“Who is My Mother?” – The Woman Who Fears the Lord
Readings:
- Proverbs 31:10–31
- Matthew 12:46–50
“Who shall find a valiant woman?” (Prov 31:10)
On this quiet feria in the time after Pentecost—a season of sanctification and laboring in grace—the Church gives us cause to meditate upon the vocation of the Christian soul through two images: the valiant woman of Proverbs 31, and the true kindred of Christ, as declared in Matthew 12.
What may appear at first glance as two unrelated passages—one extolling the virtues of a godly wife, and the other a moment of apparent distance between Jesus and His Blessed Mother—are in truth deeply united by a hidden thread of divine wisdom: the dignity of the soul that hears the word of God and keeps it.
The Valiant Woman: An Image of the Soul and of the Church
Proverbs 31 presents a rich tapestry of virtues that form the portrait of the mulier fortis—the strong woman, the faithful spouse. Yet beyond the literal sense, the Church Fathers saw in her a figure of the Church, and more intimately, of the soul adorned with sanctifying grace.
St. Jerome writes:
“The woman described here is the soul made perfect, the bride of Christ, strong in virtue, clothed with good works, and fearing the Lord.”
The valiant woman is diligent, industrious, prudent, and generous. She clothes her household, stretches out her hand to the needy, and opens her mouth in wisdom. Each of these traits can be read spiritually as the virtues cultivated in a soul that seeks to belong wholly to Christ. The “merchants” from afar can be seen as the Apostles bringing the treasures of the Gospel, and the “scarlet” her house is clothed in represents the Blood of Christ, in which the Church and her children are wrapped.
This image, given in the gradual unfolding of Proverbs, finds its perfection in Our Lady, the Virgo prudentissima, and in all souls who imitate her fidelity.
The True Kindred of Christ
In the Gospel, we encounter a striking moment: Our Lord, surrounded by disciples, is told His Mother and brethren are outside, desiring to speak with Him. His reply is not dismissive but profoundly revelatory:
“Who is my mother, and who are my brethren? … Whosoever shall do the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.” (Matt 12:48–50)
Some modern readers stumble at this passage, interpreting it as a slight toward the Blessed Virgin Mary. But the Church Fathers read it differently.
St. Augustine teaches:
“She who gave birth to Him bodily did more by doing the will of the Father. Mary was more blessed in receiving the faith of Christ than in conceiving the flesh of Christ.”
St. Gregory the Great elaborates:
“Are we not mothers of Christ, when by our preaching we bring Him forth into the hearts of others? We become His brethren and sisters by doing the will of the Father.”
Here we are reminded that spiritual maternity—the bringing forth of Christ by a life of grace—is the vocation of every Christian. The Gospel today is not about distancing from Mary, but rather drawing near to her by doing as she did: hearing and keeping the Word of God (cf. Luke 11:28).
Pentecostal Implications: Life in the Spirit
In the wake of Pentecost, the Holy Ghost pours out gifts to shape the Christian soul into this “valiant woman.” The sanctifying gifts—wisdom, fortitude, counsel, fear of the Lord—are all present in the figure of Proverbs 31. This is not a mere moral ideal; it is the portrait of the Spirit-filled soul, the image of the Bride of Christ who prepares herself in purity and good works.
This week, as we labor in the green fields of Ordinary Time, we might examine our lives:
- Do I “open my mouth with wisdom,” speaking words that give life?
- Am I “clothed in strength and beauty,” that is, with the virtues formed by grace?
- Do I “rise while it is yet night,” giving the first fruits of my day to God in prayer?
To live the Christian life is to become that valiant woman, to be Christ’s mother and sister and brother—not by nature, but by grace. As St. Leo the Great said, “What was visible in our Savior has passed into His mysteries.” That means, what Mary was in the flesh, we must become in spirit.
Closing Prayer
O Holy Ghost,
by whose grace the soul is clothed in virtue and strengthened in charity,
make us to be worthy kindred of Christ.
Conform us to the image of the valiant woman,
that our hands may be strong for good,
our lips may be governed by wisdom,
and our hearts may be adorned with holy fear.
Grant that like Our Lady, we may do Thy will with constancy,
and bear Christ into the world by our works of faith and love.
Through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.