Homily

I think there is a problem, a temptation, for many Catholic people when they think of Mary, the most holy Mother of God and ever-virgin. And that problem is seeing Mary as though she is not quite human in the same way that we are, that she somehow stands apart from us like some kind of super-hero, with super-powers, someone who is in a completely different league than we are. If we think this way, we put a lot of distance between us and Mary. Now it IS true that Mary stands out in two special ways: first, in that she gave birth to the Son of God, and second, that she never sinned. These two facts make her unique, it is true, but she is still absolutely human and most certainly one of us. She is the first Christian and the first member of the Church. She is not only the first member of the Church, but to make a point, I suggest to you that she is a member of THIS parish, even if we did not put her name in the new directory. She is praying with us here at every Liturgy and every service; alongside us she also sings the praises of God, even if we don’t hear her voice, and she prays for our intentions just as we do for one another.

As we try to care for one another, so she also cares for us because she bears the fullness of Christian love of neighbor, and so she loves us all. Living in heavenly glory, she does not need to be with us in the same physical manner that she was with family and friends back in Nazareth, only knowing people she could physically meet. Now, she is able to know all of us and, as a fellow parishioner, she would like us to call on her help for our needs and for the needs of one another and all those we wish to pray for.

Just as it is the parents’ job to teach their children about Christ and His saving work for us, and just as it is the priest’s job to preach the Gospel of Christ, so it is that Mary has taken it as her job to bring us closer to Christ, her son. She gave Him of her humanity and He granted her a share in His divine life, the same divine life we received in our baptism, that same share we carry with us today, even though it is not yet perfected.

So, I very much like this idea of considering the Mother of God as a member of this parish, especially since it is named in her honor. And, one advantage is that even though she is a parishioner, she will never take your favorite seat. (But, if she does, I know you will be amazed and very happy.) As a parishioner, a fellow member of the Body of Christ, she is willing to listen to us, be with us, pray for us, encourage us and share with us in the worship of Christ our God. The fact that she died doesn’t mean that she is not alive, and she is alive in a way that allows her to be present to all of us. We have her picture here, not to remind us of someone who is far away but rather to remind us of one who is present among us.

The world does not recognize her greatness, nor does it honor her as an important person. She never ruled a nation, never won a battle or an election, never wrote a symphony, never won an Olympic gold medal. She did none of the things that the world considers to be marks of greatness and works of importance. None. So the world does not applaud her life or her name. But what reveals her greatness to us, and what we see as her most important work is captured in the reply she gave to the angel Gabriel: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to your word.” When those words were spoken 2,000 years ago the Son of God became the son of Mary and entered into the womb of the Sinless One. When we say those words today, although we are sinners, Jesus will surely touch our hearts and invite us to come closer to Him, alongside His mother. Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Savior, save us!