Mother Mary, Our Journey Companion, Walk with Us…

“Mary, the mother of God, is always with us on the synodal path, for she is also ‘Mother of the Church’ (Mater Ecclesiae); mother of all those who are companions and disciples of her son. Whenever we are feeling lost, confused, or hesitant about the way, we only have to look at her to point out the way. Mary does not speak. She does not need to. She only needs to direct our gaze to her son. In her wordless gesture, she sums up the whole mission of the Church. Even when the People of God are ‘in via’—on the journey—they are always on mission. The two cannot be separated, for there is but one way and one object of our desire, one source of our life and our hope: Jesus Christ.” (Towards a spirituality for synodality, p. 45)

We are on a journey — from the womb to the tomb, from darkness to light, from hostility to hospitality, from sin to righteousness, from the things of this world to the City of God, our eternal destiny. It is sad to know, many people are making shipwrecks because of the darkness of materialism and consumerism in today’s world.

To clear the path to our eternal home, God has given us Mary, the mother of us all. A mother who instinctively knows the right way in any given situation. With a maternal instinct and wisdom, Mary walked with Jesus from the darkness of the womb to the tomb until the light of resurrection. Throughout her life, our Blessed Mother Mary clearly finds her inner spiritual compass whenever she is lost, confused, and hesitant about her life direction.

Let us look at Mary’s life more closely, learn from her life with Jesus, and find the right direction towards God:

1. She trusted God’s plan. “Be it unto me as you have said” (Luke 1:38). When Mary received the message from Angel Gabriel that she would conceive Jesus through the Holy Spirit, she was afraid. Luke 1:29 says: “Mary was greatly troubled by his words”. Despite her fears, uncertainties, and questions, Mary decided to trust God’s divine plan for her life.
    
   Similar to Mary, we too have real fears in our lives when fulfilling God’s purpose. We often have more questions than answers. But we can learn and be inspired by Mary’s story. She leaned on God’s word and moved forward, trusting God’s leading and direction. Mary believed that God would keep His promise.
2. She surrendered to God’s will. And his mother treasured all these things in her heart (Luke 2:51). Being the mother of Jesus was Mary’s greatest honor and ultimate source of suffering. She witnessed Jesus endure intense ridicule, opposition, and crucifixion. She was the last person with Jesus until his death on the cross. Mary wanted the best for her Son but she endured great pain and suffering watching her son suffer.
    
   In our suffering, God wants us to fully depend not on our own strength in which personal suffering can attempt to consume us, but we must patiently endure and rely fully on the Holy Spirit to guide, carry, and sustain us through times of adversity. God will comfort us in our suffering and is a consistent presence in our lives. “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you: Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” (Deuteronomy 31:8). When adversity comes, God has given us an open invitation to come and find comfort and peace in Him.
3. God wants us to live our lives with direction like a spiritual compass or map. He wants us to be connected like GPS with real spiritual direction. As Mary reminds us, “Do whatever He tells you.” (John 2:3-5). These are profound and powerful words that can easily serve as the foundation of our spiritual lives. If our Blessed Mother would have spoken anything to her Son at the foot of the Cross, what would she have said? Would she have spoken in despair or confusion, pain or anger? No, she would have spoken the same words she had spoken at the Wedding of Cana.

Let us reflect on the life of our Blessed Mother as we celebrate her nativity. No matter what we face in life, Mary is our Mother, companion, and model of discipleship. Whether we are feeling lost, confused, or hesitant about our path, we have to look at her and gaze our eyes on Jesus. In her presence, we walk with Mary to Jesus and find a spiritual compass towards her Son, for Jesus and Mary are inseparable. (S. Ma. Leah Zozobrado, RVM)