On MAry

What is my first encounter with Mother Mary?

Read: John 19:25-27

Jesus and Mary.  Son and Mother.  On the cross and by the cross.  Pierced by a lance and pierced by a sword.  Redeemer and Co-Redemptrix.  Both crushing the head of the serpent.  A dynamic duo.  A terrific tandem.  Our Lord and our Lady.

Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.  And through his earthly existence, Mary was there from beginning to end.  He gave her life and she gave him life.  She taught him and he taught her.  Jesus intercedes for us before the Father; Mary intercedes for us before the Son.

Jesus and Mary know our sorrows and our pain.  And Jesus has given us his most precious Mother to be our own.  “Then he said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother.’” (v.27a).  Just as we accepted Jesus into our hearts, so should we accept Mary into our homes.  “And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.” (v.27b).

Have you welcomed Mama Mary into your heart and into your home?

For discussion, answer the following questions:

1. Which characteristic of Mary has inspired me all this time?

2. What can I and my spouse do to have a more personal encounter with her?

October is Rosary month. Set a schedule in a day when you and your family can pray the rosary together, bringing into prayer your special intentions as a family, those of our community, our country, and the whole world. To know more about the origins of the Holy Rosary, you can read this article: “The Origins of the Rosary” https://www.franciscanmedia.org/franciscan-spirit-blog/the-origins-of-the-rosary