EASTERTIDE AND OUR LADY May 5, 2024

There is a beautiful link between the season of Eastertide and Our Lady, said Cardinal Newman.

     The month of May virtually always falls entirely within Eastertide, and ushers in the summer with its early promise of flowers and sunshine to come. From this fact he draws the parallel with Our Lady who brings into the world our Lord and Saviour, and who in her own character and holiness prepares the way for Him. She is like the dawn of the new day of grace and life after the long night of sin brought upon us by our first parents. She is like this month of the year which is filled with signs of the summer, which is almost here, and which has so many beauties of its own to delight us, just like Our Lady herself.

     Easter is above all other seasons the time of rejoicing, of anticipating the everlasting joys of heaven. After the rigours of Lent, a time of trial which exactly¬ matches this life of testing and sometimes painful growth in holiness, Easter perfectly represents total enjoyment.

     Our Lord has won eternal life for all His brothers and sisters, who, like Him, are children of Adam and Eve. Our Lady is the first of those whom He has redeemed. She represents all that we are called to be when finally made perfect in heaven, though of course even in that state of perfect bliss she will be preeminent over all angels and saints. Since Eastertide is above all other seasons the one in which we begin to live the joy of heaven, it is fitting that in Eastertide we honour Our Lady’s image here on earth, just as we hope one day to be able to honour her in person when, by God’s grace, we reach heaven.

     Here on earth, we have the privilege and joy of crowning her image ourselves and honouring her by singing hymns of joy and thanksgiving to God for giving us such a wonderful woman to be mother of our Redeemer, and our own heavenly loving mother, too. For insofar as we honour Our Lady we both please her Son, who delights to see His Mother honoured, and also we increase in grace; because nobody who gives due honour to Mary can fail to be drawn closer to her divine Son.          ~ FR. PAUL DOBSON