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“A Hand to Hold” through life’s journey is the title that I gave to my blog post here at Queen of Peace Media almost seven years ago. It’s hard to imagine that it’s been that long that I have been sharing stories with those of you who enter into them. When Christine asked all the bloggers to “name” their post it wasn’t hard for me to conjure up a title. It came so easily to my mind and straight from the heart like an arrow. I would share how I made it through my life path with “a hand to hold.”
The reason I chose a “Hand to Hold” was that very early in my life, our Blessed Mother came to me when I was only ten years old. Our encounter would happen within a darkened Church as I stood before a statue of “Our Lady of Fatima.” The Church had always beckoned to my curious eyes and so I knew that one day I would make it across the street to investigate the sacred space within. And I did!!!!
What I found was “beauty.” Not only beauty but “love” and “emotion.” As I gazed up into the Blessed Mother’s eyes, they seemed to get larger and so real that I began to see tears welling up within them. At that point, I became scared and thought in my childlike mind that I was in big trouble! I made a quick and hasty exit out the front door to return to the safety of my relative’s home. It was an experience that I will never forget and it would set the path for my life ahead.
The “tears” of our Blessed Mother were so meaningful to my heart. Just months after experiencing that divine moment with Her, I would lose my earthly mother to breast cancer. I found myself wondering why at such a young age I was without a mother when everyone else had theirs. I remember calling one of my friends to ask their mom if I should wear my winter coat to school that morning or not.
On the evening that my mother passed into the eternal, the Blessed Mother made Herself present to my heart like no other time than I had experienced as a child and She set the path for my life journey as She invites all of “Her children” to do if we but “hold Her hand.”
We hold “Her hand!” One way is to take up the Rosary and let those beads pass through your fingers. The “Hail Mary’s, Our Father’s and Glory Be’s” are just the “music” behind the scenes of a humble family life. It’s “Mother Mary’s” family photo album viewed in the scenes of each mystery. We can enter into each mystery and apply it to our own lives whether we are going through joyful, luminous, sorrowful or glorious times.
I remember being at Mt. Sinai Hospital when my husband was going through a life-saving miraculous surgery. He had been in the operating room for over 12 hours and at one point I was so distressed I had to leave the waiting room and find the chapel. I couldn’t focus and I grabbed one of the pamphlets. It was a rosary meditation book and so I sat and “held Her hand.” When I arrived at the 4th mystery – the Transfiguration where St. Peter, St. John and St. James see Jesus transfigured…..I heard deep in my soul that my husband was being made into a “new man.”
That surely was a divine revelation because he was made into a “new man” both spiritually and physically. I didn’t need a “cell phone” to be connected to Heaven to speak! I had those miraculous beads in my hand that spoke to my soul and brought peace, joy and hope.
In just two days it will be May 1st – a month devoted to our Blessed Mother. If you haven’t done a consecration to Her Immaculate Heart – now is the time!” There’s a “hand to hold” waiting for yours!
What is a Marian Consecration? It’s 33 days that you can enter into and join hands with Mother Mary in letting Her bring you to the heart of Her Son.
Who wouldn’t want to do that!!!!
Listen to what St. Pope John Paul II tells us in his treatise on True Devotion to Mary. . .
“Our entire perfection consists in being conformed united and consecrated to Jesus Christ. Hence the most perfect of all devotions is undoubtedly that which conforms, unites and consecrates us most perfectly to Jesus Christ. Now, since Mary is of all creatures the one most conformed to Jesus Christ, it follows that among all devotions that which most consecrates and conforms a soul to our Lord is devotion to Mary, His Holy Mother, and that the more a soul is consecrated to Her the more will it be consecrated to Jesus Christ.”
I made my Consecration to Mother Mary on December 8, 1992 and my life was transformed in ways that I could never have imagined. Doorways opened and She took me on adventures to this day that I could never have done on my own. She took over and led me down a path that was straight to Her son. She made sure I didn’t take a detour or end up in a ditch. I was “holding Her hand!”
I realized She showed me Her tears for so many reasons. She longs for Her children. She became our Mother at the Foot of the Cross. It’s hard to comprehend but think about this – The Creator of the Universe and Who created you – gave us His Mother!
Make your Consecration and Pray the Rosary. There is the classic 33 Day Consecration of St. Louis de Montfort – to Jesus through Mary.
And there are others including Christine Watkins’ book – “Mary’s Mantle Consecration: A Spiritual Retreat for Heaven’s Help.” It’s right here on this website and ready for your journey if you but click and respond to Our Lady’s Call to your heart.
Guaranteed! When you “hold Her Hand”. . .She will lead you to His. And like the little child in this picture it can only be a pathway of “Light” for Jesus tells us plainly in scripture – He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. There is no other way. Choose Mother Mary’s way – let Her take you to Jesus!
It is the surest “Way,” with Her “hand to hold.”
And so I close with a message from Fr. Gobbi’s “Blue Book” – To The Priests – Our Lady’s Beloved Sons” that we can also take into our hearts.
“My victory takes place in the hearts of all my children who consecrate themselves to my Immaculate Heart and allow themselves to be formed and led by me as little children. I open up these hearts to the purity of love, and in this way I am able to achieve the victory over every form of egoism, of hatred and of violence, and to spread everywhere the sweet perfume of divine charity.”
©2024
Photo Credits/ Instagram and Pinterest
“Give Her Your Hand” image – Anita Guariglia
Blue Book Message – Page 873 – Passage #554
One Response
AMEN! Thank you for sharing your most beautiful and personal encounter with Our Blessed Mother and your life-changing Consecration. My Consecration to Jesus through Mary was absolutely life-changing in the most wonderful and amazing ways.