We celebrate this weekend the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Theotokos, Holy Mother of God, whom St. Elizabeth called blessed among women (Luke 1:42). As we learn from the priestly blessing described in the Book of Numbers, to be blessed is to know that the Lord lets his face shine upon you and is gracious to you. Mary, full of grace, was certainly blessed by God; because of such a blessing, Psalm 67 suggests, God’s way can be known upon the earth and all the peoples may praise the Lord and make known his salvation.
In Luke’s Gospel, when the shepherds go in haste to Bethlehem, they too are blessed, and that blessing means that they too have seen God’s face shine upon them. They too contribute to making God’s way known upon the earth, and go forth glorifying and praising God. As a result of their visit, Mary’s maternity becomes a locus of contemplation, as she kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. And there is much to reflect upon. St. Paul reminds the Galatians that since Jesus was born of a woman, he partakes fully of our humanity; Mary’s physical body is thus the link of salvation between God and humankind, ultimately enabling all humankind to participate in the kingdom of God by their adoption as sons and daughters.
By contemplating Mary’s maternity – as Mary herself did, and must have done at every step of her life journey with her Son – we too can come better to understand how much we are loved by God, who sent his Son into our world, and who sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts. We can, in other words, appreciate more fully how much we ourselves are blessed, and rejoice in the face of the Lord shining upon us, knowing that salvation is ours, and making known that salvation to the ends of the earth…
Image source: www.wordclouds.com
No comments:
Post a Comment