Reflecting on Mary can be a difficult thing to do, because in a sense we have two very distinct and very different approaches to Mary in our Catholic tradition. There is the strong devotional image of Mary, and there is the very early and now more current scriptural image of Mary.

In the centuries prior to the scriptural renewal, and before Catholics commonly studied and prayed (or even read) the Scriptures, many devotional images of Mary were important in people's lives. Mary has always had a place of honor in Catholic life. Here we might name things like the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary, May crowning, the lady dressed in blue, and various May-type hymns honoring Mary.

With the increased interest in and use of Scripture today, we have rediscovered the Mary of Palestine. Here we may often think of Mary as a Jewish woman, and very much a woman of faith. Indeed it was Mary's openness to God that resulted in the Son of God being born for our salvation.

From this perspective, Mary is understandable, loved, and honored for her relationship with the Word of God. She was born a daughter of God's Word-she lived as a servant or handmaiden of God's Word-and all this led her to become the Mother of God's Word. These scriptural images speak clearly of a woman of God, a woman of faith.

In reflecting on Mary and finding a real place for Mary in each of our lives today, it is important to allow the scriptural Mary to guide our prayers and our devotions. It is this image that will challenge us the most to be servants of God's Word today. It is also, however, that sorrowful woman beneath the cross who was given to us as mother. As faithful as she was to God during her life on earth, so will she be faithful in her role as mother on our behalf now.

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