Homily

Mary, Full of Grace, Full of Freedom

Tuesday, January 1, 2008, Octave of Christmas, Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God
Assumption Grotto Parish, Detroit

Sometimes we can fall into that error of thinking Mary somehow “cheated.” Since she was immaculately conceived, we think to ourselves, and God preserved her from all stain of sin, that is the only reason how she avoided falling into sin. She had that special grace, and I don’t; therefore, she could love perfectly, and I never could love perfectly. In this way, we excuse ourselves, we justify our sinfulness, and we come near to blaming God for the sins we commit. God didn’t make me like that, so it isn’t my fault, right?

But today, the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, I propose to you a different thesis: that God chose Mary, and gave her such gifts, for alone among women, alone among the entire species of man, was her love perfect.

The conquering of sin requires, as we know, two things, grace and virtue. Neither one nor the other alone but both. In ancient times there were heretics called Pelagians, who asserted that spiritual perfection could be attained by virtue alone, without grace; yet this is a heresy clearly condemned by the Church, under Innocent I. The Jansenists later denied free will, and said all was grace, and this too was clearly condemned, under Urban VIII. Protestant reformers reject the unique and perfect Catholic teaching, always denying free will, and in doing so, justifying in some way the sins of those corrupted by sin. It is important for us to recognize that grace is added upon the will, and the will with its freedom and power of love is not destroyed, but transformed.

We all know that rocks can’t sin, nor trees, nor animals. They simply are, and move or act in accordance with the nature which the Lord gave them. They cannot achieve any spiritual merit, for they have no souls and no freedom. They can neither sin, for they have no souls and no freedom. Do we think Mary was a rock or some sort of plant, that her freedom was removed from her when she was filled with grace, and so she was simply unable to sin? Far from us be such thoughts. She overcame sin, because she loved.

Grace for its part is a gift from God, and Mary had this gift, as the scriptures say, “Hail, full of grace” (Lk 1:28) the glorious words which came from Gabriel the Archangel. Yet the scriptures also give us the words of the Lord, where he says, “For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother” (Mt 12:50), praise worthy of no person than Mary who was perfectly obedient to God, as she says, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord, may it be done unto me according to your word” (Lk 1:38). And here we also see her virtue, for her love was so perfect, it made her perfectly obedient to God through her obedience to the angel and even to Joseph her husband, the great man who loved and served and cherished Mary.

What alternatives did God have, whom he may have chosen for his own mother? Could he have chosen a sinful woman as his mother? Certainly not. For perhaps He could have chosen a woman who was proud, but making a proud woman the mother of God would have transformed her into a monster. He could have chosen a sensual woman to be the mother of God, but doing so would have hindered the supernatural mission of her son. He could have chosen a greedy woman to be the mother of God, but such a one would inevitably use the Redeemer, not serve the Redeemer. Hew could have chosen an angry woman to be his mother, but how could the Source and Fount of Mercy, who is the Incarnate Lord, spring from such a tree? Can an apple seed come from an cherry tree? The Mother of God cannot be a sinner; and in our day, I add this: God certainly would not have chosen a woman who uses contraception to be his mother, as such a sin would extinguish all that the Lord intended to give to the world. God wanted the right woman to be the mother of God.

And so looking through all time and history, the Holy Trinity found this woman, this one woman, who could do what Eve could not: love to the point of obedience. Love to the point of sacrificing her whole life. Love to the point of uniting her life to the divine mission of her Divine Son. Love to the point of suffering with her Divine Son. Love to the point of taking the entire world, all those born of flesh, and more perfectly all those born of the regenerating waters, as her own Children. For to her the Lord said, while he was dying on the Cross, “Woman, behold your son, son, behold your mother,” thereby giving to Mary the love and care of the whole world until the end of time.

This reflection on the amazing, awe inspiring love of Mary, should move us also to imitate her love of God above all things and her love of neighbor as herself. What is holding us back, we who are sinners, from deciding from now on to be like our heavenly mother? What is holding us back from saying “No!” to sin once and for all? Why is it that we so rarely discuss with Mary what it is to love so greatly, and ask for her advice, her counsel, her protection and her intercession? Sometimes it is laziness, sometimes it is despair, sometimes it is our fear of the cross, for the renunciation of sin requires much self sacrifice. But let us always remember Mary, and indeed all the saints, who, although far less than She in love and perfection, still attained divine charity by the mercy of the Lord. Let us remember what glory awaits those who live with such love, and, praying always, let this memory stoke our hope, and our hope strengthen our love for the Holy Trinity unto all eternity. Amen.