Saturday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time
“For greater things you were born.” (Ven. Mother Luisita)
SATURDAY, Jan. 30th Mk. 4: 35-41 “He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ The wind ceased and there was great calm.”
- Jesus calms the storm and the apostles are in awe! They are the nascent Church – the Church being formed. Mary is the “exemplary realization” of the Church.
- CCC 967: By her complete adherence to the Father’s will, to his Son’s redemptive work, and to every prompting of the Holy Spirit, the Virgin Mary is the Church’s model of faith and charity. Thus she is a “preeminent and . . . wholly unique member of the Church”; indeed, she is the “exemplary realization” (typus) of the Church.
- CCC 968: Her role in relation to the Church and to all humanity goes still further. “In a wholly singular way she cooperated by her obedience, faith, hope, and burning charity in the Savior’s work of restoring supernatural life to souls. For this reason she is a mother to us in the order of grace.”
Part 1: CALL UPON MARY by Saint Bernard
Part 2: TEN WAYS WE CAN LOVE MOTHER MARY! By Fr. Ed Broom, OMV
PART 1: CALL UPON MARY by Saint Bernard
All of you, who see yourselves amid the tides of the world, tossed by storms and tempests rather than walking on the land, do not turn your eyes away from this shining star, unless you want to be overwhelmed by the hurricane. If temptation storms, or you fall upon the rocks of tribulation, look to the star: Call upon Mary!
If you are tossed by the waves of pride or ambition, detraction or envy, look to the star, call upon Mary. If anger or avarice or the desires of the flesh dash against the ship of your soul, turn your eyes to Mary. If troubled by the enormity of your crimes, ashamed of your guilty conscience, terrified by dread of the judgment, you begin to sink into the gulf of sadness or the abyss of despair, think of Mary.
In dangers, in anguish, in doubt, think of Mary, call upon Mary. Let her name be ever on your lips, ever in your heart; and the better to obtain the help of her prayers, imitate the example of her life. Following her, you do not stray; invoking her, you do not despair; thinking of her, you do not wander; upheld by her, you do not fall; shielded by her, you do not fear; guided by her, you do not grow weary; favored by her, you reach the goal. And thus will you experience in yourself how good this saying is: “And the Virgin’s name was Mary.”
PART 2: TEN WAYS WE CAN LOVE MOTHER MARY! By Fr. Ed Broom, OMV
We often discuss who might be the best athletes, the best artists, the best writers, the best musicians; also, it must be said, there are the best of mothers. By far—and in a class by herself—the Blessed Virgin Mary was, is and always will be the best of all mothers.
This being said, mothers should recognize the fact that Mary is the best of all mothers and contemplate Mary’s words, actions, gestures, looks, intentions and life so as to become better mothers.
For our great consolation, Mary is the Mother of God, she is the Mother of the Church, but also, Mary is our dearest Mother! Let us try to please and imitate Mary our Mother and as a consequence, the many mothers in the world will make huge strides in becoming better mothers all the days of their lives!
Below we will present ten different ways that we can show Mary, our Mother, our great love for her, and without a doubt, through her most powerful intercession, she will attain for us the most choice graces to help us become the saints that we are called to be, and many of us as mothers.
1. Talk to Her… We want to get in the habit of talking to Mary, our dearest Mother, very often. Confide in her, speak to her from your heart, love her and entrust all of your life to her. This is most pleasing to her, as well as to her Son Jesus, the Son of God and the Son of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Mary is your Model, your Guide, your Friend and your dearest of Mothers. She loves you so much and desires to have frequent conversations with you! Mary is your Mother, but she is also your friend and confidant. Good friends think about each other and talk frequently! Why not start today!
2. Start Your Day with Mary… Upon waking every morning, your first action should be that of prayer, and what prayer? Why not start your day by giving yourself totally to Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, in all you think, say, and do. Give to Jesus through Mary, your eyes, your ears, your mind, your heart, your body and even your intentions—in a word, give everything to Jesus through Mother Mary. How important it is to start and so live your day well through the Heart of Mary!
3. Love Her… A Mother never gets tired of hearing her child say: “Mom, I really love you; you are the greatest!” The temptation might be to think the following: “She already knows I love her, why tell her something that she already knows?” True, a good Mother most likely knows that you love her. However, it should be expressed in words. When you say, “Mom, I really love you”, the heart of your mother leaps with joy. The same must be said about your Mother Mary. In the simplest of words when you say: “Mother Mary, I love you”, then Mary the Mother of God experiences great joy in her most pure and Immaculate Heart. Therefore, during the course of the day, you should simply say feverently: “Mother Mary, I love you!”
4. Walk With Her… There is a well-known song in both Spanish and Italian dedicated to Mary that is related to this topic with the title: Santa Maria del Camino—meaning, “Our Lady of the Way”. Therefore, when you travel, and it can be a short trip or a very long one, you should invite Mother Mary to come along with you. She is a good traveling companion and can protect you from many dangers in your travels, perils both physical and moral. How many accidents, physical and moral, have surely been prevented by traveling with Mary—Santa Maria del Camino!
5. Imitate Mary… If you know someone in a very deep way, that often leads to imitation, and imitation to following, and following to a deep love for that person. Saint Louis de Montfort highlights the ten principal virtues of Mary that you should strive to imitate: her deep humility, lively faith, blind obedience, unceasing prayer, constant self-denial, surpassing purity, ardent love, heroic patience, angelic kindness, and heavenly wisdom.
6. Trust and Entrust to Mary… If you truly have confidence in a person then you can entrust your cares to them, knowing that this special person will care for you and protect you. God the Father entrusted His only begotten Son to the care of Mary. Therefore, you can entrust your life totally to the care of Mary, your dearest and most loving Mother. “Never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession was left unaided.” (The Memorare by Saint Bernard)
7. Tell Mary of your Sorrows and Failures… You could be tempted by the enemy—the devil who truly hates Mary, to feel inhibited about telling Mother Mary your sorrows and deep sufferings. The contrary should be the case! Mary, the best of mothers, knows very clearly that when a child is hurt and wounded, that is when the child needs the most tender love and care. So it should be with you! When the days seem to be cloudy, bleak, gloomy and downright depressing in the depths of your soul, it is then that you really need to open up and talk to your Mother Mary! Mary is both refuge of sinners and health of the sick—two titles for Mary in her famous Litanies!
8. Call Upon Mary When Tempted… Your life is a constant battle; you are a soldier of both Jesus and Mother Mary. Your enemies are three: the devil, the flesh, and the world. Aware of this intense reality of spiritual combat, you should call upon the Holy Name of Mary in the midst of each battle and the victory will be yours! The famous Battle of Lepanto proved a striking victory through invoking Mary and the recitation of the most Holy Rosary, at the insistence of Saint Pope Pius V. May you entrust your battles to Mary, who is more powerful than a whole army in battle array! The mere name of Mary causes terror and fear in all of hell!
9. Promote Love for Mary as Your Mother. If indeed you have truly experienced the love, care, and tenderness of Mary in your daily life, then undoubtedly, you will want to make Mother Mary known far and wide. Mary is not loved and honored for one principal reason: she is not known! How can she be made known? In many ways! Encourage recitation of the Holy Rosary and praying it daily. Give out Rosaries with pamphlets on how to pray the Rosary. Encourage the wearing of the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Finally, encourage the reading of good books on Mary like The Glories of Mary by Saint Alphonsus Liguori, True Devotion to Mary by Saint Louis de Montfort, and Mater Redemptoris andBlessed Virgin Mary and the Rosary by Saint Pope John Paul II.
10. Die in the Arms of Mary. The most important moment in your life is the moment that you die. This moment will determine for all eternity your eternal destiny—either heaven or hell. Why not prepare to die in grace and die a holy death at least 50 times a day? How, you might ask? Simply by praying the most Holy Rosary. Every time you pray the Hail Mary, you are preparing yourself for a holy and happy death with these words: Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Therefore, rejoice in the keen awareness that you have a heavenly Mother, Mary the Mother of God, the Mother of the Church, and your own dear Mother. She knows you, cares for you, protects you, but especially, she loves you! Indeed, in the midst of the trials, struggles, and intense battles of life, may you find your refuge in the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus!
Copyright 2021 Oblates of the Virgin Mary
St. Peter Chanel Church, Hawaiian Gardens, CA
