Wednesday, September 10, 2008

why we catholics honor mary


Popes or any official teaching of the Church, never said to worship Mary. Catholics keep great devotion to Mary because of her unique role in the redemptive work with her son. She is not an ordinary mother. In the birth of a human child, both father and mother cooperate with God to give the child a human flesh. In the case of Jesus, he received body and blood only from his mother. When Eve was taken from Adam, he called her “bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh” (Gen 2:23). Here, Mary can call Jesus more rightly ‘flesh of my flesh, bone of my bone”. Flesh of Jesus is the material blood of Mary. When she said “Fiat,” this young girl of Judea was surrendering herself to God’s plan. Abraham became the Father of Nations because of his great Faith and total surrender. Here because of her total surrender and extra ordinary faith, Mary became the Mother of new kingdom that was established by Jesus. After all, she is the most precious gift we received from the deathbed of Jesus uttered, “Behold your mother” (Jn. 19:22) She became not only the mother of John, but of all whom he redeemed through that crucifixion. She is the Mother of the church- the mystical body of Christ.