Mother Mary

When scrolling on social media for only a few moments, I always feel a deep sense of anger and a desire for justice when I see people treating Mother Mary with disrespect. Best believe I’ve considered emulating the actions of St Nicholas in his dealings with a heretic as it certainly feels merited, but upon reflection it would not be wise nor charitable to do so. I also don’t think that any Protestants who deny Mother Mary of the great titles bestowed upon her by Catholics aren't intending on causing such anger within us, but they desire for us to live a good and fruitful Christian life. I admire this love that Protestants have for us, but they are wrong. Mother Mary IS indeed worthy of all the honours bestowed upon her, and it is Jesus who ultimately desired for these honours to be bestowed upon His Mother (Ex 20:12).

We don’t believe Mary to be this deity on the same level as God who needs to be worshiped; this is both wrong and false. Instead, we recognise Mary to be the Mother of God (Lk 1:31-33) who was without sin! Mary being sinless is a contentious claim among Christians, but we know this to be true through Archangel Gabriel’s interaction with Mary. Gabriel refers to Mary as “full of grace” (Lk 1:28), a title that causes Mary to be “greatly troubled” (Lk 1:29). But the beauty of this interaction was that Gabriel revealed to Mary her true nature! We see God reveal Abram’s true nature by renaming him from Abram to Abraham (from ‘father’ to ‘father of the multitudes’) (Gs 17:5). In the same way, God uses Gabriel as a vessel to reveal Mary’s true nature as a sinless woman who is “full of grace”[1].

The Wedding of Cana foreshadows the Heavenly role that Jesus desired for Mary. The weddings wine supply is on the brink of depletion which would bring certain dishonour to the family hosting the wedding; it is at this point where we see the role of Mary. Mary requests for Jesus to perform a miracle to recover the family’s wine supply, to which He reluctantly accepts, with this miracle marking the start of Jesus’ Earthly ministry. But what authority does Mary have to request that Jesus performs a miracle? Well, I feel this communicates Mary’s authority perfectly. In accordance with Jewish tradition, the mother of the king was denoted as the queen. Consequently, as Jesus is King, Mother Mary is the Queen! Not only is Mary the Queen, but she actually has the ability to influence the decision making of the King through requests, which is why Jesus accepts the request of Mother Mary to turn water into wine[2].

I could genuinely go on for ages in highlighting why Mother Mary IS worthy of all the titles and honours bestowed upon her by God, but I want to attest to the impact her intercession has on a personal level. We view Mary as our Mother. Through her intercession, we are led closer to Jesus. As a gentle Mother, she leads us as children of God directly to the throne room where we can grow deeper in love for and with Jesus Christ. It is through the grace of God that Mary can help us grow in love for Christ. Catholics often testify to the transformative power that is present in praying with Mary to God. In particular, men have often associated their triumph over lust through the Rosary. In my experience, it was the daily recitation of the Rosary that helped me stand firm in my faith amidst a long season of deep spiritual desolation. While many may argue that the Rosary is a form of idolatry towards Mother Mary. But in the experience of Catholics, the Rosary is a prayer in which a person views the life of Jesus through the eyes of Mary, with the Blessed Mother leading us to her son, Jesus Christ. After all if the Rosary was idolatry, how would Catholics be led closer to Christ through it? Sin removes us from Christ yet people are growing closer to Him through the Rosary – a real indication of the graces that God flows through the Rosary.

Ultimately, Mary isn’t a mere woman – Mary is the Mother of God! Mary is not only the Mother of God, but she is OUR Mother who longs to see us united with Christ on Earth and in Heaven. Mary’s intercession is a gift from God with an intended purpose of furthering our love for Christ! And through Mary’s example, it is clear that God has a profound, intricate and exciting plan that will lead to fullness within our lives, and all we need to do is say yes just as Mary did.

[1] Staples, T. (2023) Hail Mary, Conceived Without Sin, Catholic Answers. Catholic Answers. https://www.catholic.com/magazine/online-edition/hail-mary-conceived-without-sin

[2] Grondin, Fr. C. (2023) Why Is Mary Called Queen of Heaven?, Catholic Answers. Catholic Answers. https://www.catholic.com/qa/why-is-mary-called-queen-of-heaven.

“And he came to her and said, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!”

Luke 1:28

“A great portent appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pangs, in the agony of giving birth. And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron.”

Revelation 12:1-2, 5