While visiting Notre Dame in Paris this week, I was reminded that May is the Virgin Mary’s month. Along the side chapels, like many churches, paintings are displayed depending on the chapels’ themes. However, Notre Dame’s are special. A sign titled “The ‘Mays’ of Notre Dame” explained: “[f]rom 1449, the goldsmiths of Paris would offer to Mary a green tree as a gift for the 1st of May, the month devoted to her. Then later on, works of poetry in [a] chest of gold. Even later, painting[s] by famous painters.”
In a side chapel of Notre Dame, Laurent de La Hyre's painting The Conversion of St. Paul, hangs. It is a 'May of Nortre Dame,' from in 1637.
Dang! My good friend Marisa had given me a heads up on Mary's month while I was still in Roma, but everything got so chaotic that it kept slipping my mind. I had BIG plans to use May to do BIG things spiritually and increase devotion to Mary; what happened? With only a few days left in the month, I had precious little time to make this month special for my Heavenly Mother.
I started by reading. The May Magnificant had wonderful things to say. The editorial by Peter John Cameron illuminated the concept of Mary as soil. Quoting Pope Benedict XVI, he says “[t]o be soil for the Word means that the soil must allow itself to be absorbed by the seed. Mary’s maternity means that she willingly places her own substance, body and soul, into the seed so that new life can grow.” Later, Cameron writes, “[t]he key, then, is simply to do what the seed does: to stay close to Mary the soil… The Word of God who once brought forth Something New in the womb of Mary will be able to take root in us. Through our devout union with Mary, the Word of God will fuse with our personal humanity.”
Then today, in all my Marian spirits, I was blessed enough to plan a visit to the Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, the location where Mary appeared to St. Catherine Labouré to instruct her to have the Miraculous Medal struck. A wonderful thing to do for anybody at anytime, but it was particularly fitting for me this week as it is May and St. Catherine’s body is there, and she happens to be my confirmation Saint.
Mary appeared to St. Catherine here; the apparitions from which the Miraculous Medal comes. Now, the fresco on the wall depicts Mary's visit to St. Catherine. The statue of Mary behind the alter is the same image that appears on the medal. And, just below the mosaic to the right is where St. Catherine's body rests. Click here for more on the Chapel.
Saint Catherine understood Mary’s significance. When her mother died, she said, “Now you will be my mother," while looking at a statue of the Virgin Mary. At this time, Catherine was only a child.
We have just over four days to make this month a Marian one. What will you do?
Now, if you want to celebrate Marian May with a prayer....
Holy Virgin, I beg you: enable me to receive Jesus from the Spirit, according to the same process by which you bore Him. May my soul possess Christ, thanks to the Spirit through whom you conceived Christ. May the grace to know Jesus be granted to me through the Spirit who enabled you to know how to possess Jesus and bring him forth. May my littleness show forth the greatness of Christ in virtue of the Spirit in whom you recognized yourself as the handmaid of the Lord, desiring that it be done to you according to the word of the angel. May I love Christ in the Spirit in whom you adored Him as your Lord and looked after Him as your son.
I’ve just carried well over half my weight in luggage across Europe. This is not a joke; I weighed my luggage at the airport: 42 kilograms in total (for the non-European-minded, that is more than 92 pounds). Not including my purse, with which I smuggled in quite a lot of weight. The baggage itinerary looked as follows—Roma to Lucca, changing trains in Pisa; Lucca to Milan, once again changing trains in Pisa; Milan to London by plane; London to Exeter, changing trains in Reading. Exeter to London, changing trains within the city once to arrive closer to the hotel. GAH!
Lucca, my first post-Roma stop, was beautiful. But, I needed a lot of help
getting there with all my stuff from studying abroad for four months.
Thank goodness for easyJet’s no carry-on luggage weight limit, because I definitely utilized it—my carry-on bag weighed 15 kilograms, excluding my giant purse which I had to zip inside of it because of their only-one-carry-on-bag rule. Essentially, I stuck everything heavy I could manage into that duffle and the “light” stuff went to the checked bag. But, that bag was still wildly overweight, and there is a steep charge for every kilo you’re over. Yet, the woman must have felt bad for me, because she didn’t charge me, “oh, it’s okay this time,” she said.
Now, though I traveled alone, a complete packrat fool to all passersby, I did not, because I could not, take my luggage around alone. I was rather dependent on other people. Not just did I enjoy the help of others but also literally relied on their good spirits.
We’re not as independent as we think. And, being independent isn’t as great as it sounds. Relying on others is humbling and allows us to connect with the rest of our human family. Reflecting on this whole luggage and travel experience, I’m reminded of a quote from the Thomas Dubay book I am reading. He says, “who can count the sufferings and sacrifices and smiles of our parents, brothers and sisters, friends and, often enough, mere acquaintances, and at times complete strangers?” Each illustrates human beauty and without such, I wouldn’t have made it through this journey.
So, to:
the Portuguese woman in Lucca who helped me carry my bags through the pedestrian subway, the girl who pointed out the lift at the Pisa station, the countless people carrying my bags up the narrow TrenItalia steps, the man who lifted my bag over suitcases and baby strollers on the way to Milan when I got on the wrong coach and had to walk the length of the train to find my seat, the guy who let me exit the train before him in England, allowing me to more easily pull my bag out, Katie, who heroically carried my heavy duffle all the way from her flat to the station without complaint, the concierge who took my bags off my hands in my London hotel, and my Dad who is now helping me carry everything around as we finish our travels,
Famous quote. You hear it all the time. If you’re in high school, you hear it every week. If you’re in college, you hear it every day. And, if you’re in college and it’s finals week and you’re in your school’s library, you hear it every hour—at least.
I am not sure who’s won this title of “biggest procrastinator,” though I know I am certainly in the competition. Regardless, given that I’m now finished with my finals and about a week into summer vacation (!) and my home school, William & Mary, holds their last final today (good luck to those still finishing!), I am going hash out the highlights of my procrastination capabilities during this semester’s exams.
My main reason for procrastination was a philosophy paper. It was due Sunday night. By Tuesday, I thought I’d better start, but of course I didn’t. So, I promised I would the next day. But, Wednesday came around, and I had to make that same promise. Then, it became Thursday and then Friday… still no thesis yet. Friday evening I was determined to work, but procrastination came in to play big time when my roommate, Gabby told Catherine and I we had no choice but to go out with her. Now, when French fries from Elliot’s versus and empty word document face off, there is a clear winner.
We love Elliot's!
Procrastination rule #1: even if you have a deadline, a procrastinator never freely chooses to say no to a night out. Summary: Friends are greater than School.
Okay, but let’s backtrack. We covered Friday, but why wasn’t I working on the paper Thursday? Well, on Thursday, I was only thinking about shoes. After my Italian class, instead of heading to the library or the apartment to start writing, I chose to pick up my newly purchased package from Amazon: a pair of gray and pink extra-high top converses. After a purchase like this, I couldn’t just leave them sitting in the box as I abandoned them to my world of writing. So, I laced them up and tried them on and started outfit experimenting. Yep, that was Thursday.
Procrastination rule #2: always have a good outfit ready to study in because you should look good when you do schoolwork. After all, people see you during a test, and only you and your teacher see the grade.
Now, to my excuse as to why there was no progress on my paper before Thursday:I was sitting on our balcony reading Problem Solved, a design book by Michael Johnson. I wanted to finish it before I had to return it to the library when I left Rome. This made finals time not only crunch time when it came to classes, but also crunch time when it came to reading this book.
Procrastination rule #3: if you have something other than a textbook on your bucket list of books to read, the good procrastinator starts reading those books right as a big test day comes up. The point of studying is to learn, so as long as you’re learning something, you aren’t be a bad student, even if it is learning fonts instead of a foreign language.
However, my best method of procrastination this semester was by far climbing the dome of St. Peter’s, because, when you are studying in Rome, this kind of thing is readily available. The climb was more than 500 stairs (I didn’t count, but I believe the sign and my Lonely Planet guidebook), and it was more than worth it. The view of the city is fantastically 360° and after spending the last four months getting familiar with Rome, I could easily point out tourist landmarks, in addition to my apartment and other favorites. After I had spent a few minutes sight-searching, it started to rain, but I waited it out, continuing to soak up all the Roman goodness. Then, the most amazing thing happened, the rain stopped, and a rainbow appeared across St. Peter’s square. How often are there rainbows in Rome? I have no clue, but this one was the first I heard of during my four months, and I was atop St. Peter’s dome to witness it.
Procrastination rule #4: if you happen to be in the Roman vicinity: a visit to St. Peter’s is a must when it comes to procrastination. God will end up rewarding you.
A full rainbow forming over St. Peter's and the city; lucky I was outside and procrastinating instead of inside and writing a paper.
Of course, the Spring 2010 Procrastination List is much longer than those I’ve listed. The exhaustive list includes everything from baking bread to eating dinner out with Tommy and Catherine to Old Bridge gelato runs to visiting nuns and speaking with priests. Yet, despite all this nonsense, I did finish that paper; I am now a junior in college! Wonderful. I’d love to hear how you procrastinated this semester, or a favorite procrastination story from the past—I’m always looking for new ideas, and I still have half of college to get through. Happy summer, everyone!
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