Our Mother Mary

When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple he loved standing nearby, he said to her, ”Woman, here is your son” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother”. (Jn. 19:26-27a)

In one of the greatest gifts to Man by an intensely loving God, Our Lord Jesus uses some of His final words, painful as it was to do because by this time even breathing was difficult, to do two things; first, to request that the beloved disciple care for His Mother in her grief, and, most important, to share Our Lady with his disciple and, indeed, with all of us.

The month of May is one of the most important in our Catholic calendar, for it is the month that we remember in a special way Our Blessed Mother. As Our Lady of Good Counsel is the patron of all members of the Council of Catholic Women, it is a very special month for us as well.

Those that have read my council writings know that Our Lady has a special place in our daily lives. If we have been blessed with the awesome task of motherhood, she can be a special counselor in all of our decisions concerning the welfare of our children, if only we ask her. Do we ask her the questions that will gain us the special insight into the lives of the special people entrusted to us, or are we intent on the “smarts” we believe we have to raise the young that God has entrusted to us all on our own? I truly believe that, if we turn to Our Lady with our challenges and concerns as well as our joys, we will find that she truly understands our difficulties (remember she does have the experience of frantically seeking twelve-year-old Jesus in Jerusalem!)and is more than willing to guide us.

If the young people we are entrusted with have special challenges, who better to turn to than the one that had with perfect faith raised the Savior of the World? There were many things that Mary “pondered in her heart” (see Lk. 2:33, for one example); I am not sure she understood it all, but, again, she did believe that God had a special place for him. I believe that, if we turn to her and say “If anyone knows how to raise a special-needs child, it is you; please help me now, for I don’t have any idea what to do” that she will pour out her special graces. I know she can do it; I’ve been there myself.

It is fitting that we celebrate a day dedicated to mothers in this month. If yours is still living, give her a special hug and share your joys and sorrows with her if you can. If she is not, you may have a special angel in heaven with which to do the same; perhaps a special “call” to her with a joy or a need to send to the Lord or Our Lady.

I close with our Prayer to our Lady of Good Counsel:

God of Heavenly Wisdom, you have given us Mary, Mother of Jesus to be our guide and counselor. Grant that we may always seek her motherly help in this life and so enjoy her Blessed Presence in the life to come. O Mother of Good Counsel, patroness of the National Council of Catholic Women, intercede for us, that we may be wise, courageous, and loving leaders of our church. Help us, dear Mother, to know the mind of Jesus, your Son. May the Holy Spirit fill us with reverence for God’s creation and compassion for all God’s children. May our labors of love on earth enhance the reign of God and may God’s gifts of faith and living hope prepare us for the fullness of the world to come. Amen