We celebrate the mother of our Lord, Mary, this Sunday. We celebrate her abandonment of herself to the will of God. We celebrate Mary for her complete trust and faith in God and her love for the world with which she sacrifices herself to the will of God.
The reading from Revelation12:1-2, 5-6, 10b in our leadership guides depicts a woman who can represent Mary who gave birth to our Lord Jesus. In the reading the newborn baby was taken up to heaven and God’s throne saving him from the evil that waited to consume him upon his birth for this baby was to become the ruler of the world! The mother was protected also. The woman in this reading wears a crown with twelve stars (which represent Israel and the church, the twelve tribes and the twelve apostles).
Why do we revere Mary on this day? First, and foremost, she is the mother of our Lord Jesus. God chose Mary for this important role and Mary had free will to choose not to participate. Why did Mary participate in God’s plan? Mary had unwavering faith in God, trust in God and love for God. Such a decision put Mary’s very life at great risk, but she accepted this role because she had great faith and because she had great love for all mankind! How could she deny the savior of the world? Our understanding of the greatness of her role is increased when Mary visits her aging, and pregnant, cousin Elizabeth, who herself is pregnant with none other than John, the Baptist. Our rosary prayer is adapted from this meeting when, upon seeing Mary and hearing her voice the child (John) within Elizabeth’s belly leaps for joy! Moved by the Holy Spirit Elizabeth proclaims, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” Elizabeth becomes a prophetess in these moments foretelling the coming of our Lord. Mary herself gives to us one of the greatest prayers of praise to God when she says to Elizabeth, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name.”
Far from feeling burdened by her choice to fulfill the will of God, Mary exalts in being chosen for this important role and knows with her heart that all will call her blessed because she was chosen for such a vital role!
We exalt Mary for her faithfulness even up to the foot of cross on which her son, our Lord, died upon, for her love and caring for others before herself, for her role as the mother of our Lord Jesus and for her special honor awarded to her by heaven itself and God for her willingness to give herself over completely to the will of God! Holy Mary, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope.
The Psalm for this week is Psalm 45: The Queen Stands the words for which can be found in the Breaking Bread hymnal, #781. A sample of The Queen Stands can be found at this link: The Queen Stands.