She Didn't Even Flinch - Reflection for the Solemnity Mary Mother of God

She Didn’t Even Flinch

Readings

Instincts are the behaviors that exist in all living things. They are gifts of God to creation. By instinct, newly hatched sea turtles go to the sea. Honeybees dance in the direction of food. Spiders spin webs and birds build nest by instinct.  

People have instincts too. Human instincts are fear, anger, shyness, and curiosity and many more. Another instinct is infant for mother and mother for child. Proven by scientist, the maternal instinct is hard-wired into the brain.  

There is another instinct that is shared by both animal and human. It is the fight-or-flight instinct. The instinctive response to the unknown danger is to run away or fight. It insures survival.

Today we honor the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God who faced the unknown and didn’t even flinch. She didn’t run away from God or fight against God when the angel gave her the most shocking news of the Annunciation.

Everything happening to her was scary. It promised punishment and even death. She should have been in flight or fight mode. But, her reaction was calm. “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” (Lk 1:38)

In today’s gospel, the wild men came, shepherds. They were not the most desirable of people. They lived in the wild. They were ragged and unkempt. They were coarse and unmannerly. They smelled like sheep.

The Blessed Virgin Mary didn’t even flinch when they came running to the infant lying in the manger, shouting fanatics praising and glorifying God. "…they made known the message that had been told them about this child. All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds."

She reacted calmly, “Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.”

She didn’t flinch, She was full of grace. She was full of God’s grace. And yet, she had another gift from God, the grace of a mother’s instinct, the impulse to love and protect her child.

This is the way Our Lord God, Jesus Christ entered our world. He could have come in other ways. He could have come as a full grown man. Yet, He freely chose Mary to be his mother and he was her Son. He dwelt in Mary’s womb, nursed at her breasts, was held in her arms, sat on her lap and entrusted his life to her care.

Today is the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God. It is mostly a Catholic thing, but it should be celebrated by all Christians.

As Christians, we want to be like Jesus. Jesus loved, honored, and respected Mary. All believers should love, honor, and respect Mary as well.  As a child Jesus was entrusted to Mary’s care so we could all know God. 

Paul writes, “God sent his Son born of a woman …so that we might receive adoption….  As proof that you are sons and daughters, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts.“

Many Christians flinch when Catholics talk of Mary. Mary who they agree is the mother of Christ; Jesus Christ who they agree is God. Because of these, Mary is the Mother of the Church. These are part of our faith.  

If you do not honor Mary, asks yourself why? Scripture says every generation will call Mary blessed because God who is mighty has done great things for her. (Luke 1:48-49)  Why don’t you call her blessed as the Bible says?

Worship belongs to God alone. To worship Mary is a sin, but to honor Mary and give her the respect that she deserves is to be like Christ.  

Mary is Jesus’ mother, the Mother of the Christ who is God. In all  this she didn’t even flinch. The Lord blessed her. The Lord let his face shine upon her. The Lord gave her peace.

We honor Mary because she was the first to know God through the presence of the Christ. She was the first Christian.

You too are called to be a Christian, but do you flinch?

Y’all be good, y’all be holy and live the gospel by the way you live and love. Amen.