Catholic Exchange

Mary Got It Exactly Right. Have You?

Rev 11:19; 12:1-6, 10 / Lk 1:39-47

No matter what the era of history, from the age of the caveman to the era of the hi-tech woman, it’s always been a challenge to be a responsible adult. Despite our wishful thinking and occasional appearances to the contrary, there’s no free lunch and there never was. We earn our bread by the sweat of our brow; be it physical or mental, it’s still sweat! We struggle to do our best at our jobs, to pay our taxes, to feed our families, to be good parents and good citizens. And at times we get tired, so tired!

Some of that tiredness is simple and obvious in its origins: We’re doing so much at such a pace. But there’s another part of our tiredness whose source may not be so obvious. It’s the weariness that can come from walking too long and too far alone, and feeling the oppressive heaviness of the darkness in which we walk.

Mary walked many a hard journey in her life: She was pregnant before she was married; she was widowed very early; she stood by helpless at the unjust execution of her Son. Yet she never walked alone and never walked in the dark, for from the very beginning of her conscious life, she was aware of the Lord’s presence, she knew the Lord could be trusted with her life, and she gave thanks.

That is God’s invitation to us this day through Jesus’ Holy Mother: Know that the Lord is with you, trust Him with your life, and give thanks always!

Comments

3 responses to “Mary Got It Exactly Right. Have You?”

  1. siobhan32 Avatar
    siobhan32

    With all due respect, if Mary was pregnant ‘before she was married’, how could Holy Scripture read:

    Matthew 1:19

    Whereupon Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing publicly to expose her, was minded to put her away privately.
    1:20

    But while he thought on these things, behold the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in his sleep, saying: Joseph, son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in her, is of the Holy Ghost.

    Joseph was her ‘husband’ even in the RSV which also used the term ‘divorce’. Just because they had not lived in the same house, did not mean they were not married, right?

  2. dusek04 Avatar
    dusek04

    Hi – The answer has to do with Jewish engagement and marriage customs. After a man and woman were betrothed, they would live apart for one year, but they were considered husband and wife at that point. Betrothal was serious; divorce was required if they did not go forward with the marriage. At the end of the year, the husband would take the woman into his house. That’s why the Angel of the Lord said do not be afraid to take Mary….
    See http://www.cuf.org/Homilies/archive/122307b.asp for more.
    Blessings.

  3. dusek04 Avatar
    dusek04

    Oh, point of clarification: they would not have sexual relations during their betrothal. That’s why Mary’s pregnancy was a scandal.

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