Jan. 1 Lk 2:16-21
Seven days ago, we celebrated Christmas Day and rejoiced in the greatest gift ever bestowed upon humanity. For eight days, we have continued to celebrate and cherish the Incarnation of Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior. Today’s solemnity concludes the octave of Christmas with the celebration of Mary, the Holy Mother of God. It is most fitting to set aside time to ponder the woman chosen from all eternity to serve as Jesus’ mother.
Mary is a gift to God the Father. I had the chance to go on pilgrimage to the Holy Land this fall. We made a visit to the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth — one of my favorite stops along the way. It was there that the Father, with the assistance of the angel Gabriel, asked this lowly virgin to serve him and become the mother of his only begotten Son. The young woman’s world was thrown upside down. Yet, in a most beautiful act of faith and trust, she overcame fear, confusion, and being greatly troubled, and embraced the plan of the Father. “I am the maidservant of the Lord. Let it be done unto me according to your will.” This free, faith-filled and generous response enabled the Father to send his Son to earth: “When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman … ” (Gal 4:4).
Mary is a gift to the Son. She lovingly carried Jesus for nine months in the depths of her womb. Mary trustingly gave birth to him in a lowly stable. She tenderly nursed him at the breast as an infant. With Joseph, she courageously protected him from the butchery of Herod by fleeing to Egypt at the warning of the same angel. Mary devotedly taught him to count, to read and to pray. Our Blessed Mother cared for Jesus into adulthood with tenderness, wisdom and prayer. In time, Mary would be uniquely present to Our Lord as he began and executed his ministry as Messiah and redeemer. Mary was, indeed, a precious gift to her Son.
Mary is a gift to the Holy Spirit. The Spirit emanating from the Father and the Son assisted her with the grace needed to offer her radical “fiat” to the Father at the Annunciation. The Holy Spirit came upon her at that vital moment and made the virginal conception possible. She relied totally upon the abundant grace of the Holy Spirit to live each and every day united to the will of the Father and to avoid sin in any form. With the fire of the Holy Spirit burning in her heart, she remained strong during so many trials, including the exile in Egypt, the aggressive pursuit of the religious leaders seeking to put Jesus to death, and then, of course, his passion and death. Next, Mary joined with the apostles and other close followers of Christ to help them prepare for the great day of Pentecost. No one could better assist the Apostles and disciples huddled in the Upper Room to prepare for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit than she.
Mary is a gift to us. Jesus deeply desired to share the gift of his mother with us. Every Christian should be drawn to that singular moment on the cross when Our Lord entrusted his mother to John, who represented the whole church that afternoon: “Woman, behold your Son” (Jn 19:26). She models the faith and intercedes for each of us with the zeal of a devoted mother.
I would like to conclude with a reference to a marvelous piece of art. Michelangelo crafted a spectacular marble statue of Mary and Jesus that resides in the Church of our Lady in Bruges, Belgium. I recently ran across it again in a coffee table book and found myself quite captivated by the remarkable beauty of Mary’s face. The marble is pure white and was polished with a skill quite possibly unrepeated among sculptors. Mary’s face is simply gorgeous. Her countenance is tender, yet strong. Her expression is humble, yet substantive. She holds both of Jesus’ hands in one hand and a book in the other, presumably the Scriptures. She appears rather contemplative, perhaps pondering how her Son is the fulfillment of an Old Testament prophecy. Michelangelo found a way to capture in this masterpiece a glimpse of the profound beauty of Mary, the Mother of God.
Fr. Peterson is director of mission and development for the Youth Apostles.
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