This past year I have been thinking about some of the things I tended to stay a way from because I thought they were a part of the “dark side.” Two of those things were the moon and owls. I have been challenging myself to think about why those things would seem evil to me. Didn’t God create the moon and owls?
Needless to say, because of my perspective, I think I missed out on a glorious part of God’s creation.
We have had a great horned owl in the woods this past year. I have never seen it, but every so often we hear it. (I spent some time looking up owl calls to figure out what kind of an owl it was. The call of the great horned owl is very distinct.) Instead of it being scary or haunting, hearing it fills me with a state of wonder. Look up the call on YouTube and put the words “You are not alone” to the music of the hoots. You will never hear the hoot the same again. I hear it now as a voice from God–reassuring and calming.
A year ago, my mother-in-law died. She was part of my inspiration to start making rosaries. During her time in hospice, there was a beautiful full moon. Because we knew her time to leave us was growing close, we were keeping vigil with her day and night. If it was not for that, I do not know if I would have noticed that beautiful full moon that lit up the night. I would have probably been sleeping.
I had run across a saying that Mary was like the moon because she reflected the sun. I searched symbolism for Mary and the moon, but I could not find anything that related to that saying. Then, one day, I found it. It is from a quote from Archbishop Futon Sheen. Here is the quote:
“God who made the sun, also made the moon. The moon does not take away from the brilliance of the sun. All its light is reflected from the sun. The Blessed Mother reflects her Divine Son; without Him, she is nothing. With Him, she is the Mother of men.” ~Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen
The rosary pictured above was made with that thought in mind. The Pater beads are bright and yellow like the sun. The ave beads are actually moonstone.
May we too be a reflection of the Son.
