May makes you feel younger, more alive, hopeful reflects Offaly columnist
May makes you feel younger, more alive, hopeful reflects Offaly columnist
As I write this “Thought for the Week,” I have just returned from a beautiful May walk around where I live. At long last, the season of summer is beginning to unfold itself in full bloom. The warmth in the air, the lengthening evenings, the gentle sunlight resting on the trees and flowers, and the sweet chorus of birdsong all seemed to whisper a message of hope to my soul.
After the coldness and darkness of winter and the damp of Spring, nature once again awakens with colour, beauty, and life. There is something deeply healing and profoundly spiritual about the month of May. It makes us feel younger somehow, more alive, more hopeful, even amidst the many worries and burdens of our modern world. Everywhere we look there are signs of renewal. Flowers blossom from bare branches. The earth comes alive again. What seemed lifeless only weeks ago suddenly bursts forth with extraordinary beauty. For me, the month of May and indeed the season of summer is symbolic of life itself, a reminder to seize the gift of today because none of us are guaranteed tomorrow.
May and Summer is the fulfilment of a hopeful spring. To make the most of summer is, in many ways, to make the most of life itself. The world around us now feels vibrant, alive, mature, and overflowing with possibility. As I walked beneath trees heavy with blossom and watched the golden evening light dance upon the earth, I found myself thanking God for the countless blessings we often overlook, the warmth of the sun on our skin, the freshness in the air, the flowing sea, the laughter of children, birds singing without fear, flowers blooming in radiant colour, and the precious people we love. These are holy gifts. Yet too often we rush past them. We spend so much time worrying about the future or carrying the wounds of the past that we fail to truly live in the sacredness of the present moment. And perhaps this is why the Church, in her wisdom, dedicates this beautiful month of May to Our Blessed Mother Mary, the Queen of the May.
The month of Our Lady
This reflection is lovingly dedicated to every person who faithfully prays the Rosary, to every soul praying quietly for peace in our troubled world, and to all those carrying heavy crosses in silence. It is dedicated to the lonely, the grieving, the anxious, the sick, the forgotten, and those whose hearts ache beneath burdens known only to God. It is also dedicated to the mothers and fathers praying for their children, the elderly praying quietly by a bedside or window, the weary souls who still cling to faith despite suffering, and every person who continues to believe that prayer can still change hearts and heal a wounded world.
In these uncertain and painful times, our world desperately needs peace, peace in our homes, peace in our families, peace in our hearts, and peace among nations. Every day we hear of war, violence, division, loneliness, hatred, injustice, racism and suffering. So many people are exhausted emotionally and spiritually. Many are silently struggling. Many feel abandoned. Many cry behind closed doors where nobody sees their tears. Yet in the midst of all this darkness, the gentle light of Mary continues to shine.
The month of May has long been associated with devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary because May itself reflects something of Mary’s beauty. It is the season of blossoming, new life, gentleness, and renewal. Just as creation awakens after winter, Mary reminds us that grace can bloom again even after seasons of sorrow. The Church calls her the “Queen of Heaven” and the “Queen of the May,” not because she sought greatness, but because she surrendered herself completely to God. “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.” (Luke 1:46-47). Mary’s greatness was found in her humility. She was a young girl from Nazareth with no worldly importance, yet heaven chose her to carry Christ into the world. When the Angel Gabriel appeared to her, Mary could easily have said no. She knew the risks. She knew the possibility of rejection, humiliation, and suffering. Yet despite fear and uncertainty, she uttered the words that changed human history forever: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done unto me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38). What courage. What trust. What surrender. Mary teaches us that faith is not the absence of fear; faith is trusting God even when the road ahead is uncertain.
Mary – Mother of sorrows and mother of hope
Mary’s life was not easy. So often we picture her surrounded only by peace and light, yet her journey was marked by both immense joy and profound sorrow. She gave birth to Jesus in poverty. She fled as a refugee into Egypt to save His life. She lost Him in Jerusalem and searched anxiously for three days. She watched Him misunderstood, rejected, mocked, scourged, and crucified. And yet she never abandoned Him.
Even at Calvary, while others fled, Mary remained standing beneath the Cross. Imagine the heartbreak of a mother watching her innocent Son suffer. Imagine the tears she shed in silence. Imagine the agony in her soul. Yet still she trusted. Still she believed. Still she loved. “Standing by the cross of Jesus was His mother.” (John 19:25). Mary understands suffering because she lived it. She understands grief because she carried it. She understands anxious hearts, broken families, loneliness, fear, and loss because she walked through them herself. Perhaps that is why so many people instinctively turn to Mary in times of pain. A mother listens differently. A mother notices the silent tears that others overlook. A mother stays close when the world walks away.
Pope Francis beautifully described Mary as the one who “unties the knots” of our lives. How many knots there are today such as anxiety, addiction, depression, financial struggles, loneliness, illness, grief, division in families, resentment, fear, racism, hatred, conflict, despair. So many people carry burdens silently behind brave smiles. But Mary stands beside us gently whispering the words she spoke at Cana: “Do whatever He tells you.” (John 2:5). These simple words remain the path to peace.
Digging out the weeds of the soul
During this month of May, perhaps we are invited to examine our hearts honestly before Our Lady. We all have faults. We all carry weaknesses. Pride, impatience, bitterness, selfishness, jealousy, anger, negativity, unforgiveness, these are the weeds that can quietly overtake the garden of the soul if left unattended.
Nature itself teaches us an important lesson. Gardens do not flourish accidentally. Flowers require care, nourishment, sunlight, patience, and attention. So too do our souls. This May, perhaps Mary is asking us to begin digging out the weeds within our hearts and planting instead the flowers of virtue such as compassion, patience, kindness, purity, humility, forgiveness, tenderness, generosity, prayerfulness, and love.
The world today desperately needs more tenderness. There is so much cruelty, division, racism, hatred, conflict, loneliness, and indifference around us. People are starving not only for food, but for kindness. Some are carrying crosses so heavy they can barely stand. Some are silently grieving. Some are overwhelmed with anxiety. Some simply need someone to notice them, to listen to them, to remind them that their life matters. The greatest tribute we can offer Mary this month is not merely flowers placed before a statue, but hearts transformed by compassion. We honour Mary best when we become more loving people.
Learning to live in the present moment
One of the greatest spiritual battles of our age is learning to truly live in the present moment. Too often we dwell in the wounds of yesterday or fear the uncertainties of tomorrow. We replay old regrets and imagine future disasters while missing the sacredness of today. Yet the present moment is where God waits for us. Look at nature. Flowers do not worry about tomorrow. Birds sing without fear of the future.
The sea continues to rise and fall in quiet obedience to God. Creation lives in trust. And perhaps we are being called to do the same. This summer, I invite you to slow down. Notice the beauty around you. Feel the warmth of the sun. Listen to birdsong. Smell the flowers. Sit quietly with someone you love. Put down the phone. Turn off the noise. Pray. Laugh. Visit someone lonely. Forgive someone. Tell people you love them while you still can. Life is fragile. One day the flowers of May will fade again. Summer will pass. Seasons will change. Loved ones will leave us. Our own earthly journey will one day end. But love, true love is eternal. And so we must never take anyone or anything for granted.
Mary – The first disciple
Mary was the first disciple of Jesus. Before anyone else believed, she believed. Before anyone else followed Him, she carried Him within her heart. She dedicated her life completely to God’s plan. After Jesus ascended into heaven, Mary remained with the Apostles, praying with them and strengthening them. She was present at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Church. Quietly and faithfully, she continued pointing others toward Jesus. That is what Mary always does. She never seeks attention for herself. She simply leads hearts to her Son.
The Rosary, therefore, is not simply repetitive prayer. It is walking hand in hand with Mary through the life of Christ. It is allowing her to teach us how to trust, how to suffer, how to love, and how to remain faithful. In homes where families still pray together, there is a sacred strength. As Servant of God Fr. Patrick Peyton famously said: “The family that prays together stays together.” In a world filled with noise and distraction, perhaps the greatest gift we can give our families is the gift of prayer. How beautiful it is to imagine thousands of people across our country and throughout the world quietly fingering Rosary beads each night, grandparents praying for grandchildren, parents praying for protection over their families, lonely hearts praying for comfort, and faithful souls praying for peace in a broken world. Perhaps these hidden prayers are holding the world together more than we realise.
A call to compassionate action
This month of May cannot simply remain sentimental devotion. Mary’s example calls us to action. When Mary learned that her cousin Elizabeth needed help, Scripture tells us she went “in haste” to be with her. Love moved her to action. True faith always does. So this week, perhaps we might ask ourselves some difficult questions: Who in my life is lonely? Who needs forgiveness from me? Who is grieving silently? Who have I ignored? Who needs encouragement? Who needs me to truly listen? Have I become too negative, too distracted, too self-absorbed? Am I living in a way that reflects Christ to others? The world does not need more empty words. It needs people willing to become light in the darkness.
Mary teaches us that holiness is often found not in extraordinary things, but in ordinary acts of love done faithfully every day. A phone call. A visit to the sick. A meal shared. A prayer whispered for someone suffering. A gentle word. A patient heart. A sincere apology. A helping hand. These are the flowers that truly honour the Queen of the May.
Thought for the week
As your thought for the week and during this month of May, I invite you to create a small “May altar” if you already haven't done so somewhere in your home with a candle, flowers, or an image of Our Lady. Spend at least thirty minutes each day in silence and prayer. Put away your phone, your worries, and the noise of the world. Pray the Rosary if you can. Read a passage from the Gospel slowly. Ask Mary to help you remove one “weed” from your soul, perhaps anger, negativity, impatience, resentment, fear, or bitterness and ask her to plant instead a flower of virtue. Then choose one act of compassionate love this week for someone who may be struggling. Visit someone lonely. Reconcile with someone. Help a neighbour. Encourage a hurting soul. Become the answer to someone else’s prayer. And tonight, before you sleep, pray one Hail Mary for peace in our world and for all those who feel forgotten, abandoned, frightened, or unloved. Let your faith become visible through love. Let me leave you with a prayer I wrote to go with this week's thought called, "A Prayer to Mary, Queen of the May."
"O Mary, Queen of the May, gentle Mother of Jesus and Mother of us all, wrap your mantle of love around every weary heart. This week we especially place into your loving care all those who pray the Rosary faithfully, all those crying quietly behind closed doors, all families carrying hidden burdens, all mothers and fathers worried for their children, all the sick, the lonely, the grieving, and all those praying for peace in our troubled world. Teach us to say “yes” to God with the same courage and trust that filled your soul. Help us to live with greater kindness, greater patience, greater compassion, and deeper faith. When we are anxious, calm us. When we are grieving, comfort us. When we are weak, strengthen us. When we feel lost, lead us gently back to your Son. Help us to remove the weeds of bitterness, pride, fear, and selfishness from our hearts, and plant instead the flowers of love, mercy, humility, purity, and peace. Teach us to notice the lonely, to care for the suffering, to forgive generously, and to become instruments of God’s light in a hurting world. May our lives become a reflection of Jesus. May our words bring healing. May our actions bring hope. May those who meet us encounter the tenderness of God. And when the burdens of life grow heavy, remind us that we never walk alone. Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for us. Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for us. Mary, Mother of Sorrows and Mother of Hope, pray for us. Amen."