Be Good to Mother
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Be Good to Mother

Archbishop Listecki shares his love for the Mother of God.

Archbishop Listecki


Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki
Archbishop of Milwaukee
 

 

I have always admired St. Pope John Paul II, and I will always be grateful for being selected as a bishop under his papacy. Perhaps it’s the Polish heritage, his love for youth, his almost mystical spiritual life, but without a doubt, I line up with him in his special devotion to the Blessed Mother. The Big ‘M’ on his coat of arms was a statement that he was neither embarrassed nor ashamed of his love for the Mother of Christ. One can speculate that Mary became his mother when he lost his own mother at a very early age. Even future popes are not free from personal tragedies. It was obvious that in almost every encyclical, or the end of his addresses, he reference the Blessed Mother.
 
My sister, Penny, will often tease me about the time I was camping with classmates. I got very sick, and when they brought me home, she claims (I think it’s apocryphal) that I said, “I want my Mommy.” Hey, I was 24-years-old at the time. I think she embellished the situation, because I always said ‘Ma Ma,’ not ‘Mommy.’
 
It is probably true for many of us that we learn compassion from our mothers. Our fathers gave us examples of courage and perseverance. So, it was often our mothers that we sought when needing a remedy from our ills.
 
Tomorrow, August 15, is the feast of the Assumption. Mary taken up to heaven, body and soul. This doctrine of the Church follows closely upon the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception. Mary, born without original sin (there’s a term we haven’t heard of for a while), did not suffer the consequences of original sin that are the marks of our first parents, Adam and Eve. She, being the mother of God as Pius the XII stated, “in the flesh of Jesus is the flesh of Mary.” She shared in the redemptive mission and deserved to join her Son in heaven.
 
The Church, in her wisdom, declares tomorrow to be a Holy Day of Obligation. It would be great for us to desire to honor Mary’s Assumption from the fullness of our hearts, but in reality we have to be reminded that we “owe” honor to Mary. I am obliged, because it’s my responsibility in the practice of my faith.
 
Today, August 14, is the celebration of St. Maximilian Kolbe, whose devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary led him to sacrifice his life for another at the horrible gas chambers of Auschwitz. “No greater love than to lay down one’s life for another.” Compassion was at the heart of Maximillian’s action, a compassion that imaged the Blessed Mother’s Son’s sacrifice on the cross.
 
Often, when I am confirming a young woman (and I have to admit, occasionally a young man) who is taking the name of ‘Mary’, I remind them to keep Mary close in prayer, because when you are very good to mother, mother is very good to you.
 
My LOA friends stay close to mother, and she will keep you close to the love of her Son. If you’re spiritually sick, remember to just call out, “I want my Mommy!” – and she will direct you to follow her Son’s command to LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

Note: This blog originally appeared as the August 14, 2017 "Love One Another" email sent to Catholics throughout the Archdiocese of Milwaukee by Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki. If you are interested in signing up for these email messages, please click here.

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