There is something strangely dynamic about Mary in that she receives within her the Christ so that she might give him to the world. It was with this insight that some of the Church fathers spoke about her as a tube or straw. Her personal virginity is not infringed upon and yet the one who is the Way comes into the human family by “way” of this maiden of Israel. She is there at the very beginning and she will be there when his saving work is accomplished. It is on Golgotha that she takes back to herself, into her arms, the Son that she gave to mankind. He is abruptly gone but she remains, given to our emissary John. When others ran away, she sought to be near her Son. She will always be near him.
After the Lord rose and ascended, the early Church cared for her in the desire of believers to be near Christ. They knew that respect and honor given her would be looked upon kindly by Christ. There was confidence that the bond she had with him had not been severed by his passion and death. Motherhood, and I should hasten to add, fatherhood, are not temporary jobs but lifelong vocations. This holy vocation of love lasts as long as there is life; and of course, in Christ, life is eternal.
The apostolic community saw in Mary’s intimacy with Christ something of its own hope for life and desire for union with Jesus.
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