By REV. LUNA DINGAYAN
www.nordis.net

“He has stretched out his mighty arm and scattered the proud with all their plans. He has brought down mighty kings from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away with empty hands.” — Luke 1:51-53

Mary and Human Liberation

As we celebrate Mother’s Day on May 12, we are reminded of Mary the Mother of Jesus Christ our Lord. Sometime in early 1990’s Bishop Tissa Balasuriya of Colombo, Sri Lanka, wrote a very controversial book entitled Mary and Human Liberation that caught the ire of then Cardinal Ratzinger, who later on became Pope Benedict XVI.

In his book, Bishop Balasuriya criticized the traditional Marian doctrines of the church, like the Immaculate Conception, the perpetual virginity, the divine motherhood, and the assumption to heaven. Vatican defrocked his ordination as bishop for refusing to recant what he wrote, but his ordination was restored later due to worldwide protests.

One of the things that Bishop Balasuriya mentioned in his book is the fact that while it is true that Mariology throughout the centuries emphasized Mother Mary as a help of Christians and refuge of all those in need, it lacks however a clear and systematic relationship to social transformation. There is no analysis in Mariology of the conditions in society that prevent the realization of effective social justice, love and peace. On the contrary, the effect of Marian devotions seems to be to bring about a greater conformity to the prevailing social system.

Traditional Marian devotions, according to Bishop Balasuriya, do not adequately focus the attention of Christians on issues of justice. On the contrary, Christians are among the world’s worst exploiters, and traditional Marian devotions may even deflect them from considering their responsibilities towards the poor, the needy and the oppressed. In that sense, traditional Mariology with its popular flavor can be harmful for genuine holiness that must include justice and effective love in the context of criminal injustices within and among countries.

Mother of Humanity

Mother Mary is regarded as the Mother of Humanity. And as a genuine mother, we do believe her concern would be to see to it that all her children are cared for and provided for. She would be very sad if some of her children exploit the others and deprive them of the means of subsistence. She would struggle with all her might to change a situation in which millions of her children die due to starvation because some take too much out of the common stock.

We would like to believe that as a universal mother, Mother Mary would want peace among her children. She would regret the building up of armaments by different groups of her children to destroy each other. She would oppose local and international corruption that leads to the resources of the poor people being deposited in banks by persons and companies that exploit and rob them.

These are the implications of Mother Mary’s song called The Magnificat found in Luke 1:51-53: He (God) has stretched out his mighty arm and scattered the proud with all their plans. He has brought down mighty kings from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away with empty hands.” I’m sure this song of Mother Mary had a powerful influence in the life of his son Jesus Christ our Lord, who gave his life as a “ransom for many”.

Six Filipino Women

This reminds us of the six Filipino women who were honored last year by the Asian Rural Women’s Coalition, an international group founded in 2007 that champions women’s battle against the forces of globalization and helps fight for equality on every front.

Hailing from Besao, Mountain Province, Endena Cogasi, was honored for her peace advocacy and refusal to bend to military harassment; she is now an important figure in the Cordillera indigenous people’s struggle.

Leticia Bula-at is from Tabuk, Kalinga, and is a tireless campaigner against the displacement of residents by big business in the name of development.

A native of Conner, Apayao, Maria Galong, is a backyard farmer who depends on our natural resources as well as our ancestral lands.

Known as “Mother Petra,” Petra Macli-ing comes from Bontoc, Mountain Province, and has been all her life for both women and the land they stand.

The two other honorees come from Mindanao and represent the same strong values. Sr. Mary Francis Anover of the Religious Sisters of Mercy works as the National Coordinator for the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines based in Camiguin. Her advocacies include human rights, protection of children, and the uplift of the poorest in the rural areas.

Bae Magdalena Suhat-Herbilla is from Bukidnon, and is dedicated tribal leader who has fought to have indigenous people’s claims to their ancestral land validated. Her campaign has had success. In 2003, an ancestral domain title was granted the Matigsalog Manobo tribe.

These six Filipino women are empowering examples of what it means to be committed and courageous women as well as “mothers” in the far flung areas of the country, away from the centers of power. They should be emulated for their fearless advocacies and boundless generosity of the spirit. Their stories must be told and retold to impress upon us that to be women and mothers is not just to give birth to children but to see to it that these children will grow to become responsible citizens and to spend their lives for the sake of others, like Mary the Mother of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Happy Mother’s Day! # nordis.net