You could see her in His smiles

One of the arguments against Mother Mary is her lack of presence in the Bible, that she only had a minimal role once Jesus grew up and started His public ministry. Some would even claim that Jesus didn't give her much attention either as evident from the gospel of Matthew: "Someone told him, 'Your mother and brothers are standing outside, asking to speak to you.' But he said in reply to the one who told him, 'Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?'" (12:47,48). What we often doesn't hear is what Jesus said afterwards. He said, "For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother" (Matthew 12:50). And that's what Mary did - she bowed her head and said "May it be done to me according to your word" (Luke 1:38). Jesus never abandoned His mother. In fact He had so much love and respect for her, and her influence can be found in many of Jesus' actions. 

One of the most important teachings about Jesus by Christianity, regardless of denomination, is that Jesus was both fully God and fully human. This also means Jesus as an unborn spent nine months in Mary's womb. The God who who is larger than universe dwell within the womb of a poor Jewish peasant woman, receiving His food and oxygen from her bloodstream. In other words, when God walked this earth, He had a lot of Mary in Him; there is a very good chance that He even looked like her, probably even smiled like her. “The Virgin had something of her own which she transmitted; the mother did not give Him something foreign, but she conferred on Him what was of her own flesh, indeed in an unusual way, but by a normal function. For the Virgin had flesh, which she conferred on the fruit” (St. Ambrose). As a human being growing up, Jesus must have watched and picked up characteristics of His parents just like any other baby.  Could it be possible that, then, Mary had something to do with the Almighty LORD to walk on this earth as a gentle being? 

Look at the woman caught in adultery in the gospel of John, chapter 8. God's law clearly states to stone to death anybody who commits adultery. Why did Jesus chose to save her rather than executing the law He himself gave to Moses? Could it be possible that Jesus saw His mother in that woman? It could have been Mary standing there some thirty years back, had Joseph chose to abandon her. Of course the woman standing in front of Jesus was an adulterer, whereas Mary wasn't. But that would have meant nothing to the crowd. Could it be that Jesus the human followed His earthly father's path to save His mother, putting the law to the side?

Look at the poor widow in the gospel of Mark, chapter 12:41-44. People were putting in large sums of money into the Temple treasury, and Jesus saw a poor widow putting in two worthless coins into it. Praising her, He said,"She has contributed everything she had". Could it be possible that Jesus was seeing His mother in that poor widow? Mary too, a widow by then, was poor. She also gave everything she had - her only son - to God. Could there be a contribution generous than that?

Look at the what Jesus did when He raised the widow's son in the gospel of Luke chapter 7:11-17. "When the Lord saw her (the widow), he was moved with pity for her and said to her, 'Do not weep'". Who was Jesus telling not to weep? Could it be possible that He was talking to His mother - weeping and following her Son carrying a wooden cross? Was He not consoling His mother, telling her that death has no power over Him and  He too will raise up?

Mary gave Jesus a lot more than her flesh and blood; she had a lot to with the psychology of Jesus the man. Mary lives in Jesus. Mary is inseparable from Jesus the man, just like Jesus the man is inseparable from Jesus the God. When Jesus smiles, you could see His mother in that smile. 

***Inspiration for this article came from a talk by Fr. Bobby Jose Capuchin***