Motherhood unites us through a particular kind of tiredness - one that is not only physical. Though certainly physical, the broken sleep, interrupted meals, one-handed cold coffee, and the laundry that turns into its own mountain banners us together. But, our tiredness is deeper than that.
It is really the tiredness of constantly being needed for food, comfort, answers, clean socks, bedtime prayers, emotional regulation, hurt feelings, discipline, tenderness, and the millions of other acts that mothers do a million times an hour that make a home feel safe.
…Even if dad is sitting nearby.
Sometimes, the vocation of motherhood feels both sacred and invisible. There are days where the dishes could not be more drab and the sibling squabbles grate at your very last nerve, how in the world could our referring and chaos wrangling possibly be doing anything eternal?
Thank God, this is where He meets us, and not only did He give Jesus the Mother of Mothers, He gave us Mary as well. So, in the tears, frustrations, and the big owl eyes we dole out when we cannot possibly repeat ourselves… again!... this is where Mary meets us.
She carried life in her body; said yes without seeing the whole road; was implicated in mysteries she did not fully understand; and stood at the foot of the cross when the pains of love required her to stay.
May is a special month where the Catholic church celebrates Mary and so fellow momma, I invite you to do the same! Hear me out, I do not think you need to google “Mary decorations for May” nor add complex projects to your to-do list, I get it, your list is FULL! Instead, let this writing allow Mary in your life to receive a deeper trust in motherhood, exactly where you are.
And also, remember, Mary first listened. When the angel Gabriel came to her, Mary’s response was not control, it was holy surrender: “Behold, I am the handmaiden of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.”
This is not a sentimental sentence, nor is it a passive throw your hands up in the air, instead, this surrender is the strongest act of faith in all of Scripture.
Mary’s “yes” changed history and in a hidden way, the “yes” of motherhood still changes history.
The Hidden Vocation of Motherhood
The domestic church (ie., your home, is the center of living and radiant faith and our religion teaches that parents are the very first heralds of the faith to their children by both word and example. If, your home, is in fact a holy place, like the Catechism and teaches us it is, then nothing you do is spiritually insignificant.
Yes, your bedtime routine (that lasts 2 million hours), the crumbs on your kitchen floor, your marriage, and most definitely your motherhood. These are the ways you pour out your heart in love… it just so happens to be very difficult to quantify and thus objectively defend or demonstrate to others.
God put you on this Earth to carry and cherish souls, and just like in the Footprints in The Sand poem, your work is oftentimes hidden but not any less important. Mary understands this hiddenness.
Scripture tells us that Mary “kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.” That line has always felt deeply maternal to me. Mothers keep so much. We keep memories, worries, appointments, birthdays, snacks, prayers, tiny clothes, and the emotional temperature of the home. We keep the words our children say, the things they fear, the ways they are changing. We keep hopes we do not always say out loud.
Mary shows us what to do with what we keep: receive, notice, ponder, and offer.
Mary does not replace Jesus; she brings us to Him
Authentic Catholic devotion to Mary is never a detour around Christ. It is a way of drawing nearer to Him. In fact, the Catechism teaches that Mary is honored as truly the Mother of God and Redeemer, and also as Mother of the members of Christ because, by charity, she cooperated in the birth of believers in the Church.
At the Cross, Jesus gives Mary to the beloved disciple: “Behold, your mother.” From that hour, the disciple took her into his home, what a beautifully domestic act of faith.
This month, we invite Mary’s motherly presence into the ordinary places where family life happens, where days end, and begin again. Mary’s entire existence shouts: “make room for Jesus!” We know this, this is the heart of Catholic motherhood as well.
Listening to the Call of Being a Mother
If I could encourage you to do only one thing this month, it would be to sit in silence, no phone in your hand, nothing to distract you, and listen to the way God is calling you to mother.
Catholic motherhood does ask us to keep listening:
What is love asking of me here?
What is mine to carry, and what belongs to God?
Where am I being invited to surrender control?
Where do I need to receive help?
Where is Jesus already present in this messy, ordinary moment?
The modern world encourages us to be as distracted as possible to where the noise of it all is normal and that even silence is loud. The noise tells us that we are not enough and that we always need more to be “more”. None of this is true. God will work in you, through you, but you must sit and listen to Him. There is no substitute for this.
Jesus, make our home a place of peace
One simple and important prayer for May is “Jesus, make our home a place of peace.”
Notice that this prayer does not ask for, nor even consider a silent, museum clean place, it just asks for a place of peace.
Jesus says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.” This peace is the presence of Christ, not the absence of noise, work, nor conflict. Therefore, return to prayer, apology, and the Lord. Mary is one of the best examples in demonstrating how to make space for Him.
Simple Ways to Celebrate Mary in May
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Create a small Marian corner
Find a shelf, windowsill, dresser, kitchen counter, or corner of a table and add a small image or statue of Mary, a candle, fresh or faux flowers, a rosary, you Marian Letters art print, and a simple prayer card. Make Mary visible.
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Pray one Hail Mary each morning
Just one.
Try this at breakfast time, before school, while loading everyone into the car, or while washing your hands after using the restroom. These tiny prayers become the glue of family memories.
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Bring flowers to Mary (with your kiddos!)
If you have a Mary statue, icon, or image within your parish, let your children place flowers near her. This could be Dandelions, wildflower from the nature walk, and grocery store carnations.
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Sing one Marian hymn
Pull out YouTube and look up one of the following:
-Immaculate Mary
-Hail, Holy Queen
-Salve Regina
-Ave Maria
-Daily, Daily Sing to Mary
LiturgyTools has a great and helpful hymn index for Marian hymn ideas.
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Pray a decade of the Rosary once a week
A full family Rosary, even beautiful, can be difficult with little ones. Honestly, with the ages of my kids right now, even one decade of the Rosary can be tough but let it be imperfect and do it anyways. My children especially love when you light a candle, when they get to hold the beads, and wiggle around.
Also, if you are a busy Catholic momma like me, I am sometimes playing prayers, the rosary, daily homilies, chants, and so much more on the Hallow app. If you have not yet downloaded and tried this app, I strongly encourage you to do so. You can use my link here to get started with your free trial:
A May prayer for the home
Jesus, make our home a place of peace.
Let our words become softer.
Let our apologies come quicker.
Let our table become a place of welcome.
Let our children know they are loved.
Let our marriage be strengthened by grace.
Let our work be offered with patience.
Let our weariness be met by Your tenderness.
Mary, Mother of the Church, pray for us.
Teach us to listen.
Teach us to ponder.
Teach us to say yes.
Teach us to carry Christ into the ordinary rooms of our home.
May our home become a small place of light.
May our family grow in faith, hope, and love.
May peace begin here.
Amen.
Resources for Marian May
Affiliate disclosure: Some links on this page may be affiliate links. This means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. I only recommend resources that fit the mission of Prayers in the Playroom: helping Catholic families build peaceful, prayerful homes.
For Marian theology
Hail, Holy Queen by Scott Hahn
A rich and accessible book on Mary’s place in Scripture and the life of the Church. Scott Hahn explores Mary as Mother of God and her importance in Christian faith.
For Marian consecration
33 Days to Morning Glory by Fr. Michael E. Gaitley, MIC
A beloved 33-day preparation for Marian consecration drawing from saints such as St. Louis de Montfort, St. Maximilian Kolbe, St. Teresa of Calcutta, and St. John Paul II.
For creating a Catholic home prayer rhythm
The Little Oratory by David Clayton and Leila Marie Lawler
A practical and beautiful guide to praying in the home and creating a small sacred space. Sophia Institute describes the home oratory as extending Eucharistic worship into the heart of the home.
For music in the home
Consider creating a May playlist with:
- Immaculate Mary
- Hail, Holy Queen
- Salve Regina
- Ave Maria
- Daily, Daily Sing to Mary
Remember Momma...
Even if May comes and goes and your home does not feel peaceful, if you forget the feast day, if the prayer corner gets knocked over, and if the Rosary get interrupted, you have not failed.
Your home does not have to be perfect to be holy. Christ can dwell here. Mary can help you make room.
And one small prayer, whispered in the middle of ordinary motherhood, can become the beginning of peace:
Jesus, make our home a place of peace.
Bring this rhythm into your home each month
If this reflection made you desire more peace, more prayer, more Catholic beauty, or simply a gentle reminder that your ordinary motherhood is holy, Marian Letters envelopes were created for you.
Let these give you a simple, beautiful rhythm that you can use in the kitchen at the prayer table, and remember that even in the ordinary days, Christ is near.