Happy Mother’s Day to all! There are so many special people to celebrate today—each and every maternal figure in our lives, including those who have gone before us to heaven—but above all, let us take a minute to honor the mother whose simple “yes” changed the course of history: Mary, the Mother of God.
Because of her role as the “original tabernacle,” Catholics venerate Mary, joyfully proclaiming her as the Queen of Heaven. Through our special devotion, we respectfully ask her to bring our intentions to Jesus on our behalf, trusting that he will listen to his mother, as he did during the wedding at Cana.
Should anyone find themselves intimidated at the thought of the Queen of Heaven—the Cause of our Salvation, the Ark of the Covenant, the Theotokos!—one has only to remember the words that the patron saint of TEC, St. Therese of Lisieux, said in regards to Mary: “We know well that the Blessed Virgin is the Queen of heaven and earth, but she is more mother than queen!”
The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that “in a wholly singular way [Mary] cooperated by her obedience, faith, hope, and burning charity in the Savior’s work of restoring supernatural life to souls. For this reason she is a mother to us in the order of grace.” (CCC 968)
We know well that the Blessed Virgin is the Queen of heaven and earth, but she is more mother than queen!
Not only is she Jesus’s mother, but she is ours as well. Like many of us would with our own mothers here on earth, we are welcome to bring our hearts to Mary and ask her simply and plainly for her help; we are invited to hide under her mantle as a child would, keeping close to her and begging her protection as only a mother can provide for her children.
Therese, who was fond of composing poetry, wrote her very last poem (before succumbing to tuberculosis) in raptured contemplation of Mary. She easily saw both the majesty and splendor of Mary as Queen and the utter humanity, suffering, and love of Mary as mother, but generally preferred to think of Mary as the latter. In her poem, she wrote:
While waiting for Heaven, O my dear Mother,
I want to live with you, to follow you each day.
Mother, contemplating you, I joyfully immerse myself,
Discovering in your heart abysses of love.
Your motherly gaze banishes all my fears.
It teaches me to cry, it teaches me to rejoice.
Instead of scorning pure and simple joys,
You want to share in them, you deign to bless them.
As we continue to celebrate all mothers today, take a moment to spend time in prayer with Mary and ask her to show you her motherly heart. Take comfort in her love and care, and rest in her maternal protection. May she intercede for us all, today and always. To Jesus, through Mary!
To read the entire translation of Therese’s final poem to Mary, click here.
