The Heavenly Father destined Mary for a unique role in salvation history, by selecting her from among all the women, for the grace of becoming the mother of the Saviour. God wanted also her to be the spiritual mother of all Christians.
Mk mentions Mary only once (3:31-35)–the faith family takes precedence over the natural family. Matthew repeats this scene (12:46-50) after having introduced her as a part of Jesus’ spiritual family–Mary conceived Jesus by the Holy Spirit and not by a human father (1:18-23). Mary was Jesus’ Mother on grounds of her discipleship as well as on human grounds.
Luke portrays Mary as the first, and model Christian disciple–she hears God’s Word wholeheartedly consents to it. She is characterised by her strong faith (1:45, blessed is she who believed”): a key which unlocks the innermost reality of Mary. Luke even has Mary already begin to proclaim the Good News (1:46-55). Luke makes it clear that Mary has been specially favoured by God and is blessed among all women (1:28.42.48). Mary keeps all these things in her heart (2:19.51). Luke shortens in 8:19-21 the scene of Mk 3:31-35, considering the natural family already to be disciples. In Ac 1:14 he includes Mary and the brothers of Jesus alongside with the Twelve.
In 11:27-32 Luke diverts attention from motherhood understood only as a fleshly bond and directs it towards “those mysterious bonds of the Spirit which develop from hearing and keeping God’s word” (John Paul II). From beginning to end in Luke, Mary is a model disciple “who accepted the word of God, believed it, was obedient to it, pondered it in her heart, and by means of her whole life accomplished it”(ibid).
At Cana (Jn 2:1-11), Mary shows herself at Jesus’ disposition (“do whatever he tells you”), and then he changes water into water. This putting herself between her Son and humanity in the reality of their wants, needs and sufferings, not as an outsider or mere friend but in her position of mother Jesus intended her to continue even today, as his “last will and testament” on the Cross reveals.
At the foot of the cross (19:26f), the beloved disciple, who remained faithful even to the cross, is the one who is given to Mary as her son. The natural family and the family of discipleship become one, as the disciple’s own mother. By this creative word, Jesus constitutes Mary as the “spiritual mother” of his disciples, in order of grace. We can be sure that here too Jesus is fulfilling his Father’s plan, “for the Son can do nothing of his own accord” (Jn 5:19), but “always the Son can do what is pleasing to the Father” (Jn 8:29).
Jesus’ intention is not to provide for Mary lest she be alone and defenseless in this world (remember that she had other relatives, including those called Jesus’ brothers and sisters), but to provide a mother for his disciples! Jesus begins “that special entrusting of humanity to Mary which is the extension and reflection of her motherhood of Jesus himself” (John Paul II).
Thus, even though the NT material on Mary is limited, the later make very clear that by the end of the first century a remarkable role in Christian discipleship and motherhood was being attributed to Mary. Succeeding generations of the People of God, basing themselves on this biblical testimony, and inspired by the Holy Spirit, have then continued to deepen their understanding of the role of Mary in Christian life.
The “mysteries” of Christianity can truly benefit only the disciple who receives them with active faith and love! So too with the mystery of Mary. Her motherhood is real, because of the creative word of God. But for it to be fruitful in each disciple’s life, the disciple must practise a warm devotion to Mary, and accept her motherhood with faith and love as a gift from Jesus.
An authentic devotion to Mary will consist of these three necessary elements: i) commemorating what the Church teaches about her; ii) imitating her virtues; and iii) invoking her maternal help for our needs.
True devotion will foster the memory of a Mary who is the “type” and “model” of the Church, and the highest fulfillment of the Gospel values (outstanding faith, hope, and love for neighbour, prayer-life, and courage in facing the Cross).
Sadly, aberrations creep in when what is commemorated about Mary is the product of our piety rather than what the Church teaches, and when our prayer to Mary for favours is not balanced by a desire to also imitate her virtues of faith, hope, and charity. Also, devotion deviates into superstition if the external rituals of prayer become more important for the devotee than the inner attitude of humble worship of God and serene commitment to the teachings of Christ.
It is worth noting too that the only “apparition” of Mary which the Church has approved for universal devotion is that of Lourdes (liturgical feast on February 11). All others are for local or private devotion, and many have not yet been approved by the Church. Since it is the Father and Jesus who have gifted Mary with the special mission of being a model and a mother for generations of Jesus’ disciples,let us turn to Mary with true devotion, rejoicing that all her intercessory powers “flow from the superabundance of the merits of Christ, are founded on his meditation, absolutely depend on it, draw all their efficacy from it…and will last until the external fulfillment of all the elect” (Lumen Gentium, no.62).
In his letter, dated May 6, 1996, to Bishop Louis Dufaux of Grenoble, France, to mark the 150th anniversary of the apparition of Our Lady at the Alpine village of La Salette, John Paul II spoke of the timeliness of her message: “Our Lady call for people to regain self-control: she invites them to repentance, to perseverance in prayer and, in particular, to Sunday observance”. Pilgrims come to venerate the Mother of the Lord under the name of Our Lady, Reconciler of sinners. Mary accomnies everyone on the pilgrimage of life. As the preparations for the Great Jubilee of the Redemption intensify, the year dedicated to the anniversary of the apparition of Mary to Maximin and Melanie is a significant step. In that place, Mary, Mother of all love, showed her sorrow at humanity’s moral sickness. By her tears, she helps us to understand better the painful gravity of sin and the rejection of God. The message of La Salette was addressed to two young shepherds at a time of great hardship, when people were afflicted by famine and subjected to widespread injustice. In additon, indifference or hostility to the Gospel message was increasing. She shares in the trials of her children and suffers at seeing them estranged from Christ’s Church to the point of forgetting or rejecting God’s presence in their life and the holiness of his name. Her words continue to have real timeliness for a world that still suffers the scourges of war and hunger, and so many evils which are the signs and often the consequence of human sin. She wishes to lead us to the joy born of peacefully accomplishing the missions which God gives us. Mary isa present in the Church as she was on the day of the Cross, the day of the Resurrection and the day of Pentecost. She will never abandon men created in the image and likeness of God and to whom he has given the power to become children of God (cf. Jn 1:12). May she lead all the nations of the earth to her Son!