Mother Mary in my New York Life

It is almost impossible to explain a feeling and a relationship. When it comes to my relationship to Mother Mary I always find difficulty to explain how it feels. It is a relation it is an experience. How will I explain an experience?
No one in this world can ever describe in depth who is a mother to him or her. If I find difficulty in describing a human mother who gave me life and blood and love , how am I able to try to make it black and white a mother who is acknowledged by God himself.
We need to grow in love if we need to learn about our Heavenly Mother Mary.
God knows every child, every heart, every soul. When Mary was consumed as the child of Anne and Joachim, God chose her to be the Blessed Mother of God the Son through the eternal power of God, the Holy Spirit. All he wants was her Yes to His eternal plan of Salvation. Mary as a child was chosen and prepared to be holy for all eternity.
Mary is the most perfect child of all humanity. She is the perfect woman of all humanity, she is the supreme perfect Mother of all humanity, she is the perfect wife of all humanity, she is the model ,perfect helper of all humanity; a humble, sincere, considerate, loving, strong, courageous, faithful and trustful woman of all humanity and an embodiment of all virtues you can name. There was no one other than Mary as the perfect Model for us to make our beloved Mother. And God rightly chose her as His Mother and blessed her with all perfection.
When I was a little child, whenever I wanted anything special, I will ran to my mother and asked her to get it for me, and she will go to my father and will force him to get it for me. My father could never say no to my mother and I knew my mother would get it for me anyway.
Let me ask you this…how will you love a person if you do not know that person? You love your mother because you know her. If anyone on this earth does not love Mother Mary it is because they do not know her. If you know her you can never but love her. Anyone who knows the late Pope John Paul II anyone who read about him, watched him and followed his teaching and understood his life will never keep away from loving him. He was so loving and he was so lovable. You should know someone to love him and you should love him to know him.
This year in the St. Patrick Cathedral in Manhattan, New York, I was sitting in front of the side altar dedicated to our Lady of Guadalupe for the Chrism Mass on Tuesday of the Holy Week. In the middle of the Mass a nun came in front of the shrine and she knelt before Mother Mary and remained in the same position deeply lost in prayer until the time of holy communion. She knew all the priests were watching her. She is not ashamed she is not embarrassed she did not notice us. She only knew Mother Mary and she loved her from her heart. You are not ashamed if you are in love. Are you..?
When it comes to love, there is no time; there is no boundaries, there is no shame. A Friend told me when he was in love he talked to his friend more than sixteen hours at a stretch. Do you believe what I tell you..? I do not even believe it! When he told me, I had to believe. When it comes to real love, there is no time limit. There is no shame ,there is no fear and there is only love and feeling.
When people come to me to share their sorrows, I will tell them to go to our Mother Mary and I assure them that she will indeed tell her son as she did at the wedding of Cana.
Who else will do that, other than a considerate, other oriented person like Mary? She was always considerate about others. She did worry or fear when the angel said to her that she is the chosen one of God, to be the Mother of God. She was not afraid; every Jew knows that if a woman, in their religion becomes pregnant before she gets married, she will be stoned to death. She boldly said “Yes” to God because she had a strong faith in God. She knew that the God of Abraham, Jacob and Joseph has the power to do so and she said Yes. An iron lady, strong in faith pouring her love for others. When she heard her cousin Elizabeth is six months pregnant in her old age, Mary was concerned about her. She knew it is difficult for Elizabeth both mentally and physically. So she ran to her by a reflex action of Love in her heart. What a woman, an iron strong faith filled lady, indeed worthy to be chosen by God almighty.
If you have Mary and Jesus you have everything you need. Suppose you are so connected with the President of United States of America, do you think you will lack anything Material in this world, if you are in trouble will he not help you?. He will make sure you are in a better position. If a human being is willing and able to help you, why worry if God in your side. Take possession of Mary and Jesus. That is all you need...
Have you seen some Holy priest in your life? I have seen that the saintly priests are very devoted to Mother Mary. They have consecrated their lives to Mother Mary. They are never in want of anything.
When we look at Mary who stands at the foot of cross what do you feel about her? An iron Lady of faith scripture says she stood at the foot of the cross. If she is not so strong in faith, How can she stand there when her son, only beloved son is crucified mocked and ridiculed like the worse criminal in roman empire? She was strong, she was not afraid, she was fulfilling her “Yes” her promise to God. Each step of the Calvary, she was saying her “Yes” to God.
Are you a mother? Will you not protest the idea that your son is going to die for some homeless person or some criminal? I would! It is really heart breaking to see her innocent son carrying the cross for the humanity. She did not protest to him about taking that horrible pain to himself. She was with her son when he was carrying his cross for us. Imagine the scenes of Calvary. Oh, My God! If I were there, I would have fainted long time ago. I know most of you would have. I have seen many people watching the film of the Passion of Christ, get up and go out or cover their face. Imagine Mother Mary standing at the foot of the cross for us. If you have witnessed the death of your much loved ones, you know how it feels. It needs a lot of faith to stand there for them. Mother Mary did and with much love and strong faith for you and me. What a model what a figure. I cannot but love her. She is my beloved Mother. Mother Mary, an Iron lady of faith stood at the foot of the cross swallowing up the pain of her broken heart. She bore it for our salvation. She was there for each one of us. She will be there for each one of us. Each time we go through pain, she will be there for us. She is and she will be there. You can count on her. Go to her, I would say run to her when you are in pain, when you are abandoned, lonely, unwanted, frustrated. You will certainly find rest and be at peace at her side. She knows your pain; she had gone through all these pains at the highest levels. She is your Mother given by Jesus Christ at the foot of the Cross. You have all the right to ask your Mother for help and she is ready and willing and able to help you. Why wait to ask her. Take her home as St John took her to his home…you will not regret it ..surely not.
There is no Catholic Church in Manhattan New York City which does not give prominent place for Mother Mary. Our ancestors who worked hard to build these churches really understood the need and important role of Mother Mary in our troubled world and our fast modernizing city.
In Genesis God promises that on the Mountain God will provide. Yes, it was fulfilled on the Mountaintop of Calvary. God did Provide for all humanity for all eternity the greatest gift of all, Mother Mary. In Isaiah, 49: 15 God asked: “Can a Mother forget her child, even if she forgets I will not forget you. Yes, indeed, God did not forget us, He gave us Mary and Mother Mary can never forget her Children and she will never do so…
A Mother is always consciously aware of her children. A child may not notice the mother around but a mother will never leave a child unnoticed. She will be always in the vicinity. If a child cry or if anything happens to him, she will be right there, at the right moment. Mother Mary is not less concerned about each one of us. We are always in her vicinity. When we need her, when we ask her help, when we are in need of help, she will be right there for us. She will never abandon us. She is always consciously aware of our needs.
As you grow in knowledge and in wisdom, you realize you know nothing. Pride an outward sign of your emptiness. It takes long time and knowledge to realize that you are nothing but a worm. When we get into our own realization and senses we realize we are nothing but for the mercy of God. A fruit filled branch of a tree is always standing bended. Our Mother Mary full of virtues and mercy teaches us every day to be humble. She preached without using any words, a powerful way of communications. Very few sentences are heard spoken by Mother in the Gospels. All what she tells us is, to do what Jesus tells us to do. There is no Mary without Jesus and whenever we go to Mother Mary, she will always lead us to Jesus.
I thank God every day for Mother Mary in my life as my mother and my sister in Carmel, my source of spirituality.
‘Mother of Carmel, queen of heaven and star of sea show me every day that you are my mother and my sister and lead me to your son now and at the hour of my death. Amen.’


Ave Maria+