Something About Mary

I've been Catholic my whole life, and practiced Catholicism for most of it.  I married a Baptist and the Baptist Church was very good to us as newlyweds and young parents.  We've never eaten so well or been so accounted for.  Until a personal issue came to the people of the church to be settled and it split down the middle. 

We were invited to another church down the road, but it split on the one and only day we attended.  A standing vote of who wanted the preacher to stay, led by the preacher, ended his term there and he walked out in the middle of the service.  Followed by all of the people who wanted him to stay. 

During this time, I had just finished reading This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti, which is about a battle between good and evil over a little country church.  I was pretty sure I just witnessed it in real time and was horrified.  I went "back" to the Catholic Church, and have been there ever since. 

There are a lot of things that come to mind when people hear the word "Catholic" and from the many conversations I've had and heard from others, "Mary worship" is one of them.  I've never had a strong Marian devotion and I could easily see why people might think that.  If you stumbled into a church with an image of Mary behind the altar and people kneeling in front of it, it looks like Mary is the "be all and end all", subject and object, and final destination for whatever prayers they are praying "to" her.  From this perspective, the only reasonable conclusion is that whoever is kneeling there is sinning greatly, guilty of idolatry, and can only find hope for salvation in repenting, and pleading on the mercy of God. 

The other perspective is from the inside.  It is based on the understanding that it was "the mystery of the Incarnation which brought Mary into the fullness of the Trinitarian life.  Her unique relations with the three divine Persons began when the Angel told her that she was to be the Mother of the Son of the Most High and would be so by the power of the Holy Spirit.  She was, from that moment, the beloved Daughter of the Father, the Spouse of the Holy Spirit, and the Mother of the Word." (Sr. Elizabeth of the Trinity)

We understand that Mary was entrusted to us by Jesus himself at the foot of the cross.  "When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son."  Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother."  And from that hour the disciple took her into his home." (John 19:26-27)

We understand that because Jesus came to us through Mary that she can also lead us back to Him, and in fact, desires nothing other than this.  This is her raison d'etre.  She refuses to be an end unto herself and if she were less pure and loving, like me, she might even find the idea laughable.

We understand that when we say we are praying "to" Mary, what we mean is that we are talking to her and asking her for her prayers.  Just like we ask each other on earth to pray for us, for everything under the sun. 

I didn't stumble into a church, find Mary behind an altar, and recoil.  I flew to Mexico City on purpose, to find her there.  I asked her to help me love her, and help me to love Jesus as she loves Him.  She is known as "Our Lady of Guadalupe" and looks like this.  Based on the fact that I just wrote about her for the first time since the inception of this blog seven years ago, I think she said yes. 

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.  Blessed art thou among 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. 

Regarding Unmet Expectations As "Stables"

I'm reading a book called Spiritual Mothering, by Susan Hunt.  She makes a great point this morning and I want to share it with you.

She is talking about Mary's clarity of purpose (and she isn't even Catholic!).  She discusses the extremes in Mary's life after the angel told her she was going to give birth to a son...the Son of the Most High.  A king.  Most specifically, giving birth to a king - not in a palace, nor even inside, but outside in a stable with the sheep and goats.

She tries to imagine Mary's possible disappointment about the conditions in which she would give birth to the Savior, Jesus, but more than that, her realization that it must be this way.  "Throughout the Old Testament salvation and sacrifice were inseparably linked.  To be the Savior meant that He would be the Lamb - the Lamb who would be sacrificed for the sins of His people."  She imagines Mary saying, Of course, where else would a lamb be born except in a stable!  Lord, you think of everything!

"In defining herself as a servant, Mary had relinquished control to God.  Her purpose was not her convenience but God's glory...For many women today, their purpose in life is shaped by their desire to attain the personal happiness they are told they deserve.  So they are not only disappointed by unrealized expectations, they are defeated."

The key here is to recognize the why behind our existence.  We are here to glorify God.  How do we do that?  Just like Jesus did for His Father, "I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do"... (John 17:4)

We simply have to do the work He has assigned us (From my experience, this always boils down to loving and serving).  For parents, this is pretty straight-forward, there is always something to do!  For everyone else, it is not as hard as it sounds.  Tell God that you want to do His will and ask Him to reveal it to you.  Look around.  Don't be surprised if He is asking you to serve exactly where you are!

At the end of each chapter, Ms. Hunt offers a challenge.  She asks, "Can you honestly say that you want God's glory to be your life-purpose?"  Can you?  If not, what is holding you back?

Lastly, she offers a little exercise that can bear great fruit if it is thoughtfully done:

Write the statement "I am the Lord's servant" at the top of a piece of paper.

a.  Under that statement, list any hurts, expectations, disappointments, etc. that you are struggling with.

b.  Now ask God to enable you to interpret everything on your list in light of His will for you.  Ask Him to show you how each person, circumstance, or event is your platform to reflect the glory of His grace that has been poured into you.

c.  Ask the Father to help you discover the treasure He has for you in your "stable."

Dear God, Thank you for giving purpose to the "stables" in our lives.  Thank you for Jesus, Mary, and Joseph who have had these experiences before us.  Please give us eyes to see the places where we are hurting because our expectations were not met.  Lord, help us to realize that our expectations are often not based in truth and the only thing that ever matters is glorifying You, and that is always possible.  Help us to see the people and painful circumstances in our lives as part of the treasure You intend for us.  Our growth is an essential part of Your plan for our salvation, and in Your wisdom You know that we often don't grow unless we are uncomfortable.  May You be glorified in everything I do.  Amen.

Wrestling With Mary

God is generous and offers us many means to obtain salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ.  All Christians have their church and Scripture.  In addition, Catholics have the Eucharist (Jesus in the form of bread), the Saints, The Magisterium (the teachings of the Catholic Church), and Mary.  Of course, all religions can "have" Mary too, but they overlook her for fear of worshipping her as they think Catholics do. 

So, just to clarify, Catholics honor Mary as the Mother of Jesus (Who is also God), they do not worship her.  They know that Mary would never allow you to come to her without leading you to her Son.  It is not possible for them to be in competition with one another.  All roads (including Mary) lead to Jesus.

God chose for Jesus to come to the world through Mary.  It also pleases Him that the world returns to Jesus through her.  "Mary does not have an ounce of divinity in her."  Her entire existence consists of leading people to her Son.  No more.  No less. She is special because God chose her and because she was humble and obedient out of love for Him.  No one loved Jesus better than Mary.  We are called to imitate her humility, obedience, and love.

One of the last things Jesus did before He died, was to give John (called disciple) His Mother.  He entrusted her to him and him to her.  John 19:26-27 ~

When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son."  Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother."  And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.

It is the same for us.  Mary is to be our spiritual mother.

Some people have a natural devotion and love for Mary (maybe because their own mothers were very Marylike, or because they desperately needed a mother, or they are from Mexico and have ties to the incredible miracle when Mary appeared to Juan Diego as Our Lady of Guadalupe).  None of these apply to me.  I just mostly ignored her existence.  It didn't offend or trouble me that some people were strongly devoted to her, I just wasn't.

However, as the years have gone by, I've read more and more about the holy men and women who have gone before us, and have seen what a help Mary was to so many of them.  So, albeit slowly, I have learned to ask Mary for her help:  help to love Jesus as she did, help to imitate her humility, help to bring the greatest glory to God, and help as prayer to obtain graces from her Son.

In fact, after reading one of the best books I've ever read, Consoling the Heart of Jesus, by Michael Gaitley, another book of his fell into my lap.  It was called 33 Days to Morning Glory.  This book is a 33-day preparation to consecrate your life to Mary.  This seemed a little beyond what I was ready to do, but I started it anyway.  On the 33rd day, I was ready to go for it.   I was convicted that Mary always and only wants what God wants, and because of that I could entrust myself to her as my spiritual mother. I knew if I put my life in her hands, she would lead me to her Son by the shortest way possible.

Dear God, thank you for giving Mary the grace to be the Mother of Your Son, Jesus.  Thank you for letting us have recourse to her, as we try to be as closely united to Jesus, as possible.  Thank you for giving us Jesus to understand and love You better.  Thank you for giving us Mary to understand and love Jesus better. 

Dear Jesus, Thank you for giving us Your Mother.  Since she was important to You, I want her to be important to me, too. 

Mary, thank you for loving and guiding us as our mother.  Please lead us to Jesus by the shortest and surest way possible.  Amen.

Thankful for the flu

Today, I am thankful for the flu.  Or, maybe just the perspective that the flu brings.  I am thankful I got it this weekend instead of next weekend, when my husband is scheduled to work.  I am thankful I can walk around my house without feeling like I'm going to throw-up, fall down, or die.  I am thankful for my health.  I am thankful for the health of my family.  I am thankful I have an exuberant amount of energy most of the time.  I am thankful to be able to play in the sandbox and be outside.  Not just listening to the bustle from my bed.    I am thankful to be able to clean a bathroom and am looking forward to mopping the floor - tomorrow. 

I can only imagine how difficult it is for the couples who deal with chronic illness.  One feels put out because they have to do everything.  One feels left out because they can't do anything. 

Dear God, thank you for my health.  Please buoy up those people, couples, and families who struggle with health issues and the wrench that they throw in their every-day lives.  I am reminded how I am unable to anything without Your grace.

Prayer to Our Lady of Lourdes 

O Ever Immaculate Virgin, Mother of Mercy, you are the refuge of sinners and the comfort of the afflicted.  Look with mercy on us.  By appearing in the Grotto of Lourdes you gave the world hope.  Your Son has healed many, thanks to your compassionate intercession.  Therefore, I come humbly before you to ask for your motherly intercession for all who are sick in body, mind, and spirit.  Holy Mary, pray for us now and at the hour of death.  Amen.
-Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate

Ode to Mary

March 7, 2012

I was watching my two-year-old in his bed
He'll be three next week
He was singing The Farmer in the Dell
until he fell asleep

I found my thoughts turning to you,
watching the child Jesus where He lay
and recalling Simeon's prophetic words
about your heart being pierced one day

How could you bear it?
Did you know His days were numbered?
And great suffering before they were through?
The only thing greater than your love for Jesus
was God's love for you