Daily Prompt:  Paragon

In the Catholic faith, you are named after a saint.  I was named after my Great Aunt Wanda.  There is no Saint Wanda.  But my middle name is Marie.  Marie is a form of Mary.  Mary is the mother of Jesus and so I have always felt that she is my patron saint.  

My earthly mother was an alcoholic and was abusive.  I started spending a lot of my Saturdays at the convent where I went to school.  The sisters were wonderful to me. They would give me little jobs to do for them.  I felt useful and loved by these wonderful women.  

These sisters taught me to love Mary.  She is, after all the mother of Jesus Christ and also our heavenly mother.  When Christ was on the cross, he gave his mother to all of us when he told John, “Son, behold your mother.” They taught me she is the paragon of virtue.  One I could look to as the example for my life and through her I would learn to love and forgive my mother.  I developed a deep and lasting devotion to the Blessed Mother.  

There is often confusion about the Blessed Mother by non-Catholics.  We do not worship her.  We venerate her.  There is a huge difference.  Only God is worshiped and adored. Mary, however, is a wonderful intercessor for us.  She willingly goes before God and her divine Son Jesus Christ to ask for our needs.  

Now many feel that since Mary is not mentioned much in the bible that there is error in our beliefs.  However, I am confident that when you ask something of our Lord, He listens.  But, when as at the wedding at Cana, Mary was an advocate for the wedding couple and Jesus said His time had not come, he did as His mother asked and performed His first miracle changing water into wine.  

I am blessed to have been raised Catholic and to have this wonderful relationship with Jesus and His mother.  

Wanda