Consecrated to Mary
I have created a special place for Mary in my life. When I was in fourth grade, my mom introduced me to the events of Fatima. When she told me of how Mary appeared to the three small children; Lucia, Jacinta, and Francisco, I thought it was the coolest thing ever! I wanted to have that happen to me. To see and hear and talk with Mary. In person. I prayed for it. When I would tell my friends, they thought that was silly all except for one. She and I would talk about what that would have been like. Wouldn’t you be scared? I didn’t think so because it was Mary. Why would anyone be scared of Mary? As I grew older, I wanted, more than anything to be like her. I studied everything I could get my hands on to learn what she was like. I continue to gravitate to books about the apparitions because I simply can’t know enough about Mary. She fascinates me. She amazes me. As I grew and came to better appreciate Scripture and the role of Mary, as well as our faith traditions and rituals that involve Mary, I paid closer attention to how to include her in my life as an advocate and intercessor. Mary knows what it is like to love, to suffer, to feel joy, and to have profound loss. She knows how to abandon oneself completely to God. I want to do that, I want to be completely at His will. She has become my best friend because she has the answers for what needs to be done. Prayer with her is very consoling. She will take my worries, my prayers, my fears, my wonderings, directly to the heart of Jesus. Jesus WILL listen to his mom. Why not go right to her? This is why I have consecrated myself to her and why I have consecrated our school to her.
What does that mean to consecrate yourself to Mary or to Jesus or to God? To be consecrated means to pledge full and complete dependence. We consecrated our school to Mary in October 2016. In doing so, we have said that we will not do anything without it being the Lord's will. When big decisions have to be made, it will be prayed for. When policies are to be written, it will be prayed for. When a direction needs to be taken, it will be prayed for. We will always make an intentional place for Jesus and Mary in our school. This is why our daily prayer ends the way it does, Mary, Mother of God, pray for us. St. Dominic, pray for us.
3 Comments
Beautifully written. Thank you for sharing. You are a wonderful leader for your school. God bless you.
Impressive post. Thanks for sharing. I too have wondered what it would have been like if that happened to me.....who would believe me? Who could I tell? Would they think I was crazy? My mother was part of the Our Lady of Fatima guild in our parish when I grew up and their devotion was admirable. Someday, I would love to visit Fatima and experience it first hand. Thanks again.
What you have written are so many things I have never thought about. I would think about the sorrow Mary felt knowing that something would pierce her heart. But did she know how horribly her Son would die? We don’t know much about her day to day life, but being around or near her must have been peaceful and calming. Praying to her and asking her to take our prayers to the Trinity brings comfort and hope. We are older, but are so impressed with the remarkable things the staff and students of St. Dominic’s continue to achieve. And with you as the principal, your staff, and our wonderful priests, it is no wonder.