May 12, 2019 - "Happy Mother's Day!"

Happy Mother’s Day!  Mother’s Day was first observed soon after the turn of the twentieth century in the Methodist Church as a memorial service for those who had lost their mothers.  The observance spread to other churches, and in 1914 became a civic holiday.  Chapter 55 of the Book of Blessings offers intercessions and a special prayer over the People for this day.
 
Of course we should certainly think about Our Blessed Mother today.  You may know that May has traditionally been called the Month of Mary.  Let me explain how that came to be.
 
Celebrating mothers during the month of May spans many centuries and cultures with roots going all the back to Greece and Rome.  The Ancient Greeks used to dedicate the month of May to Artemis, the goddess of fertility.  In Ancient Rome May was dedicated to Flora, the goddess of blossoms.  The Romans celebrated floral games at the end of April and asked the intercession of Flora for all that blooms.
 
In medieval times, similar customs continued with the idea of expelling winter because they considered May 1 to be the start of new growth.  During this time frame the tradition of “Thirty-Day Devotion to Mary” came into being.  This was celebrated from August 15 to May 14 (and is still observed in some areas).  During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, Mary’s month and May were combined, making May the Month of Mary.  Special devotions were organized on each day of the month.  This custom became especially widespread during the nineteenth century and remains in practice even to the present time.
 
When I was growing up in Butler, PA, the May crowning was a very special event in the life of the parish and the school.  It was held on the Sunday of May that was closest to May 13 in honor of Our Lady of Fatima. We would walk all though the school playground reciting the Rosary.  When we finished we prayed the Litany of Loreto and then one of the girls had the privilege of crowing the statue of Our Lady of Fatima near the entrance of the school.
 
I was delighted to lead our Religious Education students in prayer last week during the 9:30 a.m. session.  We taught the students in their gathering time to sing the hymn “Immaculate Mary,” prayed a shortened version of the Litany of Loreto, and then watched as one of the students crowned the statue of the Blessed Mother.  It is good to see customs like this passed down from one generation to the next.  It was a great way to end the Religious Education year!

Let me close this column by encouraging you to erect a prayer corner in your home.  No matter how simple or fancy it is.  This should be a place that is dedicated to God, and more specifically, for spending time with him.  Just as you need proper atmosphere in order to sleep you also need proper atmosphere in order to pray.  During May, give Mary a special spot in your prayer corner.  It might be a picture or a statue - something that is a real tribute to her beauty and virtue.
 
You can even crown Mary.  You can give her an actual crown or a spiritual bouquet of a decade of the rosary, five decades of the rosary, or even your favorite prayer in honor of Our Lady.  The meaning is more important than the action.  I can think of no better way to honor the Mother of us all.
 
Until next week,
Fr. John