Mary and the Vocation of Motherhood: Reflections from the Heart
May is a special month in the Church—it’s a time when we celebrate Mary, the Mother of God, honor our own mothers on Mother’s Day, and reflect on the beauty of vocations. At St. Max, we recently asked a group of moms: How has Mary influenced your vocation of motherhood? Their answers were heartfelt, honest, and deeply moving. Here are some of their reflections:
One mom shared a simple but powerful practice: she plays the Rosary through the speakers in her van during longer drives with her young children. Amid construction traffic and long red lights, it brings a sense of peace—not just for her, but for her kids too. “It helps us all stay calm,” she says, even with a van full of little ones aged 4.5, almost 2, and a 2-month-old.
Another mom reflected on the beauty of being pregnant during Advent. "It brought me a particular closeness to Mary," she wrote. Carrying a child during the season when we await the birth of Christ made her feel more united with Mary’s own journey to Bethlehem.
For some, Mary is a soothing presence in the stillness of the night. “When I was a new mom, I felt so much closer to Mary,” one woman said. “I would pray Hail Marys while soothing my son back to sleep. She helped calm my mama anxieties.”
Others turn to Mary throughout the daily rhythm of life. One mother prays a Hail Mary before sending important emails. Another finds comfort in knowing that Mary understands her heartache when her child is struggling. “She knows the pain of a mother watching her child suffer,” she writes.
There’s also humor and humility in these reflections. One mom keeps a magnet on her fridge showing Mary hanging laundry while young Jesus plays. “Even the Mother of God had to do laundry,” she jokes—but it's also a reminder of the sacredness of the ordinary tasks we do for our families.
Another powerful reflection came from a mom who once struggled with the concept of Mary. “She was my biggest point of contention before my conversion,” she admitted. “Now, she’s my biggest reason to stay strong in my faith.” Mary has become her role model—not just as a mother, but also as a wife, a disciple, and a daughter of God.
Perhaps one of the most profound thoughts came from a mom reflecting on the crucifixion. “I couldn’t understand the depths of motherhood until I became a mother myself. When I think of Jesus’s suffering, I imagine Mary in the crowd, watching it all unfold. I know she would have switched places with Him in a heartbeat. When she said yes to Gabriel, she said yes to all of it—the joy and the sorrow.” She adds, “Mary has lived the ultimate low and the ultimate high of motherhood. She can be our strength in difficult moments and our greatest cheerleader in joyful ones.”
As we honor Mary this May, may we also draw strength and inspiration from her as we live out our own vocations. Whether it’s through the Rosary in the car, a quiet prayer in the night, or finding meaning in the laundry pile, Mary reminds us that motherhood, in all its forms, is holy work.
Mary, Mother of God, pray for us.