This August we have two full moons – a reminder that we celebrate Mary, who like the moon points us to the Sun.
There may not be any secular holidays in August, but for Catholics this month is full of celebrating. In addition to a full lineup of Saints (starting with Alphonsus Liguori), it is also a month that we celebrate Mary – twice! How convenient, that August has two full moons, and the second will be what they call a Blue Supermoon.
What Does the Blue Moon Have to do with Mary?
Mary and the Moon
Several saints have acknowledged the analogy of Mary to the moon as Christ is the Sun.
Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen says it very clearly:
God who made the sun, also made the moon. The moon does not take away from the brilliance of the sun. All its light is reflected from the sun. The Blessed Mother reflects her Divine Son; without Him, she is nothing. With Him, she is the Mother of men
Venerable Fulton Sheen – The World’s First Love
Since learning of this quote, I can’t look at the moon without thinking of Mary.
The way the moon surrounds the Earth, Mary stays close to us. She is there to guide us and point us to where the light of Jesus is coming from.
Keep an eye on the moon, and you can always tell where the sun is.
Mary and Blue
Marian Blue has been used for centuries to represent Mary.
Blue has various reasons for being associated with Mary. The color has biblical significance as well as symbolic history in iconography. It can represent purity, holiness and the sacred, or signify “an empress”.
Early icons of Mary, the apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe, or images of the Immaculate Conception all show Mary wearing blue for these reasons.
Mary Celebrated as August in August
“August” means respected or impressive beyond just a name for a person or a month.
In his book True Devotion to Mary, St. Louis de Montfort actually calls Mary by this adjective. He calls her, “august Queen”, “august Princess”, “august Sovereign”, and “august Magesty”!
August Holy Days
August 15th – Assumption of Mary
While Jesus Ascended into Heaven by his own power, Mary was taken up to Heaven by God. This miraculous gift is called the Assumption. It has been celebrated in the middle of August for centuries.
Mary is so honored that she has the privilege of being with her Son physically in Heaven.
August 22nd – Queenship of Mary
One week later, we celebrate the Queenship of Mary on August 22nd.
Once in Heaven, Mary receives her crown at her Coronation.
As the mother of the kings in the Old Testament were Queen Mother, so is Mary Queen Mother of Jesus, King of the Universe.
So not only do we celebrate Mary in August with these two feasts, but we also celebrate her as august, or respected and impressive.
Celestial Call to Mind
When you see that full blue super moon later this month, let it be a call to mind of Mary, the reflecting august moon who points us to the sun, Jesus.
More can be said about Mary than I could ever contain in a post like this, so I will wrap it up with some words taken from St. Louis de Montfort’s Prayer to Jesus:
“…And if Thou seest in my soul or my body anything that does not belong to this august Princess, I pray Thee to take it and cast it far from me, for whatever in me does not belong to Mary is unworthy of Thee.
O Holy Spirit, grant me all these graces. Plant in my soul the Tree of true Life, which is Mary; cultivate it and tend it so that it may grow and blossom and bring forth the fruit of life in abundance.
O Holy Spirit, give me great devotion to Mary, Thy faithful spouse; give me great confidence in her maternal heart and an abiding refuge in her mercy, so that by her Thou mayest truly form in me Jesus Christ, great and mighty, unto the fullness of His perfect age. Amen.”
– St. Louis de Montfort, Prayer to Jesus
For more info on Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary, check out this book, or read the True Devotion!
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