In the history of the spiritual life of the Church, devotion to Mary has always held a prominent and beloved place. As Christians have sought to draw close to the Lord Jesus, they have naturally turned to Mary and asked for her help and guidance.
As we turn to Jesus through Mary, various formal prayers have emerged. Such prayers have given encouragement and consolation to believers through the ages.
Within the universal nature of the Church, which is vast and covers countless cultures and expressions, there is a revered collection of diverse but complementary prayers to Mary.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church makes the observation: “Medieval piety in the West developed the prayer of the rosary as a popular substitute for the Liturgy of the Hours. In the East, the litany called the Akathistos and the Paraclesis remained closer to the choral office in the Byzantine churches, while the Armenian, Coptic, and Syriac traditions preferred popular hymns and songs to the Mother of God.”
The various cultural and spiritual traditions of the Church have given believers different prayers to Mary, but they are all united in their love and devotion to her. The Catechism makes the point: “But in the Ave Maria, the theotokia, the hymns of St. Ephrem or St. Gregory of Narek, the tradition of prayer is basically the same.”
While there are differences in emphases, themes, and languages, the heart of the believer who wants to turn to Mary is always the same. The aspirations of the heart are the source of unity. It is the heart that gives a common thread to all the prayers and devotions found in the Church’s universal spiritual treasury.
By turning our hearts to Mary, we experience a whole new horizon of prayer. By her gentle guidance, Mary shows us new depths of the spiritual life. No one comes close to Mary in her prayerfulness and attentiveness to God. There are many lessons we can learn from her, if we turn to her with trust and allow her to teach us.
The Catechism teaches: “Mary is the perfect Orans (prayer), a figure of the Church. When we pray to her, we are adhering with her to the plan of the Father, who sends his Son to save all men.”
Mary is the maternal figure of the Church. She is everything that we are called to be. In her, we see the fulfillment of our own spiritual destiny. When we walk with her and let her instruct us in the ways of God, we become better Christians and share more deeply in the mission of Jesus Christ.
The maternal role of Mary should never be dismissed or seen as insignificant. We all need a spiritual mother, especially those who think they don’t. And we can all benefit from Mary’s relationship with God and her intense spiritual life.
As fallen human beings who are doing our best, we need all the help we can get and Mary is the best of help. She shows us the way of the Lord Jesus and gives us the encouragement and guidance we need to persevere and follow the Lord’s way with faithfulness and devotion. There is no greater help to prayer than Mary, the very one who perfected prayer.
As Saint John was given Mary and welcome her into his home, so we are called to welcome Mary into the interior home of our hearts. There is no need for suspicion. She is no idol. She is no barrier. Mary is only the handmaid of the Lord who prays, loves, and gives all things to him. We can trust this docile handmaid.
The Catechism explains: “Like the beloved disciple, we welcome Jesus’ mother into our homes, for she has become the mother of all the living. We can pray with and to her. The prayer of the Church is sustained by the prayer of Mary and united with it in hope.”
While there is much to learn about prayer from Mary, we are also humbled by the realization that the very prayer of the Church is already united to her prayer and could not be sustained without it. As our mother, she carries the prayer of the whole Church. The life and the very destiny of the Church lies in her maternal praise of God.
Our hope for eternal life in Jesus Christ is united with Mary’s constant supplication before God. Our hope is matured and enriched by her prayers.
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