we in this new year learn to listen, reflect, and ponder, and with the grace of God, follow His Son unreservedly, even to the Cross, for heaven is our homeland and the glory of the Resurrection, our destiny.
