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Here is My Mother

Keraza Magazine issue 33-34 August 26, 2016

As Jesus spoke to the multitudes, someone told him that His mother and brothers were outside seeking to speak with Him, "But He answered and said to the one who told Him, 'Who is My mother and who are My brothers?' And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, 'Here are My mother and My brothers!'" (Matthew 12:48-49).

In our spiritual struggle, we are required to seek to tighten our relationship with the Lord Christ from all aspects. We are required to experience Him existentially as a Father, Shepherd, Teacher, Master, Bridegroom, Friend, Bread of life, the Way, etc., yet the previous Holy Bible passage presents us with a different aspect of our relationship with the Lord Christ which is our relationship with Him as a Son. This means that the human soul is also required to be a mother to Christ. It might seem strangely unusual to see Jesus as my Child! Is it logical for me to pray addressing Him, "Jesus my Son?" Do we not address Him, "Abba Father," and, "Our Father"?!

The Lord Christ's words, "Here is my mother," disperses all confusion of a mind ashamed to imagine itself a mother to that God who is omnipotent, and who created it from nothing. Not only this, but the words of the psalm also praise this holy struggle and blesses it, as the Psalmist says, "And of Zion it will be said, 'This one and that one were born in her; and the Most High Himself shall establish her.' The Lord will record, when He registers the peoples: 'This one was born there'" (Psalm 87:5-6). It is the pleasure of God who is meek and humble of heart to be born inside every human soul.

One might look at the icon of the Virgin, and find her carrying the Child Jesus on her arms, gathering Him to her bosom where her heart lies, communicating with Him with her constant eye contact with Him, something at which one would become jealous, wishing that this blessed mother would allow him to take from her the divine Child and carry Him, if only for a moment, to enjoy the close motherhood she is enjoying with Him. God, who is very generous, does not only want us to carry Him for moments as strangers, but to be true mothers to Him, to extend His hand to us as He previously extended it towards His disciples, witnessing to us and confessing us before the Father on the Last Day saying, "Here is my mother."

The Virgin is not alone the mother of Jesus, but, everyone who struggles until Christ is formed within his heart is the mother of Jesus, everyone who gives birth to Jesus in the world is a mother of Jesus, everyone who feeds the hungry Jesus in a starving person is a mother of Jesus, everyone who quenches the thirsty Jesus in the dehydrated is a mother of Jesus, everyone who offers hospitality to the strange Jesus in strangers is a mother of Jesus, everyone who clothes the naked Jesus in the unclothed is a mother of Jesus, everyone who visits the sick Jesus in the ailing is a mother of Jesus, and everyone who visits the confined Jesus in the prisoners is a mother of Jesus. Every St. Mary's Feast and may you, my beloved, be a mother to Jesus!

Bishop Youssef
Bishop, Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States