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Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Behold Your Mother: Mary Stories and Reflections from a Catholic Convert

I have had the privelege to read an advance manuscript of Behold Your Mother: Mary Stories and Reflections from a Catholic Convert by Heidi Hess Saxton and published by Bezalel Press. A revised and expanded edition of With Mary in Prayer, the book is expected to be available in time for Easter and Mother’s Day.

A true love story between a Mother and her Son, between the adopted children of God and their spiritual Mother, Behold Your Mother gives us a glimpse rarely seen into Mary’s life. At a time when many are confused by Mary’s role in salvation history and find it hard to connect with her through scant scriptural references, Saxton shows us Mary’s humility, love and devotion to our Lord, Jesus Christ, as mother, wife, homemaker and caregiver. Furthermore we are immersed in Mary’s joys and sorrows, not unlike our own yet ever more magnified by her unique closeness to Jesus Christ.

We see how Mary’s total abandonment to the will of God and her interactions with key figures in her life, and that of her Son, would have shaped and driven her stewardship of Gods most precious gift of Grace. By reflecting on Mary as a simple handmaiden and pondering what her thoughts must have been throughout her journey with Christ we are able to draw near our Blessed Mother on a human level as a basis for our spiritual relationship with her.

For those who embrace Mary as the Mother of God, and through adoption as brothers and sisters of Christ as their own Mother, Behold Your Mother is a wonderful prayer book filled with meditations and prayers sure to draw one closer to Christ by a deeper understanding of Mary’s total devotion to him.

For those who struggle to understand Mary’s role in our relationship with Christ, Saxton’s reflections draw clear Mary’s humanity. Each page points to Mary’s role not of deflecting glory from her Son, but rather of directing our praise to Him. Her station as perfect model for our devotion to Jesus Christ shines throughout Saxton’s writing.

A wonderful addition to your own library, Behold Your Mother: Mary Stories and Reflections from a Catholic Convert would make a great gift to those coming into the Church during this coming Easter season or to anyone struggling to understand the honor Catholics offer to Mary. It would also be ideal for Mother’s Day as it is a beautiful reflection of a mother’s love for her children and a child’s love for mother.

Be sure to look for Behold Your Mother: Mary Stories and Reflections from a Catholic Convert by Heidi Hess Saxton. You can pre-order and save by visiting Mommy Monsters Inc.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Chris: Many thanks for taking time to do this. I hope it helps someone who (like me) resists the motherly love of Mary. How good to know that her love does not depend on our response ... and how the Heart of Jesus thrills when we honor His mother AND His Father!

Anonymous said...

Excellent review!