The Lady said to Bernadette, “I am the Immaculate Conception.”

Guido Reni "The Purification of the Virgin," c. 1636-1640

S

t Maximilian Kolbe, said of the Blessed Virgin Mary in relation to God, “What a marvelous ladder for climbing to Him... And it is the very same ladder whereby He came down to us!” (Roman Conferences, IV). The dogma of the assumption of Mary, body and soul, into the glory of the heavenly Kingdom would be difficult, if not impossible, to understand if we do not have concrete handles to use. Metaphors, like this ladder, could help us but all metaphors will fail in fully grasping such deep realities. But it is so helpful a metaphor, that it was borrowed by St Maximillian Kolbe from the Scripture text about the dream of Jacob while on a camp out under the stars, with nothing but a rock for a pillow (Gen 28:11). Scripture says, “he (Jacob) had a dream, and behold, a ladder was set on the earth with its top reaching to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it” (Gen 28:12).

What does this Jacob's ladder mean? The ladder represents the connection between God and man through 'steps'. The word ladder comes from the Old English word, 'hlæder' meaning 'steps'. The modern term ladder has evolved from these words to refer to a structure with steps or rungs. Ladders evoke intimate relationship that functions to build connection or conversation in a step-by-step manner. Unlike the story of the Tower of Babel, in which man tried to build a tower to connect with the divine (Gen 11:1-9), the ladder is something that is already created whole before it is used to connect and that it can only be made through God's power and grace. Any connection to God must begin with God.

This is the same reason why St Maximillian chose that same metaphor to describe the Blessed Virgin Mary. She is the ladder that can be used to go up or down. I remember the primitive wooden "Ifugao" house of the indigenous peoples in Northern Philippines which makes use of a detachable ladder to climb it. Then, once somebody is up there, the person has to leave it behind to allow the other household members to climb up. And that is just what Jesus did! He gave us His mother (cf Jn 19:26-27). God left behind the ladder that He used in His descent so that we too could follow.

Secondly, Venerable Fulton Sheen, an American Archbishop and contemporary of St Maximilian Kolbe, subscribes to a view of heaven as "a city on a hill, hence we cannot coast into it; we have to climb." I would like to use the hill as another metaphor to depict Mary. I remember my first time to set foot in the US in New York City. It was a short three-week visit to my mother and my siblings back in 2017. But I was more excited actually to have a tour around—especially to historical sites and museums. I went up to the Observatory at the One World Trade Center that serves as a memorial of the Twin Towers tragedy. It is a 104 storey high building so do not ever think about using the stairs. When I reached past the 100th floor, I beheld right in front and all around me a 360-degree view of the City that never sleeps with all its tall buildings, a.k.a., skyscrapers, that are bathed with colorful lights. I wanted to shout out loud the words “I am on top of the world.” Then suddenly I received a text message from my mission area in Cabanglasan Bukidnon where I was assigned, at that time, as the parish priest. While on top of one of the tallest buildings in the world, I read the following message: “Dre nahurot na ang balas ug kabilya sa atong construction sa simbahan.” Translation: "Father, we ran out of sand and steel bars that are needed to go on with our Church construction project." Was that a joke from God, could not God have chosen another time instead to remind me of my parish duty? But sheepishly I thought to myself, “Yes I will get down now to attend to something mundane but, nevertheless, a work of greater importance.” At that instant I knew what doing God’s will meant or willing what God wills at the expense of one’s own will. Among all of us, the one who truly could boast of having left one's own will behind is Mary. She was given the highest of all graces to be the Immaculate Conception. Let me read from a poem written by William Wordsworth, a protestant who accorded her with a quintessential title. I quote,

Mother! whose virgin bosom was uncrost With the least shade of thought to sin allied. Woman! above all women glorified, Our tainted nature's solitary boast…

Mary is like the tallest of mountains, the Everest, but what did such a high mountain do—she descended to fulfill her menial task of mothering a baby. I remember one deep spiritual insight shared by one of my 30-day retreatants with regard to why we look to Mary with so much reverence and very high esteem. He said that Mary's greatness lies in the many little things she did consistently throughout her earthly existence. She too woke up several times in the middle of the night to feed the baby Jesus. She did all of those, not grudgingly, not reluctantly but always with her whole heart. That’s greatness at its peak. When we look to Mary, indeed, it is greatness through simplicity. That is why if we want an accurate image for Mary, choose the simplest. Leave behind the jewels, the ornate clothing, the crowns and earrings. She is crowned and extolled as the Mother of God in heaven because she assumed the lowest and ordinary role of being a mother to the historical Jesus. Our Lord once used the widow's mite for anyone who would aspire to give the biggest contribution to God. There is no doubt Jesus had his own widowed mother in mind when he said that.

Finally, let us see how Mary fared as the ladder and the tall mountain. Anybody who would aspire to become like her must scan one’s own heart to see if there is any joy and if that joy is the joy of another. This is the main reason behind Mary’s blessedness and fullness of grace. If we make a survey, she is the most commonly depicted person in the whole history of art. Mary did not like to be the focus of attention though; she did not say “yes” to be the Mother of God while at the same time thinking of her legacy or how she will be remembered. Thank God, he chose Mary. Just like most mothers, Mary did not think of herself when raising her son. Mary had only in mind Jesus, how to raise him up well as her own son and prepare him to stand on his own two feet. Mary shied away from the spotlight. How else could we say that for Mary? At the apparition in Lourdes to the fourteen year old Bernadette. At first she introduced herself simply “the lady” or even much humbler “that one.” It was enough for her to just accompany poor and unassuming Bernadette in praying the rosary until she mustered the confidence to ask about the lady's real identity. Finally, the lady, considering Bernadette’s persistence, revealed her name by saying, “I am the Immaculate Conception.” Pope Francis quotes St Bernard who said that no praise is enough to talk about Mary, but that in the end, nothing is as representative of her “humble discipleship” more than “being faithful to her master, who is her son, the only redeemer.” [Pope Francis on the occasion of the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, in St Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Thursday, 12 Dec 2019]. To this day, the poor Jewish girl continues to offer herself as an instrument of God’s plan of saving humanity. She does not like to be extolled but every time God extols her so many people are brought closer to her son. When people remember her, they remember Jesus, whose memory alone is all that matters to her. Do you, like Mary, allow yourself to be God’s instrument to touch other people's lives? Is your joy the joy of another? Let us give to Mary what she deserves for being the woman whose joy is the joy of our God. Amen. Fr JM Manzano SJ