Mary, Mother of the word in the ear
Psalm 25
Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths.
Lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all day long.
The Rector Major’s words
Mary, the mother of the word in the ear, teaches us the most difficult and most necessary art in accompanying young people: making the other person feel truly welcomed and sincerely loved. Don Bosco gave us a precious guideline: ‘Strive to be loved before you are feared.’ It is a matter of committing oneself to winning trust by showing humanity, closeness and authenticity. Mary is a master at this: her discreet yet powerful presence breaks down defences, because she enters people’s lives with respect and tenderness, like a mother.
The ‘word in the ear’ is the word that arises from a genuine gaze. Before speaking, in fact, Mary looks. She looks at Elizabeth and senses her joy and her weariness; she looks at the bride and groom at Cana and realises that the wine has run out even before anyone says so.
Hers is a gaze that listens, that reads between the lines. It is the same with young people:
only when they feel looked at in this way can they sense that the word whispered to them is for their own good. Then the advice, the reminder, the guidance does not weigh on them like an order, but is received as a gesture of love.
Mary is able to make herself loved because she is wholly devoted to others. In Nazareth, at Cana, in the Upper Room, she is a presence that supports, encourages, and prays with the disciples and for the disciples. Christian tradition invokes her as the Mother of Mercy and the Mother of Tenderness, recognising in her a closeness that does not humiliate but lifts up, that does not accuse but accompanies.
At her side, every young person can feel safe: welcomed with their story, listened to in their questions, gently yet firmly challenged to become what they are called to be. And those who educate, looking to Mary, learn that the first proclamation is conveyed through one’s manner: a kind presence, an embrace in one’s gaze, a word whispered in the ear that springs from the heart and therefore reaches the heart.
Watch the full video below:
For those of you who wish to receive a daily morning reminder, SIGN UP FOR INTOUCH NEWSLETTER.
In addition, the videos of the World Novena will be available on the various language channels of ANS YouTube channel, which will be uploaded day by day until the eve of the feast.
RELATED ARTICLES: