The Mother of All

It came as a spark while I sat here in front of my computer writing nothing but blogs about certain topics. I just realized that I was getting nowhere with all this crap I laid in my blog site so I decided to divert from the common to the far-out different. Browsing through different entries in my blog made me think about something: I have written a lot out of my imagination but did I ever write an entry about Mama Mary? Just then, thoughts came flooding in my head being a devout follower of The Virgin Mother Herself. Then, here it goes...

As a Catholic, my day will never be complete without praying the rosary to the Blessed Virgin Mary and Her Son, Jesus Christ. Lately, we've been through trying times and in those times, I can honestly and safely say for myself that the Virgin Mother had been there with us, guiding us tirelessly as we tread on the path that only a select few choose. This path involved immense sacrifice and incomparable suffering, much to the suffering Christ had painstakingly endured on the cross to save all of mankind from God's Hand. When I was a kid, I always thought that I was in no need of praying the rosary and just content with praying directly to God and Jesus Himself. I mean, I knew the Virgin Mother but little did I know of the powers she had possessed to redeem mankind not only as Mediatrix but also as Co-Redemptrix, meaning She also had the potential to save mankind from sin.

One particular trip to Lipa City in Batangas drew me closer to the Blessed Mother even more, after having known her in different names and...if I may say...dress codes. Now, in Lipa, it had been rumored that the Blessed Mother had made Herself known by showering rose petals way back during the 1900's during a time of uncertainty and doubt. I wouldn't know anything about the witness statements but being devout made me realize that it was indeed not a trick made by the eye but a miracle commenced by indomitable trust and faith in the Blessed Mother's will. This particular apparition had been declared open for belief by the Church of Lipa, meaning that people are no longer proven wrong or misguided because of these apparitions by the Blessed Mother. 

She would be named Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal (also named after the church I sing in), Our Lady of Fatima, Our Lady of Perpetual Succor and lots of other names, dressed in fine garments along while carrying the baby Jesus in her bosom and paraded during feast days or those days wherein that particular image was founded. Songs about her radiance and glory were written and sung in churches. While choirs sung the high-pitched antiphons and songs of her magnificence as Mother of Christ, the elderly would just sing hymns but still laud over Her for Her blessedness. Even the Beatles' Sir Paul McCartney wrote a song about lifting all the sorrows of the world to the Virgin Mary. Each individual had his own way of praising the Blessed Mother. While some would hang sampaguita necklaces over her, most would pray the rosary for TWENTY STRAIGHT DECADES involving THE FOUR SACRED MYSTERIES OF THE ROSARY!! I got to try that with my mother and it really dried my mouth up. But what came back to us was immeasurable...something that a mere person could never count.

Amidst all the trouble of going through those names, garments, rosaries, novenas, devotion prayers, I still consider her as a simple Person, a simple Being that God chose to bear His Son, the Savior of Mankind. This form of simplicity in the Blessed Mother leads me to two simple versions of the Blessed Mother. The simplest of them all was the Mary Mediatrix of All Grace found in Lipa and the second was the Our Lady of Medjugorje, who looked on at Her children with the utmost care, concern, love and sympathy for their sufferings and sacrifices. Sometimes, it brings me to tears whenever I'm in trouble and I look at the Blessed Mother in the eye and tell her everything or cry out everything to Her because I couldn't do anything about my dilemmas or problems. I just prayed hard, cried hard and let everything out. The next minute, I let everything go and left everything in Her care. Days pass and miracles happen. That's how much She loves us if only we knew how to beseech Her grace.

Before I end this entry, I'd like to leave this simple yet very effective prayer that's said as the rosary nears its finish. I hope you all have time to take a little breather from whatever it is you're doing and give yourself a little pat in the back that says, "Take it easy for now, your Mother wants to talk to you." Here's the Memorare:

THE MEMORARE

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided.

Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me.

Amen.