May is a month dedicated to Mary. Some may ask why. Actually, its origin and history date all the way back to the 13th Century. It has a very rich history. In a nutshell, Mary conceived and gave birth to Jesus, our Savior who, through his passion, death and resurrection give us new life, eternal life, even as the natural world comes back to life with the spring.
Many devotions accompany the devotion to Mary, including the crowning of Mary as in the Fifth Glorious Mystery of the Rosary, The Coronation of Mary, Queen of Heaven and Earth.
As a little boy, I always used to build a May Altar in my room, like the good Sisters did in our classrooms. I would take three books, the largest on the bottom, then a smaller one on top of that, and a smaller one on top of that and place them on my dresser. I’d cover it with an old curtain I found in the basement. I’d put my statue of Mary, which I “stole” from my mother (actually, she let me have it) who had it since she was a little girl, on the top step and then I’d go out into the yard and cut flowers from the bushes, put them in glasses with water, and place them all around Mary.
Then there was the crown: a small rubber band around Mary’s head with a flower blossom secured in it. I returned that statue to my mother as I grew up and she had it with her wherever she went. I now have that statue back in my room alongside my bed where our Mother, Mary, and my mother remind me of their love.
As we enter more fully into the spring, there is a new outdoor space out near the statue of our Blessed Mother, a “prayer garden,” that is available to all who are seeking a quiet area to reflect or pray. One of our parishioners and peer ministers, Jonathan Scalia, reached out to me about doing his Eagle Scout project here at St. Helen. Jonathan transformed this space from a rough and overgrown area into an inviting prayer and meditation space for all to enjoy.
With the help of Chris Steiner, our Operations Manager, his fellow troop members and other members of the Saint Helen Youth Group, Jonathan cleared the area and created a natural and uncluttered space with a simple wooden bench with a stone laden spiral which is Jonathan’s interpretation of a labyrinth. It is a very quiet and special place to commune with the Lord in the midst of the nature He created. Thank you, Jonathan, for a job well done!
Let us celebrate Mary, the Mother of God and the Mother of the Church.
Msgr. Tom