Mary's Requests

As a loving mother who always has the best interests of her children in mind, Mary has made frequent appearances, almost always to children, whose open hearts and ability to trust and wonder have not been hardened by skepticism, to urge the human family to prayer and sacrifice. Often, the criticism is heard, "We have the Scriptures, the Magisterium (teaching authority) of the Church and Tradition, what need have we for these extraordinary, supernatural interventions?" The answer, it appears, is that yes, we have these at our disposal, but we are not using them. So Mary comes with advice, admonitions and simple things that anyone can do. Her favorite is the rosary, which is an excellent prayer that blends contemplation and action and focuses on Jesus. It is not a magical formula, but a prayer which requires the use of our senses and our imaginations, and which can lead to a nourishment, and if needs be, a change of heart. We hold something tangible and often beautiful in our hands. Our fingers move gently over the beads, a soothing action in itself. Our lips and voices repeat a prayer, which in itself is rich in meaning, and our minds and hearts dwell on events in the life of Christ that help us grow in knowledge and love of him. And, to boot, it doesn't take more than 15 or 20 minutes of "our precious time"! Mary asks that we say this prayer daily. At Lourdes, Fatima and now at Medjugorje, it is the same request. At Fatima, Mary asked that we attend Mass for at least five First Saturdays. Many do that and also just continue throughout the year. A wonderful pattern. Others go to Mass every Saturday as well as Sunday. In this season of Lent when we should doing something that makes this a special time, these requests might help make that difference in our lives. Can we refuse our Mother?
Bro. Rene