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Our Founders devotion to Mary, Mother of God
and our Mother
Our Founder had a profound love for Mary and an intense
Marian life. He celebrated all of Mary’s feast days, prayed the rosary daily,
wrote poems, preached, and sang about Mary in various languages. He frequently
and deeply meditated on the bond of love between Mary and her Son and shared his
reflections with us in a way that helped us savor the love between Mother and
Son and grow in the desire to live as children of such a noble mother. I
remember a meditation that he delivered in 1991 about the bond of love between
Mary and Jesus. I wish to share some main points with you in his own words:
“We all have been born from a mother; we treasure within our
very being the special, unique bond we have with our mother. I
will analyze four aspects of this bond of love:
1.
A love of tenderness. When a woman
starts to feel her child within her womb and hears the baby’s
heart beating, she develops a bond of tenderness that is
special. The relationship between Mary and Jesus was
characterized by this bond of tenderness and, being Jesus the
Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, He responded to His
mother’s tenderness… Mary loves us, too, with tenderness.
Knowing that we have a Mother who loves us with tenderness,
don’t we experience a profound sense of joy, serenity and
abandonment?
2.
A love that cares. When a child is
born, he is in need of everything from A to Z. Mary cared for
Jesus. Mary cares for us. She takes care of our needs and sees
that we grow healthy, happy and sound.
3.
A love that respects. Mary watches
her Son growing and one day…”as they were returning, the boy
Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know
it” (Lk 2:43). Questioned later, the Boy responded, “Why were
you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my
Father’s house?” (Lk 2:49). The Gospel continues, “His mother
kept these things in her heart” (Lk 2:51). Mary respects her
Son Who is starting to live His life, His mission, His
history…Mary does the same with us. She respects us because she
wants us to develop the talents God gave us for the building of
His Kingdom in the particular historical moment in which Divine
Providence has placed us.
4.
A love of admiration. Mary, seeing
Jesus becoming a man, performing miracles, and listening to His
teaching, was filled with motherly pride and admiration. Mary
rejoices, too, when she sees us becoming the person the Lord has
in mind, receiving God’s gifts to us, and responding to His plan
of love. Mary sees and rejoices.
However, who of us does not have difficulties, suffering,
pains, defeats, set-backs – who? And behold, there is Mary, our
Mother, who stands by us as she stood by Jesus at the foot of
the Cross… Are we aware of Mary’s love for us? How do we
respond to her love?”
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Our Lady of TrustBrief History of the
picture of Our Lady of Trust
Mary's love for God and for us
Feast of the
Immaculate Heart of Mary Trust
Prayer to Our Lady of Trust
Servant of God Bishop Giaquinta's
devotion to Mary, Mother of God and our Mother
Veneration to Mary of Trust
becomes veneration of the Immaculate
Heart of Mary of Trust |
