The Red Flower of Hope

I wrote this in 2009. Can't remember what the occasion was... but somehow it seems to be a helpful reminder of circumstances I sometimes forget......

The red flower of hope (27/11/09-2.01am)

Clouds of distress serenade me,

as I try to surrender to the rhythm of sweet slumber.

Uncertainty keeps watch over me,

as the future seems so blur.

If only I had a strong grasp of tomorrow,

today would be all but that red flower.

Visions of what could be comes crashing over me,

as I watch my city of dreams crumble.

What I was certain is right for me,

now seems like a big mistake.

All that I have built with such earnest hopes,

now seems like empty fascinations.

And the only light at the end of this tunnel,

is none other than that red flower.

If all was within my grasp,

nothing would be out of reach.

If all that man can be is within his own palm,

uncertainty would seem a myth.

But so would be that red flower,

only heard and spoken of but never seen.

And trust in God would be but a shadow,

a poor reflection of the Truth that He Is.

And so this red flower is all that is necessary,

and nothing else could bring more hope.

For Your Love alone is enough for me Lord,

protect me from the foe.

A Month for Mary??

The month of May has long been noted by the faithful to be a month dedicated to Mary. The tradition of honoring Mary on this month dates back to the 13th century. It was used by the Church as an opportunity to Christianize the secular feasts that were to take place at that time of the year. By the 16th century, this devotion begun to appear in Christian literature, fostering and strengthening its influence among Christians. During the 1700s, the Jesuits begun to develop a particular love for this practice. Starting from the Gesu Church, the practice soon spread to the rest of Rome and the entire Church.

Since the dawn of the Protestant Reformation, the role afforded to Mary in the broader Christian world seemed to have slowly degraded. From Queen of Heaven and Mother of the Church, Mary was reduced to a mere character in the Bible. However, the role of Mary remains affirmed in the Catholic Church, with tremendous support by the Popes. This great support is clearly seen in many church documents. A noteworthy piece to mention would be the great Encyclical on the Sacred Liturgy, Mediator Dei, by Pius XII. Here, the practice of honouring Mary in May is remarked as among"other exercises of piety" that is of "special import and dignity" (Mediator Dei, 182). In His encyclical letter, Mense Maio, Pope Paul VI makes mention of our act of turning to Mary, as an act of seeking the "Christ in her arms" (Mense Maio, 2). As such, devotions to Mary especially during May remains as a tradition that is cherished and affirmed among the Popes.

When we acknowledge the rather controversial status of Marian devotions in the broader Christian world, we may begin to question the continual existence of the Month of Mary. In fact, we may even question the need behind any devotion to Mary, seeing it as a border of separation between ourselves and our Protestant Christian brethren. Such questions call for critical answers. To begin with, one must first look at Christianity with "original" eyes. Most of our current, non-Catholic view of Christianity comes from a post-Reformation outlook, that involves a "singular" vision of our relationship with God. We see ourselves and God as being in a strictly one-to-one relationship that is not very much affected by the community. The philosophy of this outlook can be traced back to the Protestant doctrine of justification by faith alone , sola fide. Within a constraint such as sola fide, there is no need for intercessions as no man can act as mediator between us and Christ. According to this doctrine, we are saved by our faith alone. As such, the degradation of belief in the Communion of Saints and its unity with the Pilgrim Church resulted in a shift from a "communitarian" faith to a "one-to-one" faith, involving only the individual and God. When seen in this light, the role of Mary as intercessor, or even as Mother of the Church seem rather unacceptable. However, it must be deeply stressed that it was not so in the beginning.

Even at the earliest beginnings of the Church, we see an important emphasis on community (Acts 2:43). This communitarian nature of the Church is expressed in a unity of prayer and sharing ( Acts 4:23-35). As such, the Communion of Saints would be an absolutely valid assertion under this original context. Mary too, was always honored by the Church, with her being seen as the "New Eve" by the early Church Fathers (cf. Dialogue with Trypho, St.Justin Martyr). As such, within the original contexts of Christianity, the assertion of a month for Mary, or any other forms of Marian devotion does not serve as obstructions to faith. On the contrary, it enhances faith in God and deepens our understanding of the very nature of our relationship with God. It is only when we identify our relationship with God as strictly one-to-one and not involving community, would we find these devotions to be standing in the way. A strictly one-to-one relationship, one that involves only God and the individual, would not be able to justify seeing Christ in others ( Mt 25:35-40 ). It is only when we appreciate the communitarian nature of our faith would we truly be able to live it out in authentic charity.

As such, the Month of Mary stands not only as a great devotion to our beloved Mother. It is also an implicit statement by the Church, of the nature of authentic Christian faith and relationship with God. In truth, "For what other reason do we continually turn to Mary except...to seek our Savior in her, through her, and with her? " (Mense Maio, 2). Indeed, through our devotion to Mary, we are led closer to Christ.