Imitating Mary

In his homily at Mass this morning, my pastor pointed out that today's celebration of the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, is Mother's Day for Christians. He also said that we could ask for no greater mother, and that she could give us no greater gift than the gift of her Son, the Son of God. How beautiful.

I love that the Church calls us to celebrate Mary on New Year's Day. This celebration reminds me that I'm called not just to make some vague resolutions focused on self-improvement during the new year, but that I'm called to seek ways to grow in virtue so that I may grow closer to Christ and become more fully the person He created me to be. Mary, that sinless creature, filled with God's grace from the moment of her conception, is the ultimate model for those of us who wish to undertake this task which, absent God's grace, is not just daunting but is truly impossible.

So, with the help of God's grace, I'm going to go for it this year. I'm going to try to imitate Mary and to help me on this journey, I'll be reading the book, "The Imitation of Mary," by Alexander de Rouville. In the first chapter, de Rouville lays out the program by listing some of the qualities of the Virgin that we need to imitate: lively faith, prompt obedience, deep humility, selfless intentions, generous love. To simplify things, I've chosen two words to help me in my daily struggle to grow in my imitation of Mary. The first is, "Yes." Yes to God and yes to those He's put in my life, especially my family. The second is, "No." No to my selfish, comfort-seeking impulses. I know from sad experience that my failures will be many as I try to become more like Mary, but I'm going to try to avoid discouragement by remembering that she really is my mother and really will help me as I struggle to be more like her, as any good mother would help her needy child. And I'll try to remember that her Son also wants me to be more like His mother and will provide every grace that I need to acquire these Marian virtues. I have pretty good teammates; I just have to do my part. Against all odds. So I say, "Jesus, I trust in You."

I hope that everyone will have a happy and blessed new year and that you will feel the motherly care and support of our mother, Mary, the Mother of God as you seek to grow closer to her Son. Thank you, God, for this gift of Your Mother. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.