Mary Our Mother

In commemoration of the Month of Mary, May's meeting centered around a discussion of Mary as a Mother, Wife, and Servant of God.  The discussion opened with a reflection of Pope Benedict XV's statement (1918):

To such and extent did Mary suffer and almost die
with her suffering and dying Son;
to such extent did she surrender her maternal rights
 over her Son for man's salvation,

and immolated him - insofar as she could
 in order to appease the justice of God -

that we might rightly say she
redeemed the human race together with Christ.

A fuller understanding of Mary's role as Mediatrix and Mother of the Church not only allows us to become closer to her, and through her, to Christ, but it also reminds us of the influence and power that we, as mothers, have over the formation of our families' Faith.  By looking to Mary and examining her life and relationship with God, her Father, we gain great insight into what the Lord calls us to do within our own homes.  With this in mind, the group then focused on four key lessons we may learn from Mary by way of her:

• Saying "yes" to God's Will, no matter the apparent cost, sacrifice, or uncertainty involved (Annunciation)
• Offering her Son to God fully (Presentation at the Temple)
• Encouraging and Challenging her Son to "reach his potential" (1st Miracle at Wedding at Cana)
• Bearing witness to her Son's suffering and death (Crucifixion)

Members shared many suggestions for modeling Our Mother Mary within our families - the most important of which was keeping a strong Prayer Life and relationship with Christ so that we may be nourished enough to then "nourish" those for whom we care and raise.   As we work to develop and enrich this relationship, we should consider Pope Pius IX's words, "The foundation of all our confidence...is found in the Blessed Virgin Mary.  For God has committed to Mary the treasury of all good things, in order that everyone may know that through her are obtained every hope, every grace, and all salvation.  For this is his will, that we obtain everything through Mary."

-- Maria File