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‘Mary opened the door of our world to God’ (Spe Salvi, 49)

Published: 05.22.08

The month of May not only brings us the occasion to honor our mothers, but also our Mother Mary – the mother of Jesus – who at the foot of the cross – and on Jesus’ word – became the mother of all believers.

Mothers’ Day this year coincidently fell on the great Feast of Pentecost. The Apostles received the Holy Spirit on that day as they were gathered together in prayer in the presence of Mary. At the wedding feast of Cana, Mary interceded on behalf of the wedding party, telling Jesus that they had no more wine; at the same time, she instructed the servants to do whatever Jesus would tell them.

And from the beginnings of the Church on Pentecost, Mary shows herself to be a mother to us all, interceding on our behalf and calling us to fidelity to Jesus and his word. And so the Church rightly dedicates the month of May to Mary. During May when springtime brings forth new life to the earth, we pray that her prayers may bring about a new springtime of evangelization for the world.

We invoke her as Patroness of the Diocese of Orlando under the title Mary, Queen of the Universe: she is the Mother of all nations; she is the help of Christians, the Mediatrix of all graces. We confidently turn to the one who is full of grace, to pray that we may be worthy of the promises of Christ. In her “yes” to God, Mary opened the door of our world to God. “She became the living Ark of the Covenant, in whom God took flesh, became one of us, and pitched his tent among us.” (cf. Jn 1:14)

We will only know peace through forgiveness and reconciliation. And in a world threatened by weapons of mass destruction, we have in the rosary a powerful weapon, a weapon of mass conversion. The rosary – as Mary has assured us at Fatima and elsewhere – can bring peace and reconciliation, among nations and peoples and into our own communities and families. Mary is the Stella Maris – the Star of the Sea, who lights our way even in the darkest night as we journey toward God. Even now she still remains in the midst of the disciples, as their mother – our mother, the Mother of hope. (cf. “Spe Salvi,” 49)

It is only in that hope that we dare to pray with Jesus the “Lord’s Prayer.” The “Our Father” would be too terrible a prayer for us to pray without Mary’s intercession. For when we pray the Our Father we say, “Thy will be done”; we say, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

How often do we say these words – without thinking, or even hypocritically? And, therefore, how appropriate that when we pray the rosary, for every “Our Father,” we pray the “Hail Mary” 10 times. At the heart of each Hail Mary the healing power of the Most Holy Name of Jesus is invoked with faith and love. Ten times, we ask Mary to pray for us sinners – that our hearts be changed so that we can learn to give and to receive forgiveness.

“Holy Mary, Mother of God, our Mother, teach us to believe, to hope, to love with you. Show us the way to his Kingdom! Star of the Sea, shine upon us and guide us on our way!” (“Spe Salvi,” 49)

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‘Mary opened the door of our world to God’ (Spe Salvi, 49)

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