Cradled in the arms of Mary

Wednesday, July 22, 2009 St. Mary Magdalen (Memorial)
First Reading:Psalm:Gospel:
Exodus 16:1-5, 9-15Psalm 78:18-19, 23-28John 20:1-2, 11-18

This morning I pondered on what it would be like to be held in the arms of Mary, Jesus's mom. The same woman who cradled Jesus as a baby and then cradled him after he suffered and died on the cross. I didn't think too long until I realized we are cradled by her every day when we ask for her prayers and intercession, for she is our heavenly mother. I pictured myself in the kitchen when all three of my children are crying at the same time and I want to scream and cry too but instead (not always) I cry aloud "Mary, be a mother to me now!" She is there, standing next to me with her arms around me at my kitchen counter. The peace from heaven surrounds me, I take a deep breath and move forward with the chaos in my household. She is truly the Queen of Peace, drawing us ever closer to her son. All we have to do is ask for her prayers and help and she will be there. We don't have to mother our children alone. We have a beautiful, glowing, crowned, heavenly queen awaiting us.....all we have to do is ask. Just like picking up the phone and calling your mom in tears if you are having a bad day, that is what it is like with our Blessed Mother Mary. The only difference is she is right there in our precense.

So today if you have a moment that you think you might "lose it" or you are going through the toughest time in your life thus far, know that you are being cradled in the arms of Mary as well as her son Jesus. And when we leave this life and enter into the heavenly world, what more could we ask for then to be welcomed with arms open wide by Jesus and his Mother who had assisted us in this life and into to the next.