In the Bible, Mary speaks on four separate occasions. During the Annunciation, she asks the angel how she, a virgin, could be the mother of God (Luke 1:34); later, she responds, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38)
Directly after the Annunciation, Mary travels to visit her pregnant cousin Elizabeth, and sings the beautiful psalm of praise called the Magnificat. (Luke 1:46-55)
When Jesus is lost in the Temple, Mary admonishes him, saying, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” (Luke 2:48)
Finally, at the Wedding at Cana, Mary points out the lack of wine to Jesus. (John 2:3) She later instructs the servers, “Do whatever he tells you” (John 2:5) – which, as someone once pointed out to me, is perhaps the single best piece of advice in the entire Bible.
Mary is, obviously, present in other Bible passages beyond these four, and the Catholic Church has always valued the powerful and intimate relationship she had with Jesus. After all, she was the only one who knew Jesus throughout his entire life, from conception to death and beyond. Most of her words have gone unrecorded, but her unique role in salvation history has never been forgotten.