28/05/2021
Do something to honor Mary during her month — it will make this May extra special for both of you.
Have you been too busy to consider how to honor Mary during her month of May? You’re not alone; plenty of us are grappling to come up with ways to show our devotion to the Blessed Mother. And if you’ve not yet considered it, well, it’s time you do.
May is here. You might be tempted to toss the whole idea out, thinking it’s too late or too much work to come up with something. I assure you, it’s not too late and not too much work. Here are five quick and easy ways to honor Mary this May.
1. Set up a May Altar.
Reserve a place for Mary in your home or even at your workplace. It could be a stand-alone altar with a picture or statue or the corner of a desk or dresser with a picture of Mary. It’s not how fancy it is that matters, rather it’s the fact that it makes your heavenly Mother especially present to you. Out-of-sight-out-of-mind is often the case with many of our devotions. Keeping Mary present will urge you to honor her more frequently throughout the coming weeks.
2. Take the “Fresh Flower Pledge.”
Pledge to make certain that you keep fresh flowers on your May altar throughout the month. It can be a bouquet from the florist, a bunch from your garden, wildflowers you gathered on a hike, or even a simple, single stem. It’s the gesture itself, not the extravagance of the blooms that counts most. Think about how happy a mom is when her child brings her a flower – even if it’s a crumpled-up dandelion from the lawn. That’s how Mary is with you. She’ll cherish whatever you give her, not for what it is but for the fact that you gave it to her.
3. Learn a new Marian prayer.
No matter how many Marian prayers you know by heart, there are always more to learn. And, each Marian prayer shows a different facet of our Lady, which will be a boost to your knowledge of, and love for, her. It doesn’t have to be a long prayer; it just has to be a prayer that’s new to you.
4. Read about Mary.
Daily spiritual reading is always a marvelous idea. It helps you carve out time for God as well as helping you to grow spiritually. So, why not choose a book about the Blessed Virgin Mary for your spiritual reading this May? Even if you spend just 10-15 minutes a day, it’s absolutely better than not reading about her at all. Here’s a whole list of great Marian books for you to dig into!
5. Attend Saturday morning Mass.
Even if it’s your day to sleep in, do yourself (and Mary) a favor and give up a little of that “me” time to go to Mass on Saturday mornings during May. Throughout the year, daily Masses on Saturdays typically are dedicated to the Blessed Virgin. The readings and prayers are Mary-orientated and showcase an array of her qualities, characteristics, and importance. Even if you make it to only one Saturday Mass this May, you’ll still benefit and it still will be a beautiful act of love for the Mother who has been devoted to you since before you were even born.
Whether you do one, some, all the above, or come up with something completely different, just please do something to honor Mary during her month. I think you’ll be delightfully surprised at the way it will change your heart and your relationship with the Queen of Heaven and Earth. It’ll make this May extra special for both of you.
