Today, we celebrate the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Mary is the only created human being without sin. As Wordsworth said, she is “our tainted nature’s solitary boast.” We do not worship Mary. But we give here a reverence that is greater than that due to the saints. Dulia is the Greek word used to describe the reverence that we have for the saints. Hyperdulia is the Greek word used to describe our devotion to the Blessed Mother.
Yesterday’s Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus focused on the love that Jesus has for all of us. Today’s memorial points toward the love that Mary has for her Son. With her Immaculate Heart, only she can love Jesus as he should be loved. Her love for her Son is the model for all of us. And, of course, Mary always points us to her Son. As you may remember, there is a whole class or type of Marian icons that has Mary pointing to her Son.
As with Jesus, we can call to mind Mary’s emotions that came from her heart. Her joys. But also, her sorrows. Many people practice the devotion to the Seven Sorrows of Mary. In today’s Gospel reading, we can sense her confusion and desperation when Jesus was lost. We can feel her joy at finding him in the Temple. And we are told of the astonishment of Mary and Joseph as they saw Jesus questioning the teachers in the Temple.
Yes, Mary is a model for how to love and follow the Lord. In the Gospel, in just a few words, she provides two great examples of how that is done. At the Annunciation, she says, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” At the wedding at Cana, she tells the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
Today, we also celebrate the ordinations of six new priests for the Diocese of Saint Augustine, including our own Father Maurice Culver. Although the pandemic (and the limited size of our cathedral) make it impossible for all who want to go to attend in person, it is still a great celebration for the people of the diocese. I hope that you can access the livestream to at least see the ordination remotely. May Mary, the Mother of Priests, watch over their priesthood.
Can we recognize how Mary is our model for how to love Jesus Christ? How does our devotion to the Blessed Mother help us to love Christ?