by Fr. Chris O'Donnell, O.Carm.

The Blessed Virgin advanced in her pilgrimage of faith,
and faithfully persevered in union with her Son.
(Vatican II, Church, 58)

A pilgrimage is a journey to a holy place. The great medieval pilgrimages were to the holy places where Jesus walked: Rome sanctified by the apostles Peter and Paul, and Compostela the shrine of the apostle James. In modern times we have pilgrim places like Lourdes. Mary's pilgrimage took her to two most holy places: Calvary, the site of her Son's sacrifice and death; and the Upper Room, where she and the early church received the Holy Spirit.

Mary's journey was not very far, if we were merely counting kilometres. It is a huge distance psychologically and spiritually. At the annunciation, Mary is told that her Son will be the Messiah King: 'He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High ... The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David ... of his kingdom there will be no end' (Luke 1:32-33). Mary believes the angel's message. Jesus does not give her any obvious or significant role in his ministry. Other women are mentioned in the gospel as caring for him and the apostles (see Luke 8:1-3). Her role was to be that of quiet prayer and hidden support of his mission.

After some thirty years she sees her Son's kingship proclaimed for all to see, but it is in the horror of Calvary: 'Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews' (John 19:19). But she remained firm in her lonely faith. Later she knew the joy of the resurrection, but her Son departs again, this time in the ascension. With the others, she awaited the coming of the Holy Spirit. She then vanished again from sight. Her role in the difficult days of the early church was again hidden.

Mary's life of faith is a pilgrimage of constant surprises, of sorrow and of joy. She persevered and remained constant in psychological and spiritual union with Jesus, her Son.