Mothers have a certain smile. We see its unique power when a mother bends down and smiles at her baby, her captivated child staring back wide-eyed. Enveloped in the warmth of that maternal love, the baby’s whole attention rests upon his mother’s smile. Babies appear most at peace beneath their mothers’ smiles. Some studies even suggest that infants try to incite their mothers to smile.

As it is with our earthly mothers, so it is with our heavenly mother. At the foot of the cross, Our Lord gave us his mother, the Mother of God (c.f. John 19:26–27), who now, from heaven, smiles down on all her children. …

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