Mary, Mother of Solitude
Psalm 23
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
The Rector Major’s words
Mary, mother of solitude, is the woman who does not flee from silence but dwells in it with faith, allowing everything to find a place in her heart. The Gospel tells us that ‘Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart’, and in this attitude we recognize her ability to stand before the mysteries of life without expecting to understand them immediately, but cherishing them until God himself reveals their meaning.
In that heart which listens and cherishes, Mary becomes the mother of all humanity: an attentive mother who notices the details, reads hearts, and points the way. We see her beside Jesus in Bethlehem, Nazareth, at Cana, and finally at the foot of the cross, when pain seems to have the final say. Right there, in the hardest moment, Jesus entrusts her to the beloved disciple and, through him, to the Church and the whole world: ‘Woman, behold your son… Behold your mother.’ From then on, no loneliness is ever absolute: every
tear, every night, every trial is permeated by this motherhood that draws near.
In every loneliness, Mary’s caress is alive, as she first listens, then acts. Hers is a practical, concrete presence: as at the Visitation, she sets out on her journey, ‘standing by’ without fanfare, but steadfastly. In our closed rooms, in hospital wards, empty homes, in the anxieties of young people and in the struggles of parents, Mary remains discreet and faithful, reminding us that we are never left alone. And those who truly allow themselves to be accompanied by her learn in turn to draw close to those who are alone: to offer genuine listening, to support without intruding, to cherish in their hearts the wounds of others, so that hope may blossom anew within them. In this way, solitude, touched by Mary’s love, becomes a place where God can still speak, heal, and begin anew.
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