By CAROLE BRESLIN
I have a confession to make. It was not until I was nearly 40 years old that I learned about the liturgical calendar of the Roman Catholic Church. While I understood the seasons of Advent, Lent, and Easter, I never paid much attention to the feasts and the time of the year they were celebrated. For example, it is no coincidence that the Feast of the Nativity of Mary (September 8) is celebrated exactly nine months after the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception (December 8). Likewise, it is no coincidence that Christmas (December 25) is celebrated exactly nine months after the celebration of the Feast of the Annunciation (March 25).
Mary plays a very significant role in the liturgies for daily Mass throughout the liturgical year. The month of May is a month dedicated to Mary, the Mother of God. October is the month of the Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary. During these months most Catholics will offer extra prayers to Mary begging her intercession.
During the week, the optional prayers for the Sacred Heart of Jesus may be prayed during the daily Mass for Fridays since our Lord suffered and died on Good Friday. On Saturdays the optional prayers for the Blessed Virgin Mary may be prayed because Mary on Holy Saturday never lost faith that her Son would rise from the dead. There are also a number of other feasts and memorials celebrated throughout the year. Now we have the September 15 Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows, the day after the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross (September 14). Again, this is part of the plan of the calendar.
There are more memorials and feasts for Mary than any other saint. Indeed, we rarely if ever see Mary referred to as St. Mary. Why is this? Simply put, Mary is above all the saints. There was no lack in her. Mary was full of grace by virtue of her Immaculate Conception. She is holier and possessed more grace than all the other saints combined. She is so far above the rest of mankind because her humility was so much greater than the rest of mankind. While latria is the adoration offered to God alone, and dulia is the veneration offered to the saints because of their holiness, Mary alone has the privilege of receiving hyperdulia for her unique position among all persons from the beginning of time. She does not just receive a whole bunch of dulia, but is venerated on an entirely different level, for her role in salvation history as well as her abundance of virtues.
Mary is not just another holy woman. Consider the architect who has an image in his mind of the ideal building and draws the design and sees it through the construction phase and completion. What satisfaction he must experience at his accomplishment! Children may also envision what their young minds may conceive of as the perfect mother: patient, understanding, loving, nurturing, beautiful, and merciful. If we sit and think of these things, what a woman she would be. As Bishop Fulton Sheen wrote in his book The World’s First Love, “When God became Man, He too, I believe, would make His Mother as nice as He could — and that would make her a perfect Mother” (p. 16). Only an all-perfect God could create an all-perfect mother. And so we have one in Mary.
As noted in a previous column, Mary was the only daughter of Saints Joachim and Anne. At an early age she was consecrated to God. Mary took a vow of virginity and yet was betrothed to Joseph. As husband and wife they remained celibate in their marriage. Her trust in God, her faith in what she believed, was beautifully reflected when she visited Elizabeth shortly after the Annunciation. (The Feast of the Visitation is celebrated March 31, just six days after the Annunciation.)
At this time, many things happened. First of all, Elizabeth, her older cousin, asked in surprise, “And how have I deserved that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Luke 1:43). Note that the elder woman who is owed respect is paying respect to Mary. How did she know that Mary was carrying Jesus? Filled with the Holy Spirit, she knew because the babe in her womb leapt for joy. Already, Mary is bringing Christ to those in need. Already, by her actions people are being sanctified since at this time John the Baptist, as he leapt in the womb of Elizabeth, had been sanctified. As the Church teaches, he was cleansed of original sin at the Visitation. Mary does not hesitate to serve both God and man. She acts as intercessor without delay all the while giving the glory to God as she sings her Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55). As St. Louis de Montfort observed, “To Jesus through Mary.”
Our devotion to Mary is not misguided. As Servant of God John A. Hardon, SJ, remarked in his classes for the laity, it makes sense to go to Mary in time of need. He likened it to modern times — when we want to meet with someone of influence, we frequently will go to someone who knows that person. We ask the person to put in a good word for us, hoping to gain an appointment.
Since Christ loves His Mother so much, it makes sense that He would want to do what pleased her just as He did at the wedding feast at Cana, even though He insisted His hour had not yet come. She does not plead but turns to the stewards and instructs them, “Do whatever He tells you” (John 2:1-12). Mary, recognizing the problem, without prompting, went to her Son. Though reluctant, He nevertheless acted according to her request. How much more can we hope to receive her intercession as we plead for the salvation of souls!
Mary, Help of Christians, pray for us.
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(Carole Breslin has been working with Raymond Cardinal Burke on the canonization cause for Fr. John A. Hardon, SJ. She home-schooled her four daughters and served as treasurer of the Michigan Catholic Home Educators for eight years. Mrs. Breslin’s articles have appeared in Homiletic & Pastoral Review and in the Marian Catechist Newsletter. This column on Catholic Heroes will be a semi-regular feature in The Wanderer.)
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