Walking With Mother Mary in the New Year

At this time of year, there is much talk of resolutions and choosing a word or a Saint of the year. But in this new season, I am turning to Mother Mary to be my guide. (Recall the related reminder from years' past?)

Mother Mary Helps Along the Way

Over the years, I have relied so much on Mother Mary in my faith life. When I turn to her through many Memorares, she truly helps me trust God more. And there are distinct moments when I have implored her aid and seen those prayers answered in unmistakable ways. I’m sure you can say the same.

Mother Mary also shows me what it means for her to have “kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart” (Luke 2:19):

I entreat Our Lady of Sorrows when I need comfort
I seek solace from Our Lady of Hope, who always reminds me God’s plans include “a future of hope” (see Jeremiah 29:11).
I implore the Queen of Peace to grant my heart peace by showing me how to rest more fully in the Sacred Heart of her Son, the Prince of Peace.

The Mother of Jesus is, thus, “She Who Shows the Way” (such a lovely title)—because she is ever close to Christ.

Through it all, Mother Mary shows me the heart of faith: drawing closer to Jesus.

“I trust in you because you are the sweet Mother; I confide in you because you are the Mother of Jesus,” goes part of a prayer prayed by Saint Gianna Molla. Indeed!

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Mother Mary's Lessons of Love

"Do whatever he tells you" (John 2:5) is Mother Mary's lesson at the Wedding at Cana.

Mary’s request: ‘Do whatever he tells you’ keeps its ever timely value for Christians of every age and is destined to renew its marvelous effect in everyone’s life. It is an exhortation to trust without hesitation, especially when one does not understand the meaning or benefit of what Christ asks,” Saint John Paul II said at his general audience of Feb. 26, 1997.

Most of all, Mary’s holy heart shows us that she knows.

As the many titles attributed to the Blessed Virgin and the continual pilgrimages to Marian shrines attest, the trust of the faithful in Jesus’ Mother spurs them to call upon her for their daily needs. They are certain that her maternal heart cannot remain indifferent to the material and spiritual distress of her children,” Pope John Paul II reminded the faithful on November 5 of that same year.

Yes, she knows what it’s like when so much in life seems out of our control: she experienced less-than-ideal circumstances after the first Christmas and had to flee to a foreign land to keep the Christ Child safe.

Whether it was then, in those early moments of Jesus’ life, or at the foot of the Cross, Mother Mary understands what it feels like when things weigh on the heart. Seeking her intercession for blessings and woes alike is vital to my daily life.

After all, as her life attests, she was walking with Jesus the whole time, doing whatever He told her. And that’s the key for us, too, this year and always.

Practically, what can help us do so in this new year?

Below are four simple ways we can follow Jesus by walking with Mary in the new year . . . and beyond.

Four Simple Ways to Walk With Mary in the New Year

Celebrate Marian feasts // In all seasons, we can honor Mother Mary. Discover your favorite titles and when memorials, feasts, and solemnities occur, plan accordingly. It doesn’t have to be fancy. Add some Marian blooms to a vase, wear blue, or make a special dessert.
Pray Marian prayers // Per above, I love the Memorare; but check out Saint Gianna’s prayer too—or other prayers from popes and Saints. Plus, there’s always the Rosary.
Read Marian books // I recommend Walking With Mary, to start.
Decorate with Marian art // Having a Mother and Child painting in my entry and an Immaculate Heart statue on a dresser helps me stop and ponder amid my day, not to mention prayer cards aplenty at the ready. Find beautiful options that speak to your heart for your domestic church.

Mother Mary, thank you for walking with us! Pray for us!

Author Bio: Amy Smith is the associate editor of the National Catholic Register and the author of The Plans God Has for You: Hopeful Lessons for Young Women. Amy spends her days drinking coffee while editing features; she likes to write about everything from hope and Saints (her favorites are Thérèse and Gianna) to Jane Austen—and she has talked about all of these topics on EWTN. You can find out more about her here.