Eschatolgocal Icon Of The Church - CCC 972

[MariaChristi]

…the LORD came and revealed his presence,
calling out as before, “Samuel, Samuel!”
Samuel answered, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

Samuel grew up, and the LORD was with him,
not permitting any word of his to be without effect.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The quotation above is the conclusion to the First Reading at Mass, on this 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time. There is much to hear in today’s Readings that can help us to “see” by Faith how Mary is called by the Catechism of the Catholic Church an icon of the Church especially for the end times in which we are living. “Escatological” refers to end times.

MARY - ESCHATOLOGICAL ICON OF THE CHURCH

972 After speaking of the Church, her origin, mission, and destiny, we can find no better way to conclude than by looking to Mary. In her we contemplate what the Church already is in her mystery on her own “pilgrimage of faith,” and what she will be in the homeland at the end of her journey. There, “in the glory of the Most Holy and Undivided Trinity,” “in the communion of all the saints,” The Church is awaited by the one she venerates as Mother of her Lord and as her own mother.

In the meantime the Mother of Jesus, in the glory which she possesses in body and soul in heaven, is the image and beginning of the Church as it is to be perfected in the world to come. Likewise she shines forth on earth until the day of the Lord shall come, a sign of certain hope and comfort to the pilgrim People of God.

People may complain there is little about Mary in the Bible, yet so often I hear in the Old Testament, verses that are almost a “prefigure” of Mary who was yet to be born. Samuel’s words remind me of Mary’s calling herself a Handmaid of the Lord. Samuel’s Mother Hannah spoke words similar to Mary’s “Magnificat” in Luke. Mary’s words and references to her in the New Testament are few but, if we are truly listening to God’s revelation, there is more in Old and New Testaments than we may at first hear.

The disciples in today’s Gospel scene respond to Jesus’ question: "What are you looking for?

They said to him, “Rabbi” — which translated means Teacher —,
“where are you staying?”
He said to them, “Come, and you will see.”
So they went and saw where Jesus was staying,
and they stayed with him that day.

Mary prayerfully “looked” into God’s revelation before receiving His message through an Angel. She saw Him and Mary listened to His Word Incarnate after conceiving Him… The conclusion in the First Reading reminded me as “the Lord was with Samuel” – even more was He with Mary – and she responded as His Handmaid, as we hear her in the Annunciation scene.

Living now in heaven Mary is Mother and Model for the Church, as the Catechism teaches: “…she shines forth on earth until the day of the Lord shall come…”

By God’s Grace, Mary shines by her example, showing us how she “stayed” with Him, unto the end, pondering all He said and did. Mary shows us how to follow Jesus and remain with Him forever. All are called to holiness.