””Let us renew our soul…through the Immaculata. Let us entrust to her the success of our confession, maybe through a single ‘Hail Mary.’ Let us implore her to prepare in our soul the most pleasant welcome possible for Jesus in Holy Communion. And last of all, let us renew the act of our complete, total, unconditional self-offering to the Immaculata for life, for death, and for all eternity.” St Maximillian Kolbe
“There are times in life when the soul finds comfort only in profound prayer. Would that souls knew how to persevere in prayer at such times. This is very important.” Divine Mercy in my soul # 860
“Lovely lady dressed in blue teach me how to pray. God was just your little boy and you know the way”. (Written by Mary Dixon Thayer). The wonder of a child looking at Mary, the Mother of God. The first time I heard Blessed Archbishop Fulton Sheen day these words, they rang within my soul.
We read the story of Mary sitting at the foot of Jesus as she listens to Him speak (Luke 10:38-42). The Lord sees Mary’s action as something special. But, since my consecration, I have held the image of sitting at the foot of Mary. I once was given to see the days following the crucifixion. The disciples sitting in terror and despair behind locked doors. Some were ready to run, two even took the initiative to head toward Emmaus to get away. We are told that Mary was with them.
I could see these men who followed Jesus, they were all confused and others prepared to run with Cleopas and his companion. Then, Mary came in and sat down. She started speaking, “I remember this one time, Jesus was lost in Jerusalem, Joseph and I were so afraid…”. Slowly, the disciples turned and sat to listen to her.
Can you imagine the kind of teacher our Blessed Mother would be? She knew Jesus more intimately than any other human. She would lift Him on her knee and sit with the Lord, her little boy, on her lap telling Him stories, she prayed over Him. Jesus is connected with the Father and we read often of Him stepping away to pray to the Father – how much of this style and focus to be with the Father was influenced by His mother.
So in our times of worry, fear and stress, we can expect our mother to lift us on her knee and hold our head close to her chest, humming softly as she comforts us. In our times of joy, we can see our mother rejoicing along with us.
I’ve never claimed to be a theologian, The Road of Faith is not meant to teach theology but is simply my feelings and reflections as I walk my Road, asking you to join alongside. So, I don’t know theologically if it’s true that Mary taught Jesus how to pray, I’m sure like any mom, she had a great influence in her son. As I’m sure St. Joseph did as well. The man Jesus became was built upon the teachings of His mother and dad. Whether Mary influences Jesus’ prayer to the Father or not, she can surely teach us how to pray.
The first time I did my consecration, two things stood out. 1) Surrender to Mary, her Queenship and guidance is what Jesus wants of us and 2) look to Mary to pray.
Jesus sends His mother to speak to us a lot, just in the past century, He sent her to Fatima, Garabandal, and Medjugorje, she spoke heavily to St. Faustina and other modern day saints. He wants us to listen to her. So, let’s ask her to “teach us how to pray” and then spend time sitting at the knee of our mother listening to the teachings she gave her Son on prayer.
“Do you really think He cares
If I tell Him things ——-
Little things that happen? And
Do the Angels’ wings
Make a noise? And can He hear
Me if I speak low?
Does He understand me now?
Tell me ——-for you know.”
Listen carefully and she will answer these verses of the poem with a strong, loving yes.
Think of this teaching from our Lady at Medjugorje, she tells her children to ‘pray, pray and pray’. Persistence in prayer – pray with trust, Jesus and Mary are listening.