Our Lady of Lent

A Mary Moment Monday post

I don’t think I started really appreciating the role Mary plays in my Lenten experience until two years ago. That was the year of Mary at the Mardi Gras parade and Mary throughout my Lent (and Lent throughout my year, really).

When faced with insurmountable challenges, Mary never fails to inspire me. She doesn’t inspire me in a distant way, but in a diving-in-right-beside-me kind of way. She’s there, whether I notice her or not, just as she was beside her son through the joys and through the sorrows.

Mary’s before me this Lent, too. I don’t know why: I feel an anticipation of her presence, like she’s waiting for me in a special way.

As I usually do, I’ve made a plan for my Lent. This year, I like to think I’m braced for the inevitable failure.

But…I can’t help but wonder: am I ever really ready for failure?

That’s where Mary comes in right now. She can be a model for me of courage in the face of the unknown, trust in the midst of chaos, hope in the likelihood of darkness, laughter in the possibility of failure.

Our Lady of Lent, pray for me.

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Have you seen Celebrating Lent with Mary? It’s a great resource that I have been using for the last couple of years.

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Jeff Young (who you might know as The Catholic Foodie) is holding a Mardi Gras special on his website services. If you’re even remotely in the market for web design, I encourage you to act quickly…his offer’s only good through Ash Wednesday!

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And, finally, I can’t resist a reminder that tomorrow’s your last chance to enter my February book giveaway.