Many people wonder why Catholics give such honor to Mary — more than to any other saint. It’s a question that goes right to the heart of who she is and how she said “yes” to God. To understand why Mary is called the greatest of all saints, we have to look not only at what she did, but at how perfectly she loved.
When the angel Gabriel came to her, Mary answered with the words that changed the world: “Be it done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). In that moment, she freely welcomed the plan of God, becoming the Mother of the Savior. No one has ever trusted God more completely. Her faith was pure, humble, and total — the perfect model of what it means to be a disciple.
The Church teaches that Mary was full of grace (Luke 1:28). This means she was preserved from sin and filled with God’s life from the very beginning. Unlike all other saints who grow in holiness through conversion and repentance, Mary’s holiness was perfect from the start. She is not divine — she is human like us — but she shows what humanity looks like when it is completely open to God’s love.
Because of her unique role as the Mother of Jesus, the Church calls Mary Queen of All Saints. Every saint reflects the light of Christ, but Mary reflects it most purely, as the moon reflects the sun. All holiness in the Church flows from Christ, yet Mary’s holiness shines brightest because she was closest to Him — from His birth to His Cross, and even now in Heaven, where she intercedes for us as a loving mother.
When we honor Mary, we are not worshiping her; we are honoring what God has done in her. Her life reminds us that holiness is not about greatness in the world’s eyes but about surrender and love. Every time we say “yes” to God, we follow in her footsteps.
May Mary, the humble handmaid of the Lord, help us open our hearts to God’s will with the same trust and love she showed. Through her example, may we learn to let Christ be born in us each day.
— Fr. John Matthew, for Christian Way
