May is the month where we celebrate Mary and her ‘yes’ in the life of Jesus. We celebrate the Annunciation to Mary by the Angel Gabriel on March 25th, so it is that in May the life of Jesus was beginning to flower in her womb. Why is it though that Catholic and Orthodox Christians accord her such a high place in the life of faith?

We can of course, never understand Mary without reference to Jesus. When the Father sent His Son into the world with a plan, it was a plan formed long ago. It was a plan that developed from covenants with Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David. God was building a family from a holy couple, to a family, to a tribe, to a nation, and lastly to a kingdom with David. And it was from this final expansion of the family with David that we pick up with Jesus, who was the Son of David. So it was that the kingdom that Jesus preached was made concrete in its fulfillment of the kingdom given to David.

In David’s kingdom there were two people especially important: the prime minister and the queen. Jesus made St. Peter his prime minister (Mt 16:13-19; Is 22:22). Yet who was Jesus’ queen? After all, Jesus wasn’t married (cont. Dan Brown). Yet, in David’s kingdom it was not his wife who was the queen. Rather, it was the Queen Mother who sat upon the throne at David’s right hand (e.g. 1 Kgs 1:19). In fact, every Davidic King is listed, not with the name of his wife, but with the name of the Queen Mother (cf. 1 & 2 Kings). It is noteworthy that Jeremiah addresses them both: “Say to the king and to the queen mother: Come down from your throne” (Jer 13:18). In Hebrew her political title in the kingdom was Gebirah, or “Mighty Woman.” The Queen Mother “literally served as the flesh and blood link between the father and the son” (Crucified Rabbi, 41).

Mary’s ‘yes’ to the Father constitutes the link between father and son: “When the fullness of time came God sent His Son, born of a woman” (Gal. 4:4). Orthodox Christians speak of her as the Divine Directress who helped to initiate Jesus’ first miracle (John 2:1-11). She stands by His side as he reigns from the Cross (cf. Jn 19:25-7). It makes perfect sense that when James and John ask to sit on Jesus’ right and left in His kingdom, Jesus answers that it is “not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared” (Mt 20:23). The seat at Jesus’ right hand is reserved, as it was in David’s kingdom, for the Gebirah, the Queen Mother.

In this month of May, let us call on Mary who sits at Jesus’ right hand and ask her to obtain for us through her Son the grace to say ‘yes’ and be faithful to God’s personal plans for us. Hail Mary…

This free application is a meditation and instructive aid for those praying the Rosary. It does not replace your Rosary beads, but rather helps you focus on the Mysteries of the Holy Rosary.

As a new Catholic, I had a difficult time remembering which mysteries matched each day. Although many other great iPhone Rosary apps allow you to ditch your physical Rosary, I wanted to experience the beauty of those venerable beads, as a tool to meditate on our Lord. So I built this app specifically to require zero input. Just open it and it will automatically select the mystery that matches today. If you’d like more you can switch to other mysteries, focus in on the beautiful artwork, or see simple instructions on how to pray the Rosary.

If you haven’t had an opportunity to look at the app for yourself, you can download it at the iTunes App Store.

If you like it please consider letting others know by rating and leaving a short review on iTunes. And a special thanks to the 350 of you who have already done so!

We have several other apps in the queue. If you have any suggestions for Catholic iPhone apps you’d like to see, please share them in the comments below.

UPDATE: Apple just approved our second iPhone App: Life Rosary – Meditations and Prayers. This is the first Pro-Life iPhone app approved by Apple. Please consider downloading/rating/reviewing this application as well.

Index of Artwork
The Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary

• The Resurrection of Christ by Paolo Veronese (1570)
• Ascension of Christ by Garofalo (1510-20)
• The Descent of the Holy Ghost by Tiziano Vecellio (1545)
• The Assumption of the Virgin by Nicolas Poussin (1650)
• Coronation of the Virgin by Diego Velázquez (1641)

The Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary

• The Annunciation by Francesco Albani (1645)
• The Visitation by Juan Correa De Vivar (1532)
• Nativity by Jean-Baptiste-Marie Pierre (1770)
• The Presentation in the Temple by Philippe de Champaigne (1648)
• Jesus is found in the Temple by James Tissot (1890)

The Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary

• Baptism of Christ by Francesco Albani (1640)
• The Marriage at Cana by Marten de Vos (1597)
• The Sermon on the Mount by Carl Heinrich Bloch (1875)
• The Transfiguration by Raphael (1519)
• The Institution of the Eucharist by Nicolas Poussin (1640)

The Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary

• Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane by Sebastiano Conca (1746)
• The Flagellation of Our Lord Jesus Christ by William Bouguereau (1880)
• Crowning with Thorns by Tiziano Vecelli (Titian) (1545)
• Christ Falling on the Way to Calvary by Raphael (1516)
• Crucifixion by Josse Lieferinxe (1500)

To many around the world she is known as Mary–the mother of God, the mother of Jesus. She was the girl who God loves, freeing her from the stain of sin. She is the girl whose “yes” changed the face of the world. She said “yes” when others would have asked questions, or rationalized. She said “yes” almost without thinking, for this was who she was created to be. She was the second Eve. She produced the fruit of a new tree, the tree of eternal life. And so with her “yes” God came into the world and she was trusted to guide Him, protect Him, and love Him. Mary’s life wasn’t without suffering and hardship though. She saw the nails pierce, she saw him hang upon the cross, and she saw Him die. This was who He was. This is what He was created for. And yet, we do not hear of her complaining or questioning. Tradition tells of a look between a mother and a son as Jesus carried His cross towards Calvary. A look and only a look–words were not expressed; everything was said. Who was consoling whom? Who was giving whom strength? They were there together, mother and Son, each having said “yes.” Mary was there at the beginning of Jesus’ life and now she would be there for the end. In a way, Mary walked to her Calvary. She suffered with her Son, she yearned to take His pain, and her heart ached as if pierced by a spear. When he died that day, so also did she. All of Christianity can be summed up as a love story between a mother and a son.

As a convert to Catholicism, I knew all of these things. It should seem obvious that for many converts it isn’t easy to handle the teachings and devotions to Mary by the Church. But I came to understand and believe in both. And yet, I was reluctant to approach her in conversation. There was still an emotional block I had to overcome. Intellectually I knew the teachings of the Church, but experientially I had yet to meet her in any personal way. I knew who Mary was, but I didn’t know who she is. I knew that nailed on the cross Christ gave Mary to John and gave John to Mary by saying, “Dear women, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” (John 19: 26-27) I knew what was written, but I didn’t understand what that had to do with me. I didn’t realize that with these words Mary became my mother. Jesus in those simple words was giving and entrusting His mother to each of us. It was as if He were saying, “All of these here before me and those to come are your children, mom. While today you lose a son, you gain a family. Be with them and love them. And to all those whom follow Me, all those who have given up everything, you have a new family and a new identify. You are redeemed, you are forgiven, you are reborn, and you have a new mother who loves you.  Love her.” A land that was motherless now had the perfect one.

In short, we must go past mere knowledge and application of who Mary was and discover who she can be and wants to be in our lives. We must explore who she is. Mary is our mother. She is the mother of each of us. I wonder when she said, “yes” if she could see my face? I wonder if she had me in mind? As she was giving birth to me spirtiually did she talk to me in the womb, did she sing songs to me, and did she come up with names? Did she get my room ready, tell all her friends, and prepare for my future? Did she watch me grow? Did she watch as I explored the new world before me? Did she teach and show me new and exciting things? Did she teach me how to crawl and was she there to move harmful objects out of my reach? Did she clap when I took my first steps and smile when I later learned to run? Did she turn a night light on when I was scared of the dark and sing me back to sleep? Did a tear roll down her face when I said my first word, “Mommy”? Many will tell me how foolish I am to think of such things, for they say that Mary couldn’t possibly have had me in mind some 2000 years ago. And I am sure they are correct, but I do know that she had me in mind yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that. Although she lived 2000 years ago, I surely did not. She was there as our mother from the beginning of each of our lives here on earth, she is with us now, and she will be there at the end holding each of our hands and again pointing us towards her firstborn, our brother, Jesus.

So how does Mary become our mother? That is for each of us to decide, but I would suggest in a world where sin prevails it is important that we cry out to Mary for we need our mom. When a toddler falls down and scrapes their knee, it is the mother who gently picks them up, takes them into the house, wipes away their tears, kisses the wound and starts the healing. It is the mother who says, “It will be okay. I’m here and your mommy loves you.” It is her warm embrace and smile that takes the pain away. Her loves heals us. Mary, our mother is no different. She picks us up when we fall, takes us into her Heavely House, wipes away our tears, kisses our wounds and starts us towards healing in Christ Jesus through the Sacraments. It is her warm embrace and loving smile that takes our pain away. When we grieve, her heart breaks.  When we cry, so does she. But more than that, she puts her hand out for us to take. She puts her hand out to walk us to safety, joy and happiness. Our mother wants nothing, but the best for her children.

Often in battle as a soldier is dying he cries out, “Mom, help me!” As we die to self we too need to cry out, “Mom, help me.” Mary walks with us to our Calvary and dies and rises with us. And unlike the yell of a soldier trying to shout across the oceans and seas to a world far away, we cry out with a whisper and she responds, “Here I am, and help is on its way.”

Many in our world are anxious and afraid. Many are looking for answers, hope, and faith. People are confused and crying out, “Why God? Where are you? Don’t you love us?” The world and our country need a mother’s protection, a mother’s guidance and a mother’s love. We need to simply turn to Mary for comfort, hope and charity. As she points us to her Son, we will find our way in an uncertain world, we will find the answers to our questions and we will find the courage to go on. Let us take time to foster and build a relationship with her, the mother of God, the mother of us all, the mother of you, which goes beyond mere academics to a sincere dialogue, a true relationship. As we struggle with sin in our lives and the sin all around us may our prayers express, “Mom, help me.” And with a mother’s love–she will. On that day when our mother embraces us and we her, it truly will be the happiest of mother’s days.