Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God
Of all other humans on earth, Jesus has a special kind of relationship with His mother, Mary. This probably doesn’t surprise us, as mothers and their children often have a special connection, that a father and his children will never exactly have, because he didn’t carry them in himself for 9 months. Mary was the perfect disciple, saying yes to God always, and that gave her a unique relationship to Jesus, Himself God-Incarnate. But Mary also had a special relationship with Jesus, because He is her only Son. Mothers generally love all children, but their love their own children more. Mary loved Jesus as her only Son, but also as her God.
If we are members of Jesus’ Mystical Body, the Church, then we should also have a special love for Mary. And that is why we are here today: not because it’s New Year’s Eve/Day, but to honor and show our special love for our mother. But, if we are members of Jesus’ Mystical Body, the Church, then Mary also has a special love for us. And sometimes, that love is made manifest in a particular way.
Fr. Tom Butler is originally from Texas, but he became a priest of the Diocese of Lansing. His most recent assignment, before he retired a few years ago, was Sts. Charles and Helena in Clio. He told me this story after he retired and was living in Blissfield in Lenawee County.
Some years back, Fr. Tom’s brother died at a young age, and his mother had the sad duty of burying her son. Some of you may have had to go through that terrible trauma. My paternal grandmother did not too long ago. In any case, Fr. Tom went back down to Texas, around Dallas, where his brother was being buried. It was an unusually cold, winter day, and at the end of Mass, Fr. Tom, walking with his mother behind the casket, decided to stay inside the church building and not weather the elements. As the casket was being put into the hearse, Fr. Tom’s mother turned her head, and then started to lose her footing. She steadied herself, but Fr. Tom said, “Mother, are you okay?” “Yes, I’m fine,” she said, and Fr. Tom figured that she was overcome with grief at that very powerfully sad moment.
At this point, Fr. Tom explained that his mother, though a convert to Catholicism, had a hard time giving up some of her Baptist roots. In particular, she always struggled with the role Catholics gave Mary. She believed Mary was the Mother of God, but was always afraid that by giving too much of a place to Mary, she would not give enough to God.
A few months after the funeral, Fr. Tom’s mother called him. “Tom,” she said, “do you remember at your brother’s funeral, when the casket was being placed in the hearse?” “Yes, mother,” he replied. “Tom, do you remember me getting a little shaky?” “Mother, is there something wrong?” Fr. Tom asked as he was getting a little nervous. “Everything’s fine. But I need to tell you what happened. When the casket was being placed into the hearse, I felt someone tap me on my shoulder. I thought it was you, but then I noticed you were holding my hand. So I turned, and I saw Mary standing next to me. And she startled me a little. But then she said, ‘I’ll take care of your son for you until you come to join him.’ And then she disappeared. But I knew everything was going to be alright.”
First, I apologize for those of you who don’t have a kleenex or a handkerchief with you. Second, while many of us won’t have those extraordinary experiences of Mary’s love, Mary loves us no less, and her care for us is that powerful. May we show our love for Mary, and may we be receptive to the love of Mary, “now, and at the hour of our death. Amen.”
