Congregation of Jesus Mary Joseph
(JMJ)
With Mary through May: Embracing the Way of Humility
09 May 2025 - 31 May 2025
Historians are not exactly sure why May was chosen to honour Mary. According to Philip Koloski, in ancient Greece and Rome the month of May was dedicated to pagan goddesses connected to fertility and springtime, which led many Western cultures to view May as a month of life and motherhood. Many believe that this sense of new beginning and birth in nature reminds us of the life Mary gave to Jesus and the salvific events of Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection. Thus, May is the ideal month to honour Mary, who gave life to our Saviour, the one who promised humankind fullness of life.
In this month, as we make special devotions to Mary, let us reflect on Fr. Wolff’s insights on Mary’s humility. He says that in the Annunciation, Mary’s response is paradoxical. When the angel greeted Mary as “full of grace,” her response was “behold the handmaid of the Lord.” Fr. Wolff emphasizes, “Thus our holy rule (constitutions) is teaching us to humble oneself in everything and to seek a constant self-denial in all things. This is also so much recommended by St. Ignatius, when he says that one must walk in the way of humility, if one wants to do something great for God. Therefore he also commanded St. Xavier to beg from door to door, when he would arrive at his destination; and when he sent the Rev. Father Laynez and the Rev. Salmeron to the holy council of Trent, to speak there as theologians of the Pope, he commanded them to gather the children in the street every day and teach them” (Wolff, Grondregels, 394). Wolff acknowledges very strongly that, “This is something different from what I have had in my head for so long, I thought that one had to show oneself with splendor and glory, in order to do something great to carry out” (Wolff, Grondregels, 394)
He further highlights two aspects of Mary’s humility. First, Mary did not stop with words when she said she was the handmaid of the Lord; rather, she showed it in action by serving her cousin Elizabeth. Second, during the presentation of the Child Jesus in the temple, Mary and Joseph offered a pair of turtledoves. Fr. Wolff asserts, “She was not obliged to do this; her Son was the lawgiver himself, and yet out of humility she performs everything punctually; and to humble herself still more, she gives not the offering of the rich, but that of the poor. If we examine her whole life, we find that she was always animated by the same spirit of humility. It is also my duty, according to my promises and good resolutions, to humble and mortify myself in all things, and at all times, so as to follow the example of Jesus Christ himself and of his Holy Mother” (Wolff, Grondregels, 395)
As we journey with Mother Mary in this month, let us reflect on the words of our founder: “I have so few merits, so few virtues, so few abilities, that is why I am so vain, and make much noise like an empty wine barrel. Shall I not then learn to humble myself? Shall my sisters then always have to suffer because of my pride and self-love? What is the use of all my pride and all my feigned greatness and ability? I am a burden to myself, and also a no small burden to all my community sisters” (Wolff, Grondregels, 395). Let us ask for the grace to be humble by following the example of Jesus and Mary.
Image : Painting of Our Lady of Nijmegen