{"id":89,"date":"2014-05-16T11:17:00","date_gmt":"2014-05-16T11:17:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sarahdamm.com\/index.php\/2014\/05\/16\/7-quick-takes-how-mary-became-my-queen\/"},"modified":"2015-06-03T22:48:54","modified_gmt":"2015-06-03T22:48:54","slug":"7-quick-takes-how-mary-became-my-queen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sarahdamm.com\/index.php\/2014\/05\/16\/7-quick-takes-how-mary-became-my-queen\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Quick Takes :: How Mary Became My Queen, My Mother"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/sarahdamm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/7_quick_takes_sm1.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/sarahdamm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/7_quick_takes_sm1.jpg\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p>\nVenerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen once said of Mary, \u201cShe existed in the Divine Mind as an Eternal Thought before there were any mothers. She is the Mother of mothers, she is the world\u2019s first love.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><b>#1 Slow beginnings<\/b><br \/>\nMy first real encounter with Mary was through the quiet actions of my grandma, who had a beautiful devotion to Our Blessed Mother and who also happened to be named Mary. She had a simple white statue of the Blessed Mother outside her home in Little Rock, Arkansas, and whether she was there or traveling the U.S. visiting family members, her Rosary was her constant companion. In fact, praying the Rosary with Grandma was about the only time I prayed the Rosary growing up. Each year, my mom and I drove her from Arkansas to Minnesota to visit relatives, and before we made light conversation or listened to the radio, we always prayed a Rosary for a safe journey.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/sarahdamm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/grandma-1024x767.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/sarahdamm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/grandma-1024x767.jpg\" height=\"478\" width=\"640\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p>\nWhen I was still young, Grandma gave me an old, albeit plastic, statue of Mary that her children gave her when they were little. On the bottom part is a music box that plays \u201cAve Maria.\u201d Growing up, I kept this beloved statue of Mary in my bedroom, and even though it\u2019s seen better days, it sits on my desk today.<\/p>\n<p><b>#2 Seeds planted<\/b><br \/>\nIn my teen years, I chose Mary as my Confirmation name, after my grandma, and I can now see how she and Mama Mary are strong intercessors and spiritual mothers in my life &#8230; and always have been.<\/p>\n<p>But between those growing-up years and the present day, I honestly did not think very much about Our Blessed Mother. I never had any problems with what the Church teaches about her. I just didn\u2019t do anything to cultivate a relationship with her or a devotion to her. Until about five years ago.<\/p>\n<p><b>#3 Something about Mary<\/b><br \/>\nIn 2009, Mary began entering my mind and heart more regularly. I started gazing at her statue more at church. I began noticing Mary in artwork and reading quotes that pertained to her. Our new pastor made frequent comments about Our Blessed Mother, including dedicating our children to her, and I wondered what that meant.<\/p>\n<p><b>#4 Crowning our queen<\/b><br \/>\nThat same year, my children\u2019s school honored Mary with a May crowning, which was a brand-new experience for me. The children processed into church with candles and flowers for Our Blessed Mother, some of the older boys carried her statue in on a special pedestal, and the First Communicants crowned the Queen of Heaven and Earth. We recited the five glorious mysteries of the Rosary in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament as well as sang songs in honor of Mary. I was moved by the beauty and reverence of this sweet ceremony.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/sarahdamm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/procession2-1024x794.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/sarahdamm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/procession2-1024x794.jpg\" height=\"496\" width=\"640\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/sarahdamm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/placing-1024x765.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/sarahdamm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/placing-1024x765.jpg\" height=\"476\" width=\"640\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p>\nThrough Father\u2019s homily that evening, I also started to understand more clearly who Mary is in the course of Salvation History.&nbsp;I learned that we are to \u201c&#8230; [give] respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due\u201d (Romans 13:7). Mary\u2019s <i>yes<\/i> to be the Mother of God was freely given (which means she could have said no.) And because of her <i>yes<\/i>, we received Christ. She gave us the greatest gift and therefore is the greatest benefactress to the human race, and so she is most deserving of our devotion and honor. In the book of James, it states that fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. The more holy the person, the more powerful her prayer. Because Mary is the most holy of all humans, her prayer is most likely and worthy to be heard. Therefore, we must go to her for her intercession of our imperfect prayers. For \u201cMary\u2019s will does not differ from the will of God,\u201d said St. Maximilian Kolbe.<\/p>\n<p><b>#5 An invitation<\/b><br \/>\nMary\u2019s role, her purpose, her importance really started to click for me, thanks be to God. It was as if everything was lining up and making sense. A whole new world, new dimension of my Faith was opening up before my eyes. Mary was inviting me (and my family) into a deeper, more intimate relationship with her as well as with her Son.<\/p>\n<p>But like any good mother, she is so very patient and gentle with her children.<\/p>\n<p>Right around this same time, my husband expressed his desire to increase our devotion to Mary as a family. His comments confirmed what was going on in my heart to be truly sent from God, and it sealed the deal for me (so to speak).<\/p>\n<p><b>#6 Steady growth<\/b><br \/>\nMy family and I started doing simple things to honor the Blessed Mother. We picked up the ageless tradition of making a Mary altar in our home during the month of May. It started out (and remains) very simple with holy cards, a Rosary, maybe a statue and some flowers.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/sarahdamm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/IMG_5197-1024x768.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/sarahdamm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/IMG_5197-1024x768.jpg\" height=\"480\" width=\"640\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\">\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/sarahdamm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/IMG_4085-1024x768.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/sarahdamm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/IMG_4085-1024x768.jpg\" height=\"480\" width=\"640\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p>\nThrough various Catholic blogs and resources, we learned to celebrate Marian feast days with little tea parties and other activities.<\/p>\n<p>And personally, I started collecting quotes about Mary that popped up in my inbox, and I noticed that an overall theme of these quotes was the idea of growing closer to Jesus through Mary\u2019s guidance. I wanted to know more.<\/p>\n<p><b>#7 Destination: Marian consecration<\/b><br \/>\nI had read about St. Louis de Montford\u2019s Marian consecration, and I attempted it a couple times. But for a young mother, it was hard to get in all of the prayers (and since then, I have heard that it\u2019s not just hard for young moms!). So, Marian consecration remained on my spiritual \u201cto-do list\u201d for a couple years.<\/p>\n<p>Then, in 2012, by the grace of God, I heard about the book <i>33 Days to Morning Glory<\/i> by Father Michael Gaitley. And I was excited about the simple, doable format of drawing closer to the Blessed Mother and ultimately to Jesus.<\/p>\n<p>I invited my husband and my mother (who lives with our family) to join me in reading this book that would lead to Consecration to Jesus through Mary. Neither of them really knew what they were getting themselves into (nor did I), but they both agreed without any question or concern!<\/p>\n<p>The book opened up a whole new aspect of our Catholic Faith to me. I not only grew in my understanding of Mary\u2019s role in leading us to Jesus. I also got to know her better as my own motherly companion. The book does a beautiful job at explaining how four saints developed their own personal devotion to Our Lady and how that impacted their lives as model Christians. My entire review of the book can by found here on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/13559128-33-days-to-morning-glory\">Goodreads<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/sarahdamm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/IMG_1045-1024x768.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/sarahdamm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/IMG_1045-1024x768.jpg\" height=\"480\" width=\"640\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p>\nOn May 13, 2012, my husband, my mom and I made our Consecration to Jesus through Mary on the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima, 2012. The graces that flowed from that day continue to unfold before my eyes. We added a Mary garden to our backyard in honor of our consecration. This is something that I had been dreaming about for several years, but with moving and having babies, I had to be patient!<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/sarahdamm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/IMG_2746-1024x768.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/sarahdamm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/IMG_2746-1024x768.jpg\" height=\"480\" width=\"640\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p>\nSince my initial consecration, I have re-read <i>33 Days<\/i> two more times, each time renewing my consecration to Mary. The last time was in the summer of 2013, and every morning, I sat on our front porch, read my reading, said my prayers and just envisioned Mary sitting on the rocking chair next to me, as if we were at her house in Nazareth. I truly felt her presence, as I trusted her with all of my needs, worries and concerns. She was teaching me how to deal with them through prayer and trust in God\u2019s providence.<\/p>\n<p>Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen once said about Mary, \u201cOnly she who raised Christ can raise a Christian,\u201d and that\u2019s how I feel about Mary\u2019s influence in my own life.<\/p>\n<p>Mary enters my mind and heart frequently, certainly several times a day. I wonder how she would handle the ins and outs of daily life in 2014. How would she help with homework? How would she keep the house clean without yelling at the kids? How would she manage the laundry of a family of eight? How would she manage the grocery budget? How would she discipline in today\u2019s world? The list of my questions for Mary is endless! I don\u2019t always know for sure what she\u2019d do, and I\u2019m sure I don\u2019t always act the way she would, but I find comfort in knowing she is walking with me in this journey of motherhood. And really, whenever I reflect upon her prayer and intercession in my life, I cannot help but notice Jesus closer to me than ever before.<\/p>\n<p>For more Quick Takes, please visit <a href=\"http:\/\/www.conversiondiary.com\/\">Conversion Diary<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen once said of Mary, \u201cShe existed in the Divine Mind as an Eternal Thought before there were any mothers. She is the Mother of mothers, she is the world\u2019s first love.\u201d #1 Slow beginnings My first real encounter with Mary was through the quiet actions of my grandma, who had a beautiful devotion to Our Blessed Mother and who also happened to be named Mary. She had a simple white statue of the Blessed Mother outside&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/sarahdamm.com\/index.php\/2014\/05\/16\/7-quick-takes-how-mary-became-my-queen\/\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":789,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[8,33],"class_list":["post-89","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-mary","tag-quick-takes"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>7 Quick Takes :: How Mary Became My Queen, My Mother - Sarah Damm<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sarahdamm.com\/index.php\/2014\/05\/16\/7-quick-takes-how-mary-became-my-queen\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"7 Quick Takes :: How Mary Became My Queen, My Mother - Sarah Damm\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen once said of Mary, \u201cShe existed in the Divine Mind as an Eternal Thought before there were any mothers. 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