Daily Reflections - February 11,2013

TO JESUS, THROUGH MARY

 

Our Blessed Mother’s apparition in Lourdes is perhaps the most known throughout the world. On the different occasions that I have been blessed to serve as chaplain to groups of Filipino pilgrims to Lourdes, I witnessed how there is always an overflow of devotees coming in droves, and an equally touching horde of sick people on wheelchairs and stretchers who come to pray at the grotto.

During the times I spent at the grotto praying the rosary, I would always contemplate on how everyone of us would focus our eyes — while our lips utter the prayers in various tongues — on the poor marble replica of Our Lady perched inside an opening to the right of the grotto. But the statue of the Blessed Mother does not look at us who all look up to her. Mary’s statue gazes up to heaven, with her hands folded in prayer. For me, this is a wonderful lesson: grace comes to us through Mary, but all graces are from Jesus, her Divine Son. The Gospel from Mark tells us how, during His earthly ministry, Jesus was the source of healings and of experiences of liberation from sins and evils. Crowds came to Him for these!

There is but one Mediator between God and us: Jesus. The Blessed Mother is not another route, but hers is one with Jesus, having been associated with Jesus not just in the Mystery of the Incarnation, but also

with Jesus’ Cross.

Blessed James Alberione, our founder in the Pauline Family, commissioned an artist to make an icon of Mary as Queen of the Apostles. He gave the following pointers: what makes Mary as Queen of the Apostles is not so much her presence among the Apostles in the Cenacle at Pentecost but this: Apostles were sent to bring Jesus and His Word to the world. Mary brought Jesus, the Word Incarnate, to us in a unique and perfect way. She gave birth to Him — and she gave us Jesus! Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: Do you have a personal devotion to the Blessed Mother? How did you develop this devotion to her? How has your closeness to Mary affected your prayer, your participation in Church and your love for Jesus?

 

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for giving us Your Mother to be our Mother, too. Mama Mary, pray for us.