The Strength of Mother Mary
Mary, the Mother of God, is much more than Jesus' mother. As a mother to all, she represents hope, strength, trust, and obedience to God’s plan. During Advent, take time to reflect on this historic woman and her contributions to the Catholic faith.
A Great Sacrifice
Mary accepted a heavy burden when she said “yes” to becoming the mother of God’s son. While this call on her life was a great honor, it was a great sacrifice as well. She had to tell her husband-to-be, Joseph, that she was pregnant before they were married. She knew that she faced death by stoning or — if Joseph didn’t publicly reject her — the scorn and ridicule of her community. Despite the potential for judgment and isolation, Mary completely submitted to the will of God.
A Lifetime of Praise
We witness the beauty of her strength in Luke 1:46-55, a piece of scripture called “Mary’s Song.” Verses 46-49 read: “And Mary said: ‘My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me — holy is His name.’ ” Without knowing what her future would hold, Mary sang his praises.
A Mother’s Love
Having heard Simeon’s prophecy, Mary lived knowing that Jesus would one day give his life to save us. But she did not falter. She served as a pillar of strength. Even when he was on the cross, scripture does not tell us of her outward expression. We only know that she stood near the cross, strong and steady, despite the crippling grief she must have felt. Pope Francis perfectly sums up her strength, saying “Maybe she heard comments: ‘Look, there is the mother of one of the three delinquents.’ But she remains. Silent. She is the mother, she does not deny her son.”
A Perfect Example of Faith
Mary’s strength is admirable; there’s much to learn from her joyful obedience. No matter her struggles, she stood strong and willingly accepted every moment. Spend some time with your child reflecting on Mary’s strength. Ask her what she thinks about Mary’s part in scripture, listening to her thoughts and answering her questions. We believe a Mary is a great example of faith, one that we encourage all of our students to follow.
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