Pastor's Reflections

Mary always leads us to her Son!

Mary has always known that the greatest gift/sign given was Our Heavenly Father sending us His Son.  That’s why her heart could rejoice – “My Soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my Spirit rejoices in God my Savior” (Lk1:46).  Mary said this shout of joy knowing all that was still to come for her and her Son.   She was overjoyed that Salvation had come for the generations of people – although at a cost.   Here at St. Mary, let us strive to rejoice at her Son.

A friend of mine went to Poland and one morning they went to make a holy hour in the church in the square.  While in the church they noticed kids coming into church and praying for 5 or 10 minutes and then they would go on their way.   This activity lasted for about 30-40 minutes with just numerous kids, each on their own, coming and going.  The kids would come in with their backpacks and on their way to school would all stop in and say good morning to her Son and offer a prayer.   My friend said that this was a ritual that happened every morning with kids coming into the church.  It was a normal thing and it was just part of their day.

Would your kids be able to see that as a normal part of their day.  Is talking to God a time to rejoice or is stopping the important tasks of the day to pray with God for a moment seen as a burden?   What is your discipline for time with God?  What is your attitude and desire toward spending time with God?  Those are not easy questions to answer because there are so many variables but in then end – Does your soul rejoice in God your Savior?

Let’s develop the discipline and spread it.  Ten (10) or so minutes praying before the Eucharist once or twice a week.  You don’t pray because you have to – you pray because you can.   For many, prayer has become a burden, an obligation, a thing that needs to just get done.  Perhaps there’s a bit of that in us?

St. Mary Mother of the Church is our parish, our church, our space with the Lord.  Praying before the Eucharist – there is no substitute that can give us that joy and grace.