The Notion of Motherhood: Part 2

Yesterday we approached God as Mother. Today, we are going to encounter the motherhood of Mary.

A number of years ago, my mother-in-law gave me a series of writings by Chiara Lubich (founder of the Focolare Movement) that have had a profound impact on how I understand Mary. In one letter, written in 1987 for the Year of Mary, Chiara states:

Let’s imitate her [Mary] in what is essential. She is a mother, Jesus’ mother and spiritually our mother. From the cross, Jesus gave her to us as such in the person of John. We have to be like her other self, as a mother. In practice we have to state this intention: during the Marian Year I will behave toward every neighbour I meet, or for whom I shall be working, as though I were their mother.

Chiara goes onto list a number of qualities that we tend to associate with motherhood, which Mary exemplified perfectly during her life. A mother is always welcoming, gracious, hopeful, forgiving, etc. When we start to adopt the heart of a mother, Mary’s heart, we are transforming our vision to see those we meet in a new light. Chiara challenged her readers, and us today:

 To live like Mary, as if we were mothers to everyone.

Who is someone in my life that I should try to see more as a mother would, to treat as their own mother would?