Marial reflections
On April third, Holy Saturday, a Marial paraliturgy: « The Hour of the Mother », has just ended at Saint Mary Major. In the celebration of the liturgy of the word, Byzantine strophes have alternated with verses of Psalm 118, singing of the love, the pain and the hope of Mary. A way of accompanying a mother in mourning. The Church today takes the place of the beloved disciple yesterday. « The Hour of the Mother » is a tradition recovered. This evening, the « alleluias » will return, like the swallows in spring, and we will again sing « Regina coeli laetare ! Alleluia ! »
This lets us remember that we are a particularly Marial congregation: for us the mother of Jesus is the « Good Mother », « the Ordinary Resource », « the one who has done everything for us! » The document of the XXI General Chapter tells us this abundantly, and asks us to set our mission at the rapid pace followed by Mary at the Visitation: the first of all Christian missions.
With this Marial character of ours, we have our traditions, such as the month of Mary, which comes down to us from our Founder. In many countries, it constitutes a highlight of the presence of Mary in our life as Brothers, lay Marists, and educators: a time of special education for our young people to come to know and love the Mother of the Lord. This year, during May, 33 Marial reflections are proposed, starting on 30 April and covering each day until the first of June.
The reflections take us through the different moments of the presence of Mary in the Scriptures. They also examine the Marial phenomenon in the Catholic Church, devotion to the Mother of Jesus, the sanctuaries dedicated to her, the rosary, the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption. They often refer to the Orthodox Church and sometimes to the Reformed Churches. Mary is presented as a mother who brings together all who believe in her Son and praise of the Son is dominant.
In general, the texts are addressed to adults, to people who have some acquaintance with Mary. They have not been written directly for children or young people. They need to be meditated on and translated by an adult: catechist, teacher, parent, who knows his/her pupils? capacities and puts the texts on their level. Your own creativity can transform them into Power-Points, or write one or two phrases on the board to remain there for the day, or invite the children and youth to compose brief prayers or poems to the mother of Jesus based on what they are told. That is basically what is suggested at the end of each reflection.
Our WEB, will place before you, day after day, these texts: a good opportunity for reviving the Marist tradition of the Month of May. It can be a special time of love and praise for the mother Jesus gave us at the foot of the Cross.
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Br. Giovanni Maria Bigotto