Mary in Hanbok

The first time I saw this statue of Mary and Jesus, it took my breath away.

We were checking out the Korean Catholic Church in our area for the first time. We had a baby and a toddler, and I was really needing a community of young families.

The statue was the first thing we saw before entering the church. Seeing it was deeply comforting. The best way I can describe it is that it felt like home.

Mary in a hanbok (the traditional Korean dress); Mary who looked Korean in her face and posture; Mary who was holding a baby Jesus that looked like my own babies; Mary who looked like my own mother, a South Korean immigrant.

There is something about Mary embodying different cultures in her apparitions that is incredibly powerful. The individuals who had the surprise and honor to encounter Mary as someone who looked like them must have felt seen and known by God.

I know that for me, when I see Mary represented as a Korean mother, I feel seen and known.