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“Mary, please bring order to this week!” Or was it, “Mary—Help!”
I was astonished when this cry came ripping out of me not too long after I arrived in our house in England. I was so taken with the various people who wanted to visit or come on retreat that my enthusiastic yeses were wearing us down. In fact, we were double-booked.
Perhaps it’s my Protestant background, but when I’m in trouble, I usually turn to Jesus, the Father, or the Holy Spirit to bail me out. But instinctively, I had asked Our Lady this time.
It makes sense: She ordered the life of the Holy Family, and you can’t imagine anything but peace in that household.
Well, no sooner had my fervent plea shot out that day, then someone rang to change the date of her visit. Ah, sanity restored!
From that point on, we began to ask Mary for her assistance in keeping our home in the tranquillity of her order, especially when life became complicated.
There is a catch, though: we must accept her plan. Sometimes we sigh in relief as the schedule is eased; other times we wonder if she realizes all the facts as we are stretched even more.
One week we already had three men staying with us, two from different countries, and one in mental anguish. On top of all this, a friend rang about coming. We had to squeeze him in, but what a gift he was with his humour and loving spirit.
Another year, two women who had both just suffered the death of a loved one asked to come for Holy Week. “Mary, I think this might be too much pain packed into one week. Won’t this compound everyone’s grief?”
She seemed to insist though, and these wonderful guests found solace in each other and particularly in our Good Friday evening service, as together we “buried” Christ and proclaimed our faith in his Resurrection. I don’t think any of us will forget that Triduum.
I guess Our Lady knew what she was doing after all!
In these past years, I’ve learned in a new way to hand over the ordering of my heart to Mary.
I can’t think of a better guide than the one who always said fiat to God, no matter what sacrifice or trust was demanded. Surely her maternal heart wanted to cry out against the agony of her beautiful Son on the Cross. Yet she allowed her emotions, intellect, and will to be crucified as well.
My own dilemmas pale before this suffering, but when I can’t find a way to trust or forgive or let go, she can guide me, and together, we can stand at the foot of the Cross.
The next time someone asks for prayers or you find yourself in need of help, just stop everything, pray a fervent Hail Mary and then leave it all in her hands.
