luke 1:38

L'Innocence by William-Adolphe Bouguereau, 1893.
I. Love. This. Painting.
I recently saw this image and almost fell over. It has become my favorite image of Mary…definitely one of the most beautiful pictures I have ever seen of her.
Wouldn't it be great to be that little lamb snuggled up with Jesus right there in Mary's arms? Well, that's what we are. We are lambs in Jesus' pasture. We follow the True Shepherd. And Mary is our Mother - she holds us close and cradles us in every moment.

I've decided to create a post just to honor Mom. Recently, I have just been reminded over and over about the importance of Mary in my life and how her faith constantly is challenging me to become more like her. She is the perfect example of surrender.

The Annunciation by Henry Tanner, 1898

Again, another favorite. This was my great friend Mrs. Nick's favorite painting. 

Before she joined the angels and saints in heaven, she told me that this painting reminded her of me. 

Really? Me? I couldn't believe it. I still don't believe it. 

This has become another one of my favorite images of our Mother in the past year. How calm she looks! How patient and willing to do God's will! This painting shows the archangel Gabriel and a young Mary, as she is told she is going to be the mother of a King. I doubt I would have been as calm as Mary. Were her parents in the same house at the time the angel appeared? How did she tell them she was pregnant? Did she have younger siblings who didn't understand what was going on with their sister? Yet she sits at the edge of her bed - completely willing to do whatever is told to her. Waiting patiently to do the will of the Lord. Such a beautiful lesson for all of us. 

In a tiny chapel in the mountains of northern Georgia is my favorite statue of Mary. I used to love to sit at the base of the statue and pray. This statue has been so comforting to me. Shes reminds me that Mary can be super calm, but she is also really strong. She knows how to beat up on evil. She's got this. By following the Lord, she showed us how to live a life of beautiful surrender and perfect love. She is full of grace and is our perfect Mother in heaven. She's got us and she is holding us close and has us wrapped in her mantle. Whenever I look at this statue, I am reminded of her goodness and her gentleness, and also her willingness to do whatever it takes to bring our requests to her Son.

Mary, Queen of the Universe. What a comforting thing! We have a Mother in heaven who loves us and is Queen over all of Heaven and Earth. The beauty and deep love that comes of this is so joyful.
This statue originally had a scepter and a crown that were lost over the years... I think that this brings Mary back to who she is… just an ordinary Jewish girl who was chosen by God to be great. We are all chosen by God to be great. Of course, we are not without sin as Mary is… and we will not raise the Son of God… but we are all chosen by the Lord and called to greatness. Through Mary's example we can achieve our greatness - as she directs us to Jesus and brings us closer and closer to her Son.

Our Mother of Good Counsel. How beautiful! Mary offers us prayer and counsel and loves us as her own children. This title of our Mother, beloved by the Augustinian Order, reminds us of the perfect hope we have in knowing that Mary is constantly inviting us to grow closer to God and helping us to grow in holiness. She has our back.

Lastly, this statue is one of my absolute favorites. It is in my favorite chapel on campus and really reminds me of the love that Mary had for Jesus. What was it like for Jesus growing up? Mary cooked for Him, helped Him grow into adulthood and was with Him until the very end: the Cross. She nurtured and loved and cared for Him daily. She held him at birth and held His limp body after His crucifixion. She cradled Him and brought Him to Jerusalem and traveled with Him and followed Him as the first disciple. She loves Him with a love that she has for each of us. She prays for us. How beautiful it is that we may ask for her assistance and guidance in our lives? What an amazing example of faith that we have been given by the Lord to follow. She welcomes us, she encourages us, she is watching over us.

We have a friend in Mary, the Mother of God.
Mary helps us to be the best version of ourself.
My favorite title of Mary is "Cause of Our Joy." Joy is perfectly brought about in Jesus. Joy is happiness in the presence of God. Mary said yes and brought perfect Joy to Earth. She is the Cause of Our Joy.

"'When you're unsure of yourself,' she said, 'when you start pulling back into doubt and small living, she's the one inside saying, "Get up from there and live like the glorious girl you are." She's the power inside you, you understand?'...'And whatever it is that keeps widening your heart, that's Mary, too, not only the power inside you but the love. And when you get down to it...that's the only purpose grand enough for a human life. Not just to love - but to persist in love."
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

Ave, Maris Stella.
Wees gegroet Maria.
Mary, Cause of Our Joy, pray for us.
Momma, pray for us.

Live with Joy.