Month of May - Month of Special Devotion to Mary

05-05-2024Weekly ReflectionFr. Tony Okolo C.S.Sp., V.F.

Beloved Parishioners,

When I was growing up as I child, I recall how the beginning of every month of May till the end of May was a great month for me as May Devotion. It is a month of special devotion to honoring Our Mother Mary especially with the recitation of the Rosary and other forms of Marian devotion.

At that time, the entire parish assembles every evening in the church for evening Rosary before the Blessed Sacrament which is exposed as we recite the Rosary; at the end there was Benediction, and this happens throughout the month of May. It was so important to us that my parents would ensure that all our house chores and homework assignments were done early enough to give us the opportunity to be punctual for the rosary devotion in the church. To date I still recall how we chant various Marian hymns during this special month of May and on Sunday evening during this month we chant the full decade of the Rosary in procession round the church. On any day when it was my turn to serve the thurible and incense for the benediction or walk with the priests during Rosary procession, I felt as if a special favor had been granted me.

There are still many cultures and nations that still observe the month of May in a very special way. Here in our parish, we do the crowning of Mary after each Mass on the first Sunday of the month of May. I am praying that we try to do more individually or as a family to give special honor to our Mother Mary this month.

There are different traditions on how the devotion to Mary in May started, but one tradition has it that the devotion started in Rome, towards the end of the eighteenth century, on one fine evening in May. A child of the poor gathered his companions around him and led them to a statue of Mary, before which a lamp was burning, as is the custom in that holy city. There, these fresh young voices sang the Litany of Our Lady. The next day, the little group, followed by other children, again gathered at the feet of the Mother of God. Next came their mothers, to join the little assembly. Soon, other groups were formed, and the devotion rapidly became popular.

Holy souls, troubled by the disorderly conduct which always increases and becomes graver at the return of the pleasant springtime, saw in these growing practices the hand of God, and they cooperated with the designs of Providence by approving and promoting this new devotion, as a public and solemn act of reparation. The Month of Mary was founded. It is a month when special graces are poured upon us because of Mary’s intercession.

Beloved parishioners, as we begin this month of May, I would call on each of us to utilize this month to devote more time in honoring our Blessed Mother Mary in our families by reciting the Rosary daily. This is also a period we can ask for special favors through her intercession for some special need and be assured that through her intervention in our crisis we would be helped. “As Catholics we believe that Mary can intercede on our behalf and bring our prayers to Jesus. This belief is based on the idea that Mary, as the mother of Jesus, has a special relationship with Him and can ask Him for favors. We as Catholics therefore pray to Mary and ask for her help in times of need, such as during illness or difficult times.” One of the sayings I learnt as a child is that Mary’s wishes are command to Jesus. Let us ask for her special assistance in all that we need and be hopeful and confident that our prayers will be answered, and our needs attended to.

Finally, I end with a quote from John Paul II my favorite Pope on Mary “The Blessed Mother is a Mother for all of us. She doesn’t discriminate. She is not only our lifeline to Jesus, but she is always with us in our moments of joy and failings in life. We can always go to our Mother in heaven for comfort and help.”