At the retreat last week, the retreat mistress asked me if I had a relationship with Mary the Mother of God. I conceded that it was in the very beginning stages, so she recommended a book for me to read.* (Actually, I got that question from a number of the women, so I think God is trying to get something through my skull.)
So it's a treat that today celebrates Our Lady of the Rosary. I have recently returned to the Catholic Church. There are some aspects of the way Mary is regarded and revered in the Church that I am not yet completely comfortable with. (Grammarians, please forgive my trailing preposition.) But I think about the beloved Mother of Jesus, so intimately present at the birth, ministry, suffering and death of her Son, praying for me out of the love that a mother has for her child. I am touched, honored, and I want to thank her. I want her to pray for the people I love who are in need or hurting. I want to know the love that she knows. I want to know Jesus the way she knows Him.
Do I feel like I have a relationship with her? I don't know. It's a start. God's in charge - I'll let Him look after this too.
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* The book that was recommended to me is Introduction to Mary by Mark Miravalle. My good friends at Our Lady of Grace bookstore have ordered it for me. Thanks, Connie.
O Rex Gentium
4 hours ago
4 comments:
I would first say that I lack a good relationship with the Blessed Mother. But, on further review, just because I can't perceive it, it doesn't mean it isn't happening.
The evidence that comes to mind is meditating on the Mysteries of the Rosary. I find them absolutely, totally fruitful, different every time I come to them, emotionally striking, devastating in pointing to my sinfulness, even practical in application in life. I wonder if she isn't helping me with those?
I'm hanging loose, closing my ears to the over-sentimental approach some people take. Why shouldn't I? I try to turn my face away from the happy nice-nice Jesus that some people mistakenly embrace. I'll have to cut Our Lady more slack.
There must be something going on between the Mother of God and me, because I find myself reluctant to talk at a very deep level about it. Anything going on in my left brain I can analyze and opine on at length. When it's deep and touches my private "feeling" area, it goes underground and percolates, and even I don't know what's happening.
I can say that I was struck by the portrayal of Mary in The Passion of the Christ. Her strength, her motherly love, the regard and care with which Jesus' followers treated her -- all spoke to me in a significant way.
The idea that there's a real relationship with her available to me is delightful. Sort of like discovering that there are books by my favorite author that I haven't gotten to read yet. Great anticipation.
I deleted the previous comment because it was off topic and didn't meet this blog's standards of charity and good will.
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