Under the Protection of Our Mother

This past week I was walking in the evening praying the Rosary. The sun had gone down and it was almost dark. There was quiet and some things were coming to mind. Areas where I wish I was better, places in my day to day life with my family where I fall short of all that I hoped I could be as a wife and mother.  It was at that moment that I found great gratitude for being under the protection of Our Blessed Mother. For I trust that with Rosary in hand in prayer She sees my situation and is protecting me and helping me.

The next thought that came to mind were some mother hens at my mom's farm.  This requires a little back story to give you the context of the image that came to mind.  My mom lives on a farm. She has four flocks of chickens. All these chickens she purchased either at a store or farmers co-op when they were only a few day old chicks. Chickens these days at least in the United States have been bred not to have the brooding trait, meaning they no longer know how to sit on eggs. They simply lay an egg and go about their business. My mom has had a few chickens over the years who still had the brooding instinct and sat on eggs but sadly they never hatched as there was no rooster near them.  But this summer there was a rooster and two hens began sitting on eggs.  This process is not quick... it takes weeks. The two hens sat patiently waiting...keeping their eggs warm with wings spread wide to cover them. My daughter was at her grandmother's farms helping when something wonderful happened. On the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus a chick emerged. It was black with a yellow dot. My mom had not seen the chick. It was my daughter, Alina, who discover the chick as the mother hen had the chick hidden under her wing. 

Normally it is very challenging to raise baby chicks, one must keep the temperature over 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Yet the mother hen was doing everything. My mom put her hand under the hen and she said it was very hot. My mom and Alina quickly went to the store to get the special chick food. But when they first put it out the mother hen pushed it away. She had chewed something up herself and was giving it to the chick. Again the mother hen knew best. She had it covered. Several other chicks hatched. All were tucked safely under their mother's wing obscured from site.  Alina was lucky to catch some moments when the chick emerged to snap a few pictures. 

So it was this image of the mother hen with her little chick under her wing that came to mind as I was praying. I felt in prayer Our Blessed Mother was reminding me of the mother hen. She was showing me through nature how this weak little chick is protected in such a tender way by its mother. 
How much more, I thought, must we be protected under Our Blessed Mother's mantle.  

Other Posts You May Enjoy:
How to Start a Children's Rosary
Where is Your Bible
Resources to Help Begin a Group

Don't forget to unify prayers with the children during their meetings. A schedule of meetings is present on our website. By clicking "Join in Prayer" you can add your gold flashing light to our View from Heaven map.

For more information about the Children's Rosary visit our website: www.childrensrosary.org
Visite nuestro sitio web en español para obtener más información: www.rosariodeninos.org