MARY THE MOTHER OF JESUS WAS WITH THEM

OUR LADY MOTHER OF AFRICA, FEAST

Reflection from Friar Nicholas Okeke, OP

Act 1:12-14; Lk 1:46-55; Lk 1:26-38

Mary the Mother of Jesus was with them

We celebrate the feast of Mary, Mother of Africa, today as we reflect on Mary’s participation in our lives as Christians. The mother of Jesus Christ played a unique and irreplaceable role in the life and salvific mission of Jesus Christ. From our understanding of the relationship between us and Jesus Christ, which Jesus used the analogy of the vine and the branches to put across to us, we see a unique role that Mary plays in the life of each Christian. This is evident in the continuity between the vine and its branches. A vine and its branches together make a whole tree. There is also a continuity between Jesus Christ and each Christian. This continuity is what the scriptures refer to when Jesus is called the Head of the Church. The humanity of Jesus Christ as the mystical head of the Church is continuous with each Christian as a member of the body of Jesus Christ. The Virgin Mary, as many of the saints have commented, continues her role as a mother in the birth of each Christian in the order of grace. This truth follows from the fact that we are united to Jesus Christ in the order of grace when we professed faith in his divinity at our baptism. By the baptismal profession of faith, grace is given to us through Jesus Christ our Head.  

We are made like unto Mary in our profession of faith in Jesus Christ, for she was the first to make the profession of faith in the new dispensation of grace when the angel Gabriel was sent to her by God. “I am the handmaid of the Lord,’ said Mary ‘let what you have said be done to me.” She was the first to conceive the humanity of Jesus Christ by believing in his divinity. Every Christian would be patterned after her fiat. The intention of making those born within the dispensation of grace to be like the Blessed Virgin Mary and her Son was revealed by God. He gave it as the sign of human redemption after the fall as described in Genesis. Many Fathers of the Church have also explained the mystical sense of the sign as a representation of Mary and the Church; the Church here refers to the humanity of Jesus Christ and his members. The words of the angel Gabriel point to this mystical sign and the fulfilment of the promises made to the patriarchs. “Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God’s favour. Listen! You are to conceive and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David; he will rule over the House of Jacob for ever and his reign will have no end.” 

The Son of Mary will reign forever. We understand this statement in the practical sense and the mystical sense. In the former, the Son of Mary refers to Jesus Christ; in the latter, it refers to Jesus Christ who will reign with all his members forever. What is most encouraging to us now is her abiding presence with all those being formed in her womb of grace. There is an illustration of this in the first reading. “All these joined in continuous prayer, together with several women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.” The characteristic role she plays as the mother of Christians is her continuous prayer with us. She prays for us even when we are weak and down in our life of prayer. By invoking her as Mother of Africa, we place our poor continent into her maternal care and ask that she intercede for us to bring about a rebirth of the African continent in fear of God and love for one another. 

Let us pray: Grant us, Lord, the grace to imitate the Blessed Virgin Mary the mother of your Son in her continuous prayer and presence before you always, so that we may do your will all things like her.