This Sunday we celebrate the great feast of Pentecost. We witness on this day the fulfillment of the promise of Jesus to send the Holy Spirit upon His Apostles. The Holy Spirit will transform the lives of these Apostles. These frightened men who abandoned Jesus at His Passion will be transformed into bold witnesses who will endure persecution, suffering, ridicule and others forms of trial as they preach His Good News. As we celebrate this feast, we are encouraged to allow the Holy Spirit to come into our minds, and into our lives, and into our hearts.
In addition, during the month of May, we honor Mary in a special way. Mary is not only the Mother of Jesus, but also the Mother of our Church. The Church presents Mary as a model of love in its fullness. The love she had for Jesus and Joseph was lived out through the joys and sorrows of everyday life. It is the same precious love that she has for us, the same precious love she shares with us. If we remain close to Mary, hopefully we will remain close to her Son.
Our Holy Father, Pope Francis has a special appreciation for Mary as a model and mother. He stated, “Mary is a mother, and a mother is concerned above all about the health of her children. Our Lady watches over our health. What does this mean? I am thinking above all of the three aspects: she helps us to grow, to face life, to be free.” He also noted that Mary “…educates her children to realism and strength in the face of the obstacles that are inherent in life itself and which she herself suffered by sharing in the sufferings of her Son.”
The following “Prayer to Mary, Mother of the Church and Mother of our Faith”, provided by Pope Francis, asks for Mary’s special intercession.
Open our ears to hear God’s word and recognize His voice and call.
Awaken in us a desire to follow in His footsteps, to go from our own land and to receive His promise.
Help us to be touched by His love, that we may touch Him in faith.
Help us to entrust ourselves fully to Him and to believe in His love, especially at times of trial, beneath the shadow of the cross, when our faith is called to mature.
Sow in our faith the joy of the Risen One.
Remind us that those who believe are never alone.
Teach us to see all things with the eyes of Jesus, that He may be light for our path. And may this light of faith always increase in us, until the dawn of that undying day which is Christ Himself, your Son, our Lord!
As we reflect on this prayer, this month we are encouraged to make a special effort to honor Mary through our prayers, reflections, appropriate liturgies and spiritual encounters, and by striving to embrace her example of compassion, generosity, and gentleness.
Mary, Mother of the Church, intercede for us.
Mary, our mother, pray for us.
Mother, help our faith!