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You cannot separate Jesus from Mary – Nuncio

Attendees participate in the singing at the first Laventille Devotions for 2019. Photos: Gerard-Paul Wanliss

Who are we to refuse the person that God Himself has chosen to be the Mother of the Son of God?

This was the crux of Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu’s homily at the start of the 2019 series of Laventille Devotions which commenced last Sunday, the Good Shepherd Sunday.

The Archbishop questioned if persons say they are the image of God and refuse to “choose this woman, what image are you?” “If you are the image of God you are going to be like God in His likeness and in His choice and in His election. That’s why we choose Mary, because we want to be like God,” said Archbishop Nwachukwu.

He then named the person that the Word of God remained with. “…In John 1:14 and 30, we’re told the Word was made flesh and the Word was among us. That Word that was made flesh dwelt inside of somebody, not for one day, not for two days, [but] for nine months growing in the womb of a woman, the Blessed Virgin Mary.”

To this end, the Archbishop called on those gathered to invite Mary into their own families, as the Blessed Trinity brought Mary into the family of God. “Do what God did…. choose Mary, bring her into your family,” he urged.

He maintained that the flesh and blood that Jesus had as a human being was the same flesh and blood they took from Mary. “And so, when that blood was being shed on the cross, you want to tell me what Mary was thinking? She was saying ‘That was my blood’.”

He referred to that day’s observance as the Sunday of the Good Shepherdess because it is a day to celebrate “all the good shepherdess” in our lives—mothers.

“Let us clap for all mothers. If nobody claps for you, I clap for you,” he said.

The Archbishop further spoke on the connection between Mary and Jesus adding “You cannot separate Jesus from Mary”. “Now you can understand why Jesus, never, at least in the Bible alone, Jesus never said ‘No’ to Mary.”

He gave examples including the story of Jesus in the temple (Lk 2:41–52) and The Wedding Feast at Cana. He observed that in both situations, Jesus did exactly what His mother expected— “He got up and went home with them,” and He turned water into wine.

“Tell me Church, where was there a person in the Bible that has gone through that privilege. It doesn’t exist…. If we had a trustworthy intercessor why should we have any doubt in coming to her?” Archbishop Nwachukwu said.

Devotions in June will be Saturday 15. The other dates are all Sundays: July 14, August 11, September 15 and October 13. – KJ