Characteristics of Mary, Mother of Jesus God chose an extraordinary young woman to be the mother of Jesus Christ. What are some characteristics we can all learn from this woman of faith?
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f you knew you only had moments left to live, who would you speak to? What would you say? What loose ends would you want to tie up? It is often in the crucible of such pressing situations that priorities are revealed. Jesus, during the intense agony of the crucifixion, dedicated some of His last words to tenderly express concern for His mother, Mary. Noticing Mary standing nearby, Jesus directed her attention to His disciple John, saying, “Woman, behold your son!” (John 19:26). Turning to John, He added, “Behold your mother!” (verse 27). Even in this excruciating moment, Jesus ensured that His mother’s physical well-being would be looked after. Who was this remarkable woman who had been tasked with rearing, providing for and looking after the Son of God? Sadly, many people’s familiarity with Mary is summed up in an oft-repeated but seldom thought about prayer, the Catholic “Hail Mary” prayer: “Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, blessed is the fruit of thy womb.” To learn about the many problems with praying to Mary, read our article “Should You Pray to Mary?”
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DISCERN
January/February 2022
