Feast of Mary, Mother of the Church
One
Behold Your Mother
Today is the Feast of Mary, Mother of the Church.
Why do we believe Mary is our spiritual mother? Because Jesus said so.
“Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. Seeing his mother and the disciple he loved standing near her, Jesus said to his mother, 'Woman, this is your son. Then to the disciple he said, 'This is your mother'.” John 19:25-27
John represents every person Jesus came to save, so Mary is the Mother of all people. And how did John respond to Jesus’ direction to take Mary as his mother? The next passage tells us, “And from that moment, the disciple took her into his home.”
Now, when someone comes into your home to stay, it means they are part of your everyday life.
We are supposed to welcome Mary into our home, to make her part of our everyday life. She’s not a passing guest. She’s not a stranger. She’s someone whose presence we’re aware of every day. Someone with whom we develop a deep personal relationship.
We sometimes say, “My house is your house.” Consecration to Mary means accepting her as our Mother, the way John did, and taking her into our homes, into every part of our life. Saying to Mary, “My house is your house.” Saying to Mary, “My life is your life.” And when Mary comes to stay with us, when our life is put at her disposal, she will make it a holy life.
Two
Our Mother comes on a rescue mission.
Since 1830 when Mary appeared in Paris to St. Catherine Laboure, revealing the Miraculous Medal she has been appearing with greater frequency and urgency.
Then she appeared in 1846 in LaSalatte, France, in 1858 in Lourdes, 1871 in Pontmain, France, 1879 in Knock, Ireland, 1917 in Fatima, Portugal, 1932-33 Beauraing and Banneux, Belgium, 1947 Rome, 1968 Zeitoun, Egypt – where over 1 million people saw her at the same time, 1973 Akita, Japan, 1976 Betania, Venezuela, 1980 Nicaragua, 1983 San Nicolas, Argentina, 1981-83 Kibeho, Rwanda.
And from 1981 to the present there are reported apparitions of Mary in Medjugorje which are still under investigation because the Church will not make a final judgment until the reported apparitions have ended.
So why is Our Lady appearing? What does any good mother do when she sees her children in danger? She goes to save them. What danger is Mary trying to save us from, what is she trying to save me from?
Three
Prayer and Conversion
What is the message of Our Lady? God is real; sin will destroy you and it will destroy the world. Return to God through prayer and conversion of life.
During the fully approved apparition of Our Lady of the Rosary in San Nicolas, on May 13, 1989, Our Lady said, “…as previously in Fatima, today my visits are renewed on Earth. They are more frequent and more prolonged because humanity is passing through very dramatic times. Has man not understood that he must be uniquely at the service of God? If he resists, his soul will be lost. Many hearts do not accept my invitation to prayer and conversion. That is why the work of the devil is growing and expanding. My dear children, it is only through prayer and conversion that you will return to God.”
In every apparition, Mary tells us to pray the Rosary every day. She repeatedly states that the Rosary is the weapon Satan fears the most. We can’t change world events or save souls by watching the news. We can through the Rosary.
Our Lady insists that the Rosary be a meditation, not just a rote saying of words while our minds wander because mental prayer and a resolution are the path to conversion.
Meditation is to think about something from Scripture, the writing of the saints, or the teaching of the Church. Then ask yourself, “Am I living this or not?” Then make a resolution to live differently today. That is how we change, that is how we convert.
But without meditation on the word of God, without reflecting honestly on our lives, and without a concrete resolution to change – we won’t.
Four
Regular Confession
One of the most effective ways to grow in our conversion from vice to virtue is by a daily examination of conscience and frequent confession. When I go to confession regularly then I have to examine my life regularly, and then I see things that need to change. In Confession Jesus forgives me and gives me the grace to change. If, on the other hand, I don’t examine myself regularly and don’t go to confession regularly, I grow completely desensitized to my sin and I don’t change.
Daily examination of conscience and frequent confession are necessary to answer Our Lady’s call for ongoing conversion.
This is why Mary asked for the Five First Saturdays of Reparation: That on the first Saturday of every month, we go to Mass, receive communion, Pray the Rosary, then think about the life of Jesus for 15 minutes and go to Confession with the intention of making reparation to the Heart of Mary. Pope Benedict extended the window for confession from 20 days before until 20 days after the first Saturday. Basically, go to confession once a month.
Sr. Lucia, the last living visionary from Fatima, wrote in a letter, “Our Lady promised to postpone the scourge of war if this devotion is spread and practiced. We see her putting off this chastisement in the measure that efforts are being made to spread it. But I am afraid that we are not doing all that we are able to, and that God, in no way satisfied, may raise the arm of his mercy and let the world be ravaged by this punishment, which will be as never been, horrible, horrible!...Peace or war depends on the Five First Saturdays along with the Consecration.”
Five
Personal Relationship with Mary
God does not save us in isolation, He saves us in a family. God is our Father, Jesus our Brother and the maternal love of the Holy Spirit is manifest to us through Mary. That is why Jesus told us She is our Spiritual Mother. The more you belong to Mary, the more you will be led by the Holy Spirit.
St. Maximilian Kolbe said, “I see Mary everywhere. I see difficulties nowhere…”
When at times I am tempted to worry I immediately say to myself, “Silly one, why do you worry? Is this your work? If all belongs to the Immaculate, will she not attend to it? Then let her lead you.”
Think of Mary often, she is with you. Talk with her. Ask her to conduct all your affairs. You will find she is the best of all mothers!