Isn't She Lovely?

Today is the first day of May and today begins the Month of Our Lady. As I write this entry today I think about that song "Isn't She Lovely?” by Steve Wonder. Lovely can't begin to describe Our Blessed Mother Mary but it's a start. It's a start because how does one pay tribute to such a Beautiful, Caring Soul; A Soul who went through so much in acceptance of the Will of God.

I have always had a big problem with so many religions having a negative view of her or misconceptions of the Catholic love of the Blessed mother. It bothers me so much when I hear horrible things said about her by people who love Jesus or God or consider themselves Christian. Having taught at an inner city school for many years I always remember the one word that would set off even the calmest of student (or as they called it "Fighting Words" )would be a negative word against someone’s mother. Even the toughest of men and hardest of criminals would kill someone if they spoke ill of their mother. Then what makes people think God appreciates the slander caused on a daily basis against his mother. I know as a Catholic our religion is looked upon by many as Saint based or that we “worship saints or Worship the Blessed Virgin Mary”. Yet if they took time to realize that what we bestow on Our Blessed Mother is that…We bestow love, affection, respect and so many more emotions that could be put on a Mother. If we love our earthly mothers so much. Why not love the greatest example of Motherhood? If someone shows our parents love and affection, do we not appreciate it? Do we not thank the person or show gratitude because they are giving affection to our parents. What makes us think that Jesus doesn’t reward that love in the same way? What makes us as humans feel that the love for our Earthly mothers is greater than the love Jesus has for his? So if you have ever said slanderous things about the Blessed mother I ask you to think about this, think about the mantra that so many Christians follow : “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”- John 3:16.or ” We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. – 1 John 4:19-20. If God loves us so much shouldn't we love his Mother as much in return?

Here are some great practices my Mother in Law sent my way and I thought I would share with you all. These are beautiful practices to honor the Blessed Mother.

Practices in Honor of Our Lady
from Miniature Life of Mary by Father Bowden

1.Spend a few moments a day conversing with Mary or in meditation on her life.

2.Rise punctually in the morning, invoking the Blessed Mother as the Morning Star.

3.Mortify your will three times as an offering to Mary.

4.Gain indulgences for the soul in purgatory most devoted to the Blessed Virgin in life; offer Mass and Communion for this purpose.

5.Ask Mary to be present with you during the day to drive away temptations.

6.To honor Mary, perform some act of kindness although it may inconvenience you.

7.Say three Hail Mary's in reparation for the blasphemies uttered against her.

8.Give alms in honor of Our Lady's poverty. (If you have no money at your disposal, you can bestow the alms of kindness and sympathy.)

9.Invoke the saints who were related to Mary - St. Joseph, St. Joachim, St. Anne.
10.Mortify your sight in honor of the Blessed Virgin's modesty.

11.Burn a candle before Mary's image or picture.

12.Say the Litany of Our Lady for the conversion of a soul.

13.Shun idleness during the day in imitation of our Blessed Mother at Nazareth.

14.In honor of Mary's temperance, practice some little mortification at meals.

15.Before going to sleep, place yourself with the Infant Jesus in Mary's arms.

16.Make a spiritual communion in union with Our Lady's disposition at the Annunciation.

17Say a Memorare to obtain Mary's help at the hour of death.

18.Keep silence for a short time with the Blessed Virgin.

19.Visit Our Lady's altar or image in atonement for the desecration of her sanctuaries.

20.Say nine Hail Mary's in union with the nine choirs of angels who are ever praising her. 21.Say a Hail, Holy Queen for the spread of devotion to her.

22.Promote devotion to the Blessed Mother by distributing pictures, scapulars, rosaries, and medals or by speaking about her life and virtues.