Remembering Mary, Our Mother

It’s unfortunate to think about how often we take our mothers for granted. This past Sunday, after playing eighteen holes of golf with my little brother and dad, I returned home to a warm stew for dinner. The meat so tender you didn’t need a knife to cut, my family scarfed down the braised meal in a heartbeat. Afterward, slumped on the couch watching Sunday Night Football, I feel my mother’s arms wrap around my neck and her lips on my cheek. Her warmth and loving embrace allow my worries and fears to suddenly vanish. Motherly hugs are miraculous, pure, and graceful.

Today, we celebrate the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Later this week, we continue to commemorate the holy Mother through the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

In Luke’s passage, the angel Gabriel and Mary engage in fruitful dialogue. Gabriel presents a simple, pure gift. He tells Mary, “full of grace,” that she will conceive Jesus, our savior, the Son of God, in her womb. However, Mary seems hesitant; how can a virgin possibly bare a child, especially at her young age?

Gabriel replies, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.” This single verse defines the centrality of our Christian faith, the Holy Trinity.

I imagine Mary pausing for a few moments after Gabriel announces the pregnancy of Elizabeth. Her mind must be traveling a thousand miles per hour. What is she going to do next? She simply responds, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” This exactly why she is the holiest of all saints. Though Mary doesn’t know what lies ahead, she willingly takes the leap of faith. She conceives the Son, a miracle. Thus, she becomes the patroness of the Holy Trinity, the Mother of the Church, the Queen of Angels and Saints.

Author: Martin Day, Alumni Service Corps