Solemnity of Mary, "Fair as the moon, bright as the sun, terrible as an army set in battle array."

My husband and I began this first day of the new year at Mass celebrating the Solemnity of Mary, her divine Motherhood. I thought I'd end the day thanking her and asking for her intercession to end the blasphemies and sacrileges against all things holy in our darkening culture.

Larry and I are Legion of Mary auxiliaries. Every day we pray the rosary together and the pamphlet of prayers. One of my favorites is about Mary:

"Who is she that comes forth as the morning rising, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, terrible as an army set in battle array."

Mary is no weakling to be described by that innocuous adjective "nice." She is the Queen of Heaven and our twelve star general as Fr. Norman Weslin always says. If we pray, ponder things in our hearts, and follow her into the daily battle of the Church Militant, we can claim the victory in her name no matter what happens.

O Mary, Mother of the Savior, pray for us.

Mother Mary, warrior Queen, with our patron, St. Jeanne d'Arc