Who Is My Mother?

            Three of our four evangelists tell of Jesus asking this question. Was it a rhetorical question?  Or rather, was it a “teachable moment ”? 

No, they knew His mother!

And she was the most beautiful mother ever. He had known her all along, much better than they, or anyone else. Instead, Jesus chose to embrace all in His family who do as she did: she said “Yes” to becoming His mother, even though the pregnancy could have ended in a stoning death. Can we say Yes to Jesus, when the consequences seem impossible, when to bring Jesus to birth in the lives of those we meet is unlikely or very hard?

Can we follow the advice she gave to the servants at the wedding feast at Cana, to “do whatever He tells you?” If we do, perhaps a miracle will occur!

She followed His trail, as He went about teaching; her very own son, working miracles, feeding the hungry, answering the questions put to him by enemies trying to trick Him so they could bring about His death. How far are we willing to go and follow Him?

And, faithful to the end, she stood at the cross, suffering as only a mother can who watches her child die. Can we have compassion for the countless brothers and sisters around the world who are suffering?

This is the mother of Jesus. We become His mother, His family of brothers and sisters if we can do as she did in these instances and so many others.

So, on this Mothers’ Day let us remember not only our own mothers, but also the one Jesus gave us, as He did to John standing at the foot of the cross with Mary His mother.

Jesus answered, “Who is my mother?... Whoever does what my Father in heaven wants him to do is my brother, my sister, and my mother.” Matthew 12: 46-50. Mark 3:31-35, Luke 8:19-21

Sr. Mary Carol