Episode Transcript  

One

What Gift Can We Give Her?

Today we celebrate the birthday of Mary, the Mother of God and our spiritual Mother. This feast falls on September 8th, exactly nine months after the Immaculate Conception on December 8th. On birthdays, we give gifts to those we love. Why? Because a gift expresses how much that person means to us. So, what gift could we possibly give Mary on her birthday?

Every good mother desires the same thing: to be close to her children and to receive their love and trust. Therefore, the greatest gift we can give Mary is not something we buy. It is ourselves, our hearts, our lives, our complete trust. This is what it means to consecrate ourselves to Mary. It is to say, “Mother, I am all yours. I want to belong to you completely and depend upon you in everything.”

But why give ourselves to Mary? Why not go directly to Jesus or the Holy Spirit? Because it is the mission of the Holy Spirit to enter our souls, conceive the life of Christ within us, and form us into His likeness. And the Spirit carries out this maternal work through Mary. In her, the maternal care of the Holy Spirit becomes visible and tangible. Therefore, giving ourselves to Mary does not distance us from Jesus. Rather, consecrating ourselves to Mary is the surest way of giving ourselves to the Spirit so the Spirit will form Jesus in us.

Two

Jesus Gave Himself Completely to Mary

What was the first thing the Son of God did to save the world? We might answer: He died on the Cross. Yes, but before He could die, He had to become man. And how did He become man? He entrusted Himself entirely to Mary, to become a helpless embryo in her womb and a little child in her care. Could anyone depend more completely upon another person? Jesus gave Himself to Mary so that she might receive Him, nourish Him, protect Him, and form Him.

And what did Mary do for Jesus? Everything. By the power of the Holy Spirit, she conceived and gave birth to Him. She nourished and protected Him. She educated and formed Him. She prompted the beginning of His public ministry at Cana. She stood faithfully beside Him at the Cross and received His body when He was taken down.

Jesus began His saving mission by entrusting, by consecrating Himself completely to Mary. If we want to imitate Jesus, where should we begin? By walking on water, preaching to multitudes, or raising the dead? Hardly. We begin the way Jesus did: by becoming little, giving ourselves entirely to Mary, and allowing the Holy Spirit to form us through her.

Three

“Behold Your Mother”

Jesus consecrated Himself to Mary at the Incarnation. John did so at the Cross. Seeing Mary and the beloved disciple standing near her, Jesus said, “Woman, behold your son.” Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother.” At that moment, Jesus gives John to Mary as her son, and Mary to John as his mother. Then the Gospel tells us, “From that hour, the disciple took her into his own.” The Greek phrase eis ta idia means more than that John merely provided Mary with a place to live. He received her into everything that belonged to him, into his life, his heart, and his soul.

St. John Paul II taught, “The maternity of Mary is a gift that Christ makes to each man personally; each must accept it personally.” From the Cross, Jesus is speaking directly to you, “Behold your mother.” Mary is His gift to you. But every gift must be received. Consecration is our response. Like John, we take Mary into everything that is ours. We receive her as our Mother and give ourselves to her as her sons and daughters, so that the Holy Spirit, through her, may form Christ in us.

Four

Consecration Must Become a Relationship

Many people make an act of consecration to Mary. They say the prayer sincerely, and yet very little changes. Why? Because consecration can remain merely a prayer we once said rather than a relationship we live. Consecration begins with an act of the will, “Mary, I am all yours.” But then we must actually live as her children, turning to her, listening to her, relying upon her, and allowing her to guide and form us.

Think of a little child raising his arms to his mother, asking to be picked up. How could she resist? That is how Jesus lived. He chose to be little and dependent upon Mary. Our greatest problem is pride, the radical self-reliance that leaves us anxious, worried, and exhausted. Jesus teaches us another way. The goal is not to become spiritually independent. The goal is complete dependence upon the Holy Spirit.

So raise your arms to Mary. Ask her to pick you up and carry you. Bring her into every project, decision, difficulty, and relationship. Talk with her about everything. Ask for her guidance. Pay attention to what she inspires within you, and then act upon it. Whatever is weighing on you today, place it in her hands. Do what you reasonably can, and entrust the rest to her. Do not take it back through endless worry. Jesus did not form Himself. He allowed the Holy Spirit and Mary to form Him. Follow His example.

Five

The Gift of Ourselves

What will we give Mary on her birthday? We will give her the gift she desires most: ourselves.

Consecration does not need to be complicated. It is not primarily a program. It is the beginning of a relationship with your Mother. Today, let us make the Act of Consecration of Blessed William Joseph Chaminade our own. Give Mary your consent. Offer her your whole self, and seal that gift with your Amen:

O Mary, Virgin most faithful,
you who believed the words of the angel
and by your faith brought about the great mystery of the Incarnation,

I give myself completely to you—
my body and all its senses,
my soul and all its powers,
my whole being.

I am yours, and everything I have belongs to you.

Guard me as your child,
guide me as your servant,
and send me as your apostle.

Help me to live with your faith and fidelity,
to bring Jesus into the world as you did,
and to remain always under your protection.

Mother, I am all yours.
Keep me always close to your Son.

Amen.

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