Author: Sister Laetitia Therese, O.C.D.
Tis the Month of Our Mother
Do you ever feel like our Blessed Mother is unapproachable? She is so pure, was immaculately conceived, and she never turned away from Our Lord and sinned during the whole course of her life. I, on the other hand, am quite far from such purity and sinlessness. I struggle to give a wholehearted “yes” to the Lord and fall multiple times daily. How can I dare to draw near to such holiness and isn’t she disappointed or offended by me? I have honestly struggled with such thoughts. And then I became familiar with the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
At the time of Our Lady’s appearance in Mexico, life seemed to be at an all-time low. The Aztec people were suffering greatly: war-torn, entrenched in child sacrifice, and ravaged by disease. The Catholic Church in Mexico was also in a poor state. It was in these conditions that our Blessed Mother came to her people. She came in the midst of suffering and turmoil. She is not afraid of getting her white dress dirty. Her heart is moved with love and compassion. Bishop James Checchio said, “Just as Mary, the Mother of God cradled her Son, she cradles all of our failures, desperation, our isolation, our alienation, loneliness, our regrets, our remorse, our sorrow, our sufferings, our nothingness, desolation, defeat.” We are her beloved children and we can come to her entirely as we are, without any fear of being rejected. In this month of May, as we honor our mothers, let us turn to her with confidence and gratitude. She will always draw us closer to the Most Sacred Heart of her Son, Jesus.