12 June, Saturday — Chatting with Jesus’ Mother

The Immaculate Heart of Mary

The Blessed Virgin Mary has been given the title of Mother of the Church since she gave birth to Christ, the Head of the Church, and she became the Mother of the redeemed people before her Son had given up the spirit on the Cross. Pope Paul VI solemnly confirmed the title in an address to the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council on 21 November 1964 and decreed that the whole Christian people should, by the use of this beautiful title, give still greater honour to the Mother of God.

‘The joyous veneration given to the Mother of God by the contemporary Church, in light of reflection on the mystery of Christ and on his nature, cannot ignore the figure of a woman (cf. Gal 4:4), the Virgin Mary, who is both the Mother of Christ and Mother of the Church. In some ways, this was already present in the mind of the Church from the premonitory words of Saint Augustine and Saint Leo the Great. In fact, the former says that Mary is the mother of the members of Christ, because with charity, she cooperated in the rebirth of the faithful into the Church, while the latter says that the birth of the Head is also the birth of the body, thus indicating that Mary is at once Mother of Christ, the Son of God, and mother of the members of his Mystical Body, which is the Church’ (Decree of the Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship).

– Universalis

2 Cor 5:14-21
Lk 2:41-51

His mother stored up all these things in her heart.

Today’s Gospel reading was about Jesus being found in the Temple among the teachers of the law. At the end of this section, it was mentioned that Mother Mary ‘stored up all these things in her heart’. Previously, I thought that it referred to just the major events in their lives – like the visit of the Magi, and Jesus’s response on how they should not be surprised that he’s staying at his Father’s house. Reading it again today made me realize that Mother Mary was storing all her moments with Jesus in her heart. It made me ask, “What were those moments like, Mother Mary? How was Jesus like?”

So maybe we could imagine ourselves in front of Mother Mary, in a garden full of roses, talking about Jesus. What would you ask?

Here are a list of my questions: What is Jesus’ favorite breakfast? How was Jesus like when he took his first steps? Did Jesus cry a lot when he was a baby? Was his first word ‘Mama’, or ‘Papa’? How did Jesus pray as a child? Did he get to play outside? What’s his favorite color? What were his last words to you? Did you know back then that he was going to be crucified? What prayers did you teach Jesus?

And especially in heaven, Mother Mary would be as close to Jesus as they were when they were on earth. So I would also ask: Is Jesus angry at me whenever I sin? Did I hurt him badly when I sinned? Did Jesus see me struggle with this challenge? Did Jesus tell you something about me? Did I make Jesus smile when I did something good? Do you think you could ask Jesus this for me?

Mother Mary is the Mother of God and she is so intimately connected to God; that’s why I think we could ask all these questions to her. After all, even in this life, we could always go through someone’s mother to get to know them better. I am grateful that our Church teaches us that we could get to know Jesus better through Mother Mary. Our Church also teaches us that we can get closer to Jesus through Mother Mary.

And Mother Mary is our mother, too. Just as she watched Jesus and stored up all about Jesus in her heart, she also watches over us as a mother. And she stores everything about us in her heart. So we could confidently talk to her about us, and she’ll listen and advise with motherly love.

Brothers and sisters, what would be your questions to Mother Mary?

(Today’s OXYGEN by Stephanie Villa)

Prayer: Dear Lord, help us learn to chat more with Mother Mary.

Thanksgiving: Thank you, Lord, for giving us Mary as our Mother.