Staying Close to the Blessed Mother Throughout the Year

January is a time to reflect on our relationship with our blessed mother. January 1st is the Solemnity of Mary as the mother of God. The year starts out perfectly with Mary by our sides as we joyfully celebrate this day. Not only is this day a perfect time to remember, honor, and celebrate Mary, but it is also a reminder that she is with us throughout the year. Here are a few ways to stay close to Mary not just on the first of January but every day of the year.

Pray the Rosary

The greatest prayer to our lady is the holy rosary. The rosary isn’t a rote prayer, it is praying the gospel of Christ by reciting the beautiful prayer of the hail mary while mediating on Christ’s life. The rosary is a gift from Mary to all of us. It is the best prayer to pray as a family. It takes about fifteen to twenty minutes to pray a group rosary, and it is time of reflection and of prayer. The rosary is the number one way to stay close to our blessed mother throughout the year.

Imitating Mary

Imitating the humble life of Mary in our daily interactions is a wonderful way to stay close to her each day. Teach your children to love our lady and to imitate her obedience and love of Christ. Mary loves us, and she always points us to her son Jesus to find the answers of life. Imitating Mary is also imitating Christ. Imitating the blessed mother also brings peace of heart. She understands our uneasiness, and she prays for solidarity and love within our families.

Celebrate her many feasts

There are so many Marian feast days throughout the liturgical year. In addition, the months of May and October are devoted to Mary. Mark your calendar for those dates and bring along the family to mass to celebrate together. Another way to do homage is to go on a pilgrimage to a Marian shrine as a family. There are several throughout the United States and beyond. Perhaps there is one close to you.

Keep praying

Prayer is the best way to honor and imitate Mary. Mary lived a life of love for her son but of others. She understood Christ’s mission, and she promoted it and supported it. We can do the same by our actions and by our love of him. When we pray to and with Mary, her son is also very happy. He loves our lady immensely, and he knows and understands her relevance to all of our lives. Let us continue on the journey of loving the Lord and of loving his mother and honoring her throughout our lives.

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