Dear St. Theresa family,
In the month of May we celebrate two very Important women. Mary and our own mothers.
Throughout this month we honor Mary as our spiritual mother. In many parish schools her image will be honored with flowers. Next Sunday we will celebrate mother’s-day, to honor our earthly mothers and many of us will be honoring our mothers with flowers, and homemade cards, and perhaps a special dinner. These are all great ways to show our moms how much we love and appreciate them for all the unselfish ways they take care of us. The Blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of our Lord is also the mother of us all, is mirrored in our own mothers as she did so many of the same things our own mother does beginning with the acceptance of new life. She gave birth and life to Jesus and took care of him as a baby as did our mothers did for us. She provided for him and protected him as he grew up as did our own mothers. From time to time, she even had to reprimand him like the time he stayed in the temple of Jerusalem without permission. When it was discovered that he had been left behind Mary and Joseph were frantic with worry. When they found him, he was not particularly sorry for what he did and so she let him have it! “Son why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.” Mary shows us that sometimes moms must be strict and correct their children especially when they don’t know that they may be in danger.
Mary is the great example of what it is to be a mom and she still teaches us how.
She teaches us that obedience to God and trusting in God’s word is the smartest way to live. When an angel came to her to tell her that she would be the mother of our Lord, she did not understand exactly what it all meant but she decided that God had a plan for her life, and she was willing to accept it. Having received insight into God’s plan Mary said: “Be it done unto me according to your word.” The smartest words ever spoken. Mothers embark on motherhood as an unknown journey. Faith, trust, and the recognition that God has a plan are essential if the journey is to be successful.
Great words of wisdom come from our mother’s mouths. “Because I said so” immediately comes to mind. Children often experience mom telling them what to do and what not to do. And that’s one of the things moms do best. They understand their responsibility to help us grow in wisdom and strength as they guard us from harm. And always because they love and care about what is precious in their eyes. Wisdom came to us when we discovered that obeying our mother was the best way we could honor her and receive a blessing from God.
Mary was not only Jesus’ mother but ours too. Her image is often easy to recognize in the faces of our own mothers. Mothers are great dispensers of advice and the Blessed Mother passes on to all mothers the best advice possible when she said: “Do whatever he tells you.” This was what she told the wine stewards in Cana after having informed Jesus that the party was going to fizzle if he didn’t do something about the wine. Jesus balked at this, making noises about it “not being his time.” But having been well raised he recognized that it was no use arguing with her. She, knowing he would respect her, instructed the wine stewards to bring him water jars and he obediently turned the water into wine. The wedding feast was saved because Jesus obeyed his mother. The first miracle in the ministry of Jesus Christ was the result of a boy obeying his mother. Imagine what other miracles could be wrought if more children were to do likewise! Because our mother Mary loves us like our own mothers, she tells us what to do and the most important thing she tells us is what she told those wine stewards: “Do whatever he tells you.”
Have a great Mother’s Day!
Fr. Larry