When I was younger, I was introduced to the Virgin Mary in different ways. Since my family had devout traditions, I was taught how to pray the rosary at the age of four and was expected to do so every day of my life. After the rosary, my grandmother taught me how to pray the litany to the Blessed Virgin Mary. I’ve repeated the prayer so many times that I’ve memorized all 50 titles by heart. When I asked who exactly this Mary was, my mother emphasized on how she was someone who said yes to God though she didn’t fully understand what was happening. My teachers emphasized on how she was conceived without original sin. It was my grandmother’s stories that left a lasting impression in my mind. For me, Mary is in every way our mother and protector.
My grandmother told me about how people were inclined to sin, but once they prayed and repented, Mary was the one who welcomed them with open arms just like any mother would. She told me stories that said that upon reaching the gates of heaven, Mary was the one who convinced St Peter that you are good and worthy of the Kingdom of God and is someone who always wants what is best for you. Mary, like any mother, is someone who will guide you in times of darkness, and is someone who is always there to accept you no matter what you have done.
Among Mary’s many titles in the litany, The Refuge Of Sinners is one title that I feel best fits our mother. That’s what she is to me.
Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Paperback)
Mary: A Flesh-and-Blood Biography of the Virgin Mother
Mary and the Fathers of the Church: The Blessed Virgin Mary in Patristic Thought
The Thousand Faces of the Virgin Mary (Zacchaeus Studies: Theology)
Evidence for Visions of the Virgin Mary (The Evidence Series)
The Mystical City of God: A Popular Abridgement of the Divine History and Life of the Virgin Mother of God
The Catholic Companion to Mary
Theotokos: A Theological Encyclopedia of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Mother of God: A History of the Virgin Mary
No comments:
Post a Comment