And miles to go
May, the month of Mary
by Bishop John C. Nienstedt
The month of May, in a particular way, is the month of Mary, the Mother of Jesus and, therefore, the Mother of the Church. During this month, parishes observe the traditional "May crowning" and give greater emphasis to praying the Rosary. We place fresh spring flowers beneath the Blessed Virgin’s statue or picture to show our affection for all she has been for us as well as the bondedness that we share with her in our mutual love for her Risen Son.
I was very impressed by the way Mel Gibson portrayed the Blessed Mother in The Passion of The Christ. She was depicted as a real mother, totally engaged in the life of her Son, yet ever so dignified in keeping vigil over his tortured sufferings and cruel death. She desired that his pain be hers and at one moment in the film she expresses a personal desire to die with him.
There were two scenes that really touched me: the first was when Jesus falls under the weight of the cross and the flashback returns to his childhood days when he trips and falls, only to be lifted consolingly into the arms of his vigilant mother. The second was when Pilate’s wife presents Mary with a stack of white cloths which she uses to soak up the Precious Blood of Jesus that covered the ground after his cruel and torturous scourging.
Even more intriguing was the contrast that Gibson sets up between Mary and the personification of the devil, the Evil One. Oftentimes we think of the devil as the counterpoint to God and yet, the devil is one of God’s creatures, a fallen angel. In this sense, it is more appropriate theologically to see the Evil One’s rebellion against God set over and against the faith-filled obedience of Mary. Her "Thy will be done" is totally the opposite of Satan’s rejection of God’s will.
True to God’s prediction in Genesis (3:15), the devil despises Mary for allowing herself to be used as an instrument in which our Savior entered into human history. His intent is to do whatever it takes to thwart God’s plan for our salvation. Yet, in Christ’s Cross and Resurrection, the devil has been defeated along with death’s hold over human-kind. The new life that Jesus offers is clearly seen in the witness of his Mother, who along with the apostles is overshadowed by the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.
This is why the poet can proclaim Mary to be "our tainted nature’s solitary boast." She is the first of us, human beings, to receive God’s Word and to embrace it fully. As Catholics, we do not give her the same devotion we give to God, but rather we honor her for showing us how to be a disciple and, as such, we ask her powerful intercession from her continuing closeness to Jesus in the Kingdom.
In his recent Apostolic Letter, Rosarium Virginis Mariae, our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, points out that Mary is the incomparable model for how to contemplate the face of Jesus. In a unique way, his face belongs to her (whose other face would he have had?). Her eyes were constantly turned toward his.
Pope John Paul quotes his predecessor, Pope Pius VI, who wrote:
"Without contemplation, the Rosary is a body without a soul, and its recitation runs the risk of becoming a mechanical repetition of formulas, in violation of the admonition of Christ ‘in praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do . . .’ (Matt 6:7). By its nature the recitation of the Rosary calls for a quiet rhythm and a lingering pace, helping the individual to meditate on the mysteries of the Lord’s life as seen through the eyes of her who was closest to the Lord. In this way, the unfathomable riches of these mysteries are disclosed."
Our present Holy Father adds that we can learn from Mary how to "read" Christ, discovering his secrets and understanding more deeply his message.
Rather than being a distraction from our devotion to the Lord Jesus, an active Marian spirituality brings us greater intimacy with him. It is a sure help for resisting the devil’s temptation. It is a powerful incentive to greater growth in prayer.
So let this month of May be Mary’s month. Let us see in these thirty-one days an invitation by Jesus to celebrate "Mother’s Day" with him.
God love you!
May, 2004
Falta Mucho por Recorrer
Mayo, el mes de María
Por el obispo John C. Nienstedt
De manera particular el mes de mayo es el mes de María, la madre de Jesús y por lo tanto, la madre de la Iglesia. En mayo, las parroquias celebran el tradicional "Mayo de Coronamiento" ya que se dá mayor énfasis para rezar el Rosario. Le colocamos flores frescas en la parte inferior de la estatua o cuadro de la Santísima Virgen para mostrarle nuestro afecto por todo lo que ha hecho por nosotros, así como la unión que compartimos con ella en nuestro amor mutuo por su hijo resucitado.
En la reciente carta Apostólica, nuestro Santo Padre Juan Pablo II en, Rosarium Virginis Mariae, precisa que María es la modelo incomparable de cómo ella cotempla el rostro de Jesús. De esa manera única, su rostro le pertenece a ella. Sus ojos contemplan a Jesús constantemente.
El Papa Juan Pablo II señala lo siguiente de su antecesor, el papa Pius VI, "Sin contemplación, el Rosario es un cuerpo sin alma, y su rezo corre el peligro de convertirse en mecánica repetición de fórmulas, y de contradecir la advertencia de Jesús 'cuando oréis, no seáis charlatanes como los paganos, que creen ser escuchados en virtud de su localidad' (Mateo 6:7) Por su naturaleza, el rezo del Rosario exige un ritmo tranquilo y reflexivo remanso, que favorezca en quien ora la meditación de los misterios de la vida del Señor, vistos a través de los ojos de aquella que estuvo más cerca del Señor, y que desvelen su insondable riqueza. En esta manera, las inestimables riquezas de estos misterios son revelados."
Nuestro Santo Padre agrega que nosotros podemos aprender de María para "leer" a Cristo, para penetrar sus secretos, para entender su mensaje.
En vez de ser una distracción a nuestra devoción a Jesucristo, una espiritualidad Mariano nos lleva a una mayor intimidad con él. De hecho es de gran ayuda para resistir la tentación del diablo. Es un estímulo de gran alcance para mayor crecimiento en oración.
Por eso, dejemos que este mes sea dedicado a María. Que estos treinta y un días sea una invitación de Jesús para celebrar "El Día de las Madres" con él.
May, 2004