A Sunday Thought to Start the Week Off Right
Recently in our weekday posts, we've taken a long look at how the life of Christ can and should be reflected in our own lives. We saw how the example Our Lord gave us throughout His life on earth might serve as a kind of "gold standard" to which we can aspire. We also saw how Our Lady, through her intercession and the example of her own life can help us do this. With all that in mind, as Mary's month of May draws to a close, I wanted to share this reflection on her life by Father Edward Leen.
“Our Blessed Lady is really a Mother. Now you all know what that word ‘mother’ means. Every letter of that word spells loyalty, sacrifice and love. All the dearest associations of life cling to it. The word brings up a vision of her who brought us into the world, who cared for us and nourished us. It tells of days of anxious watching and loving care. A mother’s love is the most perfect reflection of the love of God Himself. It is the most gentle, the most tender, the most compassionate affection on earth. A mother’s heart is a divine creation. No one but God could have thought of motherhood. None but God could have given us mothers. So wonderful a creation is motherhood that God Himself determined to have a Mother. When He decided to send His Divine Son upon earth to save us, a Mother was chosen to minister to His needs. And Mary was this Mother. Of all mothers she is the tenderest, the most understanding, the gentlest, the most full of sympathy and compassion, the most motherly, and Mary was all this for her beloved Son. When she smiled on Him at Bethlehem her smile was a perfect mother’s smile; when she clasped her Child to her heart at Nazareth it was the perfect embrace of a Mother; when she stood beneath His Cross on Calvary her sacrifice was the perfect consummation of her motherly love. The relation of a mother and son, always sacred, reaches its summit in the highest perfection that can be conceived when Mary is Mother and Jesus is Son. The love of a mother is unlike all other love and the crown of the love of mothers is the love of Mary the Mother of Jesus.
“When you think of it, was it not a tremendous privilege for Our Lady to be the Mother of Jesus! For thirty years she lived side by side with Him. She alone of all the human race enjoyed with Him for all those thirty years that intimacy and familiarity which exist between a mother and a son. During those years she exercised all the functions and fulfilled all the duties of a mother. She was the witness of His smallest actions, she piously laid up each one of His words in her heart, she knew intimately each one of the sentiments which animated Him. And to His Mother Jesus paid a perfect tribute of submission, respect and love. Never was Mother so loved, never was Son so loving. Now it was in this close association with her Son that Mary learned to love mankind. It was with Jesus that she prepared to be the Mother of Men. For, besides being the Mother of Jesus, Mary is our Mother.” (Fr. Edward Leen, C.S.Sp.)
I hope you see just how blessed we are to have Mary as our Mother. As Father explains, it was her in her "close association with her Son that Mary learned to love mankind." Imagine us receiving even an iota of the love that she bestowed on Jesus. Guess what? She does that, and so much more. That's why we Catholics have, from the beginning, understood the importance of devotion to Our Blessed Mother.
As May draws to a close, we remain Mary's children. We hold her close to us throughout the year not only in our daily prayers and devotions, but in our hearts. In our love for her, we are responding to her love for us. Her devotion to our well-being can never be exaggerated. We know this because, as Father has shown us, "It was with Jesus that she prepared to be the Mother of Men. For, besides being the Mother of Jesus, Mary is our Mother."
“Our Blessed Lady is really a Mother. Now you all know what that word ‘mother’ means. Every letter of that word spells loyalty, sacrifice and love. All the dearest associations of life cling to it. The word brings up a vision of her who brought us into the world, who cared for us and nourished us. It tells of days of anxious watching and loving care. A mother’s love is the most perfect reflection of the love of God Himself. It is the most gentle, the most tender, the most compassionate affection on earth. A mother’s heart is a divine creation. No one but God could have thought of motherhood. None but God could have given us mothers. So wonderful a creation is motherhood that God Himself determined to have a Mother. When He decided to send His Divine Son upon earth to save us, a Mother was chosen to minister to His needs. And Mary was this Mother. Of all mothers she is the tenderest, the most understanding, the gentlest, the most full of sympathy and compassion, the most motherly, and Mary was all this for her beloved Son. When she smiled on Him at Bethlehem her smile was a perfect mother’s smile; when she clasped her Child to her heart at Nazareth it was the perfect embrace of a Mother; when she stood beneath His Cross on Calvary her sacrifice was the perfect consummation of her motherly love. The relation of a mother and son, always sacred, reaches its summit in the highest perfection that can be conceived when Mary is Mother and Jesus is Son. The love of a mother is unlike all other love and the crown of the love of mothers is the love of Mary the Mother of Jesus.
“When you think of it, was it not a tremendous privilege for Our Lady to be the Mother of Jesus! For thirty years she lived side by side with Him. She alone of all the human race enjoyed with Him for all those thirty years that intimacy and familiarity which exist between a mother and a son. During those years she exercised all the functions and fulfilled all the duties of a mother. She was the witness of His smallest actions, she piously laid up each one of His words in her heart, she knew intimately each one of the sentiments which animated Him. And to His Mother Jesus paid a perfect tribute of submission, respect and love. Never was Mother so loved, never was Son so loving. Now it was in this close association with her Son that Mary learned to love mankind. It was with Jesus that she prepared to be the Mother of Men. For, besides being the Mother of Jesus, Mary is our Mother.” (Fr. Edward Leen, C.S.Sp.)
I hope you see just how blessed we are to have Mary as our Mother. As Father explains, it was her in her "close association with her Son that Mary learned to love mankind." Imagine us receiving even an iota of the love that she bestowed on Jesus. Guess what? She does that, and so much more. That's why we Catholics have, from the beginning, understood the importance of devotion to Our Blessed Mother.
As May draws to a close, we remain Mary's children. We hold her close to us throughout the year not only in our daily prayers and devotions, but in our hearts. In our love for her, we are responding to her love for us. Her devotion to our well-being can never be exaggerated. We know this because, as Father has shown us, "It was with Jesus that she prepared to be the Mother of Men. For, besides being the Mother of Jesus, Mary is our Mother."
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death.
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