I have an image of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in my prayer corner. She is so beautiful and serene—everything I often feel I’m not as a mother. I look at her and plead, “Please, Blessed Mother, help me to be like you.”

And yet, I often feel little connection to her blessedness. And I end up thinking—how could I ever be like someone who is sinless, whose child is sinless? And then her peace radiates a bit, and I can imagine a way forward.

Enter Divine Mercy. I reflected over the weekend on what Divine Mercy could mean for mothers—for those of us who often come to the starting line of the day exhausted and already reaching our human limits, burdened by sin and caring for those who are similarly wounded. 

What God did for Mary was unique. He created her without the burden of original sin. But what His mercy does for each of us, the mothers of His adopted kids, is actually quite hopeful. Mary was several things—chosen, pure, and all-in—things that, by God’s great mercy, we are and can be as well. But how?

The good news of Divine Mercy for mothers is that our chosenness can lead to purity and whole-heartedness. And we don’t have to do anything to be chosen! We just are. God loved us and chose us from all time to be the mothers of His adopted kids.

Mothers, do you know that God chose you, that He created you for the special purpose of giving your humanity to His child and channeling His grace to bring that child to maturity so that he or she can build God’s kingdom on earth?

Yes, Mom, you are “another Mary”—the “altera Maria“—of your Trinity House! And through your chosenness as God’s vessel for bringing His children into the world, He can make you pure and He can make your fiat whole-hearted!

All we mothers have to do is accept the grace that we are chosen, beloved of God. Acceptance is trust—and trust is the ground on which what once seemed impossible comes to pass.

May we each become more and more like Our Lady, Queen of Peace, within our own Trinity Houses, secure in our chosenness and letting that trust be the basis on which God makes us pure and our yes to Him unwavering!