When Mary 'Knocks'
by Sarah Reinhard in Faith on Friday, August 21, 2009 6:00 AM
Recently, when reading about Our Lady of Knock, I was struck by the lack of words. Here was the Mother of God, appearing in all her glory with some other holy notables, saying nothing. She showed up in the land of blarney and let her presence do the speaking.
The Knock Story
On August 21, 1879, Mary Beirne headed over to the parish church to lock it up for the evening, at the request of her brother, Dominick. She was accompanied by Mary McLoughlin.
I imagine them, one older and one younger, discussing the weather or a great new recipe or the news of the day, walking along at a comfortable pace.
Miss McLoughlin, the older of the two women, was the priest’s housekeeper. On her way to the Beirne house earlier that evening, she had noticed some white figures outside the church; she assumed they were new statues ordered by the priest and hadn’t mentioned them to anyone.
When they arrived at the church, Miss McLoughlin realized that those white figures weren’t, in fact, new statues for the church. It was actually the Virgin Mary and a few others. The Blessed Mother was standing a few feet above the ground, wearing a white cloak fastened at her neck. She wore a crown and was deep in prayer, eyes raised to heaven and hands lifted to her shoulders with palms inclined slightly. Saint Joseph was on Mary’s right, also wearing white robes, his head bowed forward toward the Virgin in respect.
On Mary’s left stood Saint John the Evangelist, clad in long robes with a bishop’s mitre on his head. He was turned partly away from Mary and Joseph, holding a book in his left hand and acting as though he were preaching.
There was an altar to Saint John’s left, with a lamb on it and a cross on the altar behind the lamb. Angels surrounded the altar.
Model of Humility
At Knock, Saint Joseph represents humility. His head is bowed and his hands are joined together. As he bows to the other figures, he shows us how to approach our lives with an attitude like his.
How can I point my life more toward others? When can I look to the altar, to Mary, to the great minds around me? Can I let go of my need to know, to understand, to grasp at the details? Will I follow God’s will, letting go of my own desires?
Importance of Prayer
The Virgin Mary is looking heavenward at Knock, with her hands raised in prayer.
I know I should turn to God first, in all things, but seeing Mary in this way, looking toward heaven as though she’s asking for help, makes me wonder if she knows about my spiritual struggle from the other day, the one I thought I had under control.
Prayer isn’t easy, but I have to let go of my notion of perfection and welcome, instead, God’s will and help, especially in the little day-to-day things in my life.
Gravity of Scripture and Law
Saint John the Evangelist is making a point from a book in his left hand and has his right hand raised with the index and middle fingers extended. He represents the importance of Scripture and Law.
I fight authority. I know what’s best…don’t I? I don’t need rules…do I?
But though I know it’s the Word of God, I’m no shining example of Bible reading. I need to be better. I also need to obey what God asks of me, and to do that, I need to know what the rules are.
Center of Our Life is Mass
The Knock apparition includes an altar with a lamb on it, representing the sacrifice Jesus made and the sacrifice we celebrate with every Mass. Looking at the grouping of figures in the Knock apparition, the altar and lamb are front and center. The others, while important, are on the side.
That’s just how Mass should be in my life: at the center, the core of my self, the heart of my life. What keeps me from putting Mass where it belongs? Do I go expecting to “get something out of it,” instead of embracing my circumstances? Am I caught up and distracted, and if so, can I lay those at the Lamb’s feet, my own sacrifice?
Lesson of Silence
Throughout the three hours of the apparition, no words were spoken by Mary or the others. Though the onlookers prayed the rosary and must have talked, the Blessed Mother remained silent.
For me, that’s the most important lesson of Knock. In silence, I find peace. I need to spend time with the still, small Voice, the One that calls me, again and again, to Himself.
—Sarah Reinhard writes and blogs about Mary, motherhood, and more at Just Another Day of Catholic Pondering.
Resources:
- Our Lady of Knock at Marypages
- Our Lady of Knock at CatholicTradition.org
- The Knock Shrine on Wikipedia
image credit: statue of Our Lady of Knock built at the site of the apparition
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