MARYS PRESENCE IN LIFE OF JESUS AND IN THE EUCHARIST

By Eddienel G. Villa, SSS

Since the time when the Angel Gabriel visited Mary in the Annunciation,
there had been no single moment that she was absent in the significant
events in the life of Jesus. It was explicitly expressed in the Gospels, Mary
was always there, united with her Son.
Mystics agree that Jesus hidden life, before his public ministry, was spent
with Mary and Joseph, his parents, doing all he could to help them in their
work. In the first miracle of Jesus, Mary was there instructing the apostles to
do whatever Jesus tells them to do (Jn 2:5). Mary was there when Jesus was
carrying out his teaching office. We can recall an account when Mary and his
brethren came to him but they could not reach the crowd (Cf. Luke 8:19-21).
Mary was present when Jesus instituted the Eucharist in the Cenacle with
the Apostles as recounted by St. Luke (cf. Acts 1:12-14) and she was there on
the way of the Cross and in the place of the Crucifixion following Jesus,
united in all his suffering. She was the first who believed and became one of
the first witnesses of the resurrection.
Jesus proclaimed the Kingdom of God through his words and performing of
miracles. He completed the work of salvation which his Father gave him to
do (Cf. Dei Verbum, 4). In this work of salvation, we can say that Mary was
there, present. The Church now continuously performs this work of salvation
in the Sacraments. Therefore, in the Sacraments, we can say that Mary can
also be present.
In the Eucharist, the Word is proclaimed to us and we are brought back to
two significant events in our salvation history: the Cenacle where Jesus
instituted the Eucharist and offered his Body and Blood and the place of
Calvary where Jesus performed his priestly ministry where he offered the
greatest sacrifice of himself to God that brought us salvation.
Mary is present with the Church at each of our celebrations of the
Eucharist. If the Church and the Eucharist are inseparably united, the same
ought to be said of Mary and the Eucharist (Ecclesia de Eucharistia, 57).
The significance of Marys presence in the life of Jesus and in the
Eucharist gives us three points on how we can be true followers of Jesus and
what should our disposition be as we meditate on the mysteries of the
Eucharist: obedience in the faith, sharing in his passion and the spirituality of
the Magnificat (Reflections on Ecclesia de Eucharistia by Bishop Amato)
Ecclesia de Eucharistia 54 tells us: If the Eucharist is a mystery of faith
which so greatly transcends our understanding as to call for sheer
abandonment to the word of God, then there can be no one like Mary to act
as our support and guide in acquiring this disposition. In repeating what
Christ did at the Last Supper in obedience to his command: Do this in
memory of me!, we also accept Mary's invitation to obey him without
hesitation: Do whatever he tells you (Jn 2:5).
Mary teaches us to share in the passion of Jesus. She never abandoned
Jesus in his suffering on the Cross. She stayed with Jesus up to his last

breath, though it pained her to see his Son hanging on the Cross. It is on the
Cross that Jesus entrusted us to his mother, Behold your mother! (Cf. Jn
19:27). Jesus puts ourselves at the school of his Mother and allowing her to
accompany us.
Marys Magnificat resounds in the Eucharist since it is a celebration of
praise and thanksgiving. Mary sang the promise of salvation in the
Magnificat, He has helped Israel his servant, remembering his mercy,
according to his promise to our fathers (Lk 1:54-55).
The Magnificat expresses Mary's spirituality, and there is nothing greater
than this spirituality for helping us to experience the mystery of the
Eucharist. The Eucharist has been given to us so that our life, like that of
Mary, may become completely a Magnificat! (Ecclesia de Eucharistia, 58).