Ave Maria

The Immaculate Heart of Mary

~~~ Isaiah 61: 9-11 ~~~ Luke 2: 41-51 ~~~

~~~1 Samuel 2~~~

"My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior."

Mary, the first person of our kind that is human to love Jesus.

Mary consented for her young body to become the dwelling place for her Lord.

Mary nourished and protected Jesus before he was fully formed as a human within her body. As a mother I can confirm that during those nine months of pregnancy you form a close bond with your yet unborn child.

Mary's heart was already filled with love for her baby, Jesus, before she even got to feel him move or see his beautiful face.At the time of her Immaculate Conception her heart was filled with light and unbelievable joy.

She already had the love of scripture in her heart.

Now she would become a living part of the holy words of scripture.

I wonder. Did she ponder that at all?

Artists depict Mary's heart with flames of fire bursting from the top,

a sword piercing completely through from on side to the other,

and wreath of roses encircling her heart.

Imagine bringing your baby to church for Baptism and being told that you would be given great sorrows that would pierce you heart. I think I would be shocked and maybe even leave in disbelief. No mother holding her infant would want to be told the sadness that the future held.

"Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart."

Luke 2:19

She kept more in her heart than we can even imagine. His early years as a young child, Jesus, must have brought her great happiness. She could hold him in her arms and kiss him sweetly. She could sing him soothing lullabies as he drifted off to sleep.

She could look into his eyes and say, "I love you."

I think we tend to take for granted how normal the early life of Jesus was and

how close his relationship with Mary, his mother, must have been.

Mary loved Jesus with all of her mind, body, heart, and soul.

She more than anyone else knows what it means to have both a joyful and

a sorrowful heart. She experienced the greatest joy in surrendering

to God's will with her "Yes".

She experienced the greatest sadness as the soldiers placed the lifeless body

of her son into her arms at the foot of the cross.

Mary has a heart buring with love.

Mary has a heart pierced with the sword of sadness.

Mary has a heart adorned with the beauty of roses.

At least for today, honor Mary for all that she carried in her heart.

She was the container, but Jesus was the precious cargo.

Her great love allowed a greater love to walk this earth.

We love you, Mary and we thank you for your sacrifice.