Today is the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. And I forgot.
I realized it after receiving an email from rosary.com that marked this important day. I am embarrassed that I neglected to honor what is presumably the most important day in the life of Mary. I have that horrible feeling you get when you’ve forgotten someone’s birthday. For Mary, it was her heavenly birthday.
I am embarrassed. Look at the first paragraph of the home page of this blog (written on this day in 2019), in which I profess that, moving forward, I will make it my life’s work to learn about and celebrate Mary.
And I forgot her special day.
It is that way with my prayers, too. There are times when I pray the rosary every day with such fervor that I sometimes wonder if I should live out my days in a convent.
Mary is the target of my prayers throughout these days when she is foremost on my mind. Admittedly, though, most of these spurts of prayer are during periods in which I have important petitions to present to Our Lady.
I am in need, so I pray.
And then, as it is with so many things, my interest and attention wanes. When my prayers seem to be answered I then question whether they actually were, or perhaps the situation I prayed about just resolved itself during the course of time, without divine intervention. I’m not sure why I continue to ask this question. Maybe it’s just too hard to believe that this connection, this ability to pray and have our prayers heard and answered, is real.
But on the other hand, I have, without a doubt, felt Mary’s presence in my life and I am certain she is there listening to me. So how can I possibly let other things claim my attention, or let doubt claw at me?
I tell myself that I am human and this on-and-off commitment to prayer doesn’t just plague me, but others as well. But that’s no excuse, especially for someone who commits, as I have done, to studying and sharing about the most important woman who ever lived.
In time I do return to my rosary beads. I pray the rosary, sometimes tearfully, as I contemplate the various mysteries. And I ask Mary to forgive my absence and neglect and to hear my prayer again.
And like a compassionate and forgiving mother, I feel the embrace of her unconditional love.
I am hoping to bring more knowledge about the Virgin Mary to the world, especially during these times when we need her most. Please consider sharing this post, this site, or its social media pages on Facebook and Instagram. I invite you to subscribe to this site (below) to be notified of new posts. Thank you.
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