Biblical Basics About Mother Mary – A Homily for the Second Sunday of the Year

Why do you see this as a rebuke?

Because this is what he said in John 2:

“Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.”

And notice He did not call her “mother”.

It’s not a big deal, really, but I just notice that every single place in the gospels where Jesus encounters His mother, He does not hold her in “special” high esteem. You remember when His disciples told Him his mother and brothers were outside and his response?

God was very clear about the respect He commanded be given to parents.

Sirach chapter 3

RESPONSIBILITIES TO PARENTS*
1
Children, listen to me, your father;
act accordingly, that you may be safe.
2
For the Lord sets a father in honor over his children
and confirms a mother’s authority over her sons.
3
Those who honor their father atone for sins;
4
they store up riches who respect their mother.
5
Those who honor their father will have joy in their own children,
and when they pray they are heard.
6
Those who respect their father will live a long life;
those who obey the Lord honor their mother.
7
Those who fear the Lord honor their father,
and serve their parents as masters.
8
In word and deed honor your father,
that all blessings may come to you.a
9
A father’s blessing gives a person firm roots,
but a mother’s curse uproots the growing plant.b
10
Do not glory in your father’s disgrace,
for that is no glory to you!
11
A father’s glory is glory also for oneself;
they multiply sin who demean their mother.c
12
My son, be steadfast in honoring your father;
do not grieve him as long as he lives.d
13
Even if his mind fails, be considerate of him;
do not revile him because you are in your prime.
14
Kindness to a father will not be forgotten;
it will serve as a sin offering—it will take lasting root.
15
In time of trouble it will be recalled to your advantage,
like warmth upon frost it will melt away your sins.
16
Those who neglect their father are like blasphemers;
those who provoke their mother are accursed by their Creator.

God gave us the beautiful image of Madonna and child to remind us of the importance of real love, trust, and sacrifice in this sinfull world. Some of you choose to discard those gifts, good luck with that. Her example of a real Christian woman is needed now more than ever. God knew what He was doing in the early church thousands of years ago, and I have nothing but gratitude today.

To interpret Jesus’ reactions to His mother as dismissive, is to not know God. It is like calling Jesus a sinner. It is projecting one’s own human family dysfunction into something that is perfect. That is sad. --------------------------------- That is not what it's like, nor am I projecting anything. What my comment was like is calling Jesus God and recognizing what He meant when He said ALL have sinned. The only one who didn't is Jesus. Suggesting that any person is a sinner because their parent is a sinner does not reconcile to the spirit of God's message. My relationship with Him is one-on-one, regardless of who my earthly parents are. <> Yes He was. This is why I believe Jesus did what Mary asked. That was my point. But I must say that right off the bat your first quote starts with the word "children". Which Jesus was not when he spoke to Mary in John 2. He also did not call her mother. He called her "woman". Further, when others DID call her his mother, it went down like this: While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.” He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” (Matthew 12: 46-50) In all seriousness, if you were a mother, and you saw and heard your son say that, how would you respond emotionally?

Whatever makes you happy, just be careful. Some of you out there feel so entitled to disparage Catholic beliefs that you seem to forget The One who you are likely insulting. Most Catholics don’t worry about what others believe one way or another. God, however, needs to be respected. Those who love Him, obey Him.

....”those that provoke their mother, are accursed by their creator.”

Consider for a minute that what the angel Gabriel said is true. “That she is blessed among women, and God’s grace is with her.” Perhaps there is a remote possibility that God wouldn’t appreciate demeaning comments or calumny being said about the women who bore His only Son.

Even if I had no appreciation for the Blessed Mother, I would know better than to be disrespectful. Just saying.

Whatever makes you happy, just be careful. Some of you out there feel so entitled to disparage Catholic beliefs that you seem to forget The One who you are likely insulting.

I’m only sharing what is written in the word. And Jesus spoke in plain language to us and used real world analogies (parables) to make his point clear “after the fact”. The meaning of many of the words in the bible are not meant to be “super spiritual” but to communicate simple points and truths.

>>Most Catholics don’t worry about what others believe one way or another. <<

Maybe not, but the writers of the bible (and Jesus) are concerned with it at length. There is a lot of text devoted to warnings about false teachers and what actually defines teaching as “false”. The great commission also tells us to be concerned about the beliefs of others.

>>“That she is blessed among women, and God’s grace is with her.” <<

Yes, she was blessed and God’s grace was with her, as it is with us. However, God did not choose her because she was blessed. Rather, she was blessed by Him choosing her, much as a lotto winner is “blessed” with lots of money.

>>Perhaps there is a remote possibility that God wouldn’t appreciate demeaning comments or calumny being said about the women who bore His only Son.<<

I don’t know about that. Seriously. But my comments are not about her. Rather, they are about how Jesus addressed her. To me she is a human, like all of us, who Jesus died for. She was blessed by events, just as Paul was chosen when he was Saul. Or you or me when we were called. And that is a good thing!

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