Father Read Explains Mary's Role

Members of Evansville’s Coraggio group met May 9 for a Holy Hour, and to hear from Father Jeff Read, associate pastor of Holy Rosary Parish in Evansville. Father Read spoke about the Blessed Virgin Mary.

According to Father Read, signs pointing to Mary can be seen in the book of Genesis after Adam and Eve sinned by eating the forbidden fruit. After the Fall, God foretold of the struggle between human beings and the devil: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; They will strike at your head, while you strike at their heel” (Gen 3:15). Father Read called this verse the Protoevangelium, the first understanding of the roles of Jesus and Mary as the antithesis of Adam and Eve by reversing what they did. “Especially then we can see the Immaculate Conception … she can’t have any stain of sin,” Father Read said.

At the Annunciation, Mary shows the faithful that she is the model Christian. Father Read noted that she gives us two images of how Christians should act. First, her yes to let God’s will be done to her should inspire Christians to imitate her. Additionally, Mary begins her work as an intercessor at this moment.

Father Read explained that Mary also acts as the new Ark of the Covenant. The old Ark of the Covenant contained the Ten Commandments, the staff of Aaron symbolizing the Jewish priesthood and manna from the journey in the desert. Because Jesus is the Word of God, the new High Priest and the Bread of Life, Mary becomes the new Ark of the Covenant.

Mary also plays important roles at the beginning and end of Jesus’ ministry in the Gospel of John. First, she asks for His help at the wedding feast at Cana when the wine ran out. “They come to her. Jesus listens to her,” Father Read said, adding that Jesus came into the public eye because of Mary’s intercession.

Mary returns at the end of Jesus’ ministry at the Cross. At this moment, Jesus entrusts Mary to the care of St. John the Apostle and gives Mary to the Church as a spiritual mother: “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.’ And from that hour the disciple took her into his home” (John 19:26-27). “Mary is sort of the two bookends of Jesus’ ministry,” Father Read explained.

Father Read said that for some people, Mary can seem like an obstacle or in competition with Jesus, but that through her Magnificat, she glorifies God. The closer we get to her, the closer we get to Jesus. “She makes Jesus bigger,” Father Read noted.

Father Read also implored the group to go through Mary in order to become closer to Jesus. Because Jesus came to the world through Mary, the world needs to go through Mary to come to Jesus. Father Read pointed out the example set by St. Louis de Montfort of consecrating oneself to Jesus through Mary. De Montfort’s motto was “God Alone.” Father Read explained that when we look to Mary and Jesus, everything that is not God disappears.

Coraggio usually meets the second Friday of each month at Holy Trinity Parish. It is open to all Catholics in the Evansville area ages 18-35. The next meeting is June 6. For more information, email coraggioevansville@gmail.com or visit the group’s Facebook page at facebook.com/coraggioevansville.