Therefore, following the example of the saints, and of Jesus Himself, our love for Mary needs to be generous, trusting, and most especially sincere. How you love Mary, similar to how you love Jesus, and how you express your love for her is going to be and look different than how I or someone else expresses their love for her. I express my love for Mary in two ways. These are not the only ways I express my love for her, but they are the foundation for my Marian life.
First, is the rosary. The rosary is without a doubt my favorite prayer. Each day I usually pray, or at least try, all 20 mysteries of the rosary. I do this not because I feel like I must, but because I want to. The rosary is for me a deeply contemplative prayer. When I pray the rosary, I feel like I’m gazing upon, listening to, and speaking to Jesus, with Mary at my side. Hence, by praying the rosary I am allowing Mary to be my mother by leading me and teaching me about her son. In the rosary, and hopefully, in the rest of my life, I place myself in her hands and allow her to form me and mold me into the image of her son. This very attitude, of allowing Mary to be my mother gives her great delight since there is nothing else she desires more than giving Jesus to each one of us.
Second, is what is sometimes referred to as “Practicing the Presence of Mary,” which simply means speaking with her throughout the day, thinking of her, and sharing everything of my heart and my day with her. Many years ago, when I lived as a hermit for a period of time, I purposedly placed a picture of Mary in every single room of the hermitage. Whether I was in the chapel, the kitchen, or my bedroom, there was Mary. The reason I did this was so that no matter what I was doing I would see her, be reminded of her motherly concern and love for me, and be led to speak with her from my heart.
By sharing these two pillars of my own Marian life, I do not mean to imply that these are the only ways one can express their love for Mary. They are, I believe, two very solid ways of establishing a relationship with Mary, however, other people are going to be moved in other ways to express their love for Mary. What is most important is that you love her, and what will be most helpful to you is finding the way in which you, with all your uniqueness and individuality, can love her best. Just as there are no identical twins in the spiritual life and in relationship with God, so too there are no identical twins regarding one’s relationship with Mary.
It should come as no surprise that when someone confides in me various sufferings or trials they are experiencing whether in prayer, family life, at work, or in their church, I always direct them to Mary. Specifically, I ask them, Have you invited Mary into these problems and difficulties? Are you asking her to help you, to teach you, and to form you in these difficulties? Often our prayers to Mary can consist of merely asking her to take away our problems, which if that is the will of God, then of course we would not object! However, more importantly, we must invite Mary into our trials and ask her to teach us how to respond to them in a godly way. In other words, we want her, and I would add, that we need her, to teach us how to live the gospel in our real lives, amidst our real problems and difficulties.
St. Bernard beautifully affirms this when he writes, “When you follow Mary you will not go astray; when you pray to her, you will not despair; when your mind is on her, you will not wander; when she holds you up, you will not fall; when she protects you, you will have no fear; when she guides you, you will feel no fatigue; when she is on your side, you will arrive safely home.”
The presence of Mary will then strengthen us, console us, and encourage us to keep moving forward and to embrace whatever cross God may choose to give us. Her presence enables us to see our crosses for what they really are: a means of sanctification for ourselves, and even for the whole world. From my own experience, I can humbly say, I cannot do this without Mary, and I’m inclined to think that neither can you.
_________________________________________________
Image: Depositphotos