Mary is the sacred vessel chosen to be without Sin, that she might be the Theotokos, or 'God-carrier.' For centuries Mary has been venerated in her very special and immediate role, as the Mother of God. While she had been prepared beforehand for this task, she still needed to give her full consent for this job. And it is by this 'unconditional yes' that we have the Saviour of the world born into our lives.
Blessed John Paul II would remind us though that Mary is very much like us. She was anxious as the message of the angel was presented to her, overjoyed at God's favor, and full of sorrow as she witnesses the suffering and death of her son. So John Paul would suggest that we can confidently approach Mary with our own needs and concerns, as well as the need and concerns of the world. We trust that she places these prayers of ours before her Son. She becomes our number one intercessor before Jesus.
More so the importance of this Solemnity, especially as we begin this new year, is to recognize her ability to be faithful and full of peacefulness. This is most certainly the result of contemplating the mystery of God, and recognizing in her calling the responsibility to do ministry. Mary is not only a model of faithful discipleship, but of stewardship as well. Mary's trek to Elizabeth's house was one of support and encouragement of a relative, but also to share good news. At the wedding feast in Cana Mary solicits the help of her son as a crisis occurs. Her command, like so many times in the Gospel, is to "listen to Him."
If we wan peace and security in the new year then we have to look to the Mother of God. We receive the Word of God with joy, reflect on it, and then respond to that Word by our very lives. In doing this we find solutions in the midst of chaos, folks in need are supported, and our sorrows are overshadowed by the paschal promise of the resurrection.
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