We don’t know much about the actual life of St. Mary the Virgin, mother of our lord Jesus Christ. We have brief snapshots in scripture that give us clues as to who she was, what she has to say to us today. In what we call the infancy narratives, the gospels of Matthew(1:18-2:23) and Luke (1:26-2:51) describe the angel Gabriel’s surprising visit annunciation to Mary, Joseph’s doubts and dream assurances, Mary’s visit to her cousin Elizabeth, the trip to Bethlehem, the birth in the stable, the visits of the shepherds and wise men, the dedication in the temple, the flight to Egypt and return, and the plight of losing the boy Jesus n Jerusalem, all the things we are told she pondered in her heart.

All three synoptic gospels show us a typical mother worrying about her son during his public ministry, with her desire to rescue and protect him from hostile forces (Mt. 12:46-50, Mk.3:20-35, Lk.8:19-21). The gospel of John gives us two other important instances of her presence and support in Jesus’ life. In Chapter 2:1-12, we see Mary encouraging Jesus at the very start of his public ministry. She doesn’t let him continue to hide his light under a bushel. She pushes him out of the nest and says, “Get on with it.” Then at the crucifixion, we see her at the foot of Jesus’ cross with the one we know as the beloved disciple, faithful to the end. I and others find her at the cross as “Mary the mother of James and Joseph” (both of whom are listed as Jesus’ brothers in Mt.13:55 and Mk.6:3), at the burial and at the empty tomb as the “other Mary” in Matthew (27:61, and 28:1), and as “Mary the mother of James” (the brother of Jesus who led the Jerusalem church in the early years) with the other women reporting the resurrection to the disciples in Luke (24:10). I can’t begin to imagine her any other place. Finally we see her present in the nascent church in the Acts of the Apostles (1:14).

Over the centuries, people have found comfort and strength in her presence, knowing she had been there before. People living under oppressive regimes see her as one of them because she suffered under Roman domination. Refugees feel at one with her because of her flight into Egypt to avoid the slaughter of the innocents. Mothers relate to her motherhood and all its attendant trials and tribulations, and on and on. What is it about her life that speaks to you? For me, she is a model of willingness, open and receptive to the call of God—however, whenever it may come, a perfect example of commitment and fidelity, enduring the circumstances that come her way, trusting God to see her through. Mary is, for me, a shining beacon of discipleship.