Holy is His Name

"The Mighty One has done great things for me, and Holy is His Name."
 Luke 1: 49

 Mary, the Mother of God, spoke these words as she and her elderly, pregnant cousin praised God for the magnificent gifts God had given them in their children.  Not in ordinary circumstances, for Mary had been told by an angel that she would be the Mother of God, if she chose to accept The Father's invitation to bear His Son.  Mary in all humility only asked, 

"How can this be since I do not know man?
Luke1:34 

After being assured by an angel that 

"Nothing is impossible for God." 
Luke 1:37

Mary replied::  

 “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
Luke 1: 38 

Out of the ordinary, yet quiet and not so ordinary.  No one, except for God the Father and Elizabeth, knew that Mary carried the Son of God in her womb.  This great act of God went unnoticed by those around Mary.  To her family and friends, Mary was a young woman, engaged to a man of faith, named Joseph.  No one suspected anything beyond that, although there was some gossip about Mary's pregnancy.

Joseph and Mary were ordinary citizens in their village. When Mary left her home to live in Joseph's home, Mary became a wife.  As a wife and mother,  Mary made bread for her husband.  Mary wove the cloth that would become the robe of the King of Kings and her husband.  Mary prepared meals for her family.  Mary joined the other women in rejoicing in her pregnancy.  Mary heard the stories of other women who had given birth.  She heard the stories of their babies kicking inside of them. Mary smiled and laughed with the other women in her town as the Holy Child within her grew.

Mary gained weight and began to waddle as she walked.  Her belly grew to accommodate the King of King's and no one suspected.   So ordinary.  The season changed.  The fetus, or "little one," the Son of God, was protected and nurtured by Mother Mary, and no one in the village knew.

The conception of the Son of God, although out of the ordinary for Mary, was ordinary in the eyes of the world.   Mary protected her unborn Son.  She carried Him for 9 months in her body and gave birth to Him away from home.  Yet, His birth was so ordinary and human.  

Mary praised God and blessed Him.  Holy is His Name. 

Walking the Camino - Five Ways to Grow Closer to Mary, the Mother of God

She walked her own Camino Del Rey.  She walked the Way of the Cross with her Son.  As He hung on that bitter piece of wood, dying, Jesus gave His Most Immaculate Mother to the rest of us.

When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, “Woman, here is your son.”  Then he said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home."  John 19: 26-27

With His dying breaths, Jesus made her our Mother, too.

Now, as we walk our Camino Del Rey, we can ask her to join us as we walk this Lenten camino growing closer to Son.  As we walk together, we learn of Jesus and we learn of Mary.

Ways to grow closer to Mary, the Mother of God.

1) Pray and meditate on the Magnificat, the prayer of praise that Mary recited with her cousin Elizabeth.

My soul magnifies the Lord
And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior;
Because He has regarded the lowliness of His handmaid;
For behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed;
Because He who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is His name;
And His mercy is from generation to generation
on those who fear Him.
He has shown might with His arm,
He has scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.
He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
and has exalted the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich He has sent away empty.
He has given help to Israel, his servant, mindful of His mercy
Even as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his posterity forever.
Luke 1: 46-55

2) Recite a Hail Mary and meditate upon this prayer.

Hail Mary,
Full of grace!  The Lord is with you!  Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

3) Pray the Rosary daily and meditate on each mystery.  If you do not have enough time to pray the Rosary, pray a single decade of the Rosary daly and meditate on that mystery.

Click HERE for directions on how to pray the Rosary.

4) Read Sacred Scripture from the Bible daily. Suggested Readings:
Luke 1: 26-38
Luke 1: 46-55
Luke 2: 1-20
John 2: 1-11
John 19: 25

Of course your reading of Sacred Scripture does not have to be limited to these verses, so feel free to read others.  There are many references fortelling the Mother of God in the Old Testament.

5) Think of Mary in her everyday life.  Imitate her example.  Perform works of charity.  Love those around you.  Hug your husband and children.   Love those who do not love you.   Visit the sick and dying.  Take food to someone who is ill.  Pray for Peace.  Pray.  Pray.  Pray.  Ask Our Mother to be with you and guide your steps as you walk your Camino del Rey.   She will.  She will.