Mary, Mother of Jesus - Mother of our Spirituality May 6

by Rev. Joe McCloskey, S.J.

“It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” Acts 14:22

I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:35

Piety

Mary, Mother O Christ, our mother too, pray for us.

Study

http://www.usccb.org/nab/050607.shtml

In more ways than one, Mary is the Model of what our spirituality should be. She gave form to Jesus as Jesus. All the ways, physically, mentally, spiritually, that a mother influences and forms her child, Mary was Mother of Christ. Mary’s claim on our devotion is not just that she is the Mother of Christ; it is also because she was a good mother in how she took care of her child. Spirituality is putting on the mind and the heart of Christ. What Christ learned from his mother is what we can learn also. How Mary loved her son is the model of how we should love Christ.

My favorite question about spirituality is; “Am I really willing to be who Christ would have been if he had been lucky enough to be me?” The question takes a lifetime to answer because it is answered more by deeds than by words. Jesus is Jesus because of a mother’s love for her son. A loving mother brings Jesus into this world. His personality and his features reflect his mother. It would not surprise me to hear Jesus say. “Love me means love my Mother.”

We gather here because we recognize Mary as the mother of Christ. The Christ life that we contain within ourselves is not just a spacious thought. The reality of our baptism into his life, of our creation in the image and likeness of Christ; of Eucharist giving us his life; all these truths birth in us a relationship to Mary as our mother too. Christ is 100 percent the child of Mary. Christ is 100 percent the Son of God. The Christ of 2000 years ago, the son of Mary is safely ensconced in heaven with the Father. Yet it is by the death and resurrection of Christ in his humanness that we have salvation. And Mary is the mother of Christ who is both God and man. But he suffered and died in his humanness and it is through his human nature that we are saved. We are called to live his humanness by our spirituality. Mary as the mother of his humanness that lives in us by our sacramental life is our mother too.

There is much we can say about Mary. The mysteries of the rosary keep us in contact with what we need to be mindful of in our prayer so that we can enjoy the fullness of her motherhood even as Christ did. Each mystery of the rosary makes us aware of how important Mary is to our living the life of Christ. Mary leads us to her son. Mary gives us a model for our spirituality. Jesus from the cross said to John: “Behold Your Mother.” To Mary he said: “Behold your son.” Mystically John stood in for all of us. Mystically Mary at that moment becomes the Mother of the human race.

Mary, Mother O Christ, our mother too, pray for us.

Action

Plan ahead and make this year extra special for your mother. Although Mother’s Day is a couple of weeks away, what are you planning to do for your mother? Don’t wait until the last minute to honor her for your formation. As she has loved you, love her in return.

And, as the t-shirt says, “Pray the Rosary. Your Mother hasn’t heard from you in decades.”