May 6th Fast

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JMJ

"When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple there whom He loved, He said to His mother, 'Woman, behold, your son.'  Then He said to the disciple, 'Behold, your mother.' And from that hour the disciple took her into His home.'"

Our dear, heavenly mother was one of the greatest gifts Our Lord gave us.   Unfortunately, one frequently forgets about Mary by relegating her to an unreachable shelf, like a lifeless statue that is admired, but can never be truly loved.   Christ did not give us a distant, and lofty lady, but a sincere, and merciful woman. Certainly she is a heavenly queen; yet, she is also very much an earthly mother. 

It is easy to paint a romantic picture in our minds of the Holy Family, and therefore dismiss any understanding Mary might have for the problems in our lives.  Yet, she dealt with joys and sorrows just as we do.  She endured the insecurity, and instability that follows a sudden move when they left Bethlehem for Egypt.  Our Lady knew the fatigue of a long day, doing the daily chores that required much physical effort.  She daily practiced patience in being obedient to God's will for she accepted what she didn't always understand, and did not try to suit situations to her own preferences and plans. 

She felt the uncertainty of what the future portended for her innocent Son in a world full of evil men.  Mary knew the love of a wife for her husband, she shared his trials and triumphs, and deeply felt the loss of her beloved spouse when Joseph died.  She shared the humiliations of her Son, not just on Good Friday, but throughout His ministry when he was mocked and misunderstood for His teaching.  She endured the infidelities of her Son's closest companions as keenly as He did, himself.  Our Lady suffered greatly with Our Lord during His Passion, rejoiced at His Resurrection, and longed once again for Him when they separated at His Ascension. 

No, our Mother is not an untouchable Queen set to be an idol before us, but a real, flesh and blood woman given to us to cherish and take solace from.  She is the noble woman who goes among her people. As the Litany of Loreto so beautifully says, she is the:

Health of the sick,

Refuge of sinners,

Comforter of the afflicted,

Help of Christians

Mary wants to share the secret to her glory: it is the joy of knowing and being with Jesus.  She was a perfect disciple, not only because she was immaculately conceived, but because she had a servant's heart like her Son.  She desired to do God's will always, to give herself to others first, and now she gives herself to us.  Our Blessed Lady is indeed a gentle woman with a compassionate heart, she desires our love, as any mother does, and longs to bring us to eternal happiness with her Son.

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