Mary, Our Model 

by Christopher Cuddy 

I can still remember the many months I spent at summer camp when I was in junior high.  The camp was located in the beautiful mountains of northern Maryland, several miles away from all “civilization.”  The camp was run by a group of Protestant pastors, and it tended to be non-denominational in nature.  It welcomed campers from all Christian backgrounds: Baptists, Presbyterians, Methodists, and I even met a few Catholics there as well. 

It was every kid’s dream place.  The camp grounds had swimming pools, basketball courts, forest trails, baseball fields, recreation centers, and a chapel.  However, while the recreational aspects of the camp were fun, my favorite part of the daily schedule was the evening Bible studies led by various pastors and camp counselors.  While the studies were usually fairly straightforward and basic, hundreds of teenage lives were changed by the talks and testimonies given at those Bible study sessions.   

I was no exception.  One of the most revolutionary moments in my life came when I spoke with one of the leaders after he had completed his talk.  His presentation had been short, but I could sense a real depth of love for God in his presence and mannerisms.  I should try to get to know this guy, I thought to myself; so I walked up behind him and tapped him lightly on the shoulder. 

He turned around, smiled, and extended his hand.  Nervously, I introduced myself and thanked him for his talk.  He continued to smile and patiently waited as I fumbled through my mental word bank, desperately trying to locate the words to ask him the question that had been burning on my mind.  Finally, it came out: “How do I get to know Jesus better?  I want to love and serve Him, but sometimes I don’t know how to do it.” 

With great love and warmth, the pastor answered: “Read the Bible, pray, and go to church.”  He paused, looked deeply into my eyes, and then added: “Also, get a role-model in the faith.  Find someone who has a deep and intimate relationship with our Lord, and follow his/her example.  Christian role-models are gifts from God--get to know someone who really knows Jesus.”   

Although he was not a Catholic (and I was not yet a Catholic), this was some of the most meaningful advice I have ever received.   

Get to know someone who really knows Jesus.

Heroes and role-models.  We’ve all had them.  Whether they were our favorite athletes, movie stars, teachers, or musicians, we’ve all had one or two people who we really wanted to imitate and be like.  And while we may be embarrassed or ashamed to admit this, role-models are a natural part of our human existence.  One of the best ways to learn is by following another’s example.  This is especially evident in the family.  During the first five or so years of my life, just about everything I learned came from watching my parent’s example and by imitating their actions.  Everything from tying my shoes, to eating a sandwich, to zipping up a jacket, came from the loving example and guidance of my father and mother. 

God made us creatures who learn by imitation.  And He gave us the perfect model of true faith and deep love to imitate. 

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says that the “Virgin Mary is the supreme model of this faith, for she believed that ‘nothing will be impossible with God’” (paragraph 273).  Furthermore, because of her “complete adherence to the Father’s will, to his Son’s redemptive work, and to every prompting of the Holy Spirit, the Virgin Mary is the Church’s model of faith and charity” (paragraph 967).      

Mary is the perfect example of faith and obedience.  She is the supreme model of the Christian life.  She did perfectly what so many of us struggle to do: she fully united her will with God’s will.  At the Annunciation, when the angel Gabriel announced that she, a virgin, was to have a son, she did not object or question the message of our Lord--she embraced it in loving faith and obedience.  “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). 

Mary’s faith never waved.  Not once did she doubt the promises of our Lord, and because of this “the Church venerates in Mary the purest realization of faith” (paragraph 149).  Far from complaining and rebelling, she rejoiced in the mystery of God’s plan: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my savior” (Luke 1:46-47).  Furthermore, hers was not a “blind” or a shallow faith.  Hers was a deep and active faith, and she was always meditating upon the profound and wonderful mystery of God’s plan of salvation (Luke 2:19).   

Beyond her unwavering faith and obedience, she was also an example of selfless love.  Not once did she seek to draw attention to herself and away from the Lord.  Quite the contrary: she continually sought the good of others and was always guiding people to her son, our Savior.  In John 2, at the Wedding Feast of Cana, the Blessed Virgin noticed that the host had run out of wine to serve the guests.  Out of loving concern for those around her, she took it upon herself to approach Jesus and tell Him that “they have no wine” (John 2:3).  She then proceeded to tell those around her to obey “whatever he [Jesus] tells you” (John 2:5).  Thus, we see Mary’s loving mediation playing an integral role in Jesus’ first public miracle: the changing of water into wine.   

In love Mary interceded to her son on behalf of those around her.  And in love she guided people towards the will of her son, instructing them to follow His every word.