Could A Loving Mother Forsake Her Child?
The calf was a sign of hope for this pod of whales off the southwestern coast of Canada. New life – another generation – swam innocently beside its mother in cold, blue waters. A short while later, researchers noted with sadness that the calf was no longer swimming on its own; it had not survived those challenging first moments of life. Yet the mother Orca refused to let go of her calf. She would gently nudge its body, pull it along by the fin, and keep it near her side. And, it’s what she is still doing, more than 7 days and hundreds of miles since the calf’s passing. Mothers always hold their children in their hearts.
As we left Holy Rosary Parish in Evansville after Mass recently, a passage from Isaiah 49:15 was in my mind. A hymn often sung at Mass (probably sung that day, hence the reason I was thinking of it), paraphrases Isaiah, “Should a mother forget her child, I will not abandon you.” I watched my wife’s maternal concern for our daughter as they crossed Green River Road. I laughed and thought, “Right, as if a mother could forget her child.” Although I always knew my wife was destined to be a mother, it has been inspiring to watch the strengthening of the bond between mother and child. She’s tender and fierce; gentle yet strong; protective but encouraging. Mothers guide their children with love.
A friend of mine tells great stories about his mother. She is a strong African-American woman, and his humorous recounting of stories about her protectiveness, discipline and love tend to find me laughing so hard tears stream from my eyes. Commenting on military action in the Middle East, he once told me, “You know, this war could be over in 15 minutes: Instead of sending in the soldiers, send a bunch of black mothers in after telling them those men want to hurt their babies. Man, you ain’t seen fierce unless you’ve seen a black mother defending her child.” It was tongue-in-cheek, but I’ll bet there’s truth in what he said. Mothers fight for their children’s lives.
Wednesday was the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the day the Church celebrates Jesus’ assuming his mother into Heaven, a singular gift of grace for the woman who faithfully brought Him into the world, guided him through life and tenderly held his body after death. Before He expired, He gave us Mary to be our Mother; and mothers always hold their children, guide them with love and fight for their lives.
Mary will never let us go, not even in death; hence the reason we ask her to “pray for us now, and at the hour of our death.” She guides us with tender, maternal protection along all the treacherous paths we walk; hence why the Fatima children described the moon as “Mary’s lamp,” a light that guides our feet, even in the darkness of night. And she fights for us: In virtue of her fiat, through her was brought forth Jesus who conquers sin and every deadly power of the enemy, extending salvation to all who call upon Jesus’ name; hence the reason Mary is shown crushing the head of the devil in religious images.
A loving mother seems to love by nature as if it would be foreign to her not to love, guide and protect her children. How often do we consider that Mary, our Mother who is now in Heaven, regards us with the same, all-encompassing love? She is our example, showing the way to eternal life with Jesus. She never exalts herself, she constantly points to her Son. A tender loving mother, she wants nothing more than our greatest good, our salvation; and she never stops her maternal intercession for us. Mary is the first person assumed by Jesus into Heaven; and one day, if we follow her example here on earth, we will follow her to her Son in Heaven. Holy Mary, Mother of God, our Mother, pray for us.
