Editorial

The month of May is devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary

“The Lord has bestowed upon [Mary] the blessing of all the nations, and has confirmed his covenant upon her head. Alleluia.”
(Traditional Marian antiphon)

Mary is a paradox. A simple girl from a small town is proclaimed Queen of the Universe. A virgin gives birth to a child, names him Jesus, which means “savior,” and then becomes his most faithful and long suffering disciple. She speaks with authority (“Go, do whatever he tells you”) but she acknowledges the great mystery of her life, pondering things in her heart.

Mary is conceived without sin (the Immaculate Conception), but she suffers the consequences of our sinful human nature—with one important difference: “When the course of her earthly life was finished, [she] was taken body and soul into heavenly glory ...” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #966). From her heavenly home, she continues to follow Jesus and to intercede for us before the throne of grace.

Mary’s virginity bears abundant fruit because her acceptance of God’s promise is unconditional. In her womb, the second person of the Trinity becomes one with us so completely that we can call him “brother” and “friend” even as we revere him as the almighty transcendent God.

Mary is the bridge that connects us with her Son. She is also the assurance that he remains close to us, that we can touch him and talk to him in the sacraments, in the ministry of our Church, and in our communion with one another.

Every one of us is invited to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Mary, the mother of Jesus and our mother, supports and encourages this relationship by her prayers, by the witness of her life and by her identification with us, the people of God and the mystical body of Christ.

Compassion and mercy are her hallmarks. No one who seeks her help is ever left unaided. That’s one reason that we seek Mary’s special intercession for all who are homeless or who seek safety and a better life in our homeland.

As Catholic Christians, pilgrims on a journey to our heavenly home, we believe that every member of the human family, regardless of his or her place of origin, ethnic or cultural heritage, economic or social position or legal status should be welcomed as Christ and should be encouraged to feel a genuine sense of membership and belonging in our parish communities, our neighborhoods and our country. This does not mean that our borders should be unsecured, but it does require us to have immigration policies that are welcoming and that respect the dignity of individuals and protect the integrity of families.

When we encounter a stranger, we meet Christ. When we welcome new neighbors, we welcome the Lord who comes to us in and through the needs of others. When we love our neighbor, we discover the face of God and we experience the power of God’s love for us—poured out above all in the sacrificial love of Christ, who suffered and died to secure for each of us an everlasting welcome in his Father’s house.

On Jan. 22, 1999, in Mexico City, Pope John Paul II stood beneath the figure of Our Lady of Guadalupe and proclaimed a message of hope to all the peoples and nations of the Americas.

In his apostolic letter, “Ecclesia in America” (“The Church in America”), the Holy Father spoke of the diverse gifts and talents of our people, the natural beauty and vast resources of the American continent and the many distinctive cultures and traditions that have contributed to the way life is lived in the great metropolitan centers, small towns and rural villages in which we live here in North, Central and South America.

May we always be open and welcoming to others—especially the poor and the downtrodden! May the prayers and example of Our Lady of Guadalupe inspire us to welcome strangers and invite them into our hearts and homes so that we all may be one, as God is one—Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

We are right to turn to Mary during this month of May. She is our mother and our queen, our protector and our source of comfort and hope. Those who are without a homeland and who seek a new life for themselves and their families rightly implore the assistance of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

—Daniel Conway