Remember, O Most Compassionate Virgin Mary

Sophomore year in high school is an awkward time. You feel awkward... the world is awkward...your parents are awkward... and life at school just seems to stink, figuratively... and sometimes quite literally. 

It was during Sophomore year that I met Ms. Basile. She was our English teacher, and well, she was old. She seemed old at least, as many of our teachers do to teenagers. Anyway, she would begin class every day with the same prayer, and probably began class the same way for 50 years: praying the Memorare. This prayer meant the WORLD to her! She would reminisce about May Processions when she was a kid, stories about the Blessed Mother and how prayers were answered, about Mother (now Saint) Teresa of Calcutta (who was still alive at the time), and we were a captive audience. For one thing, we just simply didn't have a choice, on the other hand, this was taking up class time in 5th period, and lunch was next, so we were just as happy. So, we would pray the Memorare together and then begin our class work for the day. 

This made an impact on me. At this point I was already considering a possible vocation to the priesthood, but there was something about this prayer that struck me. I remember as a child my grandmothers both praying the Rosary, and so a devotion to the Blessed Mother was already instilled in me to some extent. Looking back, this was like a "crowning moment" of my spiritual life. I never forgot that prayer, and I still pray it to this day.

Ms. Basile helped me get through Sophomore Year, and more importantly, helped teach me a lesson for the rest of my life. When I am down, tired, worn out, feeling helpless...ask Mom. Certainly, our earthly mothers are there to comfort us for as long as they are able to, but our spiritual Mother, Mary, is there to help us as well.