Let’s talk about “yo mamma” jokes. They’re a sure-fire way to start a fight because they’re highly offensive. Everyone knows mommas are off-limits, that you don’t talk about someone’s momma. Mommas deserve love, respect, admiration, protection. Basically, honoring someone’s mother is a roundabout way of honoring them. That’s why we honor the mothers of celebrities and presidents, etc. It’s why we have Gold Star Mothers Day for the mothers of fallen soldiers. It’s a way of honoring the soldier as well as acknowledging all that the mother gave us in and through that soldier. Plain and simple, mothers are special.
Except when it comes to the Virgin Mary....
For some reason, when it comes to God’s momma, it’s sometimes seen as fanatical or blasphemous or whatever. Yesterday I bet there was a lot of eye-rolling and cringing when I said I would be honoring Mary all month with regular posts. Which is strange to me.
Gold Star Mother’s Day isn’t questioned because we know the sacrifice and suffering of that mother who lost her child - for our sake. But celebrating a Marian feast day IS often questioned, even though the Virgin Mary sacrificed and suffered like a Gold Star Mother when She lost Her Son - for our sake.
Honoring a Gold Star Mother makes us feel good because we know how much the fallen soldier loved their mother and how much he/she would have wanted it. The soldier’s honor isn’t threatened by the honor we show their mother. Instead, the sacrifice of both is recognized, which only enhances and strengthens the honor shown to the soldier. In a way, we love the soldier through the mother.
Sometimes we forget that Jesus also loved His Mother. In fact, the God of the universe who is, by nature, perfect love, loves Her more than any soldier or any child ever could love a mother. The God of justice is not threatened or jealous by honor given to Her. No, He actually wills that She receives what is rightly due to Her by merit of Her miraculous God-given maternity.
THIS is the Catholic perspective regarding the Virgin Mary. We don’t worship Her. We honor Her like a true and everlasting Gold Star Mother. And the comments made by non-Catholics (and even some Catholics) that try to put Her down and take away this honor... well, I hate to say it, but those are every bit as offensive to Jesus as the “yo momma” jokes.