“Behold your Mother” (John 19:26). With these words, Christ gave his Mother to the whole world, and ever since, Mary has been a key figure in Christian devotion. From hymns of praise to prayers for her intercession, Christians throughout the world and the centuries have expressed their love for our Mother.

Mary possesses a unique relationship with all three Persons of the Trinity, thereby giving her a claim to the title of Queenship. She was chosen by God the Father to be the Mother of his Son; God the Holy Spirit chose her to be his virginal spouse for the Incarnation of the Son; and God the Son chose her to be his mother, the means of incarnating into the world for the purposes of the redemption of humanity.

Knowledge:

As the Mother of God, Mary holds a special place in the Christian tradition: her example has a special power for believers, and her intercession is a powerful means of consolation. Nevertheless, her entire life points to Christ. Thus, to speak of a ‘Marian spirituality’ is not merely to consider the practices of traditional prayer or devotion. Devotion to Mary seeks not only to think of Our Lady and to honor her for her unique place in salvation history, but to imitate her virtues and to follow her example of conformity to Christ. The confidence of a Christian faith comes from our desire to be united to Christ, a unity which Mary lived in her whole life. When we approach the Blessed Mother, then, we approach her with the desire that our devotion to her might inflame our hearts and provide an occasion for God’s grace to conform us ever more closely to her Son.

We approach Mary with our own unique stories and journeys of faith, and we draw strength from her example. In times of mourning, we draw courage from her faithful witness at the foot of the Cross, and consolation from the image of a Mother cradling the body of her dead Son. In times of rejoicing and hope, we turn to her glorious hymn of praise, the Magnificat, to teach us the words to praise God for His goodness. In times of ordinary life, of living into the monotony of daily life in the home, at school, or with family, we turn to her example as a humble woman who “[pondered] all these things in her heart” (see Luke 2:19, 51), allowing God’s grace to continually enrich the ordinary moments of life.

Working with Mary:

1. Contemplate Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth

Mary has many titles, but one that we especially honor this month is Queen of Heaven and Earth. Understanding Mary as Queen sheds light on her important intercessory role in our lives; she serves as an advocate for all of us. Thus, we should approach her with confidence knowing that she carries our petitions to her royal Son. She holds us so close to her heart. Spend some time pondering Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth, and ask for her intercession with this Prayer to Mary, Queen of Heaven:

Queen of Heaven, rejoice. Alleluia. The Son whom you were privileged to bear, Alleluia, has risen as he said, Alleluia. Pray to God for us, Alleluia. Rejoice and be glad, Virgin Mary, Alleluia. For the Lord has truly risen, Alleluia.  

O God, it was by the Resurrection of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, that you brought joy to the world. Grant that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, his Mother, we may attain the joy of eternal life. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

2. Pray the rosary

While October is the month of the rosary, praying this beautiful prayer during May is also a tradition. Whether you pray the rosary every day or every week, with family and friends or alone, this powerful prayer will help you see Jesus’ life through the eyes of his mother.

There are many different meditations you can use to pray the rosary. One of our favorites is Holy Family School of Faith’s daily rosary meditations. There are also additional prayers you can include at the end of the rosary, such as these two prayers that Pope Francis has encouraged all of us to pray this month as we honor Mary.

3. Pray the Angelus at noon

The Angelus (prayed at 6:00 AM, 12:00 PM, and 6:00 PM) gives us an opportunity to take a few moments each day to meditate on Mary’s humble obedience to God at the Annunciation. During May, pause each day at noon to pray this beautiful, short prayer. Reflect on the ways you responded to God’s will throughout the morning, and ask Mary for the grace and courage you need to take on the rest of the day.

The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary: And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, prayer for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word.

Hail Mary . . .

And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us.

Hail Mary . . .

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray: Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, They Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

4. Attend a May Crowning (or watch one live)

In May, many Catholic parishes around the world have a special celebration during which they crown a statue of Mary with a beautiful floral crown that represents her beauty, virtue, and queenship. These ceremonies can take place during Mass or on their own and usually consist of hymns, prayers, and perhaps even an act of consecration to Our Lady.

If you are unable to attend a May Crowning at your local parish at this time, you can check your parish bulletin or website or diocesan website for live streaming options.

5. Build a prayer corner or altar in your home and give Mary a special place

Just like you have a designated place in your house to sleep, eat, and work, it’s a good idea to have a designated place at home to pray. Create a space in your home specifically reserved for spending time with God. It doesn’t have to be fancy. It might be as simple as a corner in your bedroom with a rocking chair, a small side table, a candle, and a crucifix. For May, add a statue or picture of Mary to your prayer place and crown her with a spiritual crown or actual crown of flowers. Spend some time in your prayer corner in conversation with Mary.  ‍

6. Pray a novena to Our Lady of Fatima

On May 13, 1917, in Fatima, Portugal, Mary appeared to three shepherd children, asking them to pray the rosary every day to obtain peace for the world and an end to World War I. Today, we celebrate the feast of our Our Lady of Fatima (another title given to Mary) on May 13, to remind all of us of the importance of praying the rosary, praying for souls, and the need for conversion of heart.

Pray a novena (a nine-day prayer) to Our Lady of Fatima, such as this one.2 While you can pray the novena at any time, it traditionally begins May 4 and ends May 12.

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More:

We can ask Mary for prayers just as we ask family and friends to pray for us. Mary loves Jesus. She wants everyone to know and love Him, too. Mary comes to our aid as our mother to help us and to point the way to her Son. Remember what she told the servers at the wedding feast at Cana? “Do whatever He tells you.” (John 2:5)

Think of the times she has appeared on earth. She has told people to turn away from sin, to pray the Rosary, to pray for sinners, and to pray for peace. She has told us that her Son is very much offended by the sins of people. She asks us to pray and repent. God allowed her to come to deliver these messages to us. He did not have to do that. But, God loves us and He loves His Mother, so He allows her to help us.