I met someone who didn't know our Mom today.
It feels strange to be so shocked about it.
I mean, I grew up Protestant. The number of people who I know who DON'T have an intimate relationship with Our Blessed Mother must be well over a thousand.
Both this surprise felt like a curve ball.
I had a deep conversation about a recent health crisis with a fellow Catholic who matched me in all the external trappings of my faith.
I followed the conversation so closely about the doctors, and the test results and that "we can't promise anything certain about the outcome until after surgery..."
And then there were these gaps, because in my head I kept remembering my own journey through the NICU and mentally adding "and that's the moment when Mommy Mary entered into the hospital room."
But this story didn't have that.
No Mom.
No sacraments.
No intangible spiritual presence.
Everything commented upon was something tangible. The doctors where great. The church was "great" --but only in a physical, tangible way as in "everyone brought us food every night."
And it made me realize what a very precious gift it is to see Mom in my life. I get in trouble. I get hurt. I get scared. And Mom shows up!
Literally!
I can see her. I can smell her.
And anytime someone does a great kindness to me- either a priest giving me some great advice, or a friend sending me flowers in the hospital recovery room-- I see it as a special sign of love from Her! It's HER son or HER daughter that is giving me that love.
I don't walk around being amazed that some random people are "spontaneously" kind to me.
Those special signs of affections come from a source-Her.
And all healing comes from HIM.
I wonder how many other people are out there, going to Mass on Sunday, giving birth to lots of kids, going through the dark night of unemployment or health scares or unexpected pregnancies who doesn't know that
OUR MOM IS THERE.
Sort of make me want to tell the whole wide world about "what a friend we have in Mary!"
