This is a copy similar to what I was given soon after I was confirmed in the Catholic Church. Being open to and accepting Mary as a person and in her role as the Mother of God, as well as guiding me as a mother her child, was perhaps the most fearful aspect of my conversion due to negative bias passed on in my upbringing.
While this poem is ideal and pious, I also have read and will continue to read other persons' experiences and thoughts on Mary. Perhaps most importantly, I desire to have a more personal and real relationship with Mary. I have never quite understood some women's (religious sisters, too) desire for greater position, prestige and power in the Church. What woman had and still has all these and more, than Mary? Yet she never desired nor demanded such.
Some may say it was the culture in which she lived when on earth, and now is different. When getting to know Mary after years of only considering her on Christmas Day, I opened up to Mary. I asked her to be my mother in a different and additional way than my loving, earthly mother.
At the time of conversion, I lived across the road from where Ven. Fr. Solanus Casey spent ten years of his life. He loved reading Ven. Agreda's writings, "The Mystical City of God." I did so, also, and would walk in the woods Fr. Solanus had walked, and I opened myself to Jesus' mother. It is time to do so yet more. This poem-prayer is sweet and simple.
MARY-LIKENESS
Source: Louis W. Bernicken, Box 413 -- Mt. Vernon, Ohio.
While this poem is ideal and pious, I also have read and will continue to read other persons' experiences and thoughts on Mary. Perhaps most importantly, I desire to have a more personal and real relationship with Mary. I have never quite understood some women's (religious sisters, too) desire for greater position, prestige and power in the Church. What woman had and still has all these and more, than Mary? Yet she never desired nor demanded such.
Some may say it was the culture in which she lived when on earth, and now is different. When getting to know Mary after years of only considering her on Christmas Day, I opened up to Mary. I asked her to be my mother in a different and additional way than my loving, earthly mother.
At the time of conversion, I lived across the road from where Ven. Fr. Solanus Casey spent ten years of his life. He loved reading Ven. Agreda's writings, "The Mystical City of God." I did so, also, and would walk in the woods Fr. Solanus had walked, and I opened myself to Jesus' mother. It is time to do so yet more. This poem-prayer is sweet and simple.
MARY-LIKENESS
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Mary-like in soul and body! Mary-like in mind and heart! Mary-like in every action – Child of God, how fair thou art! Fair to Christ and all His angels, Fair to earth since thou art seen To be like her – like MARY Earth’s and Heaven’s fairest Queen. Mary-like in soul! What beauty When thy soul is full of grace! What a Mary-smile will greet thee When thou’lt meet her face to face! Mary-like in body! Keeping All the senses in control; Looks and bearing both revealing A Mary-temple for thy soul. Mary-like in mind and memory! Sinful thoughts and fancies flee; Idle dreams and selfish musings Find no place, fair child, in thee. For the Mary-mind is lifted From all sordid thoughts to live On the high and noble promptings That a Mary-soul would give. Mary-like in thy affections, Loving all, excluding none – Loving, as you think our Lady Ever faithful, would have done; Mary-like in every action In enjoyment, work or prayer, Watching Mary, copying Mary, Loving Mary, everywhere. |
Mayst thou catch her gentle manner, And her calm and queenly ways, Mayst thou learn her art of bearing Words of censure or of praise; Mayst thou learn the hidden secret Of her smile, so kind, so true, Which reflects the radiant beauty Of her pure soul gleaming through. In a word, may all the greatness, All the sweetness of her ways, All the inner grace and beauty, Heaven and earth delight to praise, Find their likeness in thine own soul Child of Mary, as thou art, Making these more like thy mother, Ever dearer to her heart. Night and day, in joy and sorrow, Night and day, ’neath crushing care, Ask of Christ true Mary-likeness, Through the year be this thy prayer, Christ will hear, and Christ will answer If thy pleading but ring true, “JESUS, make me just like MARY, MARY, make me just like YOU.”
Nihil Obstat
Joseph R. Casey Censor Deputatus April 11, 1941 |
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