walk with us, mother mary

i am preparing for a talk next month on mary. i was inspired this morning by some pictures that i hope to use that night. among the pics, i found this quote about mary from pope francis’ teaching in “the joy of the gospel” (evangelii gaudium):

in this world, we will never fully see the fullness of God’s love, justice and peace. but mary’s accompanying presence among us helps sustain us in the journey.

the image of “birth pangs of justice” rings true. new life comes from pain. at times i wish this was not true but in my better moments, i can recognize it.

i remember visiting the shrine of our lady of guadalupe in mexico city the summer of 1989.

and the words of mary to juan diego:

mary, the mother of God and our mother beings us a strength that we barely realize. the spiritual power given by God as grace through her is a pure gift of love.

O God, Father of mercies, who placed your people under the singular protection of your Son’s most holy Mother, grant that all who invoke the Blessed Virgin of Guadalupe may seek with ever more lively faith the progress of people in the ways of justice and of peace. Through Christ our Lord. Amen

(the collect from the mass of our our lady of guadalupe)