I encountered our Blessed Mother when I was in a place of tremendous pain. After a devastating miscarriage, I was plunged into a pit of despair, and I was deeply wounded by the insidious lies of the enemy.
It was in this place that Mary, like a mother who hears her injured child crying, ran to me and consoled my aching heart. Sisters, Our Lady is a warrior and she will go fearlessly into the depths of darkness and carry her children into the light of Christ.
She spreads her mantle of protection around us and holds us close to her Immaculate Heart. In today’s Gospel Jesus speaks from the Cross, and with labored breath as He suffered beneath the weight of the world’s sin He said, “Behold, your mother” (John 19:26).
In His infinite mercy Christ gave us one of His greatest gifts. Mary, our mother, nurtures us with grace and invites us into deeper relationship with her Son. When we allow Our Lady to work in us, she will lead us into a life of heroic virtue, that of saintliness. Mary the Mother of God will transform our hearts and teach us to surrender everything to God. She will teach us to go where the Holy Spirit leads us.
Let us behold our beautiful Mother, and through her, behold our beloved Savior.
If you're struggling to understand Mary's role in Catholicism, take a look at this brief article explaining her as the Mother of God.
Leana Bowler is a wife and mother of five little ones. She is a Holy Rosary enthusiast with deep devotions to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Her love for the message of Divine Mercy led her to become a Marian Missionary of Divine Mercy dedicated to spreading Marian Consecration and the beauty of Christ's abundant Mercy. She enjoys finding the miracles in the mess of family life, books, strong coffee, and encountering others wherever they're at in this blessed journey to sainthood. You can find out more about her here.