Attention

“Once Mary has attained Jesus’ attention for us, she helps us to realize the fourth motive for Marian consecration: to obtain God's greater glory.” (Edward Looney, “Behold the Handmaid of the Lord”, at page 48).

Pieta (Giovanni Bellini)

I have been reflecting on the Blessed Virgin.

The Blessed Virgin is such a help to us.  Christ gave her to us at the moment of His Crucifixion.  When He was on the Cross and told His beloved disciple, Saint John, to take His Mother and for His Mother to take Saint John, He was really giving that precious Masterpiece of Creation to all of us…

“When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.” (John 19:26).

And She – the Mother of God – allowed God to impose upon her and make her the mother of all humanity.  And what a suffering there is in that.

Have you ever seen a mother who is distressed about her child’s choices?  Have you ever seen how much a mother will suffer knowing that her child is wilfully endangering themselves?  Have you ever seen the torment and the questioning of a mother whose child is partaking of drugs or drinking to excess, who is unable to maintain steady relationships or hold down a decent job?  Have you seen the state of a mother whose child is incarcerated?

That state is NOTHING in comparison to Our Heavenly Mother’s state.  Our Heavenly Mother sees our sins.  And she sees us throwing ourselves into eternal damnation and she loves us as a MOTHER.  It is not a fake love or a half love.  It is a more perfect love than even our biological and earthly mothers can offer to us – because the Blessed Virgin loves us as a reflection of her love for God Himself, and she loves us in perfect obedience to God.  And how much she must suffer to watch her beloved child sin so terribly.  How much she must suffer to know that she is there – waiting there for me to do what is right, but instead of doing the right thing, I chose to do what is wrong.

And what a waste – a terrible waste to not beg the Blessed Virgin to be of assistance to me in all things…

“Once Mary has attained Jesus’ attention for us, she helps us to realize the fourth motive for Marian consecration: to obtain God's greater glory. This means that we will receive from God what is according to his will. It’s an openness to understanding that God's ways are greater than ours. From heaven, Mary as a mother knows what is in our best interest, and so she will ask her Son for what gives Him the most glory.” (Edward Looney, “Behold the Handmaid of the Lord”, at page 48).

And I have been thinking about that today.  For I have my Mother’s attention and all I need to do is ask her to do something with it.  That is all I need to do…

For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.