Mother Dearest

I have been blessed with the most amazing mother any man could ask for. She’s always been there for me when I needed her. Many times, when I was younger, she interceded in my life in ways I didn’t want her to… but boy did I need her to. I cannot state strongly enough how much my mother has meant to me over the years. I can say with certainty that I would not be here today if it hadn’t been for her guidance and love always being there when life happened. She is someone that I will always love with all my heart and would fiercely defend from the slightest disrespect or insult. Now, that brings me to today’s topic. As many of my friends are acutely aware (though many completely misunderstand) we Catholics have a very strong connection to another mother…let’s talk about Mary.

One thing that nearly all denominations of Christianity agree on is that Mary gave birth to Jesus. Even non-believers know the story of the manger, the shepherds and wise men, and the virgin birth. Wrapping up the Christmas season, I can attest to hearing any number of Christmas songs on the radio and in stores that referenced this amazing moment. The questions start to come when we dig past that surface story. It’s heartbreaking to see the change on some people’s faces when the wording changes from “Mary and baby Jesus” to “Mary, the Mother of God and Jesus Christ, our Savior”. It makes our Disney-fide image of the nativity a lot more real when the true names of the people are used. But, on this January 1^st, we Catholics celebrate the Solemnity of Mary. A day we honor Mary as the mother of Jesus Christ and the day we consecrate the new year to her intercession in Heaven. These are big subjects and big ideas that many people don’t seem to understand…at least not from our point of view.

                So, there are a few details I’d like to talk about and explain...

• First, I believe that Mary is the mother of Jesus and Jesus is God incarnate on Earth. So, Mary is the mother of God. That does not mean that Mary created God or built Him in her womb. God chose to experience life as we experience it so that He could sacrifice His life as the perfect offering to forgive all sins. But the start of that journey was being born of Mary.
  

• Second, God instructed us to honor our father and our mother. So, just like I love and honor my mother, Jesus loved and honored Mary. But, since Jesus was perfect and I am…not…His loving and honoring of His mother was infinitely more powerful than mine can ever be.
  

• Third, during the crucifixion of Jesus, Jesus looked down at Mary and the disciple John and said “Woman, here is your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” _{John 19:26-27.} Jesus referred to the believers as his brothers and sisters. Then, at his death, he instructed Mary to look upon the disciple as her son and the disciple to look to her as his mother. So, as I love and honor my Earthly mother I also love and honor my Heavenly mother as well.
  

• And Fourth, Catholics do not worship Mary. We only offer worship to God in the Trinity. We hold Mary as being full of grace, blessed among women, and as the mother of the church (as we are all brothers and sisters of Christ). For this reason, we don’t pray for Mary to save us or to redeem us. Instead we ask for Mary to say a pray for us, that Jesus might show us mercy for being so broken.

During my lengthy debates with my protestant best friend, the topic of Mary-ology comes up frequently. In our earlier debates, I was accused of joining a church that deifies Mary and puts her on the same level as God himself. I’m proud to be able to say that I’ve enlightened him to what is actually taught and have brought him around to having a much deeper love and respect for her. Though he regularly reminds me that he is not going to become Catholic with me, he has confessed feeling closer to Jesus in his journey now that he has grown to have a deeper connection to His mother, the Mother of God, Mary. And THAT is what it’s all about for me. I’m not trying to convert people or change their lives. I’m just trying to open their hearts a little and help them find a closer connection with Jesus. That is why I’m moving towards writing about this journey in my faith here. Not because I’ve given up on my passion for gaming (believe me, I haven’t and I’ve got some new adventures in the works that I’m excited to share). No, my passion for becoming a virtual hero is still there, but my passion for reshaping my life and the joy it brings me to share my faith and possibly inspire one of you to invigorate your own walk with faith is just too big to hold back. So, on this celebration of the Solemnity of Mary, I ask that Mary says a prayer for each of you and that God blesses your life as we all say goodbye to 2025 and begin the adventures of 2026.

With love in my heart, peace be with you all! And God Bless!