On the Nativity of Mary, Thank You, Mary, for Mothering Me

Please enjoy this excerpt from Mother Mary, Mother Me Devotional Journal. If you would like a free download, just click HERE. 

“Before we are born, our mothers are our entire world; they enfold, nourish, and protect us. When we are born they continue to care for us, by comforting, nursing, and teaching us as we grow. Mothers do not stop being mothers just because we are grown. Our mother will always be our mother. So it is with our Blessed Mother, the Virgin Mary. She will always be Jesus’ Mother, and she will always be our Mother with Jesus our brother. And if, for whatever reason, our own birth mother is not quite all we would like her to be, our Blessed Mother stands ready, arms open to take us in. As our Mother, she will continue to nourish, protect, comfort, and teach us as we grow” (“The Feast of the Nativity of Mary September 08, 2019,” 2019).

PERSONAL STORY

I am often amazed at the depth of God’s love. He has surrounded us with those who love us as family. He has placed in the heart of every person a cry to be loved - purely and unconditionally. That is the love ideally shown to a child by the care of its mother.

It was from the cross that Jesus offered His mother to every one of us. Just as John the disciple took Mary into his home, we too are asked to do the same. When we do this, we are blessed with a loving mother who will love us purely and unconditionally, all the while asking us to trust her guidance. If we follow her direction, that love will point us to her Son, Jesus.

I lost my own mother when I had just given birth to my first child. She was taken from me much too early. I not only lost my source of wisdom and direction, but also the never-failing source of unconditional love and support which she constantly poured upon me. I felt abandoned and honestly lost.

I came to realize that my mom truly had a very deep devotion to Mary. She listened to Mother Mary’s direction. She prayed the rosary, went to Mass and confession, always chose to love others
no matter what, and trusted beyond reason in Mary’s Son, Jesus. It was amazing to see the resultant joy my mom had inside, despite the many struggles she went through in her own life. My mom showed me by her life that Mary and Jesus could be trusted and were a true source of joy, despite what life could and would throw at you.

I eventually realized I needed to turn to Mary as my own mother. It was to her I went for guidance. I trusted her as I did my own mother and came to understand that she did love me as my own mother had – even more! – and that I really should follow her direction. While it did not happen overnight, I began to pray

the rosary, go to Mass and confession, read the Bible, and try to choose to love no matter what. The result has been an incredible, ever-growing love for her Son, Jesus. Mother Mary, in her guidance, pointed me to her Son. And now, all I want to do is to point my children to Jesus as well. That is the truest form of love a mother can provide: to point their children to Jesus and to heaven.

I often ponder how Mary would devote all her daily care and concern to her Child, Jesus. He was her focus. He was everything to her. She thought of Him and cared for Him every moment of the day.

Through this pondering, I have realized – this is the love of a true mother! To focus on Jesus and to show her own children how to live a life with Jesus at the center.... that is what my mother did for me. That is what I hope to do for my own children.

Mary received all of us as her children at the foot of the cross. She has therefore turned her attention from the nurturing and caring for her Son, Jesus to our nurturing, to our care. We are her children – the body of Christ. Under Mary’s motherly care, we are formed into another Christ. Devotion to Mother Mary and following her instruction can only lead us more perfectly to her Son and to heaven.

Thank you, Mary, for mothering me.

CLOSING PRAYER

Mother Mary, may I truly see you as my mother, who loves me with
the depth and concern that only a mother can. Mary, I know you are always holding me close in your heart and in your prayers, and that your thoughts are only for my joy and fulfillment. What a blessing I have in such a mother! Lead me always closer to your Son and show me the way to true discipleship. Amen

MOTHER MARY, MOVE ME

Ask God for the grace to stay focused on Jesus as Mary was, so that you may become another perfect disciple of Christ. Allow her to show you the way to her Son!

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.

Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

(excerpt from Mother Mary, Mother Me Devotional Journal)