Where Is Our Mother?

 

Reflection on Today's Readings and the Feast of Our Lady, Mother of Africa, 4th Week of Easter, Year B, April 30th, 2021
Texts: Acts 1:12-14; Ps. Lk.1:46-55; John 2:1-11
Where is our mother? Where has she turned her face? Has she abandoned us? Those are the questions and the likes that could bother our minds today as we celebrate Our Lady, Mother of Africa. Some years ago we entrusted our nation anew to our mother. At that time our situation had not gone bad to the extent it is now. Now there is more insecurity of life and property, the belief in the project Nigeria is almost gone, our unity is ever more threatened etc. After voting for change in year 2015, no one could ever believe what we are experiencing now in our nation. The beautiful one we thought was born then has turned ugly now. We now believe that the beautiful one is not yet born. This does not happen only in our nation but also in other African nations. In all these, where is our mother?
God once asked the question: "Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? (Is. 49:15). Then if she has not abandoned us, if she has not turned her face away from us, if she is still with us, why things are like this? However, questions like this are not strange to faith. This brings to mind the words of prophet Habakkuk: "I will take my stand to watch, and station myself on the tower, and look forth to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint. And the Lord answered me: 'Write the vision; make it plain upon tablets, so he may run who reads it. For still the vision awaits its time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seem slow, wait for it; it will surely come, it will not delay. Behold, he whose soul is not upright in him shall fail, but the righteous shall live by his faith'" (2:1-4). The point, here, is that we shall live by faith. This means that we cannot comprehend the situation but rather leave everything to God. We are to trust that God knows the best and that He is doing the best for us.
Our Lady, Mother of Africa, has not abandoned us; she is ever with us. She is still protecting her children. Her children are those who live by faith; they are witnesses to her love, care and protection. The situation might be tough and unbearable, we are still witnesses to the words of the psalm: "A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand; but it will not come near you. You will only look with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked" (91:7-8). For the just who have gone, there is eternal life.
Today's readings encourage us to continue praying with her and through her. In the first reading, it is said, "when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. All these with one accord devoted themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brethren." Just like the apostles prayed with her, so also we should pray with her always.
The gospel reading tells us how our Lady rescued a couple from shameful and embarrassing situation. Our Lady can still do the same for us.  She encourages us to listen and obey what her son tells us. We are to keep His words, we are to obey Him in faith and trust.

Lord Jesus Christ, we thank you for the gift of your mother to us; may we always enjoy her maternal intercession, love, care and protection. Amen.

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke