World Wide Web—Bezalel Books announces the release of Behold Your Mother: Mary Stories and Reflections from a Catholic Convert, by Heidi Hess Saxton.

When she converted to the Catholic tradition in 1994, Saxton says she initially found it difficult to “get close to Mary.” This difficulty resolved itself over time … but she never completely understood her own initial reluctance until she became a foster parent in 2002, and experienced the children’s initial resistance to her parenting efforts. 

            “The Bible tells us that we are children of God by adoption, because of Christ’s atoning work on the cross (Gal 4:5-6). From the cross, Jesus entrusted Mary to his beloved disciple with the words, ‘Behold your mother … behold your son.’ In that moment, Mary became the spiritual mother of the whole Church. Yet she does not keep any glory for herself. True Marian devotion always leads us closer to Jesus. It gives Jesus joy when we honor His mother and His Father.

“Those who are raised in the Church learn early on to embrace Mary’s spiritual motherhood, primarily from the example of trusted adults. For those who enter the Church as adults, the transition is often more complex. Many initially resist the Church’s teachings on Mary, wrongly assuming that honoring Mary somehow dishonors God. Thankfully, the reality of Mary’s motherhood is not dependent on our response. She waits for us to turn to her … and draws us close, as a mother does.”

            Behold Your Mother (72p) contains three short stories from the author’s life that illustrate Mary’s “spiritual motherhood”; then a series of forty-eight short reflections, based on Scripture, on the life of Jesus’ mother. This is a second, expanded edition of Saxton’s book With Mary in Prayer (Loyola Press)

Read an excerpt from "Behold Your Mother"