The lovely month of May – Mary’s month, the month of the Mother of God – comes to a close most beautifully with one of the most moving Marian feasts, the Feast of the Visitation. Recounted in the Gospel of Saint Luke (
1:39 – 56), the passage describes Our Lady’s journey from her home in Nazareth to the hill country of Judea to spend time with her kinswoman Elizabeth; but this was no typical visit.
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Where is your resting place? In every home we purchase, I find that God gives me a spot where I can snuggle up and rest in His loving arms. Whether it is a favorite chair, a prayer room, or a place with the perfect view, for me it is the place where I am best able to enter into prayer. I know that my Heavenly Father is waiting there for me to meet with Him each day, so I go.
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O Mary! We crown thee with blossoms today,
Queen of the Angels, Queen of the May!These lyrics are a familiar component of the annual May Crowning, the Marian devotion which takes place in many parishes around the time when we celebrate Mother’s Day. This rite is one traditional aspect of the dedication of the month of May to Mary, the Mother of God, and also our Mother.
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(Painting by Peter Paul Rubens 1577-1640 courtesy of WikiCommons)
Catholics traditionally consider the month of May as a time of particularly deep Marian devotion. Contemplation on the exalted life, mission, role and dignity of the Virgin Mary is rich and efficacious for growth in faith, hope, and love. Scripture, Tradition, and the saints attest to the role of Mary as God’s chosen Woman in the defeat of evil spirits.
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While the annual Feast of Saint Joseph, celebrated on March 19th, is familiar in many parts of the world, the second date on the Church calendar dedicated to him is perhaps not quite so well known. Each year, May 1st commemorates another title of this beloved saint, that of Saint Joseph the Worker.
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St. Faustina Kowalska (1905-1938), a religious sister known as the “Apostle of Divine Mercy,” wrote this story about a priest in her spiritual diary:
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Painting by Evgraf Semenovich Sorokin (Wikicommons)
Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala (Jn 19:25)
On this Good Friday, I choose to be there, I want to be there, standing with Our Lady. I know she can rely on the other women and Saint John, but perhaps another loving presence will be a source of added comfort for her.
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Great suffering brings great graces. Those words are etched permanently in my soul. It is those who have walked the path of suffering with Jesus at their side, that those words hold a treasured meaning. I, a sojourner on the path can assent that those words true. I also can encourage you with the blessed assurance that when we are too weary, He carries us.
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Meditating on Sacred Scripture has long been recognized as a worthwhile spiritual practice, particularly so during the season of Lent. In this reflection, we’ll focus on four familiar Scriptural scenes from Jesus’ final hours on earth. These vignettes offer an opportunity to reflect and meditate on an exchange of looks between Jesus and one other significant player in the narrative of our salvation.
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As Holy Week begins and we celebrate Our's Lord's surrender to the will of His Father, let us ponder the depth of our own surrender to His will by reflecting on the message contained in this beautiful poem.
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