One of the unexpected responsibilities that was thrust upon me once I entered seminary was that I am now expected to offer the blessing before meals at every family gathering. This did not even wait for my diaconate ordination, but was rather dropped upon me in my first year of seminary when a cousin asked me to pray be-fore our Thanksgiving meal, and then another cousin made fun of me for just doing the standard “Bless us, O Lord…” Because of this, I have had to come up with lengthier iterations of the prayer before meals in order to stay in my cousin’s good graces. One of the things that I always include in these prayers is something along the lines of “bless those less fortunate and those who go without.”

This concept of concern and compassion for those who haven’t had the advantages which we have received is important not just for material affairs, like food, but for our spiritual gifts as well. It’s important to remember that everyone’s journey towards God looks different. Some of my favorite memories about learning about our Catholic faith revolve around Dad walking us up to the grotto under St. Clement and praying the rosary with us. It instilled in us a deep love for the Rosary, which many would consider his primary apostolate. Not everyone had a dad or a family member who loved the Blessed Mother so much and worked hard to share that love with others.

I am always moved by the stories of converts to the Faith and how they developed a relationship with the Blessed Mother in prayer. Oftentimes they struggle initially, thinking that Marian devotion crosses over into idolatry, but through persistence, prayer, and reflection on the Gospels and the role which Mary plays in the life of Christ, they find in her a beautiful witness to fidelity to God’s will.

May is celebrated as the month of Mary in the Church, and it’s a beautiful opportunity for each of us to draw near to Our Lord by approaching Him through His Blessed Mother. Fr. Lambert’s monthly Marian celebrations are an important tool we offer to grow in devotion to the Blessed Mother, but there are many other options out there. In addition to the Rosary, there are many novenas, consecrations to the Blessed Mother, and scriptural meditations to help us enter into these mysteries. During this month, we would all do well to examine the role which the Mother of our Savior plays in our life, and then see how we can grow closer to her, and through her intercession come to know and love her Son more deeply each day.
Our Lady, Queen of Apostles, Pray for us!

Prayers always,
Fr. McCullough