HAIL MARY

Mary is very much a human, but she is an extraordinary human in so many ways. Obviously in the awesome nature of her virgin conception but, importantly, her freely given ‘yes’ to God’s plan sets her apart as the exemplary model of faithful humanity. We might question what might have happened if Mary had said, “No”, which she might have done. God knew Mary, so there wasn’t a “Plan B’ required.  We celebrate too her spontaneous trip to assist her pregnant cousin, Elizabeth, modelling that generous, compassionate instinct which is to be at the heart of her son’s teaching.

Elizabeth’s joyful exclamation sums it all up, Mary is indeed the most blessed of all women, and we should all join in that joy because the fulfilment of the promise made by the Lord involves us all.

Sometimes our Catholic devotion to Mary is questioned. Never have we “adored” Mary, who is not God but flesh and blood like us, nevertheless scripture disposes us to hail Mary as the angel does because she is full of grace and the Lord is with her (Lk 1:28), and to acclaim her as Elizabeth does in this passage from this Sunday’s gospel, “Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb.”(Lk 1:42). And we, in awe of her extraordinary motherhood, her special status with the Creator of all and her motherhood of us, are confident to ask for her quiet intervention.

Why would we not salute her blessedness and, since her son gives her to us as our mother too, why would we not ask for her help to lead the lives her son calls us to? Only God can answer our prayers, but scripture spurs us to ask for her support (Jn 2:5). That’s what the “Hail Mary” is about.  Have a Happy and Holy Christmas!

Deacon Mark Kelly