Adult Education: May 2009

All About Mary

By Lorene Hanley Duquin

May is Mary’s month. Here are a few things to ponder this month as you think about Our Lady:

She followed God’s will. When the angel appeared, she submitted to what she understood was God’s will for her (Luke 1:38). You can surrender to God’s will each morning by offering God everything that you think, do and say throughout the day.
She was a woman of prayer. In her Magnificat (Lk.1:46-55), she reveals that her soul magnifies the Lord and her spirit rejoices in God, her Savior. You can be a person of prayer by setting side quiet time each day to restore your spirit.
She reached out to others. When Mary learned that her cousin, Elizabeth, was pregnant, she went to visit (Luke 1:39-45). You can find ways to reach out to others in little acts of kindness that make you an instrument of God’s love to people in need.
She experienced stress. As a young woman, Mary endured the stress of an unexpected pregnancy, tension with her future husband, a difficult birth, a traumatic move to another country, and the horror of losing Jesus in Jerusalem, but she never lost her faith that God was with her. You can deal with the stress in your life with the same belief that that God will guide you through the darkness by giving you enough light for each step of your journey – no matter how stressful it may seem.
She accepted what she did not understand. There were times in Mary’s life when she did not understand what was happening. There were things that Jesus said and did that she must have found upsetting and maybe a little hurtful, but she accepted what she could not understand. You can also choose to let go of the upsetting or hurtful things that people in your life say or do by offering up whatever pain you feel to God.
She endured sorrow. Mary grieved the death of Joseph. She saw the way people tried to challenge Jesus. She stood at the foot of the cross when Jesus was crucified. She held him in her arms after he died. You can turn to Our Lady during times of grief and sorrow in your life, asking for the strength to move through your pain.
She held memories in her heart. St. Luke tells us that Mary treasured memories in her heart (Luke 2:19). You can also rely on your cherished memories of your family to bring you a deep sense of peace and joy that no one can ever take away.