I know at the days end, I get to come to you."

This was the refrain from the country song, Home to You, by John Michael Montgomery, that I heard on my way home from Rome about a week and 1/2 ago. As I listened to it I thought how easily this refrain could be sung by Mary, Our Blessed Mother, to her son Jesus. Let’s take a look!

"you are my best friend"

We all know what a friend is, but I decided to check out the definition in the dictionary. Here’s what I found:

1. A person who knows or likes another- (the best). Now no one knows their children better than momma! There’s very little you can put past a mother! Mary knew Jesus the best. In her pregnancy, (talk about perpetual adoration), she shared an intimacy with Jesus. She had to been aware of who he was as when she greeted Elizabeth and John the Baptist was bungy jumping in the womb! She had to been aware of who He was when the first circus came to town, the shepherds and Magi who came to adore him! Mary knew Jesus the best!

2. A person who supports another. (the best). From the swaddling clothes and wood of the crib to the swaddling clothed and wood of the cross, one person was constant and always at the side of Jesus! Maria!!! Mary supported and stood by Jesus’ side the best, in the joy and the sorrow!

3. A person who belongs to the same side or group. How about the without sin group!? Both were without sin, Jesus as a Divine person and Mary a human person, but both without sin. Talk about pressure to be good, poor Giuseppe!!! If there wrere any fights in that family, you always knew who was responsible for it!

"you are where my heart is"

The Gospel mentions that Mary reflected upon all these things in her heart. The Greek word actually can mean, to deposit! Mary deposited in her heart that her son was the long awaited Savior!!!! She deposited in her heart that she had been chosen to be the Mother of God! Her pure and immaculate heart was united to the Divine sacred heart of Jesus! The human heart of Mary that was prophesied to be pierced by a sword was united to the Divine heart, from which blood and water flowed forth.

"and I know at the days end...I’ll get to come home to you"

Mary, the mother of Hope. She knew that the suffering endured at the Cross was not all there was. Through her Son’s death and Resurrection she knew that the gates of heaven were opened and eternal life awaited her, where she would be crowned Queen of heaven and earth!

Is Jesus your best friend?

One becomes a best friend by spending time and getting to know another. What more intimate way than to receive the very body and blood of Jesus. This Jubilee Year is to intensely Eucharistic! What a great start this parish, (Immaculate Conception), with perpetual adoration, and St. Pius X Parish with Tuesdays set aside for adoration, are off to. Spend time with our Lord, get a "Son tan!"

Is Jesus where your heart is?

This Jubilee Year is to be one of reconciliation. Sin is when we break out of the relationship with Christ. He longs to repair that relationship and reconcile us to the Father through the great sacrament of penance. Let us have pure hearts and delete all those files and viruses that have taken up room so Jesus, a BIG file can come in. Open wide the doors to your heart!!!!

Finally, at the days end, do you believe you will get to come home to Jesus?

That is his promise to us as adopted sons and daughters of Christ. All this talk about Y2K and end times! Do not be afraid, the angel said to Mary, the shepherds and now to us! Have hope that there is something beyond all this. Eternal life awaits us if we remain faithful!

In closing, let us look to Mary as our model. This is a time to start anew and intensify our love for Jesus. Tonight, let us go to Calvary with Mary. Let us stand at the foot of the Cross here at this sacrifice tonight, the same sacrifice of 2000 years ago and listen: Listen to Jesus as he says:

Woman, behold your sons and daughters

sons and daughters......Behold your Mother!

I end with a simple prayer given to me as a seminarian, (in much need of guidance), by Msgr. Struck. A priest who always saw Mary as our model and means to Jesus. A priest who knew all to well what it meant to hope for eternal life.

"Virgin Mother of our God, lift us when we fall, who were named upon the Cross, Mother of us all."

Rev. Mr. John A Sistare
Vigil of Mary Mother of God  12\31\99
New Year’s Eve 2000

RETURN

Who We Are | More About Us | Related Sites | E-mail Addresses

Event Calendar | Fr. Ray.s Corner | Spiritual Offering