The World Needs Mary

Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, is the most important woman ever to live, and she is desperately needed in our culture.

The Christian faith holds that God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—one God, three persons. God is a relationship of perfect communion. God the Son, through the power of the Holy Spirit, took flesh and became man. He was born of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Therefore, the role of Mary in salvation history is crucial.

On Aug. 15 and Aug. 22, the Catholic Church celebrates Mary, the Mother of God. Aug. 15 commemorates her Assumption into Heaven, body and soul. Aug. 22 commemorates her as Queen of Heaven, highlighting the importance of her place in salvation history and her maternal intercession for our needs.

Throughout Christian history, the faithful have always imagined what it would have been like to have been present at scenes detailed in the Gospels. St. Bernard of Clairvaux wrote that at the moment the angel Gabriel asked Mary to be the Mother of God, all of heaven held its breath, awaiting the response from this lowly virgin. In the gap of silence between Gabriel’s invitation and Mary’s fiat (yes), the world awaited the fulfillment of its redemption.

All this talk of redemption and salvation is necessary when we reference Mary—and whenever we speak of Christianity. For only those who know that they are sinners can recognize their need for a Savior.

We need Christ because we cling to selfishness over sacrifice. Our fallen nature means that we tend to seek what we desire rather than seek what is right and good. This is the result of the reign of sin.

The world needs Mary for one simple reason: Jesus gave her to us and told us to stay close to her. If God is real, and if Jesus Christ is God, then Jesus knows what is best for us. In his dying moments, he gave Mary to us as our mother. This was part of the scene at the foot of the cross, when he spoke to St. John, who stood in for all Christians:

“When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, behold, your son.’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.” (John 19:26-27)

These words are part of Christ’s dying wishes. He wanted us to have his mother. The role of Mary is to intercede for her children.

Lest you be worried that this understanding of Mary smacks of idolatry, it is important to understand precisely what is meant by this. The word “intercede” literally means to stand in between two parties. When we ask Mary to pray to Jesus for our sake, she stands in between us and her Son. Like any good son or daughter, he cannot refuse the wishes of his mom.

This does not mean, however, that Mary impedes our access to Jesus. In reality, Mary helps us to grow closer to Him. She leads us by the hand ever closer to her Son.

Mary is an avenue for believers to gain closer intimacy with Jesus Christ. In heaven, she calls the name of her Son over and over again, and he runs to her calls, asking what she needs. She then brings all of our petitions to Christ. Her position as mother of the King makes her the Queen of Heaven.

Mary has traditionally been held in such esteem, not because of any greatness apart from God, but because of the great favor that God has shown her. Since God knew from all time that Mary would bear Jesus Christ in her womb, He preserved her from the stain of original sin. She was the pure vessel for the Son of God to take flesh and be born. 

In today’s world, people are suffering. Anxiety and depression are increasing. Families are broken. Many struggle to find meaning in life.

Mary can be our guide. She reminds us that we must never lose hope in her Son. No matter the brokenness we experience, the cross is always followed by the empty tomb. Jesus defeated death, and he will conquer all darkness.

Mary is an advocate championing our cause. No living person is so lost that God cannot find him, for no one is ever abandoned by God. And, following her Son’s lead, the Mother of God never deserts us, either. Like any good mom, she waits for her children to call to her so that she can embrace them with love and help them cling to her Son.

We can ask for Mary’s help to love the Lord by praying the Hail Mary or by repeating her humble words to the angel Gabriel: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). These prayers are powerful, whether they are prayed for our own good or the good of others.

If you doubt the power or effectiveness of turning to Mary, I challenge you to recite one of these prayers for one month. The impact will be unmistakable.

We all need Mary—the entire world—and she is waiting for us to call upon her.

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