Month of Mary
Early Saturday morning, thousands of pilgrims walked from the National Shrine of St. Joseph at St. Norbert College to the Shrine of Our Lady of Champion. A group of Resurrection Parishioners, including Fr Tom, made the 21-mile trek. With them, prayer intentions from our parish family were prayed over and brought to Mary.
Five miles into the walk, volunteers from Whatsoever You (who happen to also be Resurrection parishioners) handed out information about the outreach organization and bananas. The look of gratitude upon the faces of the pilgrims was priceless as they were presented with a simple piece of fruit and information to programs that serve some of the most marginalized people in our community. It was just what they needed at that point in time. They were provided with nourishment for their stomachs & muscles and hearts & spirits.
This was a beautiful way to honor Mary and begin the month of May - the Month of Mary. As our Spiritual Mother, Mary is always there for us and ready to help us. She sets the example of love and faithfulness. All mothers, whether spiritual, natural, or adoptive, are given by God to nurture, feed, teach, guide, and protect their children.
Sarah Damm of Blessed is She website shares six ways your Church of the Home can Honor Mary:
1. Pray
The prayer we associate the most with Mary is the Hail Mary. And the prayer with a series of Hail Marys, which Mary gave to St. Dominic, is the Rosary. When we pray the Rosary, we meditate on the life of Jesus, and while we do so, we ask Mary to intercede for us.
The Rosary is a powerful and beautiful devotion. But as we develop the habit of praying the Rosary everyday, it can feel overwhelming. The good news is that we can start small and grow from there. To begin, pray one decade of the Rosary each day for five days, so by the end of the week, you will have prayed an entire Rosary.
Another way to ask Mary for her prayers and intercession is by simply incorporating the Hail Mary, Memorare, or another Marian prayer into our daily prayer routine.
2. Ponder
One way to grow in relationship with Mary is by pondering her presence in Scripture. While she does not say much, what she says (and does) is powerful.
Below is a simple Marian lectio divina. Some passages will be familiar, as they are also mysteries of the Rosary.
After reading a Bible verse, consider what it means to you. What can you learn from Mary? How can you emulate her words and actions in your own life?
· The Annunciation: Luke 1:26-38
· The Visitation: Luke 1:39-56
· The Nativity of Our Lord: Luke 2:1-20
· The Presentation: Luke 2:22-38
· The Losing and Finding Jesus in the Temple: Luke 2:41-52
· The Wedding at Cana: John 2: 1-12
· The Crucifixion: John 19:26-27
· The Early Church: Acts 1:14
3. Read
Another way to get to know Mary is by reading a good book about her. This will help you grow in relationship with her, and it will equip you to share the truth about Mary with others. Here are a few wonderful books about Mary.
And if you want the children in your life to know Mary from an early age, Take It To the Queen: A Tale of Hope by Josephine Nobisso is a beautiful children’s book about her.
4. Decorate
If you do not have one already, begin shopping for a beautiful statue or image of the Blessed Mother. (For the one in our picture above or different beautiful images of Our Lady, check out Paper Monastery.) Once you find one that you like, display it prominently in your home.
During May (the month of Mary) and October (the month of the Rosary), it is customary to create a special place in your home to honor Our Lady. A Mary altar can be simple but beautiful atop a fireplace mantle or bookshelf. It can include a statue, framed holy card, Rosary, and candles. Get the kids involved by inviting them to make little bouquets of flowers to place on the Mary altar. During these months, take time to pray here, adding special Marian prayers to your repertoire.
5. Plant
Mary gardens have been part of Catholic culture for a long time. They can be elaborate or simple, depending on your gardening skills.
A Mary garden includes specific flowers named after Our Lady. Typically, a Mary garden also includes a statue of her.
If you do not have a yard, create a Mary garden by planting flowers in large pots. Then, simply tuck a small statue or holy card of Our Blessed Mother among the flowers.
Here are some traditional Marian flowers:
· Bleeding Heart: Mary’s Heart
· Daffodil: Mary’s Star
· Ferns: Mary’s Hair
· Geraniums: Lady Beautiful
· Hostas: Assumption Lily
· Impatiens: Mother’s Love
· Marigold: Mary’s Gold
· Pansies: Our Lady’s Delight
· Tulips: Mary’s Prayer
6. Celebrate
Within our Catholic tradition, there are many Marian feast days. Find a few that are meaningful to you. Write them on your calendar, and plan something special for those days. Some ideas include:
· Decorating cupcakes for Our Lady’s birthday (September 8th)
· Making white hot chocolate for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception (December 8th)
· Enjoying a Mexican dinner on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (December 12th)
Of course, Marian feast day celebrations do not have to include food. Other ideas include:
· Making an act of consecration to Jesus through Mary. This is a 33-day process that ends on a Marian feast day.
· Creating something in honor of Mary, such as a prayer shawl, watercolor painting, or hand-lettered quote. Incorporate it into your home’s decor, or give it away to someone special.
· Sing Marian hymns.
What are some of your favorite ways to honor Mary in and around your home?
Join us for Mass this weekend in person at 4:00 PM on Saturday, 8:30 or 10:30 AM on Sunday, on www.gbres.org/live, our YouTube channel, and our Facebook page.
READINGS FOR THIS WEEKEND’S MASSES
VIRTUALLY SUNDAY REFLECTION
When presented with a problem or situation, we should follow the Apostles' example and call upon the gifts of others. They went beyond themselves to find solutions through the suggestions and ideas of the whole community. We can't do everything alone and must rely on the gifts of others to help make our communities stronger.
Join Sr. Marla as she reflects on this weekend's scripture readings.
Families
This Weekend's Bulletin
(click to read)
Newest Member of our Family in Faith
The Journeying To Emmaus With Real Presence Listening Process
We are on a journey as a parish community throughout the Easter Season, listening to the hopes and dreams of every parishioner.
Take a moment to share your thoughts through a short survey and/or a SWOT method that identifies the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats that are present in our parish community at this time.
Thank you for being on the journey!
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