Since my dad’s death last May, I especially enjoy meeting people who knew my dad. I want to hear about him and am thrilled whenever anyone wants to tell me how they knew him. Especially meaningful have been encounters with people who knew my dad in ways I never did from from his Wisconsin childhood days and his college years and from his varied business circles.
Firsthand testimony about my dad does wonders to connect me even more strongly with my father, mentor and hero.
MARY is one of the people who knew Jesus. She bore Jesus in her womb and brought him into the world of time. She gave birth to the person of Jesus Christ. Having been overshadowed by the Holy Spirit (cf. Luke 1:33) , her miraculous conception extends far beyond bringing to full term only his human nature; she births the very person of Jesus Christ whose two natures are fully human and fully divine.
How marvelously the ancient title “Mother of God” describes who Mary really is and the great mission God entrusted to her.
As we learn more about Mary and thoughtfully consider her testimony along with what others know to be true about her motherly relatationship with her Son, we stand to know, love and serve Jesus even more.
How easily we can imagine Mary, the Mother of God, holding Jesus in her arms. The King of the Universe held tenderly in her own arms! She does not cradle the Holy Child with even the slightest strain of possessiveness, but only desires to offer Him to everyone. In this way, Mary rightly is called also the Mother of the Church. Her mysterious maternity always has been and forever will be only to make available to everyone her Son, Jesus Christ, Who is Lord, Savior and Messiah of us all.
