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For young people

Looking at our Lady

Tags: Youth, For younger readers, Our Lady
Saturday was our Lady’s day. That day, Josemaría’s parents used to go to their local church, St Bartholomew’s, to say the rosary with other families.

They took Josemaría too, as long as he promised to keep quiet and behave, which wasn’t always easy. On the same conditions, he also went with them to the “Saturday Service”, which meant solemn Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, and singing the Hail Holy Queen afterwards.

When Josemaría was a little older his parents taught him to say the Angelus.

Every day, as the clock struck twelve, the Little Watch-mender (Josemaría’s Guardian Angel) fluttered back and forth in great excitement, reminding the family to say the Angelus: the Angel Gabriel would never forgive him if they missed it!

During May, the month of Mary, everyone took flowers to our Lady.
Josemaría went too, clutching a bunch of flowers. He left them there in front of the statue of our Heavenly Mother, smiling up at her to show how much love went with the flowers.

Mr and Mrs Escrivá were very devout, and they taught their children to do as they did. Whenever they passed a picture or statue of Mary in the house, or outside, they looked lovingly at it and said some words of greeting in their hearts.

Josemaría learnt this quickly, and it was the Little Watch-mender who helped him the most to remember. “Look at her, Josemaría,” he would whisper, “and tell her you love her. Right there, in the picture on the wall!”

And so little Josemaría got into the habit of greeting our Lady and also saying some short prayers to her, like “Blessed be your purity!” and “Sweet heart of Mary!”

Then Little Watch-mender would add, “Now give her a kiss.”

Josemaría found it easy to do this. That was how he treated Mrs Escrivá – ever since he was very small, he never left the house without kissing her goodbye. So he found it quite natural to do the same to his Heavenly Mother.