Each day we encounter God and His Son through some of life’s most basic occurrences – a hello from a friend, a wave from a passerby on the street, a hug from a sibling. To encounter Jesus through His mother Mary is to recognize Him in these and across life’s moments.
Through her example and intercession, Mary helps us do this. In fact, her role is so significant that we dedicate an entire month to her – the month of May.
There are various Marian feast days throughout May, including Our Lady of Fatima, Mary Help of Christians, and the Visitation.
The Marian feast days help us to remember significant moments in Mary’s life. These different moments brought her closer to her Son in diverse ways.
We can lean on Mary’s example in these moments during similar experiences in our own lives. They even allow us to learn to live well in the joyful ones and find God in the hardships too. Both bring us closer to Jesus and our understanding for His plan in our lives.
And one of the most mainstream Catholic traditions that celebrates Mary in May is the traditional May Crowning.
Originating in Italy, typically May Crowning includes a procession with hymns and fanfare. This act parallels our journey to the prominence of heaven – full of pure joy just like Jesus. May Crowning is one of the ways in which we celebrate Mary’s own lifelong pilgrimage and its example as we embark on ours daily.
When we crown Mary at May Crowning, we recognize her as Queen of Heaven and of Earth. While Pope Francis recently dedicated the day after Pentecost to May Crowning, many parishes and schools host their May Crowning near Mother’s Day due to the significance of Mary as Mother of God.
Both May Crowning and the Marian feasts help the faithful bring to mind how we are like little children dependent upon Mary’s intercession. This dependency helps us to know Jesus more and, in turn, to know God more.
Through our own intentional prayer, the May Crowning and the Marian feast days make us particularly mindful of Mary in May. They allow us to better put on the heart of Mary that knew Jesus so well, naturally positioning us for a better relationship with her Son and thereby life lived more fully.
Verso Ministries incorporates Mary and her spiritual impact across our pilgrimages. Like May Crowing and the Marian feasts, we honor Mary and her role helping pilgrims grow closer to her Son. Whether it’s walking in her footsteps in Nazareth or praying at Lourdes where she appeared to St. Bernadette, throughout the world there are ways for our pilgrims to experience Jesus through Mary.
