Why the month of May matters

Warmer temperatures, longer days, better moods, graduations, confirmations, first communions, some things ending, others beginning; yeah, this is May.

But there's something else about this month that's important; namely, Mary.

By now, over the course of these emails, you know of my devotion to Mary. (If you've ever attended one of my parish missions, you really know of my devotion to Mary.) Here's why.

The Church celebrates devotion to Mary, during the month of May, because it is a month of new beginnings and of celebrations.

The new life of nature which we see sprouting up in our front yards and back gardens naturally reminds us of the new life we've been given in Christ, a life which came, as all our lives came, through His mother.

Now, I realize Mary can be a point of contention among those who are friends with her Son. Some people think that by moving towards Mary we must be moving away from Jesus, but this misses the point.

We don't go to Mary. We go through Mary. We pass through her Immaculate Heart, to the Sacred Heart of her Son.

You see, with Mary, we go to Jesus with an advocate, a coach, a mentor, and a Mother, who helps us along the way.

Nobody gets offended when you show respect and honor, love and devotion, to people that they love. Jesus is the same.

Virtually every saint in the whole of the Christian tradition has insisted that devotion to Mary is devotion to Jesus--that Jesus is all the more honored whenever and wherever we honor his Mother.

After all, it's exactly what he asked us to do. Remember His last will and testament, delivered there from the cross. "Woman," he said. "Behold your son." And then, to the disciple who represents all of us at the cross, "Behold your mother."

So this month, start your relationship with God anew, and remember that you are not alone. Let His Mother--your Mother--help you. And if you can, remember me as well.