Currently I'm in Israel (your prayers appreciated; I'll be writing of this shortly) and it causes me to reflect on the Blessed Mother's role and presence -- or lack thereof -- in this part of the world.
That is, one ponders the fact that in the Middle East, Mary has less of a presence than just about any other inhabited part of the globe, even though she was born and grew up and gave birth to Jesus here.
Across Europe are so many shrines dedicated to her that no one has an accurate reckoning of them. In Russia and other parts of the former U.S.S.R. are sacred places built for Marian devotion. In the U.S. countless churches named for her. Legends and phenomena attached to her predominate in Mexico, South America, and now even Africa.
But as for the Middle East:
We think of the fact that Israel is a Jewish state and the Judaic faith does not acknowledge Christ as Savior and we also think of how Arabs -- mainly Muslims -- dominate the rest of the region, including parts of Israel itself (particularly Bethlehem).
It is certainly not a Catholic region. On her home terrain, in the Middle East, she has just about no modern presence.
Or does she?
Read more here: http://www.spiritdaily.com/MiddleEast.htm
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