8 faces of Mary to be called in prayer
One of Mary's greatest gifts is the variety of ways she reveals herself.
In the northern hemisphere, Maggio brings the height of spring flowering. In pre-Christian times, 1st May was a day of celebration announcing the fertility of the Earth, and the month of May was dedicated to different figures of the goddess such as Artemis (Greece) and Flora (Rome). In the Middle Ages, the month of May slowly dedicated itself to the various celebrations of Mary, whose "yes" to God is the testimony of fruitfulness.
Starting in the 18th century, May became a time of daily devotions to the Madonna, and it was common to crown statues of Mary with flowers to symbolize its flowering in the world. Today, in May, Catholics are invited to create a corner of prayer with images of Mary that inspire them.
The scriptures reveal Mary as a mother, wife, cousin and friend. Over the centuries it has brought many names to celebrate the different qualities it can bring to our life. I explore eight of them in this article, but there are also many others: Queen of Peace, Gate of Heaven and Untier of Knots, just to name a few. These names show the many ways in which Mary is present to us in our needs. They are archetypal; they represent the qualities on which each individual can draw on over time and in cultures.
Consider inviting every aspect of Mary to be present in your prayer, perhaps taking three to four days to meditate on each image and explore how each aspect of Mary invites you to a deeper relationship with Christ.
Virgin Mary
One of the most familiar images of Mary is the Virgin. The archetype of the Virgin concerns complete being, belonging to herself and being full of divine love. It is free from the dictates of family and culture. The Virgin reconciles all opposites within herself and has everything she needs to bring new life.
When the angel Gabriel visits Mary, she is given a choice rather than a request. Mary is active in her "yes" to the angel's invitation, as well as in her surrender: "Let it be done to me". God's unfolding of salvation depends on Mary's full "yes".
Invite Mary as Virgin in prayer to support you in saying "yes" to the call of God in your life.
The greenest branch
The title of "greener branch" for Maria derives from the XNUMXth century Benedictine abbey of St. Hildegard of Bingen. Hildegard lived in the lush Rhine valley in Germany and saw the green of the earth around her as a sign of God at work in giving birth to all creation. He coined the term viriditas, which refers to the ecological power of God at work in everything.
Through this concept of greening, Hildegard weaves all created life - cosmic, human, angelic and celestial - with God. We could say that viriditas is the love of God, which excites the world, making it alive and fruitful. St. Hildegard had a great devotion to Mary and saw her as preeminently infused with the vital green of God.
Invite Mary as the greenest branch to support you in welcoming the grace of God who gives and sustains your life.
The Mystical Rose
The rose is often linked to stories of Mary's apparitions. Maria instructs Juan Diego to collect a large bouquet of roses as a sign and becomes known as Our Lady of Guadalupe. Our Lady of Lourdes appeared with a white rose on one foot and a golden rose on the other to show the union of human and divine. Cardinal John Henry Newman once explained:
“She is the queen of spiritual flowers; and therefore, it is called the Rose, because the rose is called the most beautiful of all flowers. But, moreover, it is the mystical or hidden Rose, as mystical hidden means. "
The rosary is also rooted in the rose: in medieval times the five petals of the rose were expressed through the five decades of the rosary.
Invite Mary as mystical Rosa in prayer to support you to savor the sweet scent of life and the slow development of your soul.
She showing the way (Hodegetria)
Hodegetria, or she who shows the way, comes from Eastern Orthodox icons depicting Mary holding Jesus as a child while indicating him as the source of humanity's salvation.
The image derives from a legend of an icon believed to have been painted by Saint Luke and brought to Constantinople from Jerusalem in the fifth century. Another legend tells that the icon received its name from a miracle performed by Mary: the Mother of God appeared to two blind men, took them by the hand and led them to the famous monastery and sanctuary of Hodegetria, where she restored their vision.
Invite Mary as she who shows the way in prayer to support you when you need clarity and guidance for difficult decisions.
Sea star
The ancient sailors called their compass a "sea star" because of its shape. Mary identified herself with this idea, since she is a guiding light that calls us back home to Christ. He is believed to intercede on behalf of the seafarers to guide them home and many coastal churches bear this name.
The name of Mary Star of the Sea seems to have spread in the early Middle Ages. There is an eighth century hymn of the plain called "Ave Maris Stella". Stella Maris was used as the name of Polaris in her role as a polar star or a polar star, as was always in sight. Saint Anthony of Padua, perhaps the best known of St. Francis of Assisi's disciples, would invoke the name of Mary, Stella del Mare, to evoke his own strength.
Invite Mary as a star of the sea in prayer to support you when the waves of life are difficult to navigate and ask for her help in offering directions.
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Morning Star
The morning can be full of promises and new beginnings and Mary like the morning star is the symbol of hope for a new day. Many of the early church fathers wrote of the morning star shining brightly before the sun rises in reference to Mary, who is the light that precedes the bright illumination of the sun.
Sant'Aelredo di Rievaulx wrote: “Maria is this eastern gate. . . the Most Holy Virgin Mary who has always looked to the east, that is, to the brightness of God, received the first rays of sun or rather all her blaze of light. ”Mary faces the direction of dawn and reflects her light offer us hope for what will come.
In the book of Revelation, Mary is described as crowned with 12 stars, 12 being a sacred number. Just like the star of the sea, the morning star calls us, guides us and shows us the way to a life illuminated by wisdom.
Invite Mary as Morning Star in prayer to new awakenings in your life and to be open to the dawn of God in your heart.
Mother of Mercy
In 2016, called the Year of Divine Mercy, Pope Francis wanted the whole church to be awakened to mercy, which includes forgiveness, healing, hope and compassion for all. He called for a "revolution of tenderness" in the church through renewed attention to these values.
Divine mercy is completely free and abundant grace, not acquired. When we pray to the Hail Mary, we describe it as "full of grace". Mary is the embodiment of divine mercy, that sumptuous gift of kindness and care. Mary as Mother of Mercy extends to all those who are on the margins: the poor, the hungry, the imprisoned, the refugees, the sick.
Invite Mary as Mother of Mercy in prayer to support you when and where you are struggling and ask her to bless your loved ones who are suffering.
The cause of our joy
There is a devotion called the seven joys of Mary which consists in praying seven prayers of Ave Maria to share the joys lived by Mary on earth: the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Nativity, the Epiphany, to find Jesus in the Temple, the Resurrection and Ascension.
When the angel Gabriel visits Mary, he tells her to "rejoice!" When Mary and Elizabeth meet while they are both pregnant, John the Baptist jumps for joy in the womb at the meeting of the two women. When Mary prays to the Magnificat, she says that her soul rejoices in God. Mary's joy also brings us the gift of joy.
Invite Mary as the cause of our joy in prayer to support you in seeing the hidden graces of life and cultivate a sense of joyful gratitude for the gifts of life.