Learning From Mary

As all good mothers, Mary was a responsible for passing on to Jesus "the things that mothers teach": manners, prayers, hygiene, neatness, orderliness, etc. The list is endless. Jesus learned all these things from her as he learned carpentry from Joseph, his foster father. We rarely think of Mary and Joseph in such practical and domestic ways, but from what we see of Jesus in the Gospels, they were successful teachers.
At the wedding feast at Cana, we see Mary in this role, even with her adult son. She gently but firmly suggested that, despite his protest, there was a need he could fulfill so, indeed, this was "the hour." And to the servants she was clear and direct: "Do whatever he tells you." (Jn 2, 5 ).
This is the mother, our mother too, who in her apparitions over the centuries almost naggingly reminds us (as mothers have to do with their children to get them to "move") to pray, pray, pray. How does one overcome pride and find true humility, except through prayer where, if done right, we LISTEN to God, find peace, strength, comfort, whatever we need, as we realize that God is "in charge", not us? We hear, but "don't get it" until we are backed into a corner: illness, the death of a family member or friend, or some cruel and injust occurrence in our world that never ceases to run out of them. It might be good now, as you consume this slice of bread to stop, and prayerfully listen to Mary and allow her to mother us to her son and to our Father.
Bro. Rene