Today is my birthday. My family will remember the event with congratulatory remarks. The world, however, will focus on my mother. In fact, I have two mothers. My biological mother would remember the joy of my birth, the birth of her first born son. My spiritual mother remembers my adoption into her family, when I was born of water and spirit at my baptism, and took her first born Son as my brother. The beauty of the Catholic faith, is not simply the faithfulness of our Father in Heaven, or the unbelievable sacrifice of Our Lord in redeeming us, or the further illumination of God’s plan through the Holy Spirit.
The beauty of the Catholic faith is focused on being birthed into a family, the family of God. Not simply a Trinitarian relationship, but an extended family that includes all believers past, present and those to come after us – who we often refer to as the communion of saints.
In my home we have two dogs, both Australian Shepherds. Growing up, I had an engaged father. The relationship I had with my father was familial. The relationship I have with my dogs is different. I have come to understand what true worship looks like by looking at the eyes of my dogs. They remain content to do nothing more than sit near me, or get up from a deep sleep to follow me where ever I go. They will sit by the front door when I leave, remaining there for hours just in case I might return early.
I sometimes wonder if God had chosen instead to create dogs in His image and likeness, if He would ever had to become incarnate, just to redeem them. Yet, no matter how faithful, my dogs are not family by adoption or otherwise – they have a different nature and remain loved pets. If my dogs and grandson had an irreconcilable conflict, the distinction between pet and family would become manifest.
My earthly family would be incomplete without a mother. Single parent homes are inevitably challenged by the fact that God intended it to be otherwise. How graceful God is to recognize this at the spiritual level. How fun that He chose my birthday to coincide with the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. It is as if, He intended me to have a special relationship with my spiritual mom, and I do. To understand the nature of that relationship, I need only read Revelation 12:17 – “Then the dragon was angry with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and bear testimony to Jesus.” Is that you? Do you keep the commandments of God and bear testimony to Jesus? If so, honor your mother today on the occasion of her feast.
[Reading for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe: Rev 11:19; 12:1-6a; 10ab – Lk 1:26-38 or Lk 1:39-47]
