December 8 and Mama Mary

Today, we set aside all else first and remember the Immaculate Conception of our Mama Mary.

A beautiful virgin with so much of her youth and life ahead, she consented to let God's will be done by agreeing to be our Lord Jesus Christ's mother here on earth. Not an easy decision to make. So much humiliation, public censure, and sacrifice were part of her saying yes to God and His messenger.

She was unmindful of what others would say, however. All she was concerned about was whether she was worthy to do God's will.

Her humility and her obedience would mark her out forever as the most blessed of all women. Imagine being chosen to be the mother of the Son of God!

That did not make her a queen, a royalty on earth however. She gave birth to God's Son in a lowly manger. She lived a life as a carpenter's wife. She had to see her own Son ridiculed and crucified. She had to bear so much pain and sorrow despite being so blessed.

Despite being the mother of Christ the King, the Son of God, she remained humble and she never used her position to wield influence or power over others.

And she remained obedient and faithful. Her patience and forbearance to do God's will quietly and wholeheartedly make her a model for all times.

Today, we thank God for sharing Mama Mary with us all as our mother. We thank Mama Mary for saying yes to God's request for her to be the Lord's mother. We thank her for showing us that being blessed does not mean being exempt from the cares and woes of this world. We thank Mama Mary for clearly leading us all to the most important focus of life on earth; that is, to do God's will, not ours.

She has since then become everyone's mother, one who always showers those who turn to her with her Perpetual Help. She is Mama Mary of the Rosary, of sorrows, of Lourdes, of Fatima, of Guadalupe, and more.

Filipinos remember her being with them at EDSA. So many throughout the world remember her for being with them when they needed her and her Son and His Father. So many more remember her for just being there at all times and for all reasons.

Hence, we raise our thanksgiving and petitions to her most especially today in the midst of so much confusion about truth, about terror, about unmet needs. We thank her for remaining as our intercessor, as our kind and loving intermediary with the Lord. We thank her for taking us on as her children. We thank her for being the model of what an ideal woman should be, and for showing us the way to become divine despite being human.

We lift to her our petitions for ourselves, for our families, for our loved ones. We lift to her our country and our people. We lift to her our prayers for truth and for enlightenment for our politicians and government officials.

We particularly raise to the Lord, through her, our thanksgiving for touching Mike Defensor to defend the trees and forests of Samar for the Filipinos, for the Philippines and for the world. We lift to her our prayers that Garci, GMA and all others to be touched by truth, sincerity and true service for our people. We lift to her, most especially, the prayers of those in need within our land and throughout the world.

And we pray to Mama Mary for peace on earth for all, and more obedience and faith in the Lord. We pray to her for this world's people to unite, to share, and to protect rights and resources that all may have blessed lives today and tomorrow like Mama Mary, blessed because she said yes to her Immaculate Conception.