Day 24: Healing and Mother Mary

I made a realization about Mother Mary tonight and her place in so many people's lives. I have struggled with understanding her role in Catholic life and faith. But, if we can get past the stereotypes and the apprehensions we have about Mother Mary, there is an amazing gift that her place in Christ's life and in our history has to offer. Christ manifest himself in His mother. God would not have put Christ's upbringing into the careless arms of an abusive or frustrated woman. He CHOSE Mary for her task because He chose someone that would not only nurture and embrace Him until He was grown as He wanted, but because she would be willing to see all that God had for Him and still be willing to accept His purpose, embrace His nature and support Him throughout His life. As she raised up Christ by God's provision and grace, she would learn, more than most, who He was and how He lived. She would have the greatest opportunity to reflect Him. And to be successful at raising God's only Son, she would need the help of God Himself to do it! And so, she became, in essence, "World's #1 Mom".

And I realized tonight, as God showed up huge, what His purpose for Mary was as Christ's mother, in the Word, and for our lives... sometimes it is not a father figure that we need to speak into our lives, especially when we are not yet ready or willing to receive direction in that way. Sometimes, in order to heal and feel safe enough to be vulnerable and exposed enough to heal, we need the loving arms of a mother... the gentle touch of a caring mom, who can accept Christ's purpose for our lives, embrace us without judgment or expectation and support us while God works us through some of the harder things in our lives. Christ, for us, is manifest in the tenderness and sincerity of a compassionate and loving mother... like Mama Mary. Like the mothers of my life... those that are willing and wanting to care and love for God's children when He needs to open up some of the places in our hearts that we won't allow a father to go. Those places that just can't seem to get to on our own... where we need Christ's help!

It has been a late night... but it seems so short! It's been a hard night... but I'm changed for life... again! WOW! I feel like I am constantly changing for life! Haha. I'm beginning to see a pattern here... hmmmmmmmm

Good night dear Jesus... mother, brother, friend, savior... thanks... again.