Description
Mary gazes down into your heart. A look of love the pierces and soothes. She is our Mother, and longs to shower us with love. Her hands spread out ready to embrace us. But we have to take that step forward. She, like God, never forces herself on us but is always ready to draw near when we call out.
Call upon Mary on your journey to Heaven. Consecrate your life to Jesus through her intercession and she will teach and guide you at every step of the way, forming you into other Christs.
What better model can we have than the Mother of God? Mary, conceived without sin, who choose never to sin every day after until her assumption, who better for us to choose? You may say (even rightly) that it’s better to just be like Jesus. Why do we need Mary? Look to St. Louis de Montfort, John Paul II, Mother Teresa, Maximilian Kolbe. They knew, as countless other Saints, of the power of Mary’s prayers.
All of Mary points to Jesus without a hesitation of deviance. God first chose her, out of all women, to be the one to bear His Son. He would not choose to accomplish the work of salvation without her, asking for her consent for the Incarnation, waiting to being His ministry when she asked Him to come home after the Finding in the Temple, and beginning His miracles by her request for the wedding couple at Cana. If God chose to work through Mary then, He certainly will choose to work through her still.
Draw near to your Mother. And rest beneath her mantle. Let her take care of everything.
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Inspiration for this painting came from my church tours. This was one stunning church. One of the best in teh Dioceses of Rockford. St. Mary’s in Elgin, IL.
I believe it was newly renovated, all with amazing stenciling on the walls, adding emphasis to the statues and sanctuary, creating nooks where there were flat walls.
And most of all, stunning statues, one of which is this one of Our Lady.
Placed in the wall above votive candles, she looks down, directly into your eyes if you kneel at the kneeler. Hands outstretched, ready to comfort you.
One of my favorite Mary statues I have encountered.
Jan Fenner –
With such beautiful colors and attention to detail (note the gold accents and multitude of folds in Mary’s garments), Monica’s devotion to our Blessed Mother shines through in this painting!