Mary & My Return to Rome- Do Whatever He Tells You

wedding-feast

Last year, I wrote about Saint Francis of Assisi and how he was instrumental in my return to Rome. I would be remiss not to share that another in heaven was very instrumental, even more so, in that journey. I write this on the 103rd anniversary of the Miracle of the Sun when the Blessed Mother appeared in Fatima for the last time publicly, and hundreds experienced what was nothing short of a miracle.

It is also just over a week past my 15th anniversary, October 4, 2005, from that day which would redirect the trajectory of my life going forward. I write of this elsewhere, but on that rainy morning, Feast of St. Francis, I went to Reconciliation and the Holy Eucharist for the first time in 35 years as a Catholic once again. I quickly learned about the many connections, as linked above, to St. Francis and his place in my life, but was less swift to discover the way she too had, in fact, been working within me all of my life.

Born Christmas Day Through Mary—and Mary

I was born on December 25, 1955, and my earthly mother was Mary Evans. The parish our family attended at the time was Nativity of Mary in rural Waseca, MN. Like the Blessed Mother, my mother had “another Mary” in her life, her first cousin Mary Burns (born on the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima), who became my godmother seven days later, on December 31, New Year’s Eve day. Like our Lord, circumcised on the octave of His birth, heaven gifted me with sanctifying grace on the eve of that octave. The Blessed Mother was there in both cases, His and mine. Years later, the title of the January 1st Feast of the Circumcision became Mary, Mother of God. She was busily at work in my life before I ever knew who she was.

When I was eight, having moved, I received my First Reconciliation and Communion at another parish named for St. Mary. I became an altar server there as well and fell in love with Jesus and the Church. Mother Mary was again at work.

A few years later, after we moved into the town of Princeton, MN, my mother’s oldest sister, Veronica, moved in with us as she battled with cancer until her death. We became close, and she prayed rosary upon rosary for all her loved ones, sometimes 14 or more in one day. She constantly offered her sufferings to our Lord Jesus Christ through Mary, and during one of our many talks I learned that she too, was herself named Mary, the name she chose for her confirmation, likely before my mother was even born. An unmistakable pattern was emerging.

Each Mary in my life was devout in her commitment to Christ and His Mother. I learned in recent years that my mom was, in addition, a 3rd order Carmelite. No one in the family knew. The Blessed Mother did, though, and of course her Son Jesus. He used all these women named Mary, including His Mother, to point me to Himself. Over and over.

Mary Through the Detours

In 1970, I began attending an Assemblies of God youth group, and it was there I discovered the charismatic renewal, also written elsewhere on this site. On  August 15 of that year, one-half century ago as I compose this writing, I received what is commonly known among charismatic circles as the baptism in the Holy Spirit. I did not know that this was also the Feast of the Assumption, based upon the Marian dogma that the Blessed Mother was taken bodily to heaven either at the moment of death or without actually dying. Early Church Fathers, in addition, often referred to her as the “spouse of the Holy Spirit.” And on that Feast night of her most recently proclaimed dogma, I received her heavenly spouse in a powerful way, though I was not actively Catholic at the time. She had not forgotten me.

Mary Homeward Bound

The week I came home to the Church, the Blessed Mother again made Her presence known. Three days after I returned, I attended a Eucharistic Congress held here in the Twin Cities, culminating the 2005 Year of the Eucharist, proclaimed by Pope St. John Paul II, one of the most Marian popes in history. That evening, which was the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, there was an all-night event at the Cathedral of St. Paul, a magnificent structure that is arguably one of the finest houses of worship in the United States. The Irish singer Dana was there that night, and specifically for this event had written a song “We are the Children of the World.” I sensed such a pull to attend the gigantic Rosary Procession and later, Eucharistic Adoration. I had never been to such a gathering, but in ways, I cannot yet explain, felt nearly compelled to go. I drove to St. Paul around 10 PM, missing the procession, but for the first time in my life entered that amazing structure, where Adoration was then happening. The presence of Jesus was palpable in a way I had never even begun to experience in my life. I only know I wept.

I then prayed the Rosary for the first time in 35 years. Mary drew me, but Jesus apprehended my many questions and just poured Himself overwhelmingly into me. Mary thrust me into the presence of Jesus Her Son in the Eucharist, just as Dana’s amazing song speaks of. That late evening encounter solidified the decision of the first half of the week. I was back and I now belonged forever to Jesus and Mary. I finally understood what Mary meant when she told the servants at Cana to “do whatever He tells you.” Francis woke me up, but Mary had carried me home to Christ.

Mary’s Challenge To You

I tell you this because I believe the Blessed Mother is always involved in our conversions or reversions to the Church Her Son established. I challenge the reader to look back and take note of times when she has been quietly nudging you. I am surely not the only one here. Whether you are a cradle Catholic or a convert, If you look carefully, and ponder in your heart as she does, I am guessing you could make a long list of many times where she was orchestrating God’s grace in order to show you, Jesus, more fully. Then ask yourself, are you willing to obey her and do whatever He says? It is a question well worth answering.

His mother said to the servants, ‘do whatever He tells you’ (John 2: 3 ).

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1 thought on “Mary & My Return to Rome- Do Whatever He Tells You”

  1. Thank you for this, Richard Evans! You give me hope for those members of my family who also need those ‘nudges’ by our Mother. 🙂

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