Quiet Prayer

Dear Diary,

This morning, before the sun was fully up, Sister Mary Claire and I knelt beside our beds, with little Mini curled right between us, warm and wiggly. We prayed the Our Father, and then Sister had me think especially hard about the Hail Mary—just the part we read in our meditation today: “Hail Mary… the Lord is with thee.”

Sister said those words were the angel Gabriel’s very own greeting, and that they weren’t just a title or a compliment—they were the truth of Mary’s whole life. God was already with her from the very first instant she existed, filling her with His grace. I tried to imagine that quiet little house in Nazareth suddenly filled with light as the angel bowed before her. And Mary, so gentle and beautiful, wasn’t afraid because her heart was already God’s dwelling place.

Since Robert is out of town for a couple of days, Sister and I bundled up and walked to church along the gravel road. The snow was crisp under our boots, and Mini kept stopping to poke her face into the drifts. Sister held my mittened hand, and I kept thinking, Mary walked simple paths too… and God was with her in every step.

At Mass, Father LeRoy preached almost the exact same thing we read, which made Sister smile at me because we both knew he was using the same meditation book. Father said Mary wasn’t just visited by God—she was His home. And when we pray the Hail Mary, we echo the Angel’s greeting. It made me feel like Heaven comes a little closer each time I say it.

Father reminded us that when Mary gave her “Yes,” Jesus took His place within her, bringing all the treasures of Heaven with Him. And when we receive Holy Communion, Jesus comes to us too—not in the same way, but still truly and lovingly. That thought made my heart feel warm, even in the cold church.

Walking back home, Sister said softly, “If God was with Mary so perfectly, we should try to let Him be with us too—by doing His Will in the little things.” I thought about that all the way home, watching Mini scamper ahead like she knew the way by heart.

So today I want to slow down when I say the Hail Mary and remember that Mary is still full of God’s grace, and she wants to help me stay close to Him too.

Resolution:

I will say the Hail Mary slowly and remember that God was with Mary in every moment—and He wants to be near me too.

Spiritual Bouquet:

One loving Hail Mary for someone who needs to feel God close today.


Love,

Kathy