Build a mom...

There is a store down at the mall called "Build-a-Bear Workshop". This store allows you to go in and create your own teddy bear. You can pick a body, tall or short, fat or thin, almost any color of the rainbow. You then can choose what clothing or accessories to add to this new bear. Finally, you can give it a name and you have your perfect bear.

 

What if we had the opportunity to design people, specifically our mother? (I’ll get to my point in just a second, but bear with me.) Would you choose a mother who was involved in your life or one who just sat back and watched? Would you choose a mother who told you what not to do or one who let you make your own mistakes? Would your mother be religious or “not really care about all that religious stuff”? Would she have a stern voice or a sweet one? What would she look like? Would she be a Botox and plastic surgery 50 year old who looks 25? Or would she allow herself to age naturally and not worry about her makeup? Would

 she gossip? Would she always be just, even if it hurt you? What options would you choose?

 

The point behind this rant is that years ago there was a Guy who did create His own Mother. How did he do it? Well, she was very involved in His whole life. She would teach Him right and wrong, even though He already knew. She was very devout and stayed away from sin.  She probably had a sweet and innocent voice and was probably pretty, but down to earth. She was probably an average build for the time and didn’t concern herself with makeup and looking good, however always made herself presentable. She refrained from gossip and bad talk while always being just. She didn’t care about the ways of the world and didn’t let others persuade her. After a recent talk I heard by Fr. Corapi where he mentioned this topic, it got me thinking about how Jesus created His Mother and this is how He made her. Unable to dwell in the presence of sin, He made her clean in all ways, free from sin.  God made His Mother perfect in all ways.

 

This perfect Mother is intimidating to many women now. How could they be like Mary? She was perfect and her ONE child didn’t ever sin! How can they compare to her with multiple imperfect children? It is very important to remember that while we are to strive to model our lives after the Saints, that there is a chance that we will never live up to what they did, however it is important to try. As C.S. Lewis said:

Aim at Heaven, and you will get Earth thrown in. Aim at Earth and you will get neither.

 

So we strive to be like Mary, Jesus, and the Saints and as we work hard to do this, we only hope that we might reach Purgatory so that we may someday join Jesus in Heaven.

And now, I'm back to my mission...