Two Circumstances to Turn to Mary for Her Help

When we consider the role of a mother, certain characteristics come to mind. A mother is a nurturer. She’s usually the one a child goes to when hurt or sick. She offers guidance and direction; Her love knows no end. 

If this is true of any good mom, then how much more true would it be of the Mother of God?

God could have chosen any way to come to us; any method to save us. But he chose to come to us through a mother. From the moment the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary to the moment she stood at the foot of the cross watching Jesus’ crucifixion, she remained a faithful servant of God.  

To turn to Mary for her intercession is to trust in the fullness of God’s plan. 

For most of us, our prayer lives ebb and flow, changing like the seasons. We experience springlike seasons of prayer, full of consistency, beauty, and abundance. But we also experience dark, drab, winterlike seasons when prayers may seem unanswered, or fear consumes us, leaving us feeling desolate and lost.

It’s during these latter seasons that, like any child needing the warm embrace of a mother, we can turn to Our Mother Mary for guidance and redirection.

Here are two common circumstances where we can turn to Mary through the Rosary for her prayers:

Too much noise: when we’re overwhelmed and don’t know what or how to pray 

We’ve all had moments of prayer where the distractions seem to own us. We can’t focus, we don’t know what to say, and we certainly don’t know how to say it. 

Maybe we begin a prayer of thanksgiving and then find our prayers hijacked by thoughts about the chores that await us – the dishes still in the sink from the night before or the project still unfinished at work with the deadline looming too close for comfort.

We can’t seem to focus. Instead of giving up, we can turn to Mary for help. 

Like a good mom, she wants to help. 

The perfect example of her generous, servant heart can be found in John 2:1-11 at the wedding in Cana. 

Mary notices that the couple has run out of wine. To run out of wine during a wedding would have meant extreme embarrassment for the families, potentially bringing shame to the family name. Mary, understanding this, took the problem to Jesus. 

You probably know what happened next. 

Jesus, at the urging of his mom, performed His first miracle – turning water into wine. 

Mary, the Queen of Heaven, continues to come to the aid of her adopted children (you and me) the same way that she came to the aid of the bride and groom in Cana. 

And she does this by taking our needs straight to Jesus.

Too much worry: when we’re scared or feel frozen with fear

As faithful Catholics, we understand the devil’s temptations, which begin in our thoughts. Fear is a usual tactic he uses to tempt us not to trust the Lord. 

We give in to this temptation when we focus on that which the devil wants us to – our fears.

The Rosary is uniquely designed to help us do the opposite – to keep our thoughts focused on the lives of Mary and Jesus. When we focus on the mysteries of the lives of Mary and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, we are slighting the devil.

With each bead, it’s as if Mary herself is quietly whispering to us, “Focus, child.” Like any good mom would do. 

Interestingly enough, a quick Google search will reveal how self-focused our culture has become. It’s difficult to find a lot of data supporting an opposite approach – away from self and toward others. 

But the truth is, as our faith affirms, when we set our minds on things above, and we surrender our thoughts to God, our hearts and minds become settled. As a specifically meditative devotion, the Rosary helps us do just that. 

The Rosary keeps our eyes focused where they belong – on the beautiful mysteries of our faith – and grace fills our hearts.

As you quietly glide your fingers over each bead, you’ll notice the fear gets drowned out, and you begin to relax.

Though she undoubtedly faced the same human emotions that we do, she continually said yes to God. She was entirely devoted to Him. We can trust her as our Heavenly Mother to take our petitions to Him still today. 

And as she did at the wedding in Cana, Mary continues to lead us to Jesus.

Blog Series: Why Do Catholics Do That? Make the Sign of the Cross

Though I was raised Catholic and attended Mass regularly, received the sacraments, and had faithful parents, I didn’t really start praying from the heart until I started having children of my own.

And by praying from the heart, I mean sitting in silence with the Lord and speaking to Him straight from the heart. No structured prayer. No plan per se. Just sitting in His presence and inviting Him into conversation. Sharing my life with Him. Thanking Him. Asking Him questions. Laying my worries and cares at His feet. And then leaving room for Him to respond.  

I’m not really sure why I began to pray this way when I did. Whatever the reason, it was God’s grace that moved me to this type of intimacy with my Lord.

As a Catholic, I have always begun prayers by making the sign of the cross. And while I knew what I was doing, suffice it to say that I made the sign of the cross countless times without thinking about why I was doing it.

It wasn’t until I began to pray from the heart that this sign that had become routine for me finally became a very devout prayer in and of itself. 

And that’s essentially what the sign of the cross is for Catholics – a prayer. 

When we make the sign of the cross, we are invoking the Holy Trinity – the very thing that makes Christians Christian. And when I make the sign of the cross, I picture my Father in Heaven, His Son my Savior, and the Holy Spirit, whom I am inviting to dwell within me. 

But it’s not just a prayer.

Three things happen when we make this sign over our bodies:

1. We are recalling our own Baptism – when we became children of God.

2. We are calling to mind the reality of the crucifixion and remembering God’s great love for us by sending His son to die for our salvation.

3. We are marking ourselves as disciples, accepting our own crosses as we follow Jesus Christ in our daily lives.

And the earliest Christians marked themselves with the sign of the cross, too.

Tertullian, one of the early Church Fathers who wrote in the second and third centuries said, “In all our travels and movements, in all our coming in and going out, in putting on our shoes, at the bath, at the table, in lighting our candles, in lying down, in sitting down, whatever employment occupies us, we mark our foreheads with the sign of the cross” (Source).

John Chrysostom, bishop of Constantinople in the fourth century, said, “When, therefore, you sign yourself, think of the purpose of the cross, and quench any anger and all other passions. Consider the price that has been paid for you” (Source). 

As with so many things within Catholic culture, our signs and gestures are outward reflections of an innermost reality. 

Over the years, in my walk with the Lord, my prayer life has transformed my heart – prayer by prayer, always beginning and ending with the sign of the cross. 

It’s like an anchor that keeps me grounded in this Truth – that I am a child of God who is loved beyond measure and a disciple of Jesus Christ the King. 

Halloween is Catholic, But Not in the Way You Might Think

Take a walk through any suburban neighborhood this time of year, and you’re likely to be met with decorations ranging from friendly ghosts to wicked witches to downright horrifying renditions of serial killers from popular horror movies. 

“Spooky season” has been celebrated this way by popular culture for decades. For most, Halloween is a time to plan a fun costume, decorate, carve jack-o-lanterns, and go trick-or-treating. It’s a time to have a little fun and visit a haunted house for thrills. It’s a time that most Americans enjoy. 

But is that all there is to it? And where did these traditions even come from? Why do we celebrate Halloween at all, and what’s the point of this holiday?

As with many traditions in our country, its roots are set in early Christianity. Halloween, as it was originally intended, is Catholic.

Let’s take a deep dive into the origins of Halloween. What it is and what it isn’t. And how it has come to look like the holiday we celebrate today in America.

Where Does the Word Halloween Come From?

The word “Halloween” comes from “All Hallows' Eve” and refers to the night before a very special feast day in the Catholic Church called All Saints’ Day. 

Hallow means Holy or Saint, and Eve refers to the night before. In Catholic tradition, it’s common to hold vigils the evening before Holy Days, just like Christmas Eve!

Over time, All Hallows’ Eve was shortened to Halloween. 

For Catholics, Halloween marks the first day of a celebration called Allhallowtide, the time of year when living Catholics honor and remember those who died in Jesus Christ and pray for the souls in purgatory (2 Maccabees 12:46) (Matthew 12:32).

These two very important religious celebrations (also called feast days) include All Saints’ Day, celebrated on November 1st, and All Souls’ Day, celebrated on November 2nd.

All Saints’ Day is when we honor all the martyrs who died defending their faith in Jesus Christ and all the faithful in Heaven – both known saints and those unknown. All Saints’ Day has been celebrated by the Catholic Church since the mid-300s.

All Souls’ Day is when we pray for all the souls in purgatory awaiting purification to enter into Heaven perfectly (Rev. 21:27) ( Corinthians 3:11-15). 

So, really, the word Halloween simply refers to the night before two very important days of prayer for all the Christians who’ve gone before us.

Does Halloween Have Any Ties to the Worship of Evil Spirits?

Happy to report: No. 

The claim that Halloween has roots dating back to an ancient Celtic religious ceremony called Samhein (pronounced “sow-win”) – where Celts believed that on October 31st, the barrier between the physical world and the spiritual world was at its thinnest, thereby allowing spirits to walk the Earth and commune with the living – is a MYTH.

First, it’s important to note that the claim that the Celtic people had a shared religion at all is a myth. Celts were made up of several different cultures spread out over various regions, and they did not have a common language, culture, or religion (Source).

Evidence does, however, support a celebration among Celtic people, but it points to customs more akin to a Harvest Festival. After all, “Samhain” translates to “summer’s end”.

The very common misconception that a large group of Celtic people took part in a shared religious celebration where they communed with the dead is based on folklore. While it’s possible that some groups of people took part in some sort of celebration like this, the evidence is lacking that it was taking place among large groups of pagan peoples.

Nonetheless, this folklore tale has been passed down as historical fact and, over time, has been linked by some to Halloween and why we celebrate it today.

That couldn’t be further from the truth. Although it could explain why many non-Catholic Christians believe Halloween to be an evil day that should not be celebrated at all.

Is All Saints’ Day a Christian Response to Samhain?

And once again, no. 

There is no connection whatsoever between Halloween and its original Catholic meaning and the folklore tales associated with Samhain. 

Early Christians have been honoring those martyred for their faith in Jesus Christ since the mid-300s. All Saints’ Day became a day marked by the Catholic Church to celebrate all the faithful departed in the early 600s, and originally took place on May 13th. 

It wasn’t until the mid-700s that Pope Gregory III moved it to November 1st.

Then, in the mid-800s, Pope Gregory IV instituted All Saints’ Day as a day to be observed by the universal church, and so this holy day spread and became one celebrated by all Catholics (Source).

While there’s no written reason for the change of dates for this holy day, it makes sense that it would be observed in the Fall, when flowers wilt, leaves fall, and we prepare for the dark of winter. As Catholics, it draws our attention to our own mortality, and reminds us to take notice of how we are living – are our lives witnesses to Jesus Christ, or are there areas where we can improve?

Where Do Popular Halloween Traditions Come From, Anyway?

America is often referred to as a “melting pot”. This couldn’t be truer with the Halloween traditions we see today.

When European Catholics immigrated to America, they brought with them Catholic customs – some having roots in All Saints’ Day. 

For instance, the English would go door to door begging for “soul cakes,” offering to pray for the departed loved ones of those who gave them the cakes. This practice looks a lot like trick-or-treating today. 

Some of the other traditions you see today have no connection to the Catholic faith, but are instead a mix of customs brought by English, Irish, and French immigrants, such as the jack-o-lantern. The jack-o-lantern itself has no religious significance at all!

And then you take into account the influence of consumerism and secular culture, and you can see how we’ve gone from a religious celebration to a secular holiday that seems to glorify evil, violence, and horror.

But the truth is that the roots of Halloween are Catholic; from the meaning of the word to the way we observe it, Halloween is meant to draw our eyes to Heaven and Eternity.

So, if you’re a Catholic who wants to observe Halloween and the feast days that follow it as the holy days that they are, you can.

And if you also want to have fun with your decorations, costumes, and trick-or-treating, you can do that, too. Just make sure you avoid the things that glorify evil!

God bless and Happy Halloween!

Sources:

Robert A. Davis, “Escaping Through Flames: Halloween As A Christian Festival” in Trick or Treat, Halloween in a Globalizing World via Catholic Answers Podcast with Joe Heschmeyer

Ronald Hutton, “The Stations of the Sun: A History of the Ritual Year in Britain” via Catholic Answers Podcast with Joe Heschmeyer

https://www.catholic.com/audio/sp/143421

https://ucatholic.com/blog/the-catholic-origins-of-halloween/