Faith is like a ship that carries us through treacherous waters. When storms come to shake our faith, our little ship may bob up and down on the waves that threaten to capsize us. In such times, we can call on Mary, the Star of the Sea, who had an exceptional faith. When St. John Paul II wrote his encyclical on Mary (Mother of the Redeemer), he presented Mary as our model of faith. He said that faith is the key that unlocks the mystery of Mary.
God called her to exercise faith in two moments in particular. The first
was when he invited her to be the Mother of his Son. She accepted, not knowing
how she would explain this to Joseph. She trusted that God would lead her
through any trial that would come. And her greatest moment of faith came on Calvary, when Mary stood at the foot of the cross and saw
Jesus die a cruel and bloody death. But even then she did not waver. She
trusted that God knew what he was doing, and that good would come from it. She
even offered her own sufferings in union with those of Jesus. When the apostles
fled and everyone abandoned Jesus, Mary kept the light of her faith burning
brightly through the Sabbath day that followed. That is why we especially honor
her on Saturdays. And her faith was rewarded when she saw the risen Christ.
St. John Paul explores all this and much more in his Marian
encyclical. Pauline Books & Media has published a special edition
with commentary by a Marian scholar, Sr. Jean Frisk. The Pope explains Mary’s
role in the mystery of Christ and of the Church. This important document is
well worth reading anytime, but especially in Advent. Mary goes before us and
will help us through whatever difficulties life may throw at us. And when the
storms come, we can, as St. Bernard said so beautifully, “Look to the Star!
Call on Mary!”
