Bring Flowers of the Fairest

05-07-2017Weekly ReflectionSeminarian Sam McCarty

Every year the month of May celebrates Mary, our dear mother. It offers us an opportunity to reconnect with Our Lady and return to, or perhaps discover a devotion to her.

This time of year we recognize earth's motherhood. All around us in nature we see new life – fresh faced flowers, robins' eggs, lambs and calves. Creation reminds us about the cycle of life and death, that all things are renewed ("See, I make all things new" Revelation 21:5). We turn to Mary because it is in her womb that our new life takes shape: her motherhood provides the gentle help we need to live our identity as children of God.

Okay, great, spring is nice, but what does it mean to receive new life in Mary's womb? First, it's a very real spiritual protection. Our mother's intercession is powerful because of her great holiness and because she sits beside Jesus in heaven. This close conformity and intimacy mean her prayers for us have great power. Second, Mary's example provides a picture of how to live a holy life. We see her openness to God's will, her joyful proclamation of God's goodness, her pondering the Word of God. Third, Mary accompanies us in our journey – she is near to us in our need and always points the way to her Son. Our mother walks beside us and knows our triumphs, struggles, and daily monotony.

Here's what we can do. First, pray the rosary and tap into that powerful prayer. If the whole rosary is too much, then pick just one decade. You might try spreading the five decades of the rosary throughout your day – there's no rule that says you have to pray it all at once. The repetition helps train our minds to focus on God alone and helps avoid distractions as we talk with God and meditate on the holy mysteries of his life. Second, follow Our Lady's example! If she pondered, we should ponder. Perhaps write (yes, really write) how your soul praises God, how you are thankful to him for his goodness (you can go to the first two chapters of Luke for reference). Third, let's all acknowledge Mary's presence in our lives. Know that she is beside you always and turn to her throughout your day.

St. John Paul II took his mother seriously. His motto as pope was Totus Tuus, which means "Totally yours," and means he gave himself entirely to Mary. The idea behind this consecration is that we place ourselves in Mary's loving hands, trusting that in her motherly care for us she will lead us to the depths of holiness and will in turn present us, perfected, to her son. It's clear by John Paul II's witness that this path to God is a good one. He was shot on May 13 , the feast of Our Lady of Fatima, and said afterward, "One hand pulled the trigger, but another guided the bullet." He meant that it was Mary's powerful intercession, her nearness, that had preserved him from death that day. Let's give ourselves also to Mary – offering our hearts to her like an offering of the fairest flowers – and by this open our hearts to receive the many blessings she longs to share with us.

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