On Mary’s Lap
I can still remember sitting on my mother’s lap as a child. It’s one of those fuzzy, blurry memories, and I can’t remember the specific reasons for needing her comfort. I don’t know what color the chair was that we sat on, but I remember the way it rocked. I don’t know what she and I were wearing, but I remember the comforting feel of her clothes. I don’t know what she said to me, but I remember the indescribable feeling of her embrace-like I was exactly where I needed to be. A place of complete trust and assurance that she would provide what my distressed heart desired-that she would point the way to restored happiness and faith in the goodness of this world.
That’s what mothers do. They impart that feminine quality of simply listening and comforting without hastily patching and fixing. They know that some wounds of the heart simply need to be exposed to start healing on their own. They know that sometimes all we need is a hug and someone to hand us a tissue-because sometimes we just need to rest in our emotions for awhile before we can even begin to think about solving a problem.
The gentle hand of a mother is one of the most powerful things in the world. It provides love, tenderness, and compassion while inspiring us to take on the world with a sure sense of self and purpose.
As St. Louis De Montfort says in his great work, True Devotion to Mary:
“These great souls [those destined for sainthood], full of grace and zeal, shall be chosen to match themselves against the enemies of God, who shall rage on all sides; and they shall be singularly devout to our Blessed Lady, illuminated by her light, strengthened with her nourishment, led by her spirit, supported by her arm and sheltered under her protection, so that they shall fight with one hand and build with the other.”
How often we as mothers “fight with one hand and build with the other”!
We’ve all cleaned a toilet with a toddler in the room, right? We’ve stood, half crouched, frantically trying to swish and flush with one hand while holding the toddler off with the other lest she dip her curious little fingers in the toxic abyss of the toilet bowl.
“Fight with one hand and build with the other.”
Mary gives us the encouragement we need to not only resist the urge to yell at a stubborn child, but to take the time to sit with that child, talk to that child, and get to the root of the problem.
“Fight with one hand and build with the other.”
Mary encourages us as we travel the path of natural family planning with our spouse, helping us to not only stick with it, but also use it to bring our marriage to a level of intimacy we never thought possible.
“Fight with one hand and build with the other.”
She helps us to not only silence the negative voices in our heads and hearts, but also act upon the voice of God that remains.
Because this is what she does. This is her eternal mission. To bring us to her Son. We so often long to go straight to Him, but don’t know how. We want to take the direct route to heaven, but we all get horribly distracted.
Sometimes we need a Father, and sometimes we need a Mother. And for those times when a mother’s touch is required, Mary is there. She is there to hold us on her lap and allow our wounds to breathe. She is there to dry our tears and listen to our story until we feel ready to get back on our feet and follow the path she reveals. She is there to reside in our soul and assure us that we will, indeed, find God again.
“When the Holy Ghost, her Spouse, has found Mary in a soul, He flies there.” St. Louis De Montfort, True Devotion to Mary
The Holy Ghost is just waiting to bear fruit in our souls! He is just waiting for us to embrace the depth of our faith by embracing the wisdom of His spouse.
“The more the Holy Ghost finds Mary, His dear and inseparable spouse, in any soul, the more active and mighty He becomes in producing Jesus Christ in that soul, and that soul in Jesus Christ.” St. Louis De Montfort, True Devotion to Mary
How do we get to God? Mary knows. “Behold your mother” and cherish this gift of the Cross. Turn to this woman, this Queen of heaven, and she will surely lead you to the throne of her Son.
What can you do to increase your devotion to Mary?
Copyright 2014 Charisse Tierney
