One of the amazing things I have experienced having friends is being welcomed into their families as though I was one of them, and vice versa. And being Filipinos, the terms of endearment we use at home applies elsewhere. Thus, we call our friends’ older siblings as Manong and Manang, or Kuya and Ate. As for their parents it’s Tito and Tita or sometimes, Daddy and Mommy, Papa and Mama, or Tatay and Nanay.
I don’t know about you, but it
felt good to have that rapport (up to a certain degree) with friend’s families. I
remember two friends, Art and Vlad Reyes (They’re not related!), whose moms we
address as Nanay Espie and Nanay Remy respectively. Both have been warm and
welcoming to me and other friends. I must say that I wouldn’t have known and
understood more my friends had it not for their mothers.
I have another friend whose mother loved her son through and through. A mom who helps me to know and understand more her son. A mom who provides that strong link between my friend and I. A mom who continues to accept, admonish, and love me in spite of the many times I have hurt my friend. This friend of mine is not just any ordinary friend. He is a friend, Teacher, Healer, Savior, Lord, and God rolled into one. He is Jesus. And His Mother is Mama Mary, "the kindest and most loving of all mothers".
I often wonder how (and when) we Pinoy Catholics learned to address the Blessed Virgin as Mama Mary. While the English would address her as Our Lady and the Italians as Madonna, we have called her in an informal yet intimate way. We have called her as though she was family.
A few weeks ago, I had an interesting conversation with an expatriate. She and her family are active in their parish so I thought of inviting them to come along to our group's Novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help in our parish. She politely declined and explained to me that she and her husband are on a spiritual journey. She admitted that she used to have a deeper relationship with Mary (deeper than her relationship with Jesus in the past) and used to pray the Rosary, but learned that she could directly pray to God and would like to focus on building a relationship with Jesus. She hopes that in God's time she will be enlightened.
I felt sad when she told me her experience. What caused her to abandon her long-held Marian devotion? Did she feel that her deeper relationship with Mary hinders having a sound relationship with Jesus? I explained to her though that our group's focus is also on Jesus and that Mary, being His Mother, serves only as a way to Him, a companion in our spiritual journey and deeper relationship with the Lord. I closed our conversation by assuring her of my prayers.
Perhaps some of us may have had a similar experience. Regardless, I would like to offer three quotes for us to ponder:
“Never be afraid of loving the Blessed Virgin too much. You can never love her more than Jesus did.” (St Maximilian Kolbe)
“Let us not imagine that we obscure the glory of the Son by the great praise we lavish on the Mother; for the more she is honored, the greater is the glory of her Son. There can be no doubt that whatever we say in praise of the Mother gives equal praise to the Son.” (St Bernard of Clairvaux)
"A Christian without Our Lady is an orphan." (Pope Francis)
As we celebrate Mama Mary's birthday on September 8, let us ask for the grace to have a deeper relationship with her, our spiritual mother. Let us also ask for the grace to appreciate that we are part of a family - God's People, the Church - and actively contribute to its growth. With the many tribulations the Church, our country, the world have to face, we need her more than ever. Through Mama Mary, we will be able to reach "the goal we seek - Jesus, her Son” (St Louis Marie de Montfort).
Happy birthday, Mama Mary! Thank you for your love and guidance. Help us to always listen to Your Son and to love one another as He has commanded us. Continue to lead us to Him. We love you!
I have another friend whose mother loved her son through and through. A mom who helps me to know and understand more her son. A mom who provides that strong link between my friend and I. A mom who continues to accept, admonish, and love me in spite of the many times I have hurt my friend. This friend of mine is not just any ordinary friend. He is a friend, Teacher, Healer, Savior, Lord, and God rolled into one. He is Jesus. And His Mother is Mama Mary, "the kindest and most loving of all mothers".
I often wonder how (and when) we Pinoy Catholics learned to address the Blessed Virgin as Mama Mary. While the English would address her as Our Lady and the Italians as Madonna, we have called her in an informal yet intimate way. We have called her as though she was family.
A few weeks ago, I had an interesting conversation with an expatriate. She and her family are active in their parish so I thought of inviting them to come along to our group's Novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help in our parish. She politely declined and explained to me that she and her husband are on a spiritual journey. She admitted that she used to have a deeper relationship with Mary (deeper than her relationship with Jesus in the past) and used to pray the Rosary, but learned that she could directly pray to God and would like to focus on building a relationship with Jesus. She hopes that in God's time she will be enlightened.
I felt sad when she told me her experience. What caused her to abandon her long-held Marian devotion? Did she feel that her deeper relationship with Mary hinders having a sound relationship with Jesus? I explained to her though that our group's focus is also on Jesus and that Mary, being His Mother, serves only as a way to Him, a companion in our spiritual journey and deeper relationship with the Lord. I closed our conversation by assuring her of my prayers.
Perhaps some of us may have had a similar experience. Regardless, I would like to offer three quotes for us to ponder:
“Never be afraid of loving the Blessed Virgin too much. You can never love her more than Jesus did.” (St Maximilian Kolbe)
“Let us not imagine that we obscure the glory of the Son by the great praise we lavish on the Mother; for the more she is honored, the greater is the glory of her Son. There can be no doubt that whatever we say in praise of the Mother gives equal praise to the Son.” (St Bernard of Clairvaux)
"A Christian without Our Lady is an orphan." (Pope Francis)
As we celebrate Mama Mary's birthday on September 8, let us ask for the grace to have a deeper relationship with her, our spiritual mother. Let us also ask for the grace to appreciate that we are part of a family - God's People, the Church - and actively contribute to its growth. With the many tribulations the Church, our country, the world have to face, we need her more than ever. Through Mama Mary, we will be able to reach "the goal we seek - Jesus, her Son” (St Louis Marie de Montfort).
Happy birthday, Mama Mary! Thank you for your love and guidance. Help us to always listen to Your Son and to love one another as He has commanded us. Continue to lead us to Him. We love you!
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