Tuesday, January 31, 2012

There's Something About Mary

There are so many beautiful things about the Catholic Church that it feels silly to say, really, "The beautiful thing about the Catholic Church is....", but I'm going to say it anyway.  The beautiful thing about the Catholic Church is that she is for everyone.  Or rather, everyone is for her.

Do you have a bad a temper?  There's a saint for that.  Did you have a lot of money growing up?  Did you have no money growing up?  Do you like to engage in lengthy, potentially annoying (hey, let's face it) philosophical discussions?  Do you avoid lengthy, potentially annoying philosophical discussions and find the Lord in your small, daily tasks?  There's a saint for that and that and that and that and, yes, that.

For me, there's just something about Mary.  Not that I chose her, but that she chose me.  Or the Lord asked her to choose me.  And the fact that He chose her and then she chose me never fails to bring tears to my eyes.  Never fails to make me feel so tiny yet so important at the very same time.  When I hear her whisper to me, when I feel her pushing, ever so gently, into my heart, I want to say "Wait.  Let me clean up in here a bit.  It's a bit of a mess...you know, with the worries and the frustrations that I've let pile up in the corners.  Look, I'll just sweep them all away.  They're honestly not important."

I don't know how she does it, but she does.  And when I say to her "they're honestly not important", I mean it.  Because there's something about Mary that makes me be the kind of woman that I wish I was.  The kind of woman who doesn't let people's lack of critical thinking skills bother me.  The kind of woman who doesn't stew over the what-ifs and the can't you see what's going on here?s in the world.  The kind of woman who doesn't have to clean up her heart when Mary comes for a visit.

This morning, she called me early, before the sun was up.  I tiptoed to the dresser, hoping to find my rosary where I imagined it was, my fingers searching in the dark.  In the silence.  Not there.  Then I remembered that there's another one in the den.  I shuffled down the hall, wondering what she had in mind for me.  What am I going to learn today?  And sorry about the mess again, honest.

But the rosary in the den was gone, too.  Fine, I'll pray on my fingers.

The January sky is starting to turn pale now.  I sit on the sofa facing the picture window.  It's Tuesday- the sorrowful mysteries.

Oh.  Now I see.

Lord, help me truly repent for my sins, the very sins you died for but are still so hard to abandon.  Lord, give me moral courage so that even in the face of ridicule or disbelief I can "Yes, this is true.  This is right.  This is what is Good."  Help me to be patient in carrying out the duties of my vocation even though it can feel frustrating, or difficult, or, yes, painful.  Today I will carry my cross willingly.  And please help me if I don't.

Because there's something about Mary that makes me try and be the woman God knows I can be when His voice just isn't enough.



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26 comments :

  1. Love it. I could go on and on about the wonders of a Sacramental worldview, but I won't (you're welcome). What I will say, though, is how grateful I am that God gave us Our Lady, so those of us called to the vocation of marriage and motherhood can every day remember that we have a model in how to blend the duties of our worldly lives with the desire of our hearts to worship God.

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  2. Love! Sometimes I find myself wondering what kind of a mother she truly was. Was she a "gentle parent" kind of a mom? A, "Boy, I don't care if you are the Son of God you run outside and cut me a switch now" kind of mom?

    Whatever kind of mother she was, I don't think I will ever be able to match her in terms of amazing-ness. It's kind of saddening, but at least we can have fun in trying.

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  3. Hey D. Thanks. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. LD

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  4. I couldn't think of a better person to aspire to be like of go to for spiritual guidance and strength except for the "big guy" himself then Our Blessed Mother. And the Catholic Church, I agree! I was born and raised into the church and although I have visited other churches with friends on many occasions it is home for me both physically and spiritually.

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  5. She's truly the seat of wisdom, sedes sapientiae. Could not have made it through the first several grueling years of graduate school without her. Great post, Dwija.

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  6. Oh, Dwija, this is just beautiful! Thank you for sharing. I love "everyone is for her." So true!

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  7. For the longest time after coming into the Church, I would say that I believed what the Church taught about her. Period. But I've been questing instead of just accepting my reticence and now pray a special rosary. I can truly say that I finally love her, look up to her, and ask her to pray for my loved ones and me with all my heart. This post here is one for me to save, for savoring when needed. Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing!!

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  8. That's beautiful. Thank you for sharing! :)

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  9. I don't know why I am reminded of this picture after reading your wonderful post. But in my kitchen I have a painting of Mary hanging laundry out to dry while baby Jesus plays on the ground. It reminds me to do my motherly tasks with joy and peace as she did. Ave Maria!

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    1. Ooooh, I would love to see that picture! And maybe have a copy for myself. I see some internet research in my future :)

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  10. I find myself loving Mary more and more, especially as I grow in my motherhood. This was beautiful!

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  11. Dweej - A very beautiful post. I have a convert mother, and she fell in love with the Blessed Mother very early. She has had a special devotion to her all our lives, and has taught us to as well. When I was younger, it was sort of a compulsory thing. But as I grew up, became a mother, and then a mother of children with health problems, I have turned to her, begged her prayers, and felt her hands and prayers in my life. She is my very favorite saint, and my special intercessor. When my children have been ill(I have had three babies critically ill at birth), I have dreams of her running to her Son, and begging His help. And she is what pulled me up out of the darkness after the loss of our babies.
    Thank you for sharing such a beautiful post, and your love for Our Lady.

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  12. Thank you, Megan! I've been thinking about you a LOT as we prepare for our 20 week ultrasound on Thursday. You are in my heart and prayers.

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  13. Beautiful post. The image of Mary mentioned is called The Polish Madonna. You can find in at www.nelsongifts.com Go to classic catalog...Mary...about 3 or 4 pages in. They have them in plaques later in the catalog too I believe. We carry their product in our store. Great stuff.

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  14. Oh, and http://www.moscompany.com/catalogs/catalog.asp?prodid=1674105&showprevnext=1

    Thank you for your prayers, I still need them!Prayers for a happy, healthy baby!

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  15. The picture is absolutely precious. Jesus' tiny head looks just like my Paul's. Love it!

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  16. I'm not Catholic, although I did have 7 years of Catholic school. I've always felt particularly close to Mary. When I was pregnant with my daughter, her father swore he wanted nothing to do with us. He told everyone we had never been together. Coincidentally enough, I was due December 25th. I faced a lot of judgements as a single, pregnant 20 year old, and remembering how scared she must've been helped a lot. When I labored, bringing my nearly 10 pound baby into this world, I imagined what it must've been like for her, younger than I was, in a barn, without painkillers. I've been happily Baptist for over 15 years, but I miss the reverence for our blessed mother.

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    1. I draw especially close to her during pregnancy (now) and delivery (soon enough), too, Kristina. I'm so happy you were able to hold her hand during your time of trial.

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  17. Today I read your post, and reflected on my own views of Mary. She was a pretty amazing woman. Tonight, my daughter had to serve at mass so I went too and we did a prayer service before mass to the Lady of Perpetual Help. What a beautiful person to aspire to be like. We catholics are lucky to have this strong, loving woman as an important figure in our services.

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  18. Look what popped up in my newsfeed:
    https://www.facebook.com/notes/my-mother-mary/february-1st-evening/10150568514973675

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  19. Whenever I start to become anxious or pitiful myself I only have to look at the cross...and also remember who was standing beneath it. In that moment of Christ's unimaginable physical suffering, Mary joins her emotional suffering and together they show us what is truly means to Love. I cannot think about the crucifixion without thinking of her as well. Perhaps it's the mother in me.

    "Do not be afraid to love Mary too much, for you can never love her as much as Christ did."- JPII

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  20. I love how you say She chose you. I feel the same way. In fact, it was my relationship with Her that made me convert to Catholicism. I was raised Methodist, but my father side of the family were non-practicing Catholics. So it there was this part of me always pulling me to the Catholic church. It was Mary, for sure.

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  21. I'm a (very) lapsed Catholic but the Memorare remains one of the most soothing things I can recite to myself. When I was in labor with my youngest I repeated it over and over again in my head for awhile, because it was the only thing in my mind. I love it.

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    1. She is all I can think of when I'm in labor, too. What a blessing, isn't it?

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  22. I have this image hanging on my girls' bedroom wall: https://www.churchsupplywarehouse.com/images/products/Enlarge/358-2066_7_6_2010_10_49_32_AM.jpg
    It was a gift from my own mother when my oldest was small. I find myself just gazing at her and seeing all her virtues in her face -- all the things I want to be. Thank you for the beautiful meditation -- and reminder! See, this is what I love about reading things from converts -- it's a sad fact that familiarity often makes us take things for granted. It's good to see the beauties of our faith through fresh eyes.
    Have you ever read "The Beauty of Holiness and the Holiness of Beauty" by John Saward? I'm currently working my way through it. It's heady, but there are so many lovely meditations -- I think there's a whole chapter on Mary.

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