The Month of May—A Reflection By Nancy Massaro

May, the month which reminds us of the beauty of the earth, with flowers and fauna in full and gorgeous bloom. 

We are beckoned to enjoy the scenery and the weather. 

May, the month of celebrating mothers, grandmothers, great grandmothers, foster   mothers, adoptive mothers, Godmothers.  

This is the month we celebrate Mary the Mother of Jesus. Mary who has been a role   model for many of us.  

Mary who models for us a loving way to be a parent. Her patience with Jesus when he was lost and then found in the temple preaching.

Mary modeled for us unconditional love. The joy of sharing good news with her cousin Elizabeth who with Mary was also about to become a mother.

Mary modeled for us the concern she had for the newly married couple at the Wedding at Cana. 

When in prayers I reflect on Mary and her humanity and her humility and her goodness, on her many joys and unspeakable sorrows in her life. 

I always have to remind myself that Mary is not a statue or a painting of a woman with a beautiful face. It was she who was Jesus’s mom, his caregiver, a flesh and blood parent to our Beloved Jesus who loves us unconditionally.

For those of us who no longer have earthly mothers, we need to remind ourselves that Mary is always with us and resides in our hearts as our earthly mothers are always in our hearts.