May 12, 2024
Lilacs always remind me of Mary.
Back in my Catholic grammar schools’ days, many of our teachers would use the month of May to set-up a corner of the classroom with a small shrine dedicated to Our Lady, complete with a statue, a Bible, a few rosaries, and assorted prayer cards. It was then our homework assignment to bring in a small bouquet of flowers to place before our Blessed Mother as a way to honor her. Some classmates brought roses from a backyard shrub; a few presented carnations purchased at Acme; and I could almost bet that a couple boys, when it was their turn, brought some unsuspecting neighbor’s daffodils which they ripped out of the ground on the way to school that very morning.
As for me? I always brought lilacs to Mary. It was easy: my family had a huge flowering lilac bush growing alongside our house, and the fragrant blooms were often abundant in May. Each time it was my responsibility to bring “flowers of the fairest” (as the cherished hymn states), my Mom would cut some blossoms, wrap a wet paper towel at the base of the stems and then twist a wad of aluminum foil around the bottom. Thus, a ready-made bouquet.
As we celebrate Mother’s Day weekend and the month dedicated to our Blessed Mother, it’s helpful in our prayer lives to recall with gratitude all the little moments of love our mothers – and those who have been like mothers to us -- have shown us throughout the years. Certainly, say an extra prayer or offer your Communion at Mass today for your Mom, and don’t be afraid to bring back the lovely Catholic tradition of having a small Mary Shrine in your home during the month of May. It’s a simple way to reclaim once again what makes our Catholic faith so very special … and it no doubt makes Our Lord very pleased to know we love His Mother.
Just one bit of advice, though, in setting up your Mary corner: Don’t steal the daffodils from your neighbor’s yard!