THE TWELVE CLIPS OF CHRISTMAS: DAY 8: OEDIPUS WRECKS

In the mind of Woody Allen, nothing could possibly be worse than a Jewish mother looking down on us from on high…

Of course, we Catholics know better, don’t we? We don’t just appreciate having a Jewish mother looking over us, we depend on it. As the Vatican II document Lumen Gentium explains, “This maternity of Mary in the order of grace began with the consent which she gave in faith at the Annunciation and which she sustained without wavering beneath the cross, and lasts until The eternal fulfillment of all the elect. Taken up to heaven she did not lay aside this salvific duty, but by her constant intercession continued to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation. By her maternal charity, she cares for the brethren of her Son, who still journey on earth surrounded by dangers and cultics, until they are led into the happiness of their true home. Therefore the Blessed Virgin is invoked by the Church under the titles of Advocate, Auxiliatrix, Adjutrix, and Mediatrix.” And, of course, by the title we revere her by on this 8th day of Christmas, Mother of God.

You know, I think I’ll save the whole defense of the doctrines on Mary for some other time. Suffice to say, scripture tells us that every member of the Church, those on earth and those in heaven, can intercede through prayer for one another. So if you’ve got the opportunity to ask the Mother of God to pray for you, it would seem rather foolish not to take advantage of it. I mean, I know you’re all busy people, but it doesn’t take that long to say the occasional Hail Mary. Oy vey, would it really kill you to call your mother every once in awhile?