Something Special
Blog Post #33
She’s something special, alright (which is how I referred to our Blessed Mother, Mary, in this week’s video post). And, actually, “something special” feels inadequate. You tell me how you would sufficiently describe a woman who said “yes” to a profoundly challenging future for the sake of all humanity...a woman who took on the project of all projects ~ mothering the Savior of the world...a woman who guards and guides, comforts and consoles, encourages and energizes...not only her Son, but all of us. She’s a woman who endured endless agonies and responded with refreshing hopefulness. She was the first Christian, the first monstrance, the most perfect example of how to best love Jesus...all the while being incredibly grace-filled, gentle, and generous. She is Our Blessed Mother and she is the principal Patroness of the United States of America.
These are just a few of the reasons why Mary is so special and, why, in the month of May, we Catholics do May Crownings and make May altars to pay respect to a woman chosen to be the mother of God incarnate...and the mother of us all.
It can be kind of hard to think of her that way, as the mother of us all, but that’s what we believe as Catholics. God gave her to all of us as a treasured gift and a beautiful example of how to best love our Lord. And He gave her to us as our own mother...a mother who leads us to her Son.
So, is that the way you think of her? Do you think of her as something special? Do you treat her like she’s not only the mother of Jesus, but also your own mother? Do you go to her in times of trouble, heartache, and despair, so that she can gently show you how to trust, how to keep breathing, and how to continue doing the next right thing? Do you share your dreams and your joys with her? She wants you to. She did that for Jesus, and she wants to do it for you too.
In reading about Mary from some of the mystics, there were three things that surprised me: how much she prayed, how much she cried, and how completely full of joy was her spirit. Yes, she had a duel nature ~ full of joy and full of sorrow.
Yes, of course, she prayed. She was the mother of Jesus. Everyone would expect that she would pray...a lot. But, according to the mystics, her life was a prayer. Everything she did and thought was a prayer. It wasn’t the fact that she prayed that surprised me...it was how profoundly and completely and constantly she prayed.
It also doesn’t surprise me that she cried, so enormous was her covenant promise by saying “yes” to being the mother of God. But, it was the depth of her sorrow that really got my attention. And then to couple that with the depth of her genuine joy...full, intentional, and genuine joy...well, it’s just a lot to wrap your mind around.
Full of joy. Full of sorrow. Her entire life, a prayer. That was Our Blessed Mother. Is it any wonder that we pray: Holy Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, Amen.
