VOICE FROM THE SOUTH
Fr. Emeterio Barcelon, SJ
The mother of Jesus is the person besides Jesus who can be the object of our love. She loved Jesus, her son, with a love beyond all telling. She also loves us. The angel announced to her that she was chosen among all the women of all time to be the mother of the Savior of the world. St. Joseph was told in a dream that her child was from the over shadowing of the Holy Spirit. From the start she had problems. But she took it as a good trouper. Mary then deserves all the titles we give her in the litany of Blessed Mother. In recent times she has been the messenger of the Father to us. She has appeared with messages for us her children over a dozen times. Of these the more prominent have been Lourdes, Fatima, Garabandal, and Mejouguri. She has been asking us to live the lives her Son wants us to live and to pray the rosary.
Mary from the time of the annunciation has been intent on helping others. She immediately got up to walk to help her cousin Elisabeth. Then walked again the miles to register in Bethlehem and give birth to a son in an animal shelter and place her newborn in a manger. From that time on a sword pierced her heart but especially when she met her Son on the Way of the Cross. And finally she witnessed the death of Jesus on the Cross. From then on she took care of the Apostles until her Assumption into heaven. Mary was the mother par excellence. She still is the mother who is looking to our salvation now in heaven. She seems from her appearances most concerned with our welfare.
Mary after Jesus has suffered most for our salvation. There is only one thing that she wants and that is to bring us all to heaven. She has been asking us not to offend God with our sins. She has been asking us to make sacrifices which we can join with sacrifice of her Son on the Cross. Thus making it an offering pleasing to the Father. Mary has become our Blessed Mother.
St. Joseph was Mary’s thoughtful spouse who took care of the Holy Family from the beginning until his death. He is the patron of the dying for when he died there was Mary and Jesus with him. So when we die we would like to have Mary and Jesus with as we go from this world to the heavenly world. St. Joseph is the quiet saint in the background but most powerful on his influence the Savior and His mother. Just as Mary who just presumed that her request to Jesus in the wedding in Cana would be granted by her Son, so she just told the waiters to do what He told them to do. Although He protested that His time had not yet come, He could not refuse her. So too the influence of Joseph on Jesus is tremendous. After all he took care of the Holy Family all those years that he taught Jesus how to be a carpenter. So many of us take advantage of this influence of St. Joseph and Mary on Jesus.