"Do whatever He tells you." – Mary to us [Luke 2:5]

    These are Mary’s words to the servers at the wedding in Cana.  Mary does not put the focus on herself; she never does.  Her focus is on us getting closer to Jesus.  In a truly motherly way, she wants us to get closer to Jesus.  She wants us to cooperate with Jesus, to see His miracles, not because of the miracles, but so that we might believe in her Son, which is what is best for us.

   One very real way for us to hear what Jesus tells us is by going back to Mary.  And no, not to go past Jesus, but to get to Jesus.  She points us to Jesus.  He wants to work miracles in our lives, but He used Mary to work His first public miracle.  In fact, Mary’s prompting is the reason for His first miracle.  He worked it because of her request, even though He seemed to scoff at her request (which He did not).  He was a faithful Son and did as she requested.

   And so, we can go to Mary with our requests.  If Jesus did not reject His mother’s request at Cana, we can be assured that He still listens to her.  But it is not just our requests to Jesus that we go to Mary, but so that she might direct us to Jesus’ will in our lives.  It is two-fold.  Give and take.  A relationship.  And Jesus knows that a relationship with His mother ultimately brings a relationship with Him.

   Jesus is humble.  This we know.  He does not have a problem with someone going to His mother.  After all, going indirectly to another person can be a great display of humility.  “I am not worthy to ask your Son, so please ask Him for me.”  This greatly pleases our humble God.  If we say in pride that we do not need Mary, we are denying Jesus.  We needed Mary to bring Jesus into the world.  Not because we wanted it that way, but because God wanted it that way.

   By praying the Rosary, we live out this.  In our hearts, we bring our petitions to Mary.  And Mary gently guides in to Jesus’ will in our lives.  Not that we always see or feel it, but we do not always see or feel what our mothers do for our betterment.  So, PRAY THE ROSARY! 

   Jesus, help us to humble ourselves to go to Mary with our requests and to let her, as a gentle mother, to guide us to Your will and the miracles in our life. Amen.