Friday, July 3, 2015

Mary, My Mother. By: Jen

I am blessed to have spent some time with today`s guest blogger Jen (co-founder of Not Alone Series) While she was in Boston for an interview with CatholicTV . You`ll find More about our adventure together here...also more on Jen and where to find her below. 
I always thought that to be a "good" Catholic, you had to have a really good relationship with the Blessed Mother.

Don't get me wrong... I love Mama Mary. She is amazing. She is beautiful. I look up to her.
Yet, I am not sure I would ever say I was particularly close to her. At my young adult group a while ago, we were talking about the different Marian apparitions. So many people were sharing story after story about what Mary has done in their lives. How praying the Rosary changed them. How much closer they are with Jesus because of Mary.
I was just sitting there all.... silent. And in awe.
I don't have some profound and amazing story about how Mary radically changed my life.
And you know what? It's ok.
Want to know what I realized? do have a relationship with her.
When someone asks for an urgent prayer, who do I turn to? Mary
If someone is in need of any prayer, who do I turn to? Mary
When I am worried, scared, frustrated, upset, etc, who do I turn to? Mary
When I have a long car trip, who do I turn to? Mary, in the Rosary.
Where have I had some profound spiritual experiences? Visiting Lourdes, France (Marian apparition seen by St. Bernadette); the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception (Washington, DC)
What do I love collecting the most?! Rosaries. From around the world.
How do I wrap up my prayer time? With a Hail Mary. Always.
And who do I look up to when I am feeling a little restless in what God is calling me to? Mary. Her fiat is a beautiful example to all of us. Just as Mary said YES (even though she was unsure) to the Angel Gabriel, her life was changed radically. We are all called to say YES to God in the same way.
Our YES is to live a life according to Him.
Our YES is serving all those we know and meet in love.
Our YES is to love Him with all our strength and all our mind and all our heart.
Mary has taught us that. Mary has taught me that.
If you are like me and don't have some totally amazing AWESOME story to tell about Mary, don't worry. You still have one. It's your story, and it's perfect. That's what's beautiful about Mary, she loves us and prays for us and leads us closer to Jesus in such unique and beautiful ways. In the quiet moments. In the crazy. In the surreal.
Just like any wonderful, loving, joyful Mama would do.
Holy Mother, pray for us!
Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us!
Jen is a nurse, sometimes blogger, sometimes runner, lover of blue skies and the color orange, who seeks the Lord's will in all she does. Coffee is the way to her heart. Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

5 comments:

  1. I think I feel similarly. When I was younger I felt better just praying to God directly, and for a while I didn't FEEL close to the Blessed Virgin -- nothing close to the radical devotion chronicled in the lives of the saints-type books.

    I think a lot of that absence was carry-over from friction between me and my [biological] mom. She is a very good woman, of course, but it makes me think about the extra obstacles some folks might have with Christianity if their relationships with their parents are on especially rocky ground.

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    1. Thanks, Elizabeth!!

      And you bring up a good point about our Earthly relationships influencing (in both good and bad ways) the way we approach and see our relationship with God, and His mother. It's hard to fathom God loving us so perfectly when we have/had issues with our own parents, and they may have not shown love in great ways.

      But, of course, God IS perfect, God IS love... and we can't go wrong with that. We have to continue to be open to that love, because it will change your life. :) :)

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  3. Oooooh man... I am having some technical difficulties with the commenting. :) Oops!

    Ha! Anyway, thank you SO much for having me, Catherine!!! It was great for me to reflect on the relationship that I DO have with our Mother. One that I didn't really know was there for a long time!

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  4. All these fiats make me love this post and this blog title!!

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