Our Mother Mary's Month Will End Soon

We're closing in on the end of May. Rumor has it we're closing in on the end of the COVID threat. One would assume that means the end of restrictions on commercial activity. I'll believe it when I see it.

For now, it's another day of toil and all that entails for each of us in our own particular work. Mine will include some "spillover" research and study from yesterday, client contacts via email and phone. If time permits, perhaps getting some items done that are scheduled for the end of the week. Why? Hey, Memorial Day Weekends' coming. It would be nice to end early on Friday (Thursday even?) and get an extended weekend away from the daily grind. 

More importantly, though, May - Our Lady's month - is winding down. I can always pay her more homage and spend more time with her. But it's especially appropriate to honor her during May. 

With that in mind, I came across a brief meditation about Our Lady from Father Edward Leen. When I read this slowly and took some time to think about the words, I found them quite rich, quite moving:

“Our Blessed Lady is really a Mother. Now you all know what that word ‘mother’ means. Every letter of that word spells loyalty, sacrifice and love. All the dearest associations of life cling to it. The word brings up a vision of her who brought us into the world, who cared for us and nourished us. It tells of days of anxious watching and loving care. A mother’s love is the most perfect reflection of the love of God Himself. It is the most gentle, the most tender, the most compassionate affection on earth. A mother’s heart is a divine creation. No one but God could have thought of motherhood. None but God could have given us mothers. So wonderful a creation is motherhood that God Himself determined to have a Mother. When He decided to send His Divine Son upon earth to save us, a Mother was chosen to minister to His needs. And Mary was this Mother. Of all mothers she is the tenderest, the most understanding, the gentlest, the most full of sympathy and compassion, the most motherly, and Mary was all this for her beloved Son. When she smiled on Him at Bethlehem her smile was a perfect mother’s smile; when she clasped her Child to her heart at Nazareth it was the perfect embrace of a Mother; when she stood beneath His Cross on Calvary her sacrifice was the perfect consummation of her motherly love. The relation of a mother and son, always sacred, reaches its summit in the highest perfection that can be conceived when Mary is Mother and Jesus is Son. The love of a mother is unlike all other love and the crown of the love of mothers is the love of Mary the Mother of Jesus.

“When you think of it, was it not a tremendous privilege for Our Lady to be the Mother of Jesus! For thirty years she lived side by side with Him. She alone of all the human race enjoyed with Him for all those thirty years that intimacy and familiarity which exist between a mother and a son. During those years she exercised all the functions and fulfilled all the duties of a mother. She was the witness of His smallest actions, she piously laid up each one of His words in her heart, she knew intimately each one of the sentiments which animated Him. And to His Mother Jesus paid a perfect tribute of submission, respect and love. Never was Mother so loved, never was Son so loving. Now it was in this close association with her Son that Mary learned to love mankind. It was with Jesus that she prepared to be the Mother of Men. For, besides being the Mother of Jesus, Mary is our Mother.” (Fr. Edward Leen, C.S.Sp.)

Father Leen zeroes in on what it means to call Mary our Mother. He's helping us get beyond those familiar titles we all know. You can find dozens in the Litany to our Blessed Mother. The Litany may be wonderful devotion, but I'm not sure it helps us to really understand Mary as Mother. 

First, she was Jesus' Mother. Father Leen gives us a picture of Mary smiling at Him, holding His Hand, standing by Him during His Passion and Death. He further reminds us that during the 30 years Jesus lived with her, she loved Him and knew Him as a Mother. 

With this deeper and down-to-earth understanding of Our Lady as Mother of Jesus during His life on earth - from birth to death - we can gain some deeper understanding of Mary as our Mother. Yes, just as she was a real Mother to Jesus, so she is - or wants to be - a real Mother to each of us. As she "knew intimately each one of the sentiments which animated Him," dare we hope that she knows us too so intimately? I suspect we can. Otherwise, why would the Church specifically teach us that she is, indeed, our Mother?

As we go about our business today at work, let's see if we can recollect ourselves from time to time and approach Our Lady as our Mother. And if perchance any of us should notice our mouths turn up with a smile, it's no wonder. How cool is it to have our Mother with us today at work!