Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Today's Mass Readings

Today we celebrate the memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. We commonly associate the physical heart of a person with love, as in “I love you with all of my heart.” We also associate the heart with the very essence of a person, the deeper place where the most real aspect of a person resides as in, “in my heart of hearts I know…” Both of these aspects come together in this memorial, which directs our attention to Mary’s joys and sorrows, her virtues, and, above all, her love—for God, for her Son, Jesus, and for all people. In the gospel for today we see a manifestation of Mary’s deep love. We are first told that every year she and Joseph went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover (Lk 2:41). That trip to Jerusalem, along with some others throughout the year, was required of all Jews by the law. That simple detail tells us that Mary was deeply committed to God illustrated by her strict observance of Jewish law.

Of course, we also see her profound love for her Son, Jesus. Imagine how exasperated she must’ve been after looking for Him for three days! And when she tells Jesus of her anxiety (Lk 2:49), He does not show much sympathy. Instead of smacking Him (as some mothers would!), she shows her profound understanding that they are both part of something much bigger than she can understand. She understands that she does not understand, as it were. In Paul’s words from today’s first reading, she is strong in her weakness (2 Cor. 12:10). Her love of Jesus is illustrated by her trust in His understanding of the Father’s plan.

At the end of the gospel reading, we are told that Mary “kept all these things in her heart” (Lk 2:51). Let us take a few minutes today to reflect in prayer upon the profound love, patience, and understanding in the heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

- Tim Gabrielli