THEME: MARY; A âGIFTâ WORTH CELEBRATING
Mary is indeed s gift to the world, a gift to the Church, and a gift to us as individuals, and this is evident in the role she plays as Mother, and as our intercessor.
When we think of motherhood, what immediately comes to mind is love, care and affection; because the mother is often sensitive to the conditions of her child. And the connection and understanding between a mother and the child is quiet exceptional. If this is true of our earthly or biological mothers, then what more can we say of a Mother given to the Church by God himself? One whose impact in our economy of salvation and even in our everyday wellbeing is a practical demonstration of love. Indeed, she is such a beautiful gift to humanity that cannot but be cherished.
Beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, this is why we gather here today as a diocese to celebrate a very sublime and profound aspect of our Catholic Faith, namely; our devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. We have gone out joyfully in procession, and we have trekked distance carrying the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and singing hymns in her honour. By this, we have confidently demonstrated to the world in our own way that we have a robust relationship with Mary as the Mother of God, and of course, as our Mother, and this is an aspect of our Faith which we are proud to profess. More importantly, this Rosary Carnival becomes a means of evangelization, in which the Church invites all to embrace devotion to Mary.
Providentially, today is the last day of the Month of May- the last day of our May devotion. So, this Rosary Carnival holding today turns out as a beautiful way to mark the end of May devotion. The month of May has been strongly associated with the Blessed Virgin Mary from the 18th Century. It is a time of the year in which we are invited to recognize Mary as a unique and significant figure in our Christian faith. This beautiful tradition is hinged on the fact that the Month of May is the peak of springtime; springtime as we know is characterized by warmer temperature, blooming flowers, and longer daylight; a time when nature renews itself. Springtime is a symbol of life, beauty and hope. Therefore, the link between Mary and the Month of May is of essence, since Mary gave new life to the world when she brought forth the savior who is âthe life of the worldâ. This is why it is called âMarian Monthâ; a time set aside to honour Mary as Godâs instrument of our new life in Christ.
At this point, I wish to make it clear beloved in Christ, that when we honour Mary and sing her praises, we are not doing anything new, anything extraordinary, or anything superfluous; we are actually highlighting what God has done already. We are celebrating what God himself has already celebrated, we are giving honour to her whom God himself first honoured. But often times, when we express honour for and devotion to Mary, most of our separated brothers and sisters tend to assume that the position of Mary in the Christian Faith is over-exaggerated by the Catholic Church.
But then, the question is: How can we love God and not love his Mother? How can we believe in Christ without a corresponding belief in Mary as the Mother of God? As a matter of fact, our devotion to Mary is inspired by God, and our honour to Mary is a form of worship given to God himself.
In the gospel of Luke 1:28, God greeted Mary through the Angel Gabriel, âHail! Full of Graceâ. This implies that Mary was wholly borne by Godâs grace; which is an entirely unique holiness that stands her out among men (cf. C.C.C. 490). And as we see in the Gospel reading, Elizabeth, inspired by the Holy Spirit described Mary first, as âThe Most Blessed among womenâ, and again as âThe Mother of My Lordâ. So, the Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth celebrates Maryâs blessedness as mother of God, based on her Faith in Godâs word, and proclaimed by Elizabeth through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, as the worldâs first and origin of Marian Devotion and veneration.
And so, I dare to argue that any Christian who does not believe in devotion to Mary does not clearly understand the Scriptures, and any Catholic who has no honour for Mary does not know God. For our own good, we must realize that our devotion or honour to Mary does not increase her grace. She is fully blessed and honoured by God already, rather, our devotion to Mary helps us to benefit from her grace, deepen our faith, grow in holiness and draw closer to God.
RELEVANCE OF THE LIFE OF MARY FOR CHRISTIANS
As we take a look more deeply at the readings of today, I would like to highlight two important points that may help us appreciate the gift of Mary in our lives, and to also help us live as better Christians. (These are expressions I personally use to describe Mary)
- Mary as our joy-giver: What does this mean? We cannot separate Mary from the Joy that came into the world. In the Gospel Reading, at Maryâs visitation to Elizabeth, we see the mysterious encounter between two persons; John the Baptist, and Christ, both in the wombs of Elizabeth and Mary respectively. We are told that as soon as Mary greeted Elizabeth, the baby in the womb of Elizabeth leapt for joy (Lk. 1:41). This joy expressed by John the Baptist right in the womb already shows the relationship between his mission and Christâs mission; and so his meeting with the saviour for the world for whom he is to become the forerunner triggered such mysterious excitement. This also goes to signify the Joy that was coming into the world through Mary, and indeed, joy came to the world when the savior was born. This âjoyâ is echoed in the prophecy of Zephaniah in the First Reading; âShout for joy daughter of Zion, Israel, shout aloudâŠthe Lord your God is in your midstâ. The point here is; Mary has become that instrument of Godâs joy and peace to the world; and she never ceases to play that role even in our lives today. She is still constantly at work with her Son, Jesus Christ, through her power of intercession, that we may always be filled with joy and peace, as she demonstrates at the wedding at Canna (Jn 2:1-10).
LESSON! We need to begin to ask ourselves at this time; how much Joy and peace do we bring to those around us. When people encounter us, do they experience happiness and peace, and the life of God in us? The person and life of Mary should inspire us to become Godâs instrument of joy and peace to men.
- Mary as an Icon of Sacrifice: Whenever we think of the life of Mary, the position she occupies in the Christian Faith, and the splendour of her glory, we come to appreciate the meaning and reward of âsacrificeâ. While we sing the praises of Mary, and acclaim her as the Mother of God, as well as our own Mother, and acknowledge her with all her magnificent titles, we must realize that she has been exalted because she was disposed to be used by God, she made herself available for God, and she freely went through the challenges and rigours of her unique mission out of love for God and the world. She played her role very well and made every necessary sacrifice for the good the world. These are evident in the Seven Sorrows of Mary (The flight to Egypt, the loss of Jesus in the temple, Maryâs meeting with Jesus at the sorrowful passion, the standing at the foot of the cross, the placing of Jesus in the hands of Mary his mother, and the Burial of Jesus). These were struggles, challenges and sacrifices she freely went through without reservation in order to fulfil her mission.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church puts it clearly; âGod sent forth his Son, but to prepare a body for him, he wanted the FREE cooperation of a creatureâ (C.C.C. 488).
LESSON: This must help us to understand that every mission or assignment that God has for us requires a great deal of disposition, commitment and the willingness to go through the challenges therein. The point here is; in life, God may have a plan for us, but if we are not willing or ready to cooperate with Him, prepare ourselves and play the role allocated to us, then we will not attain the greatness that lies ahead. It is the willingness to embrace Godâs plan, together with the commitment and inconveniences that will lead us to a full realization of happiness. If we must enjoy the glamour and prestige of success, we must be ready to bear the burden.
In conclusion dear friends, this is a constant reminder that if we are not ready for the cross, then you are not ready for the crown. If you are not ready for the huddles, then you are not ready honour. LET US LEARN FROM MARY AS WE HONOUR THIS PRECIOUS GIFT.
MAY GOD BLESS US ALL!
