The mother of Life passes through death, Mary: Day 276

The mother of Life passes through death

Because she was sinless, St. John of Damascus notes, Mary didn’t merit death, for death is the wages of sin. But neither did Jesus merit death, yet he willingly took it on for our sakes. And so Mary followed her Son’s example.

I don’t know whether I can trust my lips to speak of this day! For today

Mary, the life-giving treasury and abyss of charity, is hidden in immortal death. But the one who conceived death’s destroyer meets it without fear—if we can rightly refer to her holy and life-giving departure from the earth by the name of “death.”

For how could she, who brought life to all, be under the dominion of death? Even so, she obeys the law of her own Son, and inherits this chastisement as a daughter of the first Adam, since even her Son, who is Life itself, did not refuse it. As the mother of the living God, she goes through death to him.

Christ, the Life and the Truth, said that where he was to be, there also would be his disciples (see Jn 14:3). How much more certain is it, then, that his mother would be with him!

“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints” (Ps 116:15). More than precious, then, is the passing away of his mother. Now let the heavens and the angels rejoice! Let the earth and the people be full of gladness! Let the air resound with song and canticle; let dark night put off its gloom, and imitate, by its twinkling stars, the brightness of day! —St. John of Damascus, Second Homily on the Dormition

IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .

Both Jesus and Mary provide us models of redemptive suffering. In my own life, is there any kind of suffering that God is asking me to endure for the sake of someone else? Is there someone who must endure suffering for my sake?

CLOSING PRAYER

From a “Novena to Our Lady of Good Remedy”: Mary, touch the hearts of sinners; bring comfort to the afflicted and the lonely; help the poor and the hopeless; aid the sick and the suffering. May they be healed in body and strengthened in spirit to endure their sufferings with patient resignation and Christian fortitude.

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