There are over one million words in the English language, but it is difficult to string together these words in a way that aptly describes the Mother of God. To write about her is no easy task, as Her spiritual beauty is beyond description. Father Kyrillos Ibrahim teaches us that “[St. Mary] is the best imitation of her Son, but Christ’s human soul also resembles His mother.” True spiritual beauty indeed.

Additionally, multi-volume books can be written about her humility and other virtues. It is, however, essential for us to go deeper in our relationship with St. Mary. She is not just a figure from whom we may learn virtues. We must delve beyond her position as Mother of God and learn to see her as the Mother of each soul. In doing so, her spiritual beauty becomes our guide to becoming Christlike.

We, the faithful, cannot succeed in the spiritual life without a deeply rooted relationship with St. Mary. Father Kyrillos Ibrahim teaches us that her position as a maternal figure is central to our spiritual life:

The Church teaches us that St. Mary's deep love for her Son is directed toward us. We should welcome this love in our lives. In eagerness, we should run to St. Mary and develop a relationship with her, which will teach us how to love her Son. As Father Kyrillos Ibrahim teaches, “enter into the tenderness of that love between Mother and Son, learning from her how to love Christ, and also learning from Christ how to love His mother.” St. Mary wants nothing more than to be the mother of each soul.

She knows our sorrows, she understands our temptations and is eager to help us through them, she ceaselessly intercedes for our repentance, and she comforts and protects the Church. Let her into your life. Speak to her about your problems, your fears, and your dreams. Include her in your plans. She understands you deeply. She wants your salvation and your happiness. Welcoming her into your life is an invitation of blessing. Practically, all of this is simple. Just start talking to her. Start celebrating her commemorations, monthly or otherwise. Start including her in your decision-making. Start asking for her opinion and guidance. if you want a relationship with her, start one. She isn’t complicated; she wants you.

This relationship will give us depth in our spiritual lives. Just as children learn so much from their earthly mothers, we can also learn innumerable lessons from the Theotokos. A real relationship with her can teach us to completely submit our thoughts, plans, and will to God. If there is a sin we are struggling with, her virtues can lead us to overcome them. If we are scared, she can teach us to trust God. If we are tired, she can comfort and encourage us. Here I am not talking about intellectual knowledge of her virtues and how she put them into practice. This is not an exercise of learning all her stories or knowing exactly what the Holy Bible says about her life. We are talking about a lived experience. A relationship with her will allow us to know her (not just know about her). This deep knowledge of who she is will teach us how to live. A person does not learn from their earthly mother because they know a lot of facts about her. A person learns by watching her by living with her. This is no different with our Mother.

We often hear about St. Mary, and it is easy to take her for granted. It is easy to misunderstand why the Church emphasizes who she is and her role in the plan of salvation. Pause. Take a step back and get to know her. You will understand why she is so important. You will realize that she is waiting for us, and when she sees that we want a relationship with her, she will pour out her love unwaveringly.

Let us run to our Mother and learn from her how to love our God.