Year-In-Review 2020

Homily #189: Mary as Essential in Following Jesus as a Christian: “Totus Tuus, Mary (I Am All Yours, My Queen & My Mother)

There is a somewhat unknown story told about the former Archbishop of Manila, Cardinal Jaime Sin.  Among other things, he was known for his sense of humor during tense moments.  On one occasion, the Cardinal Archbishop spoke of a incident report he received during the bloodless 1986 EDSA Revolution.  The story goes like this: When a group of soldiers were ordered to fire on some Filipino protestors who were fighting against corruption and election fraud, a report emerged that a mysterious woman stood between the soldiers and the protesters.  The woman said, “Do not fire on this people.  I am the Queen of this land.” 

Reflecting on the report of this incident later, the Cardinal Archbishop insisted that this was none other that the Mother of Jesus looking out for the Philippines which has a profound love for her.  However, someone skeptically said to him, “Your Eminence, I’m sure that woman was probably one of the many nuns or Religious Sisters that were protesting that day.”  Cardinal Sin reply, “Oh no!  It definitely was not just a nun or Religious Sister because it was reported that that woman’s beauty far surpassed any nun.”  He joked that even the holiness nun was not as beautiful as this woman.

The Filipino Cardinal’s story about the mysterious beautiful woman leads us to ponder today’s Gospel on the Woman of the Annunciation and even on today’s First Reading on the Ark of the Covenant.  As part of our preparation for the birth of our Newborn King on Christmas this Friday, let us reflect on our special love and reverence for the Mother of the Newborn King who will be born in a few days.  I offer two main points of reflection: 

The first is that Mary is our model of Christian faith.  She is an icon of us, the Church, or image of the Church.  In Luke Chapter 1 today, Mary eventually gives her “yes” to God’s invitation to be the Mother of God’s Son.  Her PERFECT “yes” is heard in her words, “Let it be”.  This is one thing that John Lennon got right in his classic song, “Let it be.”  John Lennon writes, “When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me, speaking words of wisdom: Let it be.  / And in my hour of darkness, she is standing right in front of me, speaking words of wisdom: Let it be.”  She is first mother before she is disciple; she is our mother first before she is our fellow sister [as Benedict XVI wrote].  “I am the handmaid of the Lord.  Let it be done to me according to your word.” 

The Second Vatican Council in its Constitution on the Church Lumen Gentium (no. 66), taught: “Mary has by grace been exalted above all angels and humans to a place second only to her Son, as the most holy Mother of God who was involved in the mysteries of Christ: She is rightly honored….”  Vatican II also reminds us, “From earliest times the Blessed Virgin is honored under the title of Mother of God, whose protection the faithful take refuge together in prayer in all their perils and needs.”

And that’s the second main point: Mary isn’t just a model of faith and trust, Mary has been at the heart of what it means to follow Jesus as a Christian.  Mary, Mother of God, is an essential worker.  [God does not treat Mary like a broom he puts in the closet when he’s done with it.  Rather, Mary continues to assist the Church today.]  The first Christians turned to Mary for protection, during danger or national distress and emergencies.  During plagues, social upheavals, fires and threats of invasion, for 2,000 years,

Anyone who loves the Bible and the Word of God should honor Mary. According to the Church Fathers, she was foretold in the Old Testament, along with Jesus, since the Book of Genesis, Chapter 3, when God announced to the serpent after the fall of Adam and Eve into Original Sin, “I will put enmity between you and woman…”  At the end of the Bible in Revelation Chapter 12, the Woman is given wings of a great eagle to protect her from evil.  She is the Woman at Cana in Jn. 2 and at the foot of the Cross in Jn. 19.  She guided the early Christian community at Pentecost in Acts Ch. 2. 

The tradition of the Church is that Mary is the new Ark of the Covenant.  Jesus is the New Covenant itself, but Mary is the Ark or the tent or the boat or the tabernacle or the container of the New Covenant.  As it is written in the Second Book of Samuel from today’s First Reading, “I will fix a place for my people Israel; I will plant them so that they may dwell in their place without further disturbance.”  [Just as King David danced before the Ark of the Covenant when it entered Jerusalem, so too John the Baptist danced the dance of the joy in Elizabeth’s womb during the Visitation of Mary’s cousin Elizabeth.

And just as the Archangel Gabriel announced to Mary: Do. Not. Be Afraid!  This same message from the Word of God applies to us today. Do not be afraid!  “Do not be afraid” appears 365 days in the Bible.  You know, there are a lot of fads today. F.A.D.S.  F for fear.  A for anxiety.  D for depression.  And S for stress.  F.A.D.S.  Do not be afraid of these F.A.D.S.  As humans, our knees will shake in fear that paralyzes.  Let us have the confidence in the heart of our heavenly Mother.  St. John Paul’s Latin motto as Pope was “Totus Tuus.”  This papal motto comes from St. Louis Marie de Monfort and means “All Yours.”  I am all yours, my Queen and my Mother, and all that I have is yours. Totus tuus ego sum.

In closing, as we prepare these final days before the birth of the Prince of Peace, “let it be” are our words of wisdom.  It’s said that Christmas is that time of the year when non-Catholics and Protestants and secular society acknowledge Mary.  However, let’s not just entrust our crises today once a year but every moment of joy and sorrow.  Mary isn’t just a model of faith and trust, Mary has been at the heart of what it means to follow Jesus as a Christian.  too, as we heard in John Lennon and Cardinal Jaime Sin of Manila during EDSA or the Epifinos de los Santos Avenue, or the Way of the Manifestation of the Saints.  May we all have a true joyful and faith-filled Merry Christmas during these difficult times for the Church and the world. 

“I am the handmaid of the Lord.  Let it be done to me according to your word.”

some thank you's

Dec. 5, 2020

I have learned over the years to accept gratitude from God's people.

This was first mentioned during diaconate formation.  I didn't understand it then, but I am starting to see the wisdom behind having an accepting heart now.