January 1 - Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God

Behold your mother

Early 12th Century Fresco
Bet Maryam, St Mary's Church
Lalibela, Ethiopia

If You Want 2013 to be Truly Blessed...

...put your hand in Mary's. She will lead you straight to Jesus. On this feast of the Somenity of Mary, make yourself her "slave" as she made herself the slavegirl of God. She does not compete with Christ, she does what the Scripture says and "magnifies the Lord." Love and honor Mary and your relationship with Jesus Christ will grow like a fertilized flower. The commandment to honor her comes straight from the Bible. Can anyone think that Jesus didn't keep God's law to "Honor your father and your mother" better than any creature on earth. Mary is the shortcut to heaven. If you love and honor her, you will grow closer to her Son. Guaranteed!

O Mary, conceived without sin, 
pray for us who have recourse to thee.

Happy New Year!

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