Preparing for her first holy communion, seven-year-old Corina asked Father De Marco, “Does Jesus ever get jealous if we love his mother too much?” Smiling, Father De Marco replied, “After all his mother did for Jesus, I’m certain Jesus understands. We can never love her enough!”

Padre Pio said this about loving Mary: “Do not be afraid to love Mary too much! You will NEVER love her more than Jesus does!” Fr. De Marco and friends know full well Jesus’ love for his mother and it’s all good!

Because of Jesus’ love, the wonder and beauty of God’s gift of grace shines brilliantly in Mary’s life. Her “yes” did all she was meant to do to make salvation reach everyone who longs for it. Besides being a devoted follower, Mary affected the salvation of every baptized person’s final destiny. Mary’s “yes,” brought God into time. As one author wrote, she brought the Word into the bright light of day.

Ever since Mary’s yes, whenever God and Jesus ask creation to do a task, they wait to see trust flowing from a committed love. Someone once said: You cannot dream yourself into a character; you must forge one out for yourself.

Mary began forging her character by making her ordinary days just a little better. How? By believing she could help the world become a better place, which she did with her resounding “yes.” Believers love Mary’s resilience and faith; this simple person was called from her ordinariness to offer her body to do God’s will.

For this Mary, is forever etched in greatness. Her Magnificat says it clearly: My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord. Her emotionally spoken prophetic words tell of God’s almighty power and they announce the compassionate reversal of creation’s destiny. Mary’s yes, has God lifting banishment for all of Adam and Eve’s descendants. All are invited once again to travel the road that leads to their true heavenly home.

Mary also declares, that with the birth of her child, the structures of privilege and discrimination are upended. The dejected and needy will bask in God’s goodness. Mary understands that she is not the one who accomplishes this. Rather, her newly bestowed greatness is a reflection of her son, Jesus.

Holiness is for everyone. Like Mary, we simply must embrace our human situations whenever they may arise. She became holy by saying yes to her life, her work, and in her prayers. Because of Mary, we know that holiness can occur from just living our ordinary daily lives.

St. Francis de Sales wrote: Do the ordinary extraordinarily well every day we live!

Painting: The Annunciation, Henry Ossawa Tanner, artist