Becoming very Marian this May

​During May, the Church asks us to grow closer to Our Blessed Mother. St. Josemaria said, “If you want to be faithful, be very Marian.” Here are five ways we can become ‘very Marian.’

Get Acquainted
Our Lady is a person, not just an idea. She is our faithful, tender Mother and glorious, admirable Queen. Let us become acquainted with Our Lady’s character, mission, and personal love! She introduces herself to us in personal prayer, through the Church’s antiphons, books, Liturgy, prayers, and art. The Litany of Loreto, for example, provides many titles of Mary that communicate her goodness. Another example is how images of the Immaculate Heart of Mary can put us in intimate contact with her Heart which burns with the purest love of God. Through prayer, we can personally know and love the Mother who already knows and loves us.

Daily Rosary or bust!
Our Lady has made it clear that she desires that each of us pray the Rosary every single day. St. John Paul II backed this up by saying, “the Rosary is our daily meeting which neither I nor the Blessed Virgin Mary neglect.” But St. Josemaria advises: “Do you want to love Our Lady? Well, get to know her. How? By praying her Rosary well.” From those who already do pray the Rosary daily, it may be that Our Lady asks for a focus on praying it well. Let us slow down, pull out Scripture or another aid for meditation, (I love St. Josemaria’s!), and be more receptive to the Word of God as we pray.

The Scapular and the Miraculous Medal
Sacramentals such as the Brown Scapular and the Miraculous Medal help us to receive God’s grace. The Scapular is a woolen necklace which one wears as a daily silent prayer of entrustment and devotion to Our Mother. Our Lady gave the Miraculous Medal to St. Catherine Labouré, promising that “those who wear it will receive great graces, especially if they wear it around their neck." Our Lady chooses to channel God’s grace upon us through these two means in particular. If you were thinking about being enrolled in the Scapular or getting a Miraculous Medal, consider this your sign

"Pray my Seven Sorrows to find repentance"
Our Mother desires our highest good, a life “dead to sin but alive for God in Christ Jesus.” She has repeatedly expressed this desire in her apparitions. St. John Paul II described the message of Our Lady of Fatima as, “in its basic nucleus, a call to conversion and repentance.” Our Lady of Kibeho gave an urgent call: “Convert to God! Convert to God! Convert to God!” She asked us to pray the Seven Sorrows Rosary to meditate on her experience of the Passion of Jesus. St. Teresa of Calcutta said that “her role is to bring you face to face… with the love in the Heart of Jesus crucified.” Who can teach us to hate sin, even venial sin, like Our Lady of Sorrows, who watched the Blood pour from Jesus’ wounds, until she held His crumpled Body in her arms? Her merciful arms reach out to console us in our sinfulness and guide us to wholeheartedly receive Divine Mercy in Confession.

A decisive turning point
Marian consecration is the twofold act of renewing one’s Baptismal vows and of making a sincere gift of self to God through Mary: “I belong entirely to you, and all that I have is yours.” It is a promise of obedience to her will, the Will of God. It is a time-tested recipe for sainthood; St. John Paul II called his consecration a “decisive turning point” in his life. Through Marian consecration, one’s whole life becomes a sacrifice for God. By giving her our merits, we cease to offer God an hour of work, for example, for a particular intention. Rather, we offer every action to Our Lady, and trust her to choose, in her loving wisdom, how to apply our merits. Moreover, Our Lady purifies the love that we offer to God through her and increases our capacity for sacrificial love. 33 Days to Morning Glory by Fr. Michael Gaitley is a great guide. From those who are already consecrated to her, it may be that Our Lady asks greater commitment to a pursuit of sainthood.

Let us earnestly love Our Lady! ​
Servus Mariae nunquam peribit. The servant of Mary shall never perish.

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​Written by Angela Blach for Faithfully.
​Angela is a student at the University of Calgary studying history and education. She belongs to the St. Francis Xavier Chaplaincy. She enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with her friends.