Today the Church ask us to turn our gaze toward Mary, the Mother of God. As we read in the opening prayer at Mass:
"may her prayer, the gift of a mother's love, be your people's joy through all the ages. May her response, born of a humble heart, draw your Spirit to rest on your people."
Today we celebrate the gift of a mother's love.
A mother's love is truly a gift. Today I spent some moments with my own mother. She worked all night at a nursing home, arrived home around 6:30 am, slept until 10 am and then she cooked. I couldn't believe it. What was she doing up?
But then again, mom has always done this. She has always worked nights and yet she always made sure all of us were cared for first. She seldom complains about her lack of sleep but always has energy to give herself away.
I watched her today to learn about a mother's love. What a gift we have all been given in Mary, the mother of God.
A poem that moves me: The Watcher
She always leaned to watch for us
anxious if we were late
In winter by the window,
in summer by the gate.
And though we mocked her tenderly who had such foolish care
the long way home would seem more safe, because she waited there...
Her thoughts were all so full of us, she never could forget!
And so I think that where she is she must be watching yet
Waiting til we come home to her, Anxious if we are late
watching from Heaven's window, leaning on Heaven's gate!
With a Mother's love Mary waits for us...
Excerpt from St. Athanasius:
"This is explains the fact of Mary's presence: she is to provide him with a body of his own, to be offered for our sake."
As we turn our attention to the New Year and once again fill our minds with resolutions of things to change let us remember Mary. It was through her body that Jesus received flesh and blood and became one with us. She gave Jesus a body of his own so that goodness and mercy might reign in the human heart and might have a final home.
As we ponder new resolutions for our bodies: to lose weight, to gain weight, to lose fat or gain muscle; to shape and form this flesh; to exercise and eat right...may we do something different.
May we surrender our body so that Jesus may make it his own, such that mercy, peace and love may reign in our homes.
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