What’s the point in honoring Mary?

Catholics and non-Catholics alike ask me all the time: “Why Mary? Why is she important? Why do you honor her?”

It’s actually one of my favorite things to talk about (besides maybe my nephew or music and sometimes puppies), so I love giving answers to those questions!

I used to ask the same questions, until about two years ago when it all began to finally click. Not in some doctrine-y kind of way, or some extraordinary sensible experience. But, rather, in a way that can only be explained through my prayer, as I began noticing a transformation taking place within my very own heart.

So, why Mary?
Well for starters, God chose her. You see, God could have sent His only Son into the world in a myriad of different ways: descending on a cloud, angels lowering Him down, or perhaps, He could have just appeared one day as a grown adult ready for public ministry. But nope. God sent Jesus as an infant, through a woman; and not just any woman. He chose Mary.

Out of all the women who had already lived and all of the women who were yet to be born, God chose Our Lady as the Mother of Jesus. Shouldn’t we, too, choose her for ourselves then?

Many of our great saints agree that the most assured route to get to Jesus is through Mary, since Jesus came through her to get to us.

She is the new Ark of the Covenant. She is the archetype of the Church. She is the model of virtue, perfected. She is the Queen of Heaven. She is the Mother of Christ and she is our mother, too!

What a gift to have this perfect, Blessed Virgin as our model and guide. A woman who was fully human. A woman who knows what it means to live a life entirely for God, with God. A woman who teaches us self-surrender and floods our heart with God’s grace, always interceding for us as we journey towards Heaven!

Mary said yes to God. Her “yes” still resounds even today. Imagine, for a moment, (or a lifetime), the depths of that fiat. When I picture the scene of the angel Gabriel appearing to inform Mary that God chose her to be the Mother of His Son, I am blown away EVERY TIME at the trust and courage of the young girl. She uttered words that would change her life, and ours, forever! “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. Be it done unto me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). Her life, as she knew it, was never going to be the same.

And when she said yes, she didn’t know what was going to happen next. All she knew was that God had asked her and that He would take care of her. She didn’t know how, and she didn’t know why He chose her. But He wanted her. She was able to place complete trust in the Lord and give of herself in a most radical way.

My struggles in saying yes to God pale in comparison to the fiat Our Lady gave. Some mornings I don’t want to wake up at 6:20am to go to Daily Mass. But I know God wants me there. Some days I find it hard to love the people around me. But I know God has called me to love them unconditionally. Some days I want to stay in pajamas all day instead of going to work. But I know God doesn’t want me to give in to slothfulness. Some days I don’t want to give God an hour of my time in prayer after a long day at work. But I know He has patiently been waiting for me to visit Him all day.

These situations seem quite trivial. But, in fact, they are tiny little ways that God is asking me to say yes to Him every single day, when my will wants to triumph over His.  Thankfully, I have the Blessed Virgin as a perfect example of how I should respond in these moments of temptation. She teaches us by her example of self-denial and self-gift, how to give ourselves to God, even when it might be difficult, or scary, or against what we think we want for ourselves.

Just as we would seek comfort and advice from our earthly mothers, Mary fills that same role for us. Her immaculate heart longs to lead us to her Son, to the foot of the cross. And who knows Jesus better than His own mother? Who better as our guide to Him than the woman who knew him most intimately on Earth?

The first Church, the first Tabernacle, as you gazed down upon your Son, you were gazing into Heaven. You gave your body up for God and your Son did the same. Teach us, Blessed Woman, how to imitate this, to say with you and Jesus: “here is my body, given up for you, Lord”. Teach us how to lay down our own wants and desires, in order to fulfill the Lord’s perfect and Divine Will for our lives.

People, let us live our lives in a way that makes our Momma proud, in a way that brings joy to her and glory to her Son! Let us be saints!