Something For Our Lives The Gospels have Mary holding her child before the shepherds, who represented the poor and waiting people of Israel. This motherly action has stirred the imagination of believers over the centuries. Many paintings represent her holding her child towards believers. Western art has also found a constant source of inspiration in the theme of the mother and child.The moments of Mary's motherhood reflect in some way the relationship between every mother and child, but for Mary they take on a startling meaning. Her relationship with Jesus was a relationship with God. Jesus was the son of Mary, but he was also the Son of God. The joys, the worries, the anxieties and the hopes that go into being a mother were the elements of her relationship with God in her son, Jesus. The importance of Mary, being the Mother of God is that we celebrate her intimate relationship with God. She also gives us a dramatic example of the possibilities for our own relationship with God. One could think of God as someone who is loving but remote, a God who really does not need us. Our celebration of Mary as the Mother of God, however, is a challenge to thoughts about that kind of a God. Through Mary, God has become deeply involved with us: this is reflected in the intimacy of the mother and child relationship between Mary and Jesus. Our reaction should accordingly be one of wonder and amazement. As we think about Mary, the Mother of Cod, we can only wonder at the extent of God's love. Unimagined possibilities unfold in our lives; a closeness and an intimacy with God beyond our dreams is Possible. 'Yes' Mary is seen as the Church. Mary's 'Yes' is given prominences especially as her openness in faith to the redemption that her Son would work in her as well as in all humanity. Saint Augustine summed this up in a phrase: “Mary conceived Jesus in her mind and heart before she conceived him in her womb” |
Home |
