"'Am I not here who am your Mother?'"

The title of this entry above "'Am I not here who am your Mother?'" is quoted from http://catholicism.org/brmichael-guadalupe.html.  These words or words similar were spoken by Our Lady of Guadalupe to Juan Diego in his native language.

On the cross spoken by the Christ were these words [1]:

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.

Then there are these words, spoken by Bergoglio [2]:

And so, the Pope said, “let us make the Mother the guest of our daily life, the constant presence in our home, our safe haven.” [Emphasis added.]

Every person has two mothers, a biological mother and the Mother of God, the Mother of all.  Mother is family.  She cares for each child, attends to each child's needs and loves every child.

Below is the complete article written by Christopher Wells for Vatican News  published "28 January 2018, 12:03" from which the above (the last sentence) is quoted [3]:

Pope: When Mary is in the home, the devil does not enter

On the Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time, Pope Francis celebrated Mass at the Basilica of St Mary Major in Rome. 

By Christopher Wells 

Pope Francis celebrated the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass on Sunday at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major on the occasion of the translation of the Icon of Mary “Salus Populi Romani” – Salvation of the Roman People. The Icon was returned to its home in the Borghese Chapel in the Basilica after it was restored by the Vatican Museums. 

The image of Mary Salus Populi Romani is an object of particular devotion for people of Rome, and for Pope Francis as well, who routinely comes to the Basilica to venerate the Icon, especially before and after his Apostolic journeys throughout the world. 

Mary our Mother

In his homily during the Mass, the Pope focused especially on the idea of Mary as Mother. “The presence of the Mother makes this temple a family home for us children,” he said. And so we are able to recognize the Church as “our home, the home where we find rest, consolation, protection, refuge.” 

Pope Francis recalled that our ancestors have taught us, in the difficult moments of life, to always turn to Mary, to gather together “under the mantle of the Holy Mother of God.” Mary, he said, “guards our faith, protects relationships, saves us in stormy weather, and preserves us from evil.” When Mary our Mother is in the home, “the devil does not enter.” 

Mary answers promptly 

When we pray to Mary, the Pope continued, a traditional prayer says, “despise not our petitions.” Mary never despises our petitions, but always answers them promptly – just as, she promptly went to Elizabeth in her time of need, as we hear in the Gospels. 

We also pray that Mary might free us from danger. “The Lord Himself knows that we need shelter and protection in the midst” of the many dangers we face in life, the Pope said. It is precisely for this reason, he continued, that from the Cross Jesus entrusted St John, the beloved disciple; and all His future disciples to His blessed Mother. 

Taking Mary into our homes 

Like St John, the Pope said, we too must “take Mary into our own homes,” inviting her “into our homes, our hearts, our lives.” Christians cannot be “neutral or detached” from Mary, our Mother, he said, or we will lose our identity as children. 

And so, the Pope said, “let us make the Mother the guest of our daily life, the constant presence in our home, our safe haven.”

The words in the paragraph immediately above spoken by Bergoglio speak for themselves.  The real truth usually reveals itself in the most casual and unplanned ways, no matter how high-sounding the language is that surrounds it.  Here Bergoglio treats the Mother of God as a guest and not as family.  "Guest" is defined by dictionary.com  as "a person who spends some time at another person's home in some social activity, as a visit, dinner, or party." [4]  Was that how Jesus treated His Mother, as a "guest" in His daily life?  Is that how Jesus treats His Mother in Heaven now?  Is the "home" one's only "safe haven" or is the Blessed Mother the  true safe haven no matter where one is?

According to the article, Bergoglio said that "[w]hen Mary our Mother is in the home, 'the devil does not enter.'" [5]  This is true, but not everyone is confined to one's home at all times.  Bergoglio also said, "'let us make the Mother the guest of our daily life.'" [6]  In other words, Bergoglio treats the Mother of God as a "guest" in his daily life; therefore, it would have been at the time when the Mother of God was not present when Satan had entered Bergoglio's life and home, for a guest necessarily departs at some point only to return another time when again invited.

Will the Blessed Mother have room to enter into Bergoglio's life and home when the Devil has fully occupied both?  Probably not.  Only when one is committed to be the enemy of Satan, leaving it outside with temptations will one have room for the Mother of God in one's daily life and in one's home as a member of the family.



[1] http://www.usccb.org/bible/john/john19.htm, 26-7, quoted without paragraph numbers and footnote references.
[2] http://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-01/pope-francis-mass-saint-mary-major.html
[3] Ibid.
[4] http://www.dictionary.com/browse/guest
[5] http://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-01/pope-francis-mass-saint-mary-major.html
[6] Ibid.