The Marian Option May Be the Best Option

All the buzz these days seems to be about the Benedict Option. There are others, and one, in particular, focuses on Our Lady. Carrie Gress presents this option and its benefits in her book The Marian Option: God’s Solution to a Civilization in Crisis. What is the Marian Option and what are its benefits? Read on.

So, what in the world is an option anyway? This was one on my questions when I first encountered this book. Why do we need an option isn’t going to Mass and have a consistent prayer life enough? Yes and no. What the Marian Option does is it gives one a razor-sharp focus on the mother of Jesus as our spiritual mother. We face some rather daunting circumstances in our society and world in general. Through the history of our world, Mary has been the way God has chosen to intervene in the course of human history.

The Marian Option focuses on one main purpose. That is a deep devotion to our Mother Mary. Simplistic in its requirements, yet powerful once committed to, the Marian Option roots its devotion to the greatest saint ever, the Queen of Heaven, the Mother of God, Mary. As Carrie states, “The Marian Option is a type of ‘hunkering down’ where we pick up our rosaries and other Marian devotions and follow the lead of the world’s most powerful woman.”

We are in the depths of a spiritual battle perhaps like none before. As the Queen of Peace, Mary’s strength is not military or political. Though it can have ramifications that influence both. “At its heart, her influence is always directed to the will of Christ and the salvation of sinners, but with a maternal touch.” In her numerous appearances like those to St. Catherine Laboure in France, Juan Diego in Guadalupe, and the three shepherd children in Fatima, Mary’s message has always been one of peace. Her requests have been simple paths to greatness that rescues humanity from the current strife it faces.

When we are faced with seemingly insurmountable opposition, our reaction is to seek some big or major to counter with. The Marian Option asks for one thing, and that is in the words of Mother Teresa, tiny acts performed with great love. Therein lies the secret and the power to our Blessed Mother. The expectations on us are minimal. The greatest challenge is commitment on our end. The only thing that stands in our way is our lack of humility. Commitment to prayer, such as frequent use of the Rosary, and a devotion to Mary through Consecration are vital to effectively implementing positive change in our world.

The stakes are high, but the remedy is simple. Follow Mary as your guide. She always points to Jesus and leads us into His unquenchable mercy. The Marian Option is the Marian Solution for our troubled times. “She has the ability to help us transform our lives, our families, and our world – one prayer at a time.” I encourage you to read The Marian Option: God’s Solution to a Civilization in Crisis by Carrie Gress and start the mission today.