Mary, Mother of God
R. May God bless us in his mercy.
Written by Sarah Quintanilla
Today we celebrate one of the greatest solemnities our Church could offer us, Mary Mother of God. One might ask why this feast is important and one might answer, “well because Mary truly is the Mother of God and should be honored”, and while that is true, I think the intention of the celebration goes deeper than that.
What is a mother? According to Webster Dictionary, a mother is “a female parent.” As I read this definition, I can’t help but feel the gaping void these words leave in my heart. They are cold, distant, and lacking. And as I ponder them I realize that some of us may have relationships with our earthly mothers that feel this way. After all we live in a fallen world. To rely on this definition is to rely on something that is ultimately broken.
However, when we turn to the wisdom of the Church in Her doctors, St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross said this, ”…To cherish, guard, protect, nourish and advance growth is her[a woman] natural, maternal yearning.” “To cherish, guard, protect, nourish and advance growth” - that is the essence of a mother. And today the Church reminds us that no matter how our relationship is with our earthly mother, we have a Mother in heaven who was humble enough to take on every single one of us as her own through and for her son, Jesus Christ.
Today we are reminded that in her motherhood, we are cherished, we are guarded, we are protected and we are nourished with the same gentle heart God chose to love His only begotten Son with.
We are not perfect, in our humanity we fail to let the Lord’s face shine upon us, but Mary, our perfect Mother, not only let the Lord’s face shine upon her, but made physical the invisible face of Love so that we could look upon the face of Love.
The same way she kept and reflected the truths of her son in her heart , Mary, holds the truths of who we are in her heart as well.
Today, ask Mary to show you how she is a mother to you, and when she reveals those beautiful truths, I hope you reflect on them and hold them deep in your heart while she holds you and leads you to her Son, Jesus.
Sarah Quintanilla is an Elementary Music Teacher and recording artist based in San Antonio, TX. You can find out more about her, her music, and find 2022 tour information by following her Instagram or checking out her website. Check out her music on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music.
Pray with today’s psalm.