Remember O Most Gracious Virgin Mary

June 25, 2024

I just came home from my prenatal appointment with a scheduled induction date for my son. It feels a little odd, scheduling the day to have your baby just as you routinely schedule any other appointment. Since I was pregnant with my first baby I always looked forward to the suspense of it all and monitoring the majority of early labor at home, but I have never been able to experience the natural onset of labor and likely never will. Of course, this baby could end up not playing by the rules and come before our set induction date, because there is just so much about birth that is beyond our control, but we'll see.

None of my births have ended up being natural; I have always had to have an emergency induction at 39 weeks due to preeclampsia, so it is actually a relief to have a doctor who is trying to stay ahead of the game and hopefully catch it before it develops. I had been hoping to schedule the induction for the 14th of August because it is the Feast day of St. Maximillian Kolbe (a name we had considered for this baby) but as fate would have it, unless my preeclampsia develops earlier than usual, my doctor will only induce at 38 weeks. So the date we settled on was August 20th.

Immediately after my appointment I looked up the saint whose feast day that is:
St. Bernard of Clairvaux; Abbot and Doctor of the Church.
Hmm Ok. Not bad. I've heard of him. It's not Maximilian Kolbe, but I'm sure he's done some good...
I thought.
Then I actually did some research on him.

Patron saint of beekeepers, bees, candlemakers, chandlers, Cistercians & Knights Templar...
"Okay. So how can he help us that day..." I [selfishly] said out loud to my husband.
I found out St. Bernard was the third born in his family (which our son will be) and thought that was a neat little coincidence, but when I came across an article by Catholic Insight titled The Teacher Who Teaches Us Devotion to Mary, I was hooked.

I won't go too much into his beautiful life and all that the article covered (but if you have the time and are interested you can read it here), but I was incredibly moved by his devotion to Our Lady and was ecstatic when I discovered he wrote the Memorare Prayer; a prayer that has been so intertwined in my prayer life, and a prayer that will certainly be used to the max while I am in labor.

A quote of his (referenced in the aforementioned article) that struck me was:
In dangers, in doubts, in difficulties, think of Mary, call upon Mary. Let not her name depart from your lips, never suffer it to leave your heart. And that you may obtain the assistance of her prayer, neglect not to walk in her footsteps. With her for guide, you shall never go astray; while invoking her, you shall never lose heart; so long as she is in your mind, you are safe from deception; while she holds your hand, you cannot fall; under her protection you have nothing to fear; if she walks before you, you shall not grow weary; if she shows you favor, you shall reach the goal.

What a beautiful quote to lean on in these last weeks of pregnancy, gearing up for the marathon that is labor and delivery.
What a beautiful quote to lean on for whatever it is we are going through - whether we are in danger, doubt or difficulties, she is there with us.

It is a jolting reminder of my own Consecration to Jesus through Mary. To surrender all anxieties and just follow as she leads me to her Son.
May this quote be a jolting reminder to you too for whatever it is you are going through right now.

So regardless of whether this little one decides to come before the induction date, or if he does end up sharing a day with St. Bernard, I'm so grateful this induction date has given me a further introduction to this Saint because he has definitely held up to his reputation in teaching about devotion to Mary.

Have you done a Consecration to Jesus through Mary? Did you go through St. Louis de Montfort or the 33 Days to Morning Glory? Or both?
Would love to hear your preference in the comments!

If you are looking for anything to tangibly encourage you in your own consecration, click on our Totus Tuus products below, specifically designed to remind you to be Totally Hers in your daily life.