Mary~The Working Mother Who Never Complained
Modern times can be quite stressful for women. Daily responsibilities can be overwhelming. The “Leave it to Beaver” mother and wife no longer exists, but her persona is still necessary. Today’s woman must be multi-faceted and it is not an easy task to integrate every feature. We have families, which means organizing schedules, preparing meals, school activities, and generally caring for a husband and children. For single mothers, this can be even more difficult. We have homes and financial responsibilities; cleaning, laundry, and being sure that bills are paid on time. And we have careers which can consume much of our time. We are often frazzled, overwhelmed and tired, wishing for a break or someone to help us get through each busy day calmly. There is someone who can get us through each day calmly, but because of our busyness, she is often forgotten, or just not a priority. Who is the wonder woman? She is Mary, Our Lady and mother who knows all so well, the burdens placed upon a woman’s shoulders.
Men’s Daily Prayer
During the time Mary lived on the earth, men were the rulers. They gave the orders and women obeyed. Women were seldom seen in public and if they were out, they were heavily veiled and forbidden to converse with men. An illustration of this is a prayer which Jewish men prayed daily. This prayer included this line; “Praised be God that he has not created me a woman.”
Mary’s duties included, but were not limited to, washing clothes, weaving, maintaining her home, planting, and harvesting, caring for her husband, her Son, and often other children.
Although we don’t know exactly when, during Mary’s life, Saint Joseph died, we know that he left her as a young widow. This, of course, added to her responsibilities.
So, when we fall into the place of self-pity or feel stressed or unappreciated, consider Our Lady, her daily life and add to that the thought of all that she suffered. With this in mind, why not turn to Mary? Why not begin each day by standing or kneeling before a statue of Mary and praying this Morning Prayer to her?
Morning Prayer to Mary
O holy Mary, my Mistress, into thy blessed trust and special keeping, into the bosom of thy tender mercy, this day, every day of my life and at the hour of my death, I commend my soul and body; to thee, I entrust all my hopes and consolations, all my trials and miseries, my life and the end of my life, that through thy most holy intercession and thy merits, all my actions may be ordered and disposed according to thy will and that of thy divine Son. Amen~Saint Aloysius Gonzaga ~
Stand with Our Lady
“Let us endeavor, like so many elect souls, to follow this blessed Mother, to walk always close to Her, not following any other path that leads to life, except the one trod by our Mother.”~Saint Padre Pio ~
Because we are so entangled in our activities, we may forget that Mary is beside us. But Mary never forgets us and she understands our stress. We are trying to be the perfect woman: wife, mother, daughter, friend, nurse, and balance all this with a career. Throughout history, there has been only one perfect woman and try as we may, there will never be another. So, please, recognize this. Treat yourself with the serenity that Mary offers. You will not become Wonder Woman but you will find your balancing act easier because the perfect woman is beside you, helping to carrying your burdens.
“Love our Lady. And she will obtain abundant grace to help you conquer in your daily struggle.”~ Saint Josemaria Escriva ~
“If we stand with Our Lady, she will give us her spirit of loving trust, total surrender, and cheerfulness.”~Saint Mother Teresa~
Marilyn Nash for Holyart.com