永生系列（一）
母儀天下 （若19:25-27）
《路加福音》所描繪的聖母瑪利亞，本質上是一個鄉村少女，溫柔被動之上，會毫不猶疑地表達自己的理想（路1:34），以童貞的身份，終身事奉天主。她是善良的，得知年老的表姐懷了男胎，便立刻趕往山區協助，直到洗者若翰出生為止。往後的日子，她已經是「天主之母」的身份了。但我們所見到的，卻是一個努力默想天主子奧秘的受造物。對於發生在她身上及身邊的一切事物，聖母瑪利亞一點也不明白，她祇能「默存心中，反覆思想」（2:19, 51）。但她肯定會總結出一個天下間所有母親都認同的意見：「雖然孩子是我親生的，但我並不擁有這個兒子」（2:49），她控制不了這個親生子的將來！不過，她一定會善盡母親的本份，教養兒子，帶領他們認識天主！
《若望福音》的聖母瑪利亞表面上可以指揮天主子行事（若2:3, 5），但耶穌基督的一句「女人」稱謂（2:4），已把「造物主」與「受造物」的關係（創3:15）、主人與僕婢的關係（路1:38），表露無遺。聖母已經不再是鄉村少女，而是一個成熟的門徒了。她不但充滿愛心，關懷別人的需要；而且她信德滿溢，把困難擺在天主子跟前，深信祂自有最好的安排（若2:3）。聖母瑪利亞更加是一個福傳的先驅，她教導僕役：「祂無論吩咐你們甚麼，你們就作甚麼」（2:5）！
三年前，聖母瑪利亞在加納婚宴，盡顯她各方面成熟的德行，足以善盡「教會之母」的職份，引領一眾子女，認識天主。童貞聖母瑪利亞，母儀天下，當之無愧。
天主保祐！
生命恩泉
圖片鳴謝：reflectionsofalaycatholic.com
Eternal Life Series (I)
Universal Mother Exemplar (John 19:25-27)
The gospel of Luke portrays a Blessed Virgin Mary as a country girl who, above and beyond a gentle and passive girlish essence, does not hesitate to express her dream to dedicate her whole being to serve God in the capacity of a virgin (Luke 1:34). She is good-natured. Thus knowing that her aged cousin was pregnant with a boy, “During those days, Mary set out and travelled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah” (1:39) to help until the birth of John the Baptist. In subsequent days, she was already “The Mother of God”. But what we see is a lady working hard in the capacity of a creature, to meditate the mystery of the Son of God. For all things happening to her and surrounding her, the blessed Mother understood none of them. She could only keep “all these things, reflecting on them in her heart” (2:19, 51). But definitely she was able to arrive at an opinion which all mothers would agree, “Though I gave birth to this child, I do not possess it” (2:49). Though she has no control over its future, she will faithfully play her role to raise her children and bring them to know God!
The Blessed Virgin Mary in the gospel of John seems to be able to command the Son of God to obey her (John 2:3, 5) but when Jesus Christ addresses her as “Woman” (2:4), the relationship between the Creator and the creature (Genesis 3:15), between the Master and the handmaid (Luke 1:38) is fully revealed. Our Lady is no longer a country girl but a mature disciple. Not only was she full of love, caring for the needs of the others, but she was also full of overflowing faith, laying the issues down before the Son of God, trusting that He would have the best arrangement (John 2:3). The Blessed Virgin Mary was also a forerunner in evangelization. She instructed the servants, “Do whatever He tells you” (2:5)!
On Mount Calvary, the Son of God was hoisted, making the handmaid role of the BVM more prominent. “Woman, behold, your son” (19:26) is an invitation to undertake the motherly role for orphans, not just for a John under the cross, but for thousands and millions of believers born of baptism forever! The Son of God will exist in the form of the Sacrament of Holy Communion to stay with believers until the end of the age (Matthew 28:20). He understands our human needs. The new humanity born of baptism need a physical mother to raise them! Thirty-three years before the Fiat of the BVM enabled the Son of God to take flesh and became human. Now, thirty-three years later, the BVM remained silent to escort thousands and millions of believers to enter the Kingdom of Heaven through baptism.
Three years before in the wedding banquet of Cana, the BVM demonstrated her virtues in full maturity. She was capable of discharging her role as the Mother of the Church to lead all children to know God. It is appropriate to call the BVM, the Universal Mother Exemplar.
God bless!
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