January 1 2019 - Mary, Mother of God - "You are my mother now!"

In 1929, just 17 days short of his 9th birthday, the young Karol Wojtyla — the future Pope Saint John Paul II — entered his family home during the afternoon. His parents were very pious, and young Karol was accustomed to see his father — a strong soldier in the Polish army — praying on his knees on their parlor’s hardwood floor. That day, when the young Karol saw his father praying, he saw his dad’s knees bathing in a pool of tears.

“What’s wrong, Papa” the young future Pope asked his father. “Karol, your mother has died!” was his father’s answer. His mother had Emilia died in childbirth.

The eight year old ran out of his home to the local parish Church, which was actually right across the street from the Wojtyla apartment home. He entered the Church and ran up the aisle of the Church to a kneeler in front of a statue of Mary.  Tearfully, he said to her: “Blessed Lady, I don’t know why God took my mother home at the time he did. But I do know one thing: YOU are my mother now!”

“You are my mother now!” Today we celebrate the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. At the beginning of the civil year, when we ponder what time will bring in the upcoming year, the Church reminds us very strongly of what happened at the fullness of time. “When the fullness of time had come,” we hear in today’s second reading, “God sent his Son, born of a woman.”

“You are my mother now!” Those words would first have been said by Jesus.  This is an incredible mystery, that the second person of the Blessed Trinity, who take human flesh, and call one of his creatures, “his mother”. Mary bore God in her womb, and is thus rightly called “Theotokos” the God-bearer.  We profess this truth every time we pray the Hail Mary:  “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners”

“You are my mother now!” Those words were spoken by Saint John the Apostle.  For from the Cross, Jesus said to his beloved disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home”. 

“You are my mother now!” These words are spoken now by every disciple. For Jesus gave Mary as mother in the order of grace to the whole Church. We know that Mary had an important role in the life of the early Church, the disciples gathered around her in prayer in the upper room at Pentecost. And Mary is the mother of the family Jesus established through his passion, death, and resurrection.  Jesus wants his disciples to have his Mother as our own so that she could raise us to be like her Son.  Through Baptism, we say along with Saint John and along with Jesus himself, “You are my mother now!”

Jesus says to each of us, “Behold your mother!” He wants and hopes that each of us will do what his first beloved disciple wisely did, and take Mary into our home, into our lives.

Pope Saint John Paul’s devotion to the Blessed Mother deeply impacted his life, his priesthood, and his papacy.  When he was made bishop of Krakow, he took as his episcopal motto the words: Totus Tuus ego sum, which is latin for “I am completely yours.”  The motto “Totus tuus” was taken from a prayer by Saint Louis Marie de Montfordt: "Totus tuus ego sum, et omnia mea tua sunt. Accipio te in mea omnia. Praebe mihi cor tuum, Maria." "I am completely yours, and all that I have is yours. I take you for my all. O Mary, give me your heart"

In giving one’s self to Mary you can trust that she will always lead you to Jesus.  In our sinfulness, Mary leads us to Christ’s mercy.  In our sorrows and sufferings, Mary leads us to the sweet comfort of her son.  In our joys, Mary leads us to magnify God.  When we turn to Mary in prayer, she leads us deeper into the mystery of God.  She helps us to overcome our vices and our selfishness.

Our mother comes in haste to our aid when we call upon her.  And she will always help us to be free from all that keeps us from loving her son as we should—to make haste in serving God’s kingdom. 
We celebrate this Feast of the Motherhood of Mary at the beginning of the Church year, not because the Church wants to make New Year’s morning more difficult for us, but because this title of Mary as Mother is of the utmost importance. The heart of Jesus was filled with love for His Mother, and our hearts must become like His. Love for Mother Mary does not detract from our Love of God, but magnifies it. Authentic love of Mother Mary deepens our gratitude for the for the role she played in Jesus’ life, for the role she continues to play in our salvation.

So deepen your love for her by Praying her Rosary. Bring flowers to her statues. Build shrines to her in your homes and workplaces. Teach your children songs in her honor. Imitate her virtue. Take as your personal motto for 2019, Totus Tuus, give yourself and all that is yours to her completely. You will not regret it. Invoke the sweet name of Mary, our mother often, fly to her protection, implore her help, and seek her intercession for the glory of God and salvation of souls.