God's Heart was broken over His first human family. He was grievously disappointed that His gifts were so misused, that they took the steps that led only to unhappiness for them and all who were to follow.

And God determined that He would find some way to mend the harm done, to set things right again, and would do so both with the help of His children and without violating their freedom and their integrity, their person.

And so He dreamed of His Son entering the human family and of His doing so by way of a human mother, a woman. He knew what would happen to His Son at the hands of men and yet was determined to make of that very tragedy the healing of the wounded who did it.

And hence Mary. Born beautiful by virtue of her Son's coming sacrifice, perfectly lovely, not touched with evil. Born as we were all meant to be born, and so first fruit of her Son's redeeming love.

She became virginal Mother of the Son of God, made fruitful by the Holy Spirit, who sowed the seed of the Divine in her. He thus sanctified anew and forever the fertility of woman in the act of generation, the glory of humankind for participation in creating eternal life. In terms of carnal union she remained a virgin. In terms of God's union with her she became Mother of the Son of God.

And so became a new Eve, Mother of all the living in Christ, remaining a virgin because our first call is to union with God.

And because God would have us all involved in His saving work, she became Mother of Sorrows, receiving at the foot of the Cross the body of her Son done to death by sinners, joined Him in His redemptive prayer for universal healing.

And then witnessed His Rising in glory, triumphant over sin and death, returning humankind to its original state, and more, through their union with Him for an eternal destiny.

And that mother of Christ, when her time had come, re-lived the original dream of God and was assumed into Heaven when life on earth was done. The original plan was at last fulfilled and Mary recovers human glory through her Son. Becomes forever the mother of the redeemed for all and for all time.

And so today in a world of so much darkness and ugliness, we give witness to the light, to the joy of God in the glory of Mary. The original dream has at last come true, the original sin has been undone. We believe all this, enter into all of it, indeed participate in it all.

And I , for one, do so with special joy and great gratitude, since the hands of a bishop were laid upon me 50 years ago today to mark me and make me a priest of God. I pray you thank God with me and for me.  Amen.