How does one honor the most blessed, most beloved, the greatest woman who ever lived, the highest honor of our race? There’s no perfect way we can fathom that can do justice to her. That’s why every country, every culture, every person, every religious institution tries to find a creative way to honor her. If you’re from the Dominican Republic, she’s the our lady of Altagracia. If you’re Haitian, she’s our lady of perpetual help. If you’re Mexican, she’s our lady of Guadalupe. If you’re Bolivian, she’s our lady of Urkupiña or Kotoca. If you’re Cuban, she’s our lady of charity. If you’re Puerto Rican, she’s our lady of Providence. This is just to name a few of the countless ways her children have tried to encapsulate her or express our friendship, affections, devotion, and gratitude to her.  

There are 3 reasons she’s so fascinating to us. 

First and foremost, she emulates everything we ever dream of being. She’s the highest example of Eve’s children. At her school, we learn the highest of the virtues– her charity and humility. After hearing that she’s full of grace, hearing that she will be the mother of God, after being told that her son will be the savior of whose kingdom there will be no end, she travelled at least a hundred miles to serve her cousin Elizabeth, who was in need. Although we may struggle to do the same at times, we whisper  in the depth of our hearts, “that makes sense”. Therefore, we can’t consequently stop singing her praises. 

Secondly, we find in her, an ally. It’s notable how she went to her son to inform him that the couple of Cana had run out of wine without them asking. Although he told her that his hour had not yet come, as if she already knew his next move, she instructed everyone to do whatever He said. For that reason, tThey had more and better wine as a result. It seems like Jesus can’t say no to mama. Almost instinctively, we want this caring, powerful, and clairvoyant mother and woman of influence on our team. Honoring her in our way of having her close in all our endeavors and plans. 

Third and lastly, the spiritual journey with the Lord, to be religious can be summarized in one word: surrender. Surrender our liberty, memory, fears and anxieties, our dreams and wants, our identity and possessions, our thoughts, will and understanding, our past, present, and future in the hands of God. This is the highest form of the Christian life because it is the most difficult. It takes a lifetime to do a little of it at times. It’s a real struggle for us. Mama surrendered single heartedly. She did this and never questioned it. She stayed committed to it through ups and downs. She gave everything she was and everything she could have ever become to the Lord, although she was only a teen. We honor her because we have tried to do the same, but discovered how extraordinarily difficult and almost impossibly arduous this is to do. We are awed by how she did it seemingly effortlessly. We are overwhelmed by her incredible yes.  

      “God is madly in love with you!!”