Living in the Power of the Holy Spirit (7)

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Session #7
Mary, Spouse of the Holy Spirit

The Blessed Mother’s Help

Question for discussion (please post a comment):
The spouse of the Holy Spirit is Mary. What is your relationship with the spouse of the Holy Spirit, our Blessed Mother like? If she is more than just an impersonal character from the Bible, if you do more than just pray the Rosary to connect with her, please share with us what it is like for you and how you came to have this kind of relationship with her. Most importantly, what does your experience teach about the Holy Spirit?

Comments from the live event

L.F. answered:

Holy Mother Mary is my life-line next to Jesus. I really started my relationship with Our Holy Mother later in life and I have never let go of her hands and Rosary. I can only say, “I love You Mother Mary Most Holy and all that I am and have is Thine.”

In South Africa where I used to live, and as a child and in my high school years, I had to do the dusting in the house as I was the youngest. In my Mom’s room, she had a statue of Our Lady of Fatima [that played] a beautiful tune. I used to play this often and would prolong dusting in my parents’ room so that I could keep playing this tune. I think my real relationship started was when I was given a Rosary by my aunt as she had traveled to Lourdes. I also went through a bad patch, and a lady at church gave me a small bottle of Holy Water from Lourdes. I then started reading anything to do with Our Holy Mother…. [Years later] I went on a pilgrimage to Ngome “Our Lady of the Tabernacle Most High”. It was here that the links of my rosary changed to gold…. I also joined an internet prayer group called “Medjugorje Prayer Group” – it was here that I shared the True Devotion to Mary by St. Louis du Montfort and recall this fragrance of roses/tulips, and I called my husband and asked him if he could smell anything, and he said, “What perfume have you sprayed?” I said none and that Our Holy Mother is right here, I know it.

Once I was reading about Our Lady and Jesus and I vividly recall yearning in my heart to go home (meaning to God and Our Holy Mother Mary in Heaven) and I felt a kiss on my cheek, ever so lightly, ever so electrifying. I just sat and yearned but with joy and giving thanks!

As you said Terry, “Do whatever He tells you.” When I heard that, I smiled, for I carried that around with me when I felt my moments of “I can’t read the daily readings at Mass” and “I can’t serve as an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist”.

D.A. shared:

My mother was devoted to Our Lady, Most Holy Mary, and would pray the Rosary and have us join her. I didn’t really have a relationship with Mary, because we just prayed the Rosary. I don’t remember learning who she was. Later, raising my own children, I, too would pray it. It was during my divorce that I prayed more and kept asking Jesus to show me His mother, and He did. I would ask Mary, during the Rosary, to show me her Son. She did. Now I pray to both, and not long ago began asking the Holy Spirit, through the intercession of His Most Holy Spouse, to help me grow in my prayer life. They do. The more I reflect on Jesus and Mary, the more I believe that they are inseparable, yet the Holy Spirit is always present as well. I thank God that my mother was inspired by the Holy Spirit to show us what she knew about Mama Mary, because she planted the seed and God makes it grow.

C.F. wrote:

I have been a Catholic all my life. Along my faith journey, I had many doubts and questions on Mother Mary and all the Saints, and cleared them, but I never had a personal sort of relationship with Mother Mary. I prayed the Rosary all right, I believed in it, meditated on the mysteries of the Rosary, but no personal relationship with her. Before my mum passed away on Nov. 3rd last year, she gave me a prayer card with the Icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Succor [or Help]. At the back of the card was the “Prayer found under Christ’s Sepulchre 1503AD”. I asked her, “Why are you giving this to me? You know I have so many prayer cards of various Saints and all; I don’t want it.” She told me, “No, I am giving it to you – you keep it.”

A few weeks after she passed away, I attended a briefing on the meaning of the Year of Mercy and, during this talk, the priest explained the icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour. I was totally shocked that there was so much meaning in that icon and I as a Catholic has never bothered to even have a good look at the icon. When I came back home, I took the card from my wallet with tears in my eyes and started saying the prayers. I was wondering why my mum gave it to me barely two months before she passed on. Was she telling me indirectly, “She is your mother now, go to her”?? From then on, I talk to Mother Mary on a personal level.

While doing a recent project that I found difficult, I lifted it up to her, and within a couple of hours I was able to finish the task. Prior to this, I would embark on the project and get stuck, and it would take me days or even weeks to complete one part!

One more thing I would like to add is that I would never ever go and pray in front of a grotto. I do not want non-Catholics to think that I am worshiping Mary’s statue in the grotto. That has changed now, and anywhere I see a grotto, I stop to say, “Hi, Mum” and talk to her. I believe it is the Holy Spirit that made me go attend the talk. Everything happens for a reason. Jesus took my mum away from me but brought me closer to Him and to his mum.

I want to share this prayer that I wrote to Our Lady of Perpetual Succor:

Dear Mother of Perpetual Help, just as Jesus ran and flung himself unto you, allow me too to run to you when I am in fear, in despair, when temptation draws near or when trials come my way. May I always remember that I can run to my heavenly Mother for love, comfort and consolation, and she will bring me to her son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Help me Mother in all my troubles. May I always be reminded that help is not so far away. Watch over me every day and pray for and with me that Jesus keeps me all wrapped up in his embrace. Oh Mother dearest, help me to empty myself like you and embrace God’s plan for me. Help me to praise God in all things and bless him in all sufferings. Intercede for me, dear Mother, that I may never leave the Lord’s presence. Amen.