Mothers of the Lord

Dear Friend,

Preparing for our celebration of the Assumption, I found the following words very helpful. They were composed by Barbara Molinari Quinby, Director of the office of Human Life, Dignity and Justice Ministries at the Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral in Raleigh, North Carolina.

“As a woman with my own life experiences, I see Mary as a strong woman who, with her infant, faced the injustice of the Empire; I see her as intelligent and educated in Torah; I see her as someone who carried many things in her heart, including her experience with the Divine; and I see her as someone who valued relationships and home life, yet still sought to fulfill her own destiny that takes her away from home. Through her and the many other women of the Gospels, wisdom becomes personified. And she, as the Bride, embodies the Holy Spirit.”

To think of Mary as someone who “embodies the Holy Spirit” is also to remember my call to be as open and willing as Mary to be shaped by that same Spirit. The journey of discipleship is unique to each one of us – including a unique experience of the divine. At the same time, for all of us the journey includes, as the Assumption is meant to show us, our very flesh and blood. St. Francis of Assisi reminded his early followers that they were “mothers of the Lord” as they brought the Word of God to life through deeds and actions marked by love.

Recently, I’ve had occasion to remember the many women in my life who have demonstrated this kind of motherhood, discipleship, and hope. They point me to the love proclaimed on this weekend’s feast, a love stronger than death, one that binds us in one body forever.

Gratefully,

Fr. Dan, Pastor