Mother Mary, Hear Our Prayer – Protection, Comfort, and Proof of Her Intercession -

Why We Pray to Mary – The Heart Behind the Prayer

Many people ask, “Why not go straight to God? Why pray to Mary at all?”

The truth is, we do go straight to God — but we do so with Mary, not instead of Him. Praying to Mary is simply asking her to pray with us and for us, just as you might ask a trusted friend or pastor to intercede for you.

Mary is not a rival to Jesus. She is the humble handmaid who said “yes” to God’s plan (Luke 1:38), the one chosen before time to bear the Savior into the world. Her obedience fulfilled the prophecy of Genesis 3:15 — that the woman’s seed would crush the serpent’s head.

At the wedding at Cana (John 2:1–11), it was Mary who noticed the need before anyone else. She interceded with her Son, and His first public miracle happened at her request. On Calvary, Jesus gave her to us as our mother (John 19:26–27). In Heaven (Revelation 12:1–2), she continues to care for the Church as a crowned queen and mother, perfectly united to God’s will.

Praying to Mary is not worship — it is trusting that the one closest to Jesus will carry our petitions to Him. This is why we call her Blessed (Luke 1:48) and why, for over 2,000 years, the faithful have turned to her for help in times of need.

Our Lady of Guadalupe – The Mother Who Comforts Her Children

On December 9, 1531, a humble indigenous man named Juan Diego walked along Tepeyac Hill, in what is now Mexico City — then called Teotitlan — to attend Mass. A radiant woman appeared, clothed in a turquoise mantle adorned with golden stars, standing on a crescent moon. She spoke in his native Nahuatl:

“Know for certain, my son, my smallest one, that I am the perfect and ever Virgin Holy Mary, Mother of the true God through whom everything lives. I wish that a temple be erected here quickly, so I may give all my love, compassion, help, and protection to the people and to all those who look for me, trust me, and call upon me.”

She sent him to deliver her request to Bishop Juan de Zumárraga. The bishop doubted him, asking for proof. Mary appeared again on December 10, repeating her request. Again, the bishop hesitated.

On December 12, Mary told Juan Diego to climb Tepeyac Hill and gather the flowers he would find there. Despite the winter frost, he found Castilian roses, not native to Mexico. Mary arranged them in his tilma and told him to present them to the bishop.

When Juan Diego opened his tilma, the roses fell — and a miraculous image of the Virgin Mary appeared on the rough cactus-fiber cloth. Witnesses, including clergy, fell to their knees. The bishop recognized the sign, and the church Mary requested was built — today the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, one of the most visited Catholic shrines in the world.

The Miracle of the Tilma

Made from agave cactus fiber, the tilma should have decayed in 30 years — yet it has lasted nearly 500 years without fading.
No paint or brushstrokes have been found; the colors seem to float above the fibers.
It has survived centuries of candle smoke, humidity, and even a bomb in 1921 that damaged the altar but left the tilma unharmed.
Microscopic analysis of Mary’s eyes reveals the reflection of 12 human figures — including Juan Diego and the bishop — as if captured in a living eye.
The stars on her mantle match the exact constellations visible over Mexico City at dawn on December 12, 1531.

Reflection

Mary’s words to Juan Diego still speak today:

“Am I not here, I who am your Mother? Are you not under my shadow and protection? Am I not the source of your joy? Are you not in the folds of my mantle, in the crossing of my arms?”

In every trial, she reminds us we are not abandoned. She offers shelter in the shadow of her love and points us to the safety of her Son’s heart.

Prayer to Our Lady of Guadalupe

Blessed Mother of Guadalupe,
You appeared to Juan Diego with tenderness and love,
bringing a message of hope to a weary people.
Cover us with your mantle of protection.
Guide us to your Son, Jesus, in every decision we face.
Help us to trust that, in your care, we are never alone.
Amen.

Our Lady of Akita – The Mother Who Weeps for the World

In 1973, in Akita, Japan, Sister Agnes Katsuko Sasagawa — a humble nun of the Handmaids of the Eucharist — had been completely deaf for years. On June 12, she saw a mysterious light radiating from the tabernacle in the convent chapel. Soon, she developed a cross-shaped wound in her left hand that bled, reminiscent of Christ’s wounds.

On July 6, 1973, while praying before a wooden statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Sister Agnes heard a voice from the statue. The message was urgent:

Pray the Rosary daily.
Do penance for the sins of humanity.
Make sacrifices for the conversion of sinners.

The voice also warned of chastisements if humanity did not repent — disasters by fire and water, and spiritual darkness.

The Tears of Mary

On January 4, 1975, the statue began to shed real human tears. Over six years, it wept 101 times. More than 2,000 witnesses, including the local bishop, saw the tears. Scientific testing confirmed the tears were human in composition.

Why She Wept

Mary’s message revealed her sorrow for the sins of the world and her desire to lead souls back to God. She said:

“Many men in this world afflict the Lord. I desire souls to console Him, to soften the anger of the Heavenly Father. I wish, with my Son, for souls who will repair by their suffering and their poverty for the sinners and ingrates.”

Church Recognition

Bishop John Shojiro Ito declared the events “of supernatural origin” on April 22, 1984, and authorized veneration of Our Lady of Akita. The Vatican later acknowledged his approval.

Reflection

Her tears are not a distant legend — they are the cry of a mother watching her children walk into danger. She calls us to repentance, prayer, and love, so that none may be lost.

Prayer to Our Lady of Akita

Our Lady of Akita,
Mother who weeps for the sins of the world,
teach us to pray with sincerity and love.
Help us to offer sacrifices for sinners
and to live in a way that consoles the heart of God.
Lead us always toward the mercy of your Son.
Amen.

Final Closing Prayer

Blessed Mother Mary,
You are our refuge in times of trial and our joy in times of peace.
Thank You for appearing to your children in every age,
to comfort, to warn, and to guide us closer to Jesus.
We entrust our lives, our families, and our nations to your care.
Intercede for us today and always,
that we may live in faith, hope, and love,
until we see your Son face to face in Heaven.
Amen.