Do Whatever He tells you. John 2:5

May is the month for Mothers! Our Church dedicates this month to our Mother Mary and the secular world celebrates mothers. Since my mom’s passing, this month always takes on a tinge of sadness. My mom suffered from Alzheimer’s disease so in many ways we lost her in bits and pieces even before she died. In the long journey through her illness I learned to love her even when the her that was there had very little resemblance to the her I had always known. I was, however, blessed with a mom that I truly believed died as a saint. She was always a rock for our family, selfless, giver of good advice and soft place to land with your troubles. I will miss her until the day I die. But in his wisdom Jesus also left us his mother. I cannot tell you how many times she has also been my rock and I know she was the same for my mom. Passing on a devotion to Mary is a gift we can share with our daughters or other women we love. Whether we have been blessed with a mother that was a good example of her loving care or not, we know that we all share a mother in heaven that is there for us!

That is why I love this verse John 2:5 from the story of the Wedding at Cana. What great motherly advice! Do whatever he tells you!! Having a devotion to Mary will always lead you more closely to her son. If you are needing a little inspiration in how that can work for you here are a few tips:

Add the rosary to your prayer life. Praying the rosary and contemplating on the mysteries is a wonderful way to sit at the feet of our mother and learn about her son. By contemplating on the mysteries and asking for the fruits each mystery imparts upon us you begin to change in ways that it is hard to explain but that just happens! Don’t take my word for it give it a try. Start slow by maybe adding a decade a day or a rosary a week. Already doing that? Maybe you are ready to add a daily rosary to your routine. Find reflection books or, start listening to the Rosary in a Year by Ascension press, or start your own rosary group. If the rosary seems like a prayer that you “just can’t get into” try making it a routine in some way and I promise if you do that it will bear fruit. Mary will help you hear the voice of her son.

Take a pilgrimage. Why not visit one of our two Marian pilgrimage sites this month. We have two beautiful Marian shrines in our diocese. Visit the Shrine of our Lady of Sorrows in Starkenburg and spend some time in prayer with our Mother. There are two special opportunities this month: the second Tuesday mass on May 9th and the annual Spring Pilgrimage may 18th. Check our events page for details. You can also visit the Mother’s Shrine in Laurie Missouri. Outdoor masses start Memorial Day weekend or just stop by and make a visit.

Plan to make a Marian consecration. Consecrate your self and your family to Mary. I never miss a chance to promote this devotion. Go to our Marian consecration page for details on Marian consecration for yourselves or a small group. If you’ve done a consecration before why not make this the month to plan to renew it. May 12th and June 13th are the next start dates. (Marian consecration start on a day that will have the consecration date falling on a Marian feast).

Make a special Mary table in your home. Why not make a special prayer spot to Mary this month? If you do please send us a snapshot to bprasad@diojeffcity.org. We would love to feature these on our social media accounts. This is also a great activity you can do with your kids. Ignite their creativity and spend some time praying the Hail Mary or Memorare with them each day.

And finally ask for Mary’s Intercession at the conclave to elect our next pope. Mary is Mother of our Church. She was present with the first apostles on Pentecost and she is present as our intercessor today. May she guide our church in this crucial time!

I hope you have a wonderful May and take time to celebrate all the mothers in your life. And remember to do whatever he tells you.

We Are Better Together,

Barb