A Lesson (or Two) from Our Lady

A small backyard miracle brings Andrea Vij a loving message from Mother Mary. 

While scrolling on X, I saw a post from an account I didn’t follow (and whose name I don’t remember) with a message that stuck in my mind: “We should never hesitate to take our requests to Mary. Like any mother, Our Lady loves it when her children turn to her, even to ask for trivial things.” 

Even trivial things? My heart warmed at the thought. As a mother myself, I tend to answer requests, trivial or otherwise, with a hasty no and little room for discussion. But according to the post, I could ask the Queen of Heaven for any favor, and not only would she respond with the maternal patience I so often lack, but she might even say yes. 

Watching and Waiting 

The next morning, I finished my Rosary and sat gazing out the sunroom window. I’d stocked the feeders with seed, and a dozen or so squabbling finches arrived right on schedule. Sipping my coffee, I watched as they bumped each other from perch to perch. It was early May, the time of year when a bright, orange-breasted oriole might show up if you’d remembered to set something out for him.  

The year before, May had come and gone without a single oriole, but the previous year, I’d gotten one beautiful male, and the year before that, a male one day and a female the next, each stopping by to take long sips from the sliced orange I’d strung up with wire. This year I’d planned carefully and put my orange out at just the right time so I could sit back and wait for the holy grail of early May: a thirsty oriole.  

Suddenly I remembered that post from X. “Our Lady loves it when her children turn to her, even to ask for trivial things.”  

It was worth a try. “Mary, could you please send me an oriole? I’d really like to see one today.”  

Immediately a voice inside me began to scold, a woman’s voice from long ago, cautioning little school children not to ask for signs. We mustn’t ask the saints for magic tricks. The evil one could take advantage. 

I paused, wondering if my request for an oriole had been out of line. But that post on X … 

“Dear Mary, I understand if the answer has to be no. Maybe it’s not God’s will for me today. But it would be nice to see an oriole.” 

Miracles and Magic Tricks 

As I finished my coffee, I considered the hazards of putting too much credence — or too little — in signs and miracles. We can certainly go astray, on the one hand looking for a prophecy under every rock, and on the other denying God’s actions in our everyday lives. I felt fine (mostly) about asking Mary for an oriole, despite the hyper-zealous warnings of my grade-school principal all those years ago. As a grown woman, I understood the difference between miracles and magic tricks. But a new doubt crept in, and this one was more personal: As a flawed mom who struggled daily with the virtue of patience, was I worthy of Our Lady’s attention?    

Apparently I wasn’t. Evening came, but my oriole didn’t. 

Worth the Wait 

The next day, mid-morning, I stood at the sink washing dishes. As I lifted my head to look at the flowers outside the window, my eyes darted to a spot a few yards to the right. There, on a bracket near the top of the pole that held my bird feeders, sat not one but two orioles, orange-breasted males in all their glory, posing as if ready to be filmed. Astounded, I watched as the two birds, in a display of cooperation rarely seen in territorial males, took turns at my sliced orange, back and forth, each savoring a long sip before gallantly trading places with the other.  

I had asked Mary for one bird and she’d blessed me with two — and although they’d arrived a day late, they were behaving as if her grace had flooded their tiny hearts with goodwill. What a delightful scene, and well worth the wait. I said a quick prayer of thanks and kept my eyes glued to the orioles until they flew away. 

Two Birds, Two Lessons 

Since that day I’ve thought many times about those beautiful birds, smiling to myself as I marvel at Our Lady’s generosity. With two orioles, she taught me two lessons: first, that I was indeed worthy of her attention; and second, that with her gentle guidance I could learn the rewards of being more patient. Mother Mary answered my simple request for an oriole with twice what I’d asked for, plus a message of encouragement and a lesson in virtue. 

Trivial? I think not. 

Share your thoughts with the Catholic Mom community! You'll find the comment box below the author's bio and list of recommended articles.

Copyright 2025 Andrea Vij
Images: Canva