A Mother’s Love

This year, I celebrate Christmas for the first time in my life without my mother. Mom passed away in November. While many Christmas gifts come and go, the one gift that stays with me is the gift of my mother’s love.

Rooted in God’s love, a mother’s love is unwavering and unconditional. St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians gives a beautiful description of love. “It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” [1 Corinthians 13:7].

Certainly, a mother’s love surpasses trials and tribulations, even if it cannot change the course of events. The perfect example of a mother’s love is that of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Setting aside her own fears, Mary said yes to God and motherhood.

Embracing Motherhood

Mary embraced all of motherhood’s blessings, sacrifices, and sufferings. Offering up her body, mind, heart and soul, Mary gave her life to God in order for her Son Jesus Christ, our Savior, to be born. At the Annunciation “Mary said, ‘Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word’” [Luke 1:38].

Carrying Jesus within her, Mary carried God’s love. Truly, the love of God—made manifest in Jesus—lived within Mary. Full of grace, our Blessed Mother nurtured this love, which shone through her at the Visitation with her cousin Elizabeth. “And Mary said: ‘My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior’” [Luke 1:46–47].

Giving birth to Jesus, Mary held dear the greatness of God’s love with her maternal embrace. Then on the night of Jesus’ birth, she opened her heart to the shepherds seeking their Savior. Becoming the Mother of God, Mary became Mother of his Church. Mary embraces all of God’s children, holding each one in her Immaculate Heart.

Mary’s love, united with her faith and hope, also gave her strength to embrace the sufferings she faced as a mother. Such sufferings were foretold by Simeon at her Son’s Presentation in the Temple. He warned a sword would pierce her “so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed” [Luke 2:35].

Our Lady did not always understand the mysterious happenings in her Son’s life. However, Mary kept all things in her heart just as she did when she and Joseph found young Jesus in the Temple after searching for him for three days. Mary’s maternal love overcame her anxieties, giving her Son support and comfort in his life and in his death for our salvation.

Everlasting Love

Therefore, as we celebrate the joys of the Christmas season—the gift of our Savior’s birth—let us give thanks for the gift of love. Know the love of Christ “so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” [Ephesians 3:19]. Jesus’ holy Mother and ours humbly draws us to this everlasting love.

This Christmas and every day, as I give thanks to God for the greatness of his love, I also give thanks for the love of our Blessed Mother and for my mother’s love. Mom’s comforting presence and warmth will remain within my heart always. Although I have no children, my hope is to share this love as Mom shared it with me—with humility, patience, compassion, and grace from our Lord with our Blessed Mother by his side. Amen.