By Maria Valadez
Traditionally the month of May is known to be the month of our Blessed Mother, the Virgin Mary. During this month we exalt her with a special devotion, honoring her as the Queen of Heaven and our Mother.
Devotion to Our Lady for me began at a very young age because of my mother. When I was a child living in my hometown of Zamora, Michoacan, Mexico, our parish held the children’s Rosary to our Blessed Mother every year during the month of May. It was a large event that gathered many kids from our neighborhood.
Starting the first day of May until the very last, my mom and I would walk to our parish bringing flowers to Our Lady. The catechist gathered all the kids at the front of the church near the image of the Immaculate Conception and we prayed the Rosary together. We each got a carnation to leave at Our Lady’s feet. On the last day, we would need to dress up in our best clothes, and preferably wear something white; my mom and I always wore a white dress.
This is one of the most vivid and beautiful memories that I have. My mother led me to know our Blessed Mother through the prayers, songs and the importance of dressing well to go visit her.
All of these helped me to grow in my faith; this May tradition contributed to the desire to be close to Mary and to call her my Mother. I have no doubt that the intercession of Our Lady, along with the prayers of my mother, have guided every step of my life.
The prayers of a mother are always so powerful and (do not tell the theologians) I think they are given preferential hearing. How could they not? Mothers have a special connection to their children, not only because it is biologically proven, but because even the essence of our feminine nature calls for it.
Alice von Hildebrand says that “Motherhood is not only a biological maternity. It is a spiritual maternity. There are hundreds of people all around who are desperately looking for a mother ... a mother is the very essence of femininity” (Spiritual Motherhood: Every Woman’s Calling, 2015).
Mothers have a special way of carrying other people’s suffering. This should not be considered a burden, but a blessing, that we are able to respond to the great sufferings of the people we encounter.
This is particularly true of our Blessed Mother: by her intercession we are led to Christ. She takes us on a journey of Christ’s life as a child in the womb that made even John the Baptist leap of joy in the womb of his mother. Christ as a vulnerable infant needed protection from Herod; Christ as a child was convinced of his role in the temple teaching; Christ as a young man cured the sick and performed miracles; Christ died on the cross and was later triumphant over death.
Our Lady was present through all of these events; she knows how to respond to great suffering and joy. We must learn from that by being convinced devotees of her intercession in order to experience the fullness of the Resurrection.
In this month of May, may we honor our Blessed Mother and every mother for the great gift they are to us. May our devotion to Our Lady increase for the sake of peace in our world.
Maria Valadez is the Director of the Office of Respect Life and Pastoral Care Programs.