Mary and the saints...it's like peanut butter and jelly, blue skies and sunshine, little boys and puppies. Among the things that go well together, Mary and the saints top the list for me.That doesn't make it easy to relate with them, though. Sometimes, it's all too easy to get caught up in how "perfect" they are and to forget that they were - are - just as human as I am.
This month's Mary Moments is a collection of posts that help me to remember that I too am part of the communion of saints. These posts will pat your hand and remind you that Mary's role as Queen of the Saints isn't meant to intimidate us...it's meant to help us. You'll find reflections that will make you smile and recommendations that might change your life in some small but significant way.
A special thanks to our contributors this month, and a sincere invitation to each of you - whether or not you have a blog - to join us in some small way next month, when we'll honor Our Lady of Guadalupe (details at the end).
Water and the Spirit
Ginny writes, "I used to view the saints as so horribly boring and unreal in their goodness. That was before I realized that there were real-life struggles underneath those haloes. Now, I adore the saints. They’re my advocates. They’re my posse."
Divine Mercy: What Does It Look Like?
Heidi ties in the words of the Blessed Mother as transcribed in St. Faustina's diary. "In the famous Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, the words that the saint hears Jesus speak are recorded in boldface type; those of His mother are in italics. As might be expected, the words of the Blessed Mother are few and far between – all true Marian devotion draws the heart toward Jesus."
Co-op Art: Saints!
Ana has some extraordinary artwork to share - saints drawn by junior and senior high art students. Thanks, Ana, for this visual reminder of our friends in heaven!
POS
I learned a lesson from a friend's reflections on IM lingo. "I have no doubt that the parents (and friends!) over my shoulder are there, watching and listening, praying for me and supporting me."
Let It Be
Kate is inspired by an old Beatles song. "I know Paul McCartney is referring to his mom and not the Virgin Mary in the song "Let It Be." Still, whenever I hear the song I find myself picturing Mother Mary coming to me and speaking words of wisdom I need to hear."
Mary, Queen of Saints: Imitating Her in Humility
Jean reminds us, "The title “Mary, Queen of Saints” describes just how holy and powerful our dear Mother is. Mary, Holy Virgin, pure and perfect, gave birth to Jesus Christ and so we revere her above all saints. Because Mary was full of grace, she excelled in every virtue to a greater extent than every other saint. Each of the saints excelled in a particular virtue, but Mary possessed all of the virtues that could be expressed in any creature."
Mary and the Saints via a Great Book
Valerie shares a high recommendation for a book: "I recently read a book entitled "Mother Theresa In The Shadow of Our Lady." It is about her mystical experiences with Our Lady and is written by Fr. Joseph Langford MC, the priest who worked with her for 30 years."
Next Month: Honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe
In December, we will honor Our Lady of Guadalupe with our Mary Moments carnival. We welcome your feast day celebration ideas, traditions, recipes, or reflections. Do you have a special devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe? Have you felt a special bond with this image of Mary? Can you take a few moments to share it with us as we assemble a bouquet for Our Mother on this special feast day?Submissions are due by December 12, using the online form or by emailing me at peerybingle [at] gmail [dot] com. If you don't have a blog, you can still participate! I'll post your entry as a guest post over at my blog. Mary Moments: Honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe will be live on December 15.
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