As we enter Advent this weekend I would like to give a brief
summary of why Mary is important in our Catholic faith?
1.
“No Mary,
No Jesus.” So said Mother Teresa to a question about Mary’s importance to
her. We know that we need a Savior. Mary said her spirit rejoiced in God her
Savior (Luke 1:47). We rehearse these words for Evening Prayer in the Liturgy
of the Hours. She was full of grace. How full of grace
was she?
2.
The
Spirit of God that was to overshadow her was the same glory that appeared
above the Ark of the Covenant (Lev. 16:2; Luke 1:34-35). This was no ordinary
individual. This is the Mother of Jesus Christ. All of history waited for this moment. Abraham longed to see
this day (John 8:56).
3.
God
needed her “yes.” Pope Benedict references St. Bernard of Clairvaux in his
recent book: “His power is tied to the unenforceable “yes” of a human being. So
Bernard portrays heaven and earth as it were holding its breath at this moment
of the question addressed to Mary.”* In Mary’s answer we seek to make Mary’s
“yes” our own. The Catechism says that, “Grace is a participation in the life
of God” (1997). “Let it be done to me . . .” (Luke 1:38). Mary was not a passive participant in the life of our Savior. This gives us more insight into the first Joyful Mystery of the Rosary.
What else makes Mary special?
4. Jesus was obedient to her. In the fifth
Joyful Mystery of the Rosary we see the account of Mary and Joseph’s finding of
Jesus in the Temple. One may be quite content to stop reading at Jesus’ response to
His mother. But Luke adds that He was obedient to them (Luke 2:51). Did He
still listen to His mother as an adult?
5.
At her request the mission of her Son began. The first three gospel accounts begin Jesus’
mission with His baptism and the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Him. John
includes this account as well. He also goes on to add a request by His mother at the
wedding feast at Cana. Jesus’ answer was not a rebuke. He performed his first
miracle at her request. This began his way to the cross. (See John 2) Think
about this when you come to the first and second Mysteries of Light in the
Rosary.
6.
Mary was
there at the cross. She stood by her dying son. This was another detail
John gives us about Mary. In our preparation for Christmas, let us reflect on
this in the fifth Sorrowful Mystery (See John 19:25-27). Jesus gives His mother
into the care of the beloved disciple. So we receive her as our mother. Before
becoming a Catholic, I always wondered that if God is Our Father, who is our
mother? Question answered.
7.
Her Son
is a King. Since Jesus is given the throne of his father David (Luke 1:32),
Mary is the Queen Mother. In the history of King David’s family line, the queen mother
is mentioned too (1 Kings). The book of Revelation shows that the
mother of Jesus is crowned with twelve stars. Her Son rules the nations (See
Rev. 11:19-12:6). Before becoming Catholic, I wondered since Jesus is the new
Adam (1 Corinthians 15:54), how could Eve not be mentioned? Found her! (See
Gen. 3:15). Do you notice a similarity in the Genesis and Revelation accounts?
God humbled himself, becoming helpless, being born of a
woman (Galatians 4:4). When Mary approached her cousin Elizabeth, the child in
Elizabeth’s womb leaped for joy. They were filled with the Holy Spirit.
Elizabeth had the special honor of being approached by not just her cousin, but
as she says “the mother of my Lord” (Luke 1:43)
What tremendous dignity God gives to all women. This Advent
season let us prepare by seeking a deeper conversion to Jesus Christ. Be sure
to thank your mother for giving you life. Let us also thank Mary for giving us
Jesus!
Thank you mom for giving me life! Merry Christmas! I love
you!
Ave Maria!
Praised be Jesus Christ!
Resources:
All Bible quotations from the Revised Standard Version
Catholic Edition, Oxford University Press, New York, NY, 2006.
Catechism
of the Catholic Church, Second Edition, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1994.
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