Mary Calls Again

About three months ago, I was asked to present a lesson on Mary as the "Ark of the New Covenant" to a parish in Miami as part of an all day Scripture study on Mary.  I assure you that it was not something I considered lightly.  Even though I flippantly accepted the offer, I fretted about it several nights until my husband wisely suggested I had better decline in a hurry if I was even thinking of chickening out.  After all, people were counting on me to teach the lesson, and if I wasn't going to do it, someone else would be needed.  Soooo, I gave myself two weeks to skim the material and figure out if not only I had the brain power to understand, retain, and then teach the material, but the confidence to speak before a room of possibly 100 adults (some of whom might me very proficient in the Bible).

I then did as I always do - I cut a deal with God.  I promised that if in my whirlwind life of homework assignments, sippy cups, diapers, spills, falls, fights, twitter, facebook, phone calls, sicknesses, meal planning and preparation, laundry, and sleepless nights God would provide windows of opportunity for me to study in peace, I would take them.  I promised I would not squander the time He provided me to study.  It was like a miracle.  During those two weeks, I began pushing my two little ones around the neighborhood around noontime in the double wide stroller resulting in two conked out kiddos.  Here is what they looked like:

It was really too perfect.  As soon as I saw them pass out  I would say, "Thank you Jesus"(in my best Southern drawl of course), and then I would run them home, wheel them inside, and sit my fanny down to do some reading and studying.  I actually could not wait until they fell asleep so I could selfishly sit in my house in silence with our Lord - just sit and read the Bible.  I became addicted!

Honestly, it was a beautiful time, and I truly miss it now that all the kids are home for the summer and getting that kind of time would probably be impossible.  It was a quiet time in the middle of the day when my mind was actually clear.  I learned so much about Our Lady.  I have always said that it was Mary who drew me into the Church - always drawing me nearer to her Son.  Apparently, she is still working on me.  I almost laughed out loud when I found out the topic.  I thought to myself, "Of course it's on Mary - who else?"  I actually had to accept the offer of presenting the lesson just based on the content.  How could I turn the Mother of God down???  I fell in love with Mary as my mother when I taught among the Carmelite Sisters at a school in Miami, it was Her roses I smelled on my very first Mother's Day, it was She whom I thanked first when I found out I was pregnant with my first child, it was She who saved me and my son from injury during a horrible car accident, it was She whom I saw in my dream as Our Lady of Guadalupe (before I knew Our Lady of Guadalupe), and it is She whom I run to in my time of need.  She is the great intercessor for us to her Son.  She loves me, and she loves you, and She wants us to love her Son with all our heart and soul - every fiber of our being.

postscript:
If you are interested in the Scripture Study Program, it is Dr. Scott Hahn's program through the St. Paul Institute in Steubenville, OH. Here is a link to the program.  I HIGHLY suggest it.
Journey Through Scripture