"Do not be
distressed, my littlest son. Am I not here with you who am your Mother?
Are you not under my shadow and protection?” These are the words that the
Blessed Mother spoke to St. Juan Diego so many years ago. Such comforting
words! I find comfort in these words, too, because she has been a mother to me
all along. I just didn’t have the eyes to see.
Most of my life Mary and I
weren’t really in contact. She was like a very kind neighbor who lived
down the street. One whom you would exchange smiles with and occasionally talk
to, but one you really didn’t know. I heard great things about her though I
just didn’t understand her. I respected her
and was thankful for her role in bringing Jesus to us; however, that’s where
the connection stopped. I saw her as pure, perfect, beautiful; not
characteristics that I would give myself. And, I wasn’t a mother, so I just
couldn’t see how I could relate to her. I said the Rosary occasionally but
didn’t really get anything out of it. So, she and I remained distant.
Then, one day, it started…the process of getting to know the
Blessed Mother. It was definitely a process, at times slow…at other times
intense, but she definitely placed herself in my life and wasn’t going
anywhere. Our first ‘encounter’ was 3.5
years ago in the Miraculous Medal Chapel in Paris. During the couple hours
there, I had a growing sense of wanting to know this mysterious, exceptional
woman who poured out graces and lead people to her Son. There weren’t
fireworks, just an awe and wonderful curiosity. I bought a bag of Miraculous
Medals, had them blessed, and handed them out to a lot of people. It was just
something I felt drawn to do. No doubt, something happened that day; I received
graces sitting in that Chapel. (
These graces continued to pour into my life. Within a month, a
new friend came across my path that loved the Blessed Mother in a deeply
personal way, like his own mother. Through
his powerful conversion and the delight that he had in speaking about her, I
got the opportunity to get to know her as a person. She became real to me, and
I wanted to know her more, get to know her as my mother, and what that meant
for my life. Later, that same friend, explained Marian Consecration to me.
It’s a way to give yourself over to Mary, in the way that Jesus gave Himself to
her in order for her to bring you closer to Jesus. It was strange, beautiful,
yet intriguing.
(
Not completely certain of what I was getting myself into, I
went through with the 33 days of prayer. I found that the journey was very
Christ-centered and learned about how Mary protects and strengthens those who
are consecrated to her. It was intense, but through it, I was able to see what
I had allowed into my life that was getting in the way of living in freedom
with Christ. I also felt Mary’s presence. Kind of different, I know, but I also
know that I was not alone. It was because of her presence that I grew in
courage to allow God to do what He wanted to do. Also of note was how I came to know Mary as encourager,
intercessor, companion, and confidant…as a mother figure. Mary knows the
concerns, fears, and issues we face being human. Like in the Scripture verses
about the Wedding at Cana, Mary sees our need and responds by stepping in and
bringing them to Jesus. Then, she instructs us as the waiters, “Do as He
tells you.” I could see why she was so important to my friend, to so many
Saints… and to Jesus!
Since then, I’ve renewed my consecration twice and have been
transformed more each time. I have
learned to grow in wisdom and see myself as a daughter to a Loving Father, and
I’ve been given the tools to continue the journey growing in purity, humility
and obedience…like Mary…all for God. It’s kind of like going through the
Joyful Mysteries with her each time…receiving the Holy Spirit, allowing Him to
grow within us in a daily Visitation in bringing Him to others, and then
bringing Jesus about more, giving birth with her continually, if you will.
She who taught Jesus gentleness, strength, and the supportive,
receptive nature of the feminine in humanity, has been given to us to teach us the same so that we can be Marian and bring
Christ to a world that is starving for nourishment from so loving a mother.
What a Gift indeed!
