My Rosary Story: Who Is Mary to You?

Andrea Bear discusses the role Mary can and does play in our lives through the Rosary.

There is something so beautiful about the love between a mother and her child. Being a mom of three girls I can attest to the blessings that come with that bond. That bond comes with a selfless devotion to do everything in our power to protect them, nurture, guide them. We ache when our children experience their first tear or moment of hardship. Even when our children fail or disappoint us we still love them even behind our frustration. And yet we cheer their victories and lift them up in celebration. We are their biggest fans! We love them unconditionally.

When I think of the Rosary, I think of the unconditional love of a Mother for her child. Mary’s devotion and love for Jesus is portrayed every time I pick up my beads to pray. She, like other mothers, nurtured, protected, and guided her Son, and suffered along during his times of pain and agony. The Rosary reminds me of the relationship Mary has with her child, and how she is Jesus’ biggest fan. Even Jesus needed the help of His mother. It was she who encouraged Him during His first miracle, searched desperately when He was lost for three days in Jerusalem, and was there to mourn Him after He was taken down from the cross.

She is the epitome of devotion, yet interestingly enough Mary has also taken the pledge to be the Mother of all God’s children. When Jesus proclaims on the cross, “Behold your Mother,” it’s in that moment she takes on the role as our own eternal mother. We are her children.

So if Mary is our mother, then you can imagine her love for us. She’s our biggest fan! She takes each of our victories, failures, even our pain and sufferings as her own.

The Rosary is one way we can connect with Mary, as well as a way to connect with the love we have for her son Jesus. By praying the Rosary, we release our pain and suffering to her, just like a child needs comfort from a parent after a fall. The Rosary nurtures and guides us. Praying the Rosary is looking at the life of Jesus and how He sacrificed for us while His mother was right there through it all, offering up her own sufferings.

Praying the Rosary is more than just a succession of repetitive prayers; it is calling to the heart of Mary to bring us closer to Jesus.

Too often, we don’t seek out her help, we don’t allow ourselves to be her children. We don’t ask for her intercession and rather try to handle everything alone.

When my own mom died, I never went without a mother. I already had the Blessed Mother’s love the whole time. Through my prayers of the Rosary I recognized the many graces I received from her. When you are feeling at your lowest, abandoned, or afraid, ask for the Blessed Mother and allow her to love you, allow yourself to be her child. She will be with you; she will intercede on your behalf. If you don’t have the privilege of having a mother allow her to be yours. As St. Maximillian Kolbe says. “Do not be afraid to love Mary too much, you can never love her more than Jesus.”

Today I encourage you to take up your beads, pray a Hail Mary, and invite our Blessed Mother into your heart. Allow her to be your Mother and ask for her prayers to her Son. She will be your biggest fan!