Keeping it simple on this 10th day of 31 Days with Mary … My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with…
One of the last things Jesus did before he died was give us His mother Mary to be our mother. From the Gospel of John, “‘Woman, behold your son.’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple took her into his home” (19:26-27). Jesus’ final words not only pertained to Mary and John, they also included me and you and allof humanity. “Jesus Christ, after having given us all he could give, that…
On Friday, I shared a bit about my grandma’s influence in my journey toward Marian devotion. I thought I’d share a bit more about her the impact she has had in my life today … The two things I remember most about my grandma are that she had a beautiful devotion to the Rosary and she spent a great deal of time knitting. She probably prayed and knitted at the same time! Her knitting was really a ministry of sorts….
Today is the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, during the month of the Rosary! I discovered a lovely reflection on the Rosary in my archives, and I thought it would be #WorthRevisiting today: All the supreme teachers, the popes, have been unanimous in proclaiming that the devotion to the Most Blessed Sacrament and the Holy Rosary are the hope and salvation of the world in our evil and dangerous era. They have endeavored, by word and example, to bring the…
The Blessed Virgin is like a good mother who, not content with looking after all her children in general, watches over each one separately. —St. John Vianney As I think about my relationship with my children, I recognize how I relate to each child differently. I am grateful to know them so well. I can anticipate their needs, what will help them in certain situations, and when they just need a hug or time to talk. A mother has a…
Today is the Feast of St. Faustina. She was a young nun in Poland in the 1930s. She came from a poor family, and she did not have much education, so her tasks in the convent were simple and humble. During her time in the convent, Jesus appeared and spoke to Sister Faustina. She compiled her conversations with Him in notebooks, which became what is known today as the Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska. The message is one of God’s…
It is a bright, sunny fall day. (Do you notice how even on the sunniest day in fall the light just seems to have a warm glow to it?) I head into St. Paul to meet my spiritual director. I feel so blessed to have found this Catholic woman, who loves the Lord and who somehow “gets” me. Her office is in an old mansion that the university purchased and renovated into offices and classrooms. Since it is on campus, parking…
Today is the First Saturday of October and Day 3 of my 31 Days With Mary series! I spent the day cheering on my oldest daughter at a volleyball tournament, while the rest of my family is on a fall camping trip. It is hard to split up, especially on such a beautiful fall day, but this is what this busy season asks of us. Fortunately, this is just a season, and the end is in sight. The first Saturday of…
Since I am writing 31 Days With Mary during the month of October, maybe I will begin by sharing how Mary became my queen and my mother. Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen once said of Mary, “She existed in the Divine Mind as an Eternal Thought before there were any mothers. She is the Mother of mothers, she is the world’s first love.” #1 Slow beginnings My first real encounter with Mary was through the quiet actions of my grandma, who…
Welcome to 31 Days With Mary! In the Catholic tradition, the month of October is devoted to the Rosary, the beautiful prayer that the Blessed Virgin Mary gave to St. Dominic, which invites thoughtful contemplation on the life of her Son, Jesus Christ. For the past few years, the month of October also is marked in the blog-world with a 31-day writing challenge, founded by The Nester, Myquillin Smith. I thought I would merge two of my favorite things—Our Blessed…