Behold Your Mother!

I don't know where I would be in my life without Our Blessed Mother. For many Catholics, Mary is not just the Mother of Jesus, she is the bearer of many titles, the Queen of Heaven and the immaculate conception to name a few. I was praying the other night, and I came to tears of gratitude just thinking of how much she has helped me love her son. She is my constant companion, and when I cannot understand the divinity of her son, she sits with me in my ignorance, constantly helping me see Him in all His glory. If Christ is the sun, Mary is the moon, reflecting the light of the Sun and allowing my eyes to adjust so that I may see the Sun that is Christ in all His glory. In her presence, she lets me be the child. She is the perfect embodiment of maternal love, and her feminine reflection of Jesus' love has healed my heart in so many ways.

When we look at the great saints, we see three common things: adherence to the magisterium, devotion to the Holy Eucharist, and devotion to Our Blessed Mother. I think this is important to keep in mind not just for our spiritual well-being but for our mental well-being as well. It's common knowledge that childhood wounds involving our earthly father often cause a person to project their wounds onto our Heavenly Father. As we are sanctified, this image of the Heavenly Father is rectified. But what about maternal wounds from our earthly mother? Mary is in no way equal to the Father, Son, or Holy Spirit, but she has a unique and maternal way in which she reflects the love of God. There is a tenderness and vulnerability that is easier to understand because of her womanhood, because of her feminine genius.

There is a maternal responsiveness that we can trust. If the Triune God chose her to bear the Son (Luke 1:30) and if Jesus chose her to give to humanity on the cross (John 19:27), then surely we can trust in her willingness to mother us. She who accompanied Christ on Calvary will surely accompany us. In all our mental woes, there is our mother being a presence, consoling us, and reflecting the love of God when we cannot sense Him.

I can do multiple blogs on Mary (perhaps I will in the future), but for now, I encourage you to "Behold your mother!" and simply take the time to cultivate a relationship with her (perhaps a rosary?). She will be your mother if allow her. Her heart is always ready to receive you as she received Christ.

Pax et bonum.