Some of us have been lucky enough to celebrate our mother's birthday this month, although any month is the best month to celebrate mother. And we have given her a gift of love, thanks, a reminder of some family custom and, if possible, closeness. We can do the same with the Virgin Mary, our heavenly Mother.
See has written that “the Blessed Virgin Mary always takes care of us and helps us in everything we need. She helps us to overcome temptation and to preserve the state of grace and friendship with God in order to reach Heaven. Mary is the Mother of the Church”.
Let us look at some possible details that we can have in May with her, and with her Son. He continues to listen to his Mother, as he did at the wedding at Cana.
1. Get up at the scheduled time, without giving in to laziness.
2. Ask the Virgin Mary for the Pope and his intentions: for communion in the Church and peace in the world, as he usually entrusts to us.
3. Pray a Hail Mary for the person we have criticized or mistreated, and ask for forgiveness, as suggested on the occasion of Lent.
4. Begin the work, job search, or task that we perform, with punctuality, and offer it to Our Lady. For example, by Pope Leo XIV's visit to Spain in June, and for the fruits of the trip he made to Africa.
5. Pray a mystery of the Rosario (or all of it), if possible as a family, or in the parish, or wherever we can.
6. To make a pilgrimage to a hermitage, sanctuary or church dedicated to Our Lady with some invocation of hers, praying the rosary. It is the devotion to Our Lady most recommended by the Popes. Leo XIII, for example, wrote eleven encyclicals on the Rosary between 1883 and 1898.
7. Marian prayer of the Angelus or Regina coeli at noon, at the end of Mass, or whenever possible, trying to imitate the “yes” of the Virgin Mary.
8. Some purpose to accompany someone else who is sick or in need, or to visit someone alone, and carry it out.
9. More friendly and helpful treatment with those who live with us during this month: tidiness in the house, help with the ‘machines’, ironing, etc., with a smile.
10. Place a reminder, prayer card or picture of the Virgin Mary somewhere at home or at work. We can put some flowers, or sing a song to her.
11. Cut back on screen use this month, if possible, at least at night or when we are with others.
12. Cultivate some concrete act of patience and affection with other people, especially the elderly, children and the sick, and encourage the appreciation of human life, from conception to natural death.
13. To see with the priest who accompanies us spiritually how we can help the Church in some detail, either in the parish or in some other way, and also by attending the sacrament of Penance.
14. Offer in a special way some special tribulation or suffering to Our Lady, for example for the souls of those around us and their needs, and for peace.
15. Scapular of Carmel. On July 16, 1251, the Virgin promised to St. Simon Stock his protection to the one who dies with him, and eternal life.
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