Hey Deacon

In the month of May the Church calls us to open our hearts in a special way to Mary. Her presence in our lives is a motherly presence. We call her Our Blessed Mother. In our churches and homes, we celebrate May as a “Marian month,” with May processions, May crownings, and other popular devotions in honor of the Mother of God. This Marian month falls during the liturgical season of Easter. We recall Mary’s participation in the Paschal Mystery and her presence with the disciples at Pentecost, praying with them in the upper room while they awaited the descent of the Holy Spirit.

From the Cross, Jesus gave her to us as our Mother and entrusted us to her as her children. Jesus’ words to John, the beloved disciple, were also addressed to all of us: “Behold your mother!” Jesus gave us the beautiful gift of His mother to be our mother too. He made His mother the mother of all the members of His Mystical Body, the Church. Jesus invites us to accept Mary as our mother and to respond to her motherly love.

St. John Paul II explained that the words, “Behold your mother, expressed Jesus’ intention to inspire in His disciples an attitude of love for and trust in Mary, leading them to recognize her as their mother, the mother of every believer. They found joy in embracing themselves to Mary’s maternal love, living like affectionate and docile children.”

Mary always leads us to Jesus, her Son. When we go to her, we always meet Jesus, our Savior. She helps us follow her Son more faithfully. God has entrusted to her the role of maternal intercessor for us. She is Our Mother of Perpetual Help. She sees our needs and is ready to come to our aid. She is especially close to those who are suffering. One of the most ancient Marian prayers from the third century expresses Mary’s role as our advocate, “We fly to your patronage, O holy Mother of God; despise not our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us always from all dangers, O glorious and blessed Virgin.”

It is also fitting that we celebrate Mother’s Day during the Marian month. As we honor the Mother of God, our spiritual mother, we also honor our earthly mothers. On Mother’s Day, we remember with gratitude and affection our mothers, not only through material gifts, flowers, or cards, but also, and more importantly, by our prayers for them. We thank God for the gift of our mothers who conceived and gave birth to us, who cared for us, protected us, taught us, and loved us. We thank our mothers for their generosity and self-giving love. Many have passed on the precious gift of faith to us. We remember all our mothers, living and deceased.

On Mother’s Day, let us pray for all our mothers. And let us remember that we have a Mother in heaven, the Blessed Virgin Mary. We continue to rejoice with her during this Easter season. May the Mother given to us by Christ on the cross be ever at our side!

Author Bio:
Deacon Dan Vaughn