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Writer's pictureSarah Raad

Woman

“The Blessed Mother was the only woman in the world, who could look DOWN on Heaven, for She held Heaven in Her arms.” (Venerable Fulton Sheen).

The Virgin and Child (The Madonna of the Book) (Sandro Botticelli)

There is an old joke, and it goes like this…


God in Heaven was talking to Saint Peter and He said to Saint Peter, “Peter, I gave you the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven to use judiciously to allow souls into Heaven. Why are there so many of these souls in here?” And Saint Peter replied, “I am sorry Lord, but every time I close the gates, Your Blessed Mother opens the window.”


It is a joke that I have heard many times before but when I heard it again the other day, I did not laugh – instead, I marvelled!


For Our Lady is a DREAM. She was dreamed into existence by God from all eternity. And God – being God – could create a woman who was entirely perfect for Him. A woman who could be His Mother and His Spouse. He DREAMED a woman into creation who would be worthy of Coronation in Heaven, as we commemorate in the fifth Glorious mystery of the Most Holy Rosary.


And Our Lady is a MOTHER. Our Blessed Mother was ASKED to become the Mother of God and She could have very easily said NO. Venerable Fulton Sheen described God’s question to Our Lady beautifully when he said that God sent his angel to ask Our Lady, “Will you give Me a Man?” Really, what this means is that God asked His DREAM, His CREATION, “Will you give Me a human nature?”. This is why She is an example for all of us. Because, when we are baptised, God asks us the same question. He asks us, “Will you give me your human nature?” And this is important because what it really means is that we are asked to GIVE ourselves to God to do with as He wills… And Our Lady did this perfectly! For She said – in reply to the angel’s message – “‘I am the Lord’s servant,’ Mary answered. ‘May it happen to me according to your word.’ Then the angel left her.” (Luke 1:38).


Our Blessed Mother – at the Wedding Feast of Cana – was inspired by the Holy Spirit to bring to Her Blessed Son’s attention the lack of wine… And Our Blessed Mother acted on this inspiration of the Holy Spirit because being infused with Grace, She was able to allow the Holy Spirit to ACT through Her in Christ’s soul.

As Francisco Fernandez-Carvajal wrote in “Life of Jesus” “The Holy Spirit was acting through Mary in Jesus’ Soul.” She was the PERFECT CONDUIT for God. And She still is!

After all, Our Blessed Mother had lived with Her Son for thirty years without ever asking Him for a miracle before that moment even though He was PERFECT and She knew He was God. When She travelled it was on Her own two feet or a donkey, when She was hungry it was of Her own two hands that She made food, when She was thirsty it was on Her own holy shoulders that She carried the urn. And when she was hot or cold or sick or tired, she lived it – without a miracle – for thirty years.


And yet, at the Wedding Feast of Cana, Our Blessed Mother – through the action of the Holy Spirit – anticipated the needs of her friends. And She anticipates our needs too – even before we know what they are. When She told her Son about the wine, Christ replied… “‘Woman, why does this concern us?’ Jesus replied. ‘My hour has not yet come.’” (John 2:4). And what He was really saying was… It is not the hour of My Passion and death… And even so – He was obedient to His Mother and the Holy Spirit who acted through Her.


There is something more miraculous in that than there is in the water changing into wine… Because the wine that He made was the BEST of the wine and it was plentiful. Saint Thomas Aquinas described that wine as a metaphor of Heaven. For the wine at the END of the feast is the REWARD of eternal life at the end of our Earthly life for those who have followed along the Way of the Cross.


For Our Blessed Mother is THE WOMAN for whom the whole world was created. Her Soul is the Soul that all souls should mimic. Saint Augustine described Our Blessed Mother’s function as the Bride of Christ, the Church, in this way…

“The Heavenly Bridegroom comes from out His chambers with the presage of the nuptials before Him. He comes to the marriage bed of the Cross and there consummates His marriage – not through pleasure but through pain – and unites Himself to the Woman forever.”

For Christ is the Head of the Church, and His Blessed Mother is the Bride. And there – at the foot of the Cross – their child is born… “When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple there whom He loved, He said to His Mother, ‘Woman, behold, your son.’ Then He said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother.’” (John 19:26-27). For Saint John is all of us – God gave His Mother to all of us. And He did it because she not only said YES at the moment of the Immaculate Conception, but She also said YES at the Wedding Feast of Cana and again at the Foot of the Cross.


In fact, Our Blessed Mother said YES and continues to say YES ad infinitum – to save every soul… How much I love this woman – for She is of such SERVICE to me…


“Lovely Lady dressed in blue - Teach me how to pray! God was just your little boy, And you know the way.” (Mary Dixon Thayer).


For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.

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