Well, for a feast like this, what else can we talk about but feasting (right?) So don’t rush off after Mass. There is a family meal after Mass at the Parish Hall, and there might be surprises.
But besides feasting, today would also be a day to talk about the things of the heart.
When it comes to the things of the heart, there is one phrase which I remembered and it goes right back to my early school days.
I am sure you have heard of this phrase before. Our teachers would say: Remember by heart.
For e.g. we would be told, remember the times table by heart, and so we will go, 1x1=1, 2x1=2, 3x1=3, etc.
So now if I were to ask you, 9x4=(36), 8x3=(24).
So you see, we remembered by heart. We don’t have to use the calculator or whatever.
Let me see what else we remembered by heart. Maybe let’s try some idioms.
A leopard cannot change – its spots.
A picture paints – a thousand words.
Don’t put all your eggs – in one basket.
Don’t count your chickens – before they are hatched.
How about this? If you love me – (give me all your money?)
Well, it might be more realistic to say this – If you love me, just agree with me (right?)
Quite true isn’t it, especially during the period of courtship.
During courtship, the man will agree to almost anything that the woman wants. But after marriage, it might be another story.
Well, the story goes that a courting couple was contemplating marriage. But the man is an agnostic (free-thinker) and the girl is a Catholic.
They wanted to get married in Church and so they went to see the priest.
During the pre-nuptial inquiry, the priest asked if they are going to baptize their future children as Catholics.
So the Catholic girl looked at her fiancé and said – We will baptize the children as Catholics right? (if you love me, just agree with me, ok?)
So the man said: Ok ok, baptize them as Catholics.
So they got married and they were happy.
Then they were expecting their first child, and so the wife reminded her husband that they will baptize the child.
But the husband said: Hmmm … if the child is a girl, she can be baptized. But if it’s a boy, then, no, he will follow me and be a free-thinker.
The wife protested: But we told the priest we will baptize the children. How can you go back on your word?
The husband said: I have changed my mind, and it’s ok, since I am not a Catholic. Anyway I have already decided. If you love me, just agree with me ok.
The wife was so angry and disappointed and said : How can you do this? Ok, I will tell my mother.
The husband thought to himself – Go and tell! I am not scared.
But what he didn’t know was which mother his wife was going to tell.
Because the wife went to Novena Church and knelt at the shrine of our Lady and poured out her tears.
She said – Dearest Mother, I am so sorry my husband broke his promise and will only baptize the girls but not the boys.
So dearest Mother, let me have only girls, so that my husband will learn his lesson.
And so the first child was a girl, and so she got baptized.
The 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th were all girls and got baptized.
So one day the husband was chatting with the wife and he said : I am happy we got six beautiful and lovely girls. But I wonder why we got no sons huh.
So the wife replied : That’s because I told my mother that you are not going to baptize the sons, so I asked her to give me only daughters.
The husband was astounded and said – Your mother???
And the wife said – Yes, I prayed to Mother Mary to give me only daughters, since I can only baptize the daughters!.
The husband was just so amazed and so he said – ok ok, now you tell your mother, whether daughter or son, we will baptize them ok.
And so the next child came, it was a son, he got baptized, and the husband went for RCIA!
Well, for what that story is worth, I really liked that phrase – I will tell my mother.
You know, when we were younger, we will tell our mothers everything, because we are close to our mothers, and they seemed to have all the answers.
But as we got older, we tend to say less and hide more, because we think our mothers are naggy and even nosy.
Even with Mother Mary, we tend to slacken in our love and devotion for her.
Yet, Mother Mary wants us to come to her and tell her what is happening with us, be it our joys and hopes, our grieves and sorrows, our troubles and worries.
Yes, we must tell Mary our Mother, and we must remember that by heart.
Yes, we must tell our Mother, because that is also what Jesus wants us to do.
We will remember that on the cross, Jesus said to His beloved disciple – This is your mother.
Jesus is saying the same thing to us – This is your mother.
Today as we celebrate the feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, we focus our thoughts on her heart.
What is in the heart of Mary? Well, certainly there is her great love for God, and also as we heard from today’s gospel, all her experiences of Jesus.
And if we were to ask Mother Mary, what she remembered by heart, it would be encapsulated in these four words – This is your son.
Those were the words spoken by Jesus to her when He was hanging on the cross.
And Mary remembered those words by heart.
The last mention of Mary in the Bible is in Acts 1:14 where she was with the disciples in prayer.
Yes, Mary remembered by heart those words – This is your son.
And it means everyone, male and female, Catholic and agnostic, saint and sinner, anyone and everyone.
More so for us, we are Mary’s beloved sons and daughters.
Mary remembered by heart what Jesus said to her – This is your son.
And she embraces all of us into her Immaculate Heart as she prays for us.
And let us remember this by heart – I will tell my mother.
Because the heart of a disciple always has a prayer for the Mother of God.
Here I would like to share with you a prayer to Mother Mary which I remembered by heart. It is called the Memorare.
I invite you to pray with me this prayer if you know it.
It goes like this :
Remember most gracious Virgin Mary,
that never was it known, that anyone who fled to your protection,
implored your help, or sought your intercession, was left unaided.
Inspired with this confidence I fly unto you,
O Virgin of virgins, my Mother.
To you I come, before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful.
O Mother of the Word Incarnate,
despise not my petitions, but in your love and mercy, hear and answer me.
Amen.
It’s a short and simple prayer and can be easily remembered by heart.
If you don’t know it, then I urge you to learn it, and remember it by heart.
And I hope you will do it. Otherwise I will tell my mother. And you know which mother I am talking about.