I have never been to Fatima but I pray, someday, we’ll go there.
The Fatima story inspires me.
When I think of Mary, the queen of saints, I think of her incredible humility. It’s a bit daunting to consider and ironically my pride gets in the way. It’s as if I can’t grasp her virtues and so I simply do not try. It is much easier to focus on myself and my little accomplishments.
Though that in itself is fairly humbling.
I have made the consecration to Mary many times over and yet I am nowhere near where I would like to be in my relationship her. She is my mother. What’s the problem? Perhaps you could help me out here—share a story or two in your own relationship with Mary, share your aspirations, share your failings.
I am here to listen and to learn and above all, to keep trying.
The Fatima story inspires me.
I know that Mary has blessed our family with countless miracles and endless intercession. She has smiled on us in many ways. Perhaps my inability to know her—to really know and love and honor her as she deserves—stems from the devil. He likes my blindness and my indifference. He likes my lukewarmness and my pride.
Most of all, he knows full well her power and he would rather I do not.
Today I am going to call on Mary. More than ever, I am going to call on Mary. I will set my timer if need be to remind me to call on Mary! Just like my son once did.
It was his birthday—the Feast of the Assumption—and Joe was a little boy, maybe three. My best friend, Sarah, (also his godmother) had come to visit, and after a cup of tea at the table that evening, I bid her goodnight and went to bed.
Sarah, however, is a night owl. She was just getting started! At some point her reading and writing was interrupted; she heard her godson start to cry.
“Mommy!” he called out, and she got up to go to him. Halfway up the stairs she paused, because she heard a voice comforting her godson. She heard his name being repeated—and it was as consoling to her as it was my son. Sarah went back downstairs.
The next morning she asked me if Joe had had a bad dream or perhaps a bit too much cake. What in the world was she talking about? I wondered. I was confused. I hadn’t gone to him.
Who did, do you think?
The Fatima story inspires me. Today, more than ever, I am going to call on Mary.
Ad Jesum per Mariam,
Hi Margaret! I read your blog every day and you inspire me!!! You are so honest and real and that is why I keep coming back. thank you!!!(I( am also a homeschooling mom of 5 expecting #6 in Sept. and oldest is 7 1/2!-yikes- i know!)
I am with you with where my relationship is why Mary, as well as how much I want to make it better.
One thing I have to say is that I have noticed and realized that it is my human relationship with my own earthly mother that is a little edge-y and that is why I find it difficult to get into a deep relationship with Mary.
God, as our Father, so easy for me b/c of my relationship with my earthly father.
I would recommend (if you want!!) if you look into your own relationship with you mother on earth- the good and the ugly and see if there is any coorelation with our Heavenly Mother Mary. Then, as I try to do… find Mary as the ultimate MOther who cares for me, loves me, is what I desire my mother to be-what I deserve as a child- all that I can recieve from her! This is a work in progress.
God bless you and your family.
Beautiful story Margaret! Goosebumps on my arms and it’s not from the AC!
I love the story of Fatima and like you I want to find that better relationship with Mary.
Earlier this morning I bought my first statuary … Our Lady of Fatima with children (how funny). I could have picked from many others, but I kept coming back to the Fatima one.
Goosebumps here too. Praying for your continued devotion to Our Mother. I’m on the road with you, so at least you have some company.
Wow, what a great story. I have been trying for awhile now to develop a better relationship with Mary. I think that momdabomb is right about the relationship with our mothers on Earth – mine is not what I would like it to be. I keep working on that relationship, and keep approaching Mary.
When I was in the hospital after giving birth to Penelope, I prayed for help. I’d been awake since the wee hours of the morn, with no rest even after the delivery. It was midnight and the baby was fussy and the nurse had just walked in to give me medicine I did not need and disrupted us…again. I was done in, and so I prayed. I prayed for Mary, my mother, to come and help me with the baby for a little while, just an hour or two, so I could rest. Before I was even done asking, Penelope was sleeping quietly and I drifted off, too. She gave me six whole hours, much more than I’d asked for, and Penelope has almost always slept through the night since, my first baby to do so! Not only that, but she’s always, from the very start, been particularly drawn to the Marian statues about the house, and she always holds them and carries them very gently, which can’t be said for most other things. 🙂
She has power, and she does indeed come to our aid when we ask her, but I am not anywhere near as close to her as I ought to be, either. It’s my fault, not hers.
I actually hold Mary’s parents close to my heart. In my prayers on July 26th, after many months of trying for a baby, I asked Mary’s parents for a blessing. To be blessed with a daughter. 9mo later she was born.
Mary loves us so much. I feel her love more. I read somewhere that it is she that holds back the hand of God sometimes.
I just cannot wait to see her someday. The visionaries say she is just so beautiful.
I have not posted before, but have been reading your blog for a couple months. I agree with the girl who posted first today, you are inspiring because of your honesty & humor. I feel blessed to come here every morning!
I, too, would love to be closer to Mary, but I think that my Protestant upbringing prevents me. I went to a very fundamental church with a friend of mine in HS, & was even told the Catholic church was a cult who followed Mary. My husband (cradle Catholic) bought me a Mary statue for Mother’s Day. It is the Mary from Fatima. I had to laugh this morning when I saw your topic, because I was a little disappointed in the statue. I had asked for one for Mother’s Day, but had something different in mind. Boy, maybe I need to quit being such a baby, huh? What a beautiful story. It was EXACTLY what I wanted, but I didn’t know it until this morning. Thank You!!!
[491] All goodness, all beauty, all majesty, all loveliness, all grace adorn our Mother. Doesn’t it make you fall in love, to have a Mother like that?
[504] Love is a sacrifice; and sacrifice for Love’s sake is a joy.
[409] The best spirit of sacrifice is to persevere in the work you have begun, both when you find it exciting and when it proves an uphill struggle.
The Forge – Josemaria Escriva
You are a blessing!
Hi Margaret,
Thank you for sharing your blogging ‘ministry’ with me. For most of my life, I did not appreciate the gift of the Blessed Mother. Not until I had my first child did I truly discover my helplessness and my NEED for Her. My relationship with Her is not based on emotion. I do not “feel” close to Her, but (with God’s grace) trust in Her assistance and presence.
I was very blessed (rescued, in fact) to come across the spirituality of “communion of life with Christ through Mary” right after I had my first son. It is very different from Marian devotion, as it entails truly living in communion with Her as She leads me to Her Son. Of course She is by no means offended if I go to God directly. But it is in discovering my weaknesses that I discover that I need assistance in my journey to the Father. So as I try to grow in humility, standing in truth about my weakness, I can make room for Her to truly live in me, with me, for me. I beg Her to do everything WITH me (which is much more than trying to imitate Her, because I know now that I am too weak to do even that).
The goal is to remain in Her arms, always. Beg Her to be my humility, my patience, my contrition. I ask Her to adore Her Son, to receive Her Son in Eucharist with me, as only She knows how to properly await Him, honor Him, embrace Him.
Anyway, the In the Arms of Mary Foundation publishes books along these lines (the best is the Gift of Faith by Fr. Tadeusz Dajczer). Another book entitled “In the Arms of Mary” by S.C. Biela really helped me to see the difference between imitating vs. living in communion with Christ through Mary. Jesus knew at some point in our spiritual life that we would need His mother, usually at the point when we realize we can no longer rely on ourself(which is why on the cross Jesus told John: “Behold your Mother” — at a time when John’s faith was crushed because he did not understand why his beloved friend and Lord was being crucified). I believe all (or most anyway) of the saints had come to the point of their journey when they embraced Mary as their mother and instrument of grace.
Living in true communion with Her will take my entire life, but I thank God for His patience with this process and for those loving arms She provides for me.
Annette
Wow, what a beautiful story! Thank you for sharing it with us!
Hi Margaret,
Have you ever read “Imitation of Mary?” I’m not sure who the author is because the book is in my room and the baby is sleeping in there. 🙂 It is along the lines of the “Imitation of Christ.” I really liked it, but I noticed while I was reading it that I was obsessing with thoughts about Mary such as, “She only had one child and He was perfect.” I think it was the devil instigating a lot of that. I keep meaning to read it again.
Janet
Thomas A Kempis wrote Imitation of Mary. It’s a lovely book!!
Hi Margaret!! Wow! Lots of new commenters out there today!! Welcome to my favorite blog!
Margaret! I love that story…amazing. I’ve had babies, both my own and daycare children who, while I am praying the rosary, will look into mid-air and smile as if smiling at Our Lady.
I do not have a good relationship with my mother, never have, really. Yet, I have a close relationship with Mary. I feel as she is always with me. I think you are doing the right thing, praying, asking for help. God will answer you.
How do we learn to pray? By praying. I think the same with our Blessed Mother, how do we get to know her? We pray.
You know very well M.M. that ther is not coincidence but Providence.
Yesterday I posted in Familia en construcción about the same subject.
Conclusion: St. Marcus 9, 42
j.a.varela