We have finally reached the lovely month of May, the month of Mary, of Mothers, of First Communions (on May 27). The weather warms, the trees, and flowers burst forth. It is a great time of year. Spring! Life! Growth! Many of us will be planting our gardens of both flowers and veggies. (I hope to have at least a few tomato plants myself; there is nothing like a homegrown tomato!)
This Sunday after the noon Mass we will have a May crowning in the grotto to begin the month dedicated to Mary. It is coordinated by our Legion of Mary. St. Francis had great devotion to Mary. In fact, he wrote a beautiful poem/prayer called the Salutation of the Blessed Virgin. I’d like to share it with you so that you can pray it yourself. I personally like his calling her “the virgin made church” and his “palace, tabernacle, home, and robe.” Interesting images to ponder. Since she carried in her very body, she became a “church” and like the Church community and Church buildings, a “dwelling place” for the Lord. This is what he wrote:
Hail, O Lady, Holy Queen,
Mary, holy Mother of God:
You are the virgin made church
and the one chosen by the most holy Father in heaven
whom He consecrated with His most holy beloved Son
and with the Holy Spirit the Paraclete,
in whom there was and is
all the fullness of grace and every good.
Hail, His Palace!
Hail, His Tabernacle!
Hail, His Home!
Hail, His Robe!
Hail, His Servant!
Hail, His Mother!
And, hail all you holy virtues
which through the grace and light of the Holy Spirit
are poured into the hearts of the faithful
so that from their faithless state
you may make them faithful to God.
May the Virgin who was made into a church and dwelling place for the Lord teach us how to do the same.
Fr. Jeff