Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Months traditionally associated with the Blessed Virgin Mary include May and October. The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception is Dec. 8. (CR file)

Mary’s discipleship and ours


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Catholic Review Filed Under: Charity in Truth, Commentary, Feature

In life’s difficult moments, we often turn to the Blessed Virgin Mary for help. It is right that we do so, for she is our Mother who loves us dearly. She is always attentive to our specific needs but her love for us does not stop there. More than that, our Blessed Mother seeks, above all, to instill in us essential characteristics of the Christian life, characteristics that she embodies and exemplifies, namely, 1) openness to God’s love; 2) faithfulness in discipleship; 3) spiritual fruitfulness. Let me illustrate each of these.

When the Angel Gabriel announced to the Virgin Mary that God had chosen her to be the Mother of his Son, the Messiah, her “yes” to God was total and ongoing. Her response to the Angel stands forever as the model for our response to God’s initiatives in our lives: “Be it done to me according to your word!” Because of Mary’s single-hearted openness to God’s plan, she conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and brought forth the world’s Savior, Jesus the Christ.

In the rough and tumble of daily life, we can easily compromise our “yes” to God. In the face of setbacks, anger and disappointment can get the better of us. Instead of opening our hearts to God’s will, we can dwell on ourselves. Even then, Mary is never far away from us, only a prayer away, really. She urges us to surrender all bitterness and self-absorption, and instead entrust ourselves to God’s providential love. Mary did not understand all that the Incarnation would demand of her any more than we understand all that God is asking of us. Yet, when we say “yes” to whatever God wills for our lives, we discover a newfound peace.

A second essential characteristic of the Christian life is fidelity. Many episodes in Mary’s life illustrate this quality. As she entered the house of Elizabeth, her cousin cried out, “Blessed is she who believed that God’s promises would be fulfilled!” Mary’s faith never wavered as she witnessed astonishing events in the life of her divine Son. Instead, she lovingly stored these mysteries in her heart.

As Jesus began his public mission, Mary became his first and best disciple. In her goodness, she epitomized the Beatitudes. When Jesus said, “Blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it,” he was surely thinking first of his Mother. Mary’s fidelity, at length, brought her to the foot of the Cross, to Calvary, where she shared intimately in her Son’s Passion and Death.

It is all too easy for us to leave the path of discipleship. Think of how many Catholics have abandoned the practice of the faith. Some claim they left because of scandal, others because they no longer feel it meets their needs, and still others because of social pressure. Mary urges us to cling to our faith for the long haul. Let us not be “fair-weather disciples!”

A third essential characteristic of the Christian life is spiritual fruitfulness. Mary exemplifies such fruitfulness by the virgin birth of her Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ. Yet, God the Father had in mind for her another form of motherhood: she was to be the Mother of the Church and the spiritual Mother of each of the Lord’s followers. As he hung upon the Cross, Jesus said to the beloved disciple, John, “Behold, your Mother.” Even as Mary’s heart was rent with sorrow, the full extent of her motherhood was revealed. She who gave birth to the Savior became the “New Eve” who gave birth in the Church to countless disciples of the Lord, including you and me.

How are we to be spiritually fruitful? Each of us is called to reproduce ourselves many times over by attracting new followers to the Lord and active members of the Church. We are called to reinforce and deepen one another’s faith, and to manifest in our lives the abundant gifts of the Holy Spirit. And we are called to transform the world around us.

During this month of May, let us turn to Mary with renewed devotion, asking her to lead us to her divine Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Vivat Jesus!

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