To Jesus Through Mary!...

This is an e-mail I sent this morning to a few friends after reading the latest message from Our Lady of the Finger Lakes ...

Dearest friends,

Will we hear and do As She Asks?
We must obey our Blessed Mother.
We must be Mary's handmaids,
Her servants, her attentive and vigilant students
In her blessed, holy school
Or we won't survive in these perilous days.
We must draw close to her Sorrowful and Immaculate heart
Our Teacher, our Guide, our Wisdom
We must honor her Seven Sorrows and ponder them deeply
Until they become "ours" and we intimately possess them
Because too few do, and Our Lord desires most of all, that we meditate
On the seven sorrows of His dear mother...our "Momma, Most Holy"
For we most honor Him, and as I've come to learn, we even console Him,
When we contemplate the passion and meditate the seven sorrows of Mary...

Our life, our sweetness and our hope.

Our Lady has asked of me to build her a small shrine to honor and contemplate her Seven Sorrows. As most of you know, I've had a devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows since I heard/read about her, and saw that breathtaking image of her on that 8x10 tile, nearly 4 years ago. I long to draw nearer to her precious, immaculate heart and contemplate her sorrows, her passion. I've been reading over many weeks The Glories of Mary - the writings on her Seven Sorrows have greatly influenced me! St. Ligouri's words have pierced and penetrated my own sin-stained heart profoundly! Having visited the Shrine of Our Lady of Sorrows in Missouri last month, a glorious and grand Shrine you all would be blessed to see and visit, it's been 'heavy on my heart' to do "SOMETHING." Something to give her, my Mother of Sorrows, to give to and share with her children.

This isn't a "susie thing." It's a "Mary thing." and includes from the "get go" 3 of her precious daughters, my beloved friends, Sarah, Paula, and Stephanie, - who blessed me so much with her ever-abundant, beaming, youthful zeal and excitement about doing this for Mary's "pierced heart!" Matt, you play a part in this, too, and you also, Teresa. This has given me the "calling" the "task" I've needed while going through a desert, a 'dark tunnel.' I've pressed on, held on, slogged on, knowing the LIGHT at the end of the tunnel would come. It has. I also know there will be more tunnels, but this is the 'holy push' that came to me at the appointed time. The gentle "nudge" and "tender tug" of my Mother, who's no doubt been praying for me. I've continued to reach for "her hand" especially Fridays, and now I've received this most sweet consolation. I just LOVE HER and delight in my new assignment. How wonderful is our Blessed Mother, as she gathers her children and does these things, little things, done for the greater, larger good of all. She prompts us, urges us and pleads for us, for the UNITY of all her children. This is a small gift that I pray will bring to her heart, GREAT joy.

Matt gave me a beautiful statue of our Mother of Sorrows three months ago, which I've absolutely loved seeing in our living room... but now it's evident as to why she has shown up in my life and came to be here. To be given away again! What has also come to me, just a few days ago, is that I'm to share her [statue] with others. She's to find a new "house" in which to dwell. At first, my selfishness chimed in with that loud, childish voice: "No!" "She's mine!" "I don't want to take my precious statue out there." "I love her!" "I want her!" "Matt gave her to me!" But, in the core of my own heart, I heard another voice, so tenderly, yet firmly, like a "Mother" would say: "Yes. I'm "yours" but I'm to be out there, Susie, where others can come and honor my Sorrows." "Share me with all of my children, young and old, where my sorrows will be honored." "Too few honor my sorrows, as my Jesus has said."

So, obviously I can't keep her to myself. And now, it's like I can hardly wait to have Rich build her house and take her to her "new home!" I will have to find a good water-proofing for her, but I hope I can transport her within a week, if not sooner. She's too great a treasure to keep here in our home. She must be visited by more of her children. Her Sorrows need to be meditated on by more souls here in Omaha.

How it began:

This overwhelming impression came to 2 weeks ago today at St. Robert Bellarmine after 8:30 Mass, while praying the rosary of Our Lady's Dolors, and reading The Glories of Mary, so I thank St. Alphonsos Ligouri, who is surely inspiring and leading me! (Along with St. Padre Pio and Fr. Kevin, no doubt!) Sarah and I drove out that Friday when I called her and said, "I have to find a tree!!" Only Sarah would laugh and say, "Okay" like she did! Bless you Sarah, for not thinking I was nuts! : )

I then expressed my heart's desire and she instantly thought of Pro Sanctity. I'd thought of it, but was leaning toward Mt. Michael or the new location of the Poor Clares monastery. But Pro Sanctity is a little closer and will be the perfect place, where semiarians can visit Our Lady in a special way as they're in formation at IPF, being taught more about Mary now than in previous years. Talking with Teresa (who welcomed with great joy the idea) I found the perfect little spot between two evergreens and a nice area for the path near the retreat center, a very short walk from the parking lot, yet the feel of being far away from the "world's cares."

Sarah, thank you for providing your divinely inspired suggestion of Pro Sanctity and to ask Teresa. Paula, thank you for offering your skills to provide meditative stones for a "Seven Sorrows" path, where we will incorporate the 5 Holy Wounds of Jesus, (thank you Stephanie for that divinely inspired suggestion, too!) I was almost giddy with joy when we talked about it that Saturday at Bagel Bin. : )

I will do 'as she asks' and share her with my brothers and sisters, young and old. This will be a very small, humble little shrine. Rich will make a little "house" for her, hopefull this weekend, and I will 'tend her garden' every Friday. I, no "we" invite you to come pray there, too. I do believe it will be powerful for those who will come and pray her Dolors there. To make a special "pilgrimage" out from the city, asking for her help, and drawing strength from her Sorrowful heart to get through the darkness that's going to be getting only darker. As dark as the darkness will be, The Light is brighter than the darkness is dark! With our hearts beating in unison with the sorrowful and immaculate heart of Mary, WE WILL PREVAIL and enjoy the Victory that is ours IN CHRIST...through Mary!

susie