"The first condition of following Jesus..."

I am the mother of fair love,

and of fear, and of knowledge

 and of holy hope.

~Ecclesiasticus 24:23

To whom does He trust Himself in His helpless infancy? To Mary. There is a lesson here for us. It was an apparent waste of time to spend so many years in Mary's arms, on Mary's knee, when, had He come into the world as Adam did, He might have been teaching us from the moment He began to dwell amongst us. But He was teaching by His actions from the first. We too must be nursed and cared for by Mary. Our Christian life must develop under her protection. We must run to her, cling to her, trust to her guidance. The first condition of following Jesus is to be a child of Mary. I will ask her to care for me as she cared for Him, to value and to love me for His sake.

~Mother Mary Loyola, Hail! Full of Grace

Dear Mary, Mother Most Wonderful, may I always cling to you!  Amen!  Alleluia!