The Sacred Vocation of Mother

Fr. John Bostwick, O. Praem.

Family is on my mind these days. One of the gifts I received for Christmas, a very precious one, is a photograph of my mother. Fr Tim found a wallet sized photo in my room and had it enlarged and framed; it's the only decent photo of her and I have been contemplating it for the past several days. December 30th was my brother Dan's birthday - he would have been 68; he died way too young at the age of 46. I spent some significant time thinking about Dan yesterday. And, since all my family is in Ohio, last Saturday I called my niece's home, where the family was gathered, spoke briefly to each person as they passed the phone around.

In all this pondering over family, one element stood out - and I suspect it is pretty common in families: there is someone who is the keeper of the memories, someone who "keeps all these things, reflecting on them in her heart". And that someone in my experience is most often a woman. I can tell you who it's been in my family. First, my mom - she is the one who held the family together, knew the family history, paid attention to all the details of births and deaths, all the events that mark out lives. In another branch of the family, it is my godmother, my Aunt Ellie, who knows the family history and is always willing to tell the stories and interpret their meaning. Most recently, it is my niece, Kathy, once more a woman who calls the family together, makes the connections, tell the stories and opens up their significance.

It is a motherly role, perhaps even a matriarchal role - the wise woman of whatever age who holds the keys to the family's heart. In reflecting on Mary, the Mother of God, - as depicted in today's Gospel passage - as I see her marking and "keeping all these things, reflecting on them in her heart" I see the sacred vocation of mother as the heart of the family.

It is no wonder that Mary, the Mother of God - and by Jesus' own words, also our mother - is beloved. She is the one who shares the gift of the memory of Jesus' birth and infancy that we celebrate in these holy days.