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Today, Sunday 11th May, we have 732 people from all over the world and from many Christian and some non-Christian denominations joining together in prayer. For you folks across the big puddle today is Mother's Day. We had ours a few weeks ago and I'd intended writing something then but time got in the way.

But before I start, just a quick word of thanks for all the supportive email that arrived after the rather 'heavy' special edition. We lost one Prayer Warrior and I got one email scolding me for pushing my geo-politics down yer throats. All were most welcome, including that one, but if you go to the welcome page on the website you will find the purpose of this in the first place was to pray for and with each other and for a very, very sick world. So last week I just asked for prayers for the 'virus carriers'. Okay then off we go....

Every now and again one of you shoots me over some right little gems so I'm using two of them this week. They are light and enjoyable and for the guys as well as the gals, a change from the serious stuff of the last two reflections.

Before we lead into them, though, perhaps for the remainder of May we could look at the Role of Mary - a Mother. About two weeks ago I got an email from someone who had difficulty with intercessory prayer and it made me think. What each one of us does as a Prayer Warrior is to
intercede to Almighty God on behalf of each other. Right - if we as mere mortals can do so and know that our prayers will be answered, albeit in God's own way, then how much more powerful are the intercessory prayers of the Angels in Heaven and the Saints who have 'arrived home' after their spell around the block down here?

OK then - if we can understand that bit and agree, then how much more powerful than even their prayers are those of Mary, the Mother of Our Divine Lord? She was God's Chosen One from time immemorial, the second Ark of the Covenant, the real, live Tabernacle and the Vessel of Honour. Her YES (fiat) opened the door to our Redemption. Her suffering, even before the birth of Christ as She and Joseph had to migrate to a place far from home in order to register for the census, continued through the Passion and Crucifixion and right up to the Joy of the Resurrection. This suffering of Mother and Son together gives Her the deserved title of Co-redemtrix but also of Mediatrix and
Advocate.

Oh, but how sad She is now, and wouldn't any mother be, considering Her Divine Son gave of His own life for the world, and the most of us don't give diddly squat - God is meaningless to the majority of people.

As a mother and a grandmother I don't know if I could ever follow my own son through humiliations, scorn, sessions of torture, brutality and a cruel, cruel death, knowing in my heart and soul of his innocence, and of the infinite love that Our Divine Lord had for every living creature that caused Him to sacrifice His own life for our salvation.

It is inconceivable that God would cast Her aside after her earthly role, and indeed Scripture tells us, right from chapter 3, verse 15 of the very first Book of the Bible (Genesis) to chapter 12, verses 1-6 in the very last Book of the Bible (Revelations), that She will be satan's adversary. And what a weapon She has given the world to help us fight that battle too. Stronger than tanks and more powerful than any bomb - yet costing all of about 5 Euros/Dollars/Pounds! A set of Rosary Beads!

Next week we'll look at the Scriptural basis for the Rosary and how this most powerful of prayers is rooted within the Word of God in the Bible.

'Nuff for this week, now sit back and enjoy these two wee snippets, they were too good to leave out particularly for the day that's in it. One is for the mommas and the other for the chappies! I pray they
are not too insensitive for those couples praying for children. Ask Mary, our Heavenly Mother to intercede for you.

Just A Mom!

A few months ago, when I was picking up the children at school, another mother I knew well rushed up to me. Emily was fuming with indignation. "Do you know what you and I are?" she demanded.

Before I could answer - and I didn't really have one handy - she blurted out the reason for her question. It seemed she had just returned from renewing her driver's license at The County Clerk's
office. Asked by the woman recorder to state her occupation, Emily had hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself.

"What I mean is," explained the recorder, "do you have a job, or are you just a .....?"

"Of course I have a job," snapped Emily. "I'm a mother."

"We don't list 'mother' as an occupation... 'housewife' covers it," said the recorder emphatically.

I forgot all about her story until one day I found myself in the same situation, this time at our own Town Hall. The Clerk was obviously a career woman, poised, efficient, and possessed of a high-sounding title like "Official Interrogator" or "Town Registrar." "And what is your occupation?" she probed.

What made me say it, I do not know. The words simply popped out. "I'm a Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations."

The clerk paused, ball-point pen frozen in midair, and looked up as though she had not heard right.

I repeated the title slowly, emphasizing the most significant words. Then I stared with wonder as my pompous pronouncement was written in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.

"Might I ask," said the clerk with new interest, "just what you do in your field?"

Coolly, without any trace of fluster in my voice, I heard myself reply, "I have a continuing program of research (what mother doesn't) in the laboratory and in the field (normally I would have said indoors and out). I'm working for my Masters (the whole darned family) and already have four credits (all daughters). "Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities (any mother care to disagree?) and I often work 14 hours a day (24 is more like it). But the job is more challenging than most run-of-the-mill careers and the rewards are in satisfaction rather than just money."

There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk's voice as she completed the form, stood up, and personally ushered me to the door.

As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants - ages 13, 7, and 3. Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model (6 months) in the
child-development program, testing out a new vocal pattern. I felt triumphant! I had scored a beat on bureaucracy! And I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable to mankind than "just another mother."

Motherhood...what a glorious career. Especially when there's a title on the door.

Send this to another Mother you know. Whether a stay at home Mom or a career Mom, we should all carry this title. Life's too short for bad coffee.

From the Inspiration List

Trading Places

A man was sick and tired of going to work every day while his wife stayed home. He wanted her to see what he went through so he prayed.

"Dear Lord,  I go to work every day and put in 8 hours while my wife merely stays at home. I want her to know what I go through, so please allow her body to switch with mine for a day."

God, in his infinite wisdom, granted the man's wish. The next morning, sure enough, the man awoke as a woman.  He arose, cooked breakfast for his mate, awakened the kids, set out their school clothes, fed them breakfast, packed their lunches, drove them to school, came home and picked up the dry cleaning and stopped at the bank to make a deposit, went grocery shopping, then drove home to put away the groceries, paid the bills and balance the check book.

He cleaned the cat's litter box and bathed the dog. Then it was already 1 P.M. and he hurried to make the beds, do the laundry, vacuum, dust, and sweep and mop the kitchen floor; ran to the
school to pick up the kids and got into an argument with them on the way home. Set out cookies and milk and got the kids organized to do their homework, then set up the ironing board and watched
TV while he did the ironing.

At 4:30 he began peeling potatoes and washing vegetables for salad, breaded  the pork chops and snapped fresh beans for supper.  After supper he cleaned the kitchen, ran the dishwasher, folded laundry, bathed the kids, and put them to bed. At 9 P.M. he was exhausted and, though his daily chores weren't finished, he went to bed where he was expected to make love which he managed to get through without complaint.

The next morning he awoke and immediately knelt by the bed and said,

"Lord, I don't know what I was thinking. I was so wrong to envy my wife's being able to stay home all day.  Please, oh please, let us trade back."

The Lord, in his infinite wisdom, replied, "My son, I feel you have learned your lesson and I will be happy to change things back to the way they were. You'll just have to wait nine months, though.
You got pregnant last night"

God Bless you all

Mary in Galway

Pray before the Cross:

"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Father, send now Your Spirit over the earth. Let the Holy Spirit live in the hearts of all nations, that they may be preserved from degeneration, disaster and war. May
the Lady of All Nations, who once was Mary, be our Advocate. Amen."