{"id":5579,"date":"2013-05-16T00:00:01","date_gmt":"2013-05-16T06:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/2011\/04\/the-great-gift\/"},"modified":"2017-04-17T22:01:29","modified_gmt":"2017-04-18T02:01:29","slug":"the-great-gift","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/the-great-gift\/","title":{"rendered":"The Great Gift","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"<div align=\"center\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 468px; height: 656px;\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/MaryMotherofGod.jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"fb-root\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<p>\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\">\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n(function(d, s, id) {\n  var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];\n  if (d.getElementById(id)) return;\n  js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;\n  js.src = \"\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/all.js#xfbml=1\";\n  fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);\n}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));\n\/\/ ]]><\/script>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"fb-root\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<p align=\"left\"><strong>IMAGINE<\/strong> a small child, who has just\u00a0learned to walk, being taken into a busy shopping mall. He is there with his mother, but does not want to take her hand. Every time he begins to wander, she gently reaches for his hand. Just as quickly, he pulls it away and continues to dart in\u00a0any direction he wants. But he is oblivious to the dangers: the throngs of hurried shoppers who barely notice him; the exits that lead to traffic; the\u00a0pretty but deep water fountains, and all the other unknown dangers that keep parents awake at night. Occasionally, the mother\u2014who is always a step behind\u2014reaches down and grabs a little hand to keep him from going into this store or that, from running\u00a0into this person\u00a0or that door. When he wants to go the other direction, she\u00a0turns him around, but still, <em>he wants to walk on his own<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">Now, imagine another child who, upon entering the mall, senses the dangers of the unknown. She willingly lets the mother take her hand and lead her. The mother knows just when to turn, where to stop, where to wait, for she can see\u00a0the dangers and obstacles ahead, and takes the safest path for her little one. And when the child is willing to be picked up, the mother walks <em>straight ahead<\/em>, taking the quickest and easiest path to her destination.<\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">Now, imagine that you are\u00a0a child, and Mary is your mother. Whether you are a Protestant or a Catholic, a\u00a0believer or an unbeliever, she is always walking with you&#8230; but are you walking with her?<\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">DO I NEED HER?<\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">In <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/2011\/02\/why-mary-2\/\">Why Mary?<\/a><\/em> I shared a bit of my own journey as to how I struggled many years ago with the prominent role Mary has in the Catholic Church. Really, I just wanted to walk on my own, without the need to hold her hand, or as those &#8220;marian&#8221; Catholics would put it, &#8220;consecrate&#8221; myself to her. I just wanted to hold Jesus&#8217;\u00a0hand, and that was enough.<\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">The thing is, few of us actually know <em>how <\/em>to hold Jesus&#8217;\u00a0hand. He Himself said:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p align=\"left\"><span style=\"font-family: Courier New,Courier,mono; font-size: small;\">Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it. (Mark 8:34-35)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p align=\"left\">Many of us are quick to speak about Jesus as &#8220;personal Lord and Savior,&#8221; but when it comes to actually denying ourselves? To embracing suffering with joy and resignation? To following His commandments without compromise? Well, the truth is, we are so busy dancing with the devil or fighting with\u00a0the flesh, that we have\u00a0barely begun to take His nail-scarred hand. We are like that little boy who wants to explore&#8230; but the blend of our curiosity, rebellion, and ignorance of true spiritual dangers puts our\u00a0souls at great risk. How often have we turned around only to discover that we have gotten lost! (&#8230;but a Mother and Father are always looking for us! cf. <a title=\"\" href=\"http:\/\/www.usccb.org\/nab\/bible\/luke\/luke2.htm\">Luke 2:48<\/a>)<\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">In a word, we need a Mother.<\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">THE GREAT GIFT<\/p>\n<p align=\"left\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 245px; height: 423px;\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/maryjesjohn_002.jpg\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"5\" vspace=\"2\" \/>This isn&#8217;t my idea. It&#8217;s not even the Church&#8217;s idea. It was Christ&#8217;s. It was His Great Gift to humanity given in the last moments of His life.\u00a0<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p align=\"left\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span style=\"font-family: Courier New,Courier,mono;\">Woman, behold, your son&#8230; Behold, your mother. And from that hour the disciple took her into his home. (John 19:26-27)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p align=\"left\">That is, from that moment, <em>he took her hand<\/em>. The <em>entire Church<\/em> took her hand, in whom John is symbolized, and has never let go\u2014though individual members often don&#8217;t know their Mother. <span class=\"footnote_referrer\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToReference_5579_1('footnote_plugin_reference_5579_1_1');\" onkeypress=\"footnote_moveToReference_5579_1('footnote_plugin_reference_5579_1_1');\" ><sup id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_5579_1_1\" class=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text\">[1]<\/sup><\/a><span id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_5579_1_1\" class=\"footnote_tooltip\">see <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/2011\/02\/why-mary-2\/\">Why Mary?<\/a><\/em><\/span><\/span><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_5579_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_5579_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top right', relative: true, offset: [10, 10], });<\/script><\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">It is Christ&#8217;s will that we too take this Mother&#8217;s hand. Why? Because He knows how difficult it is for us to walk on our own&#8230; how stormy and treacherous the waves can be in our efforts to sail to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/2011\/03\/the-great-refuge-and-safe-harbour\/\"><em>Safe Harbour<\/em><\/a> of His love.<\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">TAKING HER HAND&#8230;<\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">What will happen if you take her\u00a0hand? Like a good Mother, she will lead you upon the safest paths, past dangers, and into the safety of her Son&#8217;s Heart. How do I know this?<\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">Firstly, because the history of Mary&#8217;s providential presence in the Church is no secret. This role, prophesied in Genesis 3:15, birthed in the Gospels, and accentuated in Revelation 12:1, has been experienced powerfully throughout the history of the Church, most especially in our times through her apparitions across the world.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p align=\"left\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><strong> At times when Christianity itself seemed under threat, its deliverance was attributed to the power of [the Rosary], and Our Lady of the Rosary was acclaimed as the one whose intercession brought salvation. <\/strong>\u2014JOHN PAUL II, <em>Rosarium Virginis Mariae, 40<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p align=\"left\">But I personally know the Great Gift this Woman is because, like John, I have &#8220;taken her into my own home.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">I have been\u00a0a strong-willed man. <em>I was that first child <\/em>described above, a man fiercely independent, curious, rebellious, and stubborn. I felt that I was doing just fine &#8220;holding on to Jesus&#8217; hand.&#8221; In the meantime, I struggled with an appetite for food and alcohol\u00a0and\u00a0other temptations in &#8220;the shopping mall&#8221; of life that constantly led me astray. While I seemed to be making some progress in my spiritual life, it was inconsistent, and<img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/KINDNESS-mother-child-holding-hands-235x285_000.jpg\" width=\"224\" height=\"235\" align=\"right\" hspace=\"2\" vspace=\"0\" \/> my passions seemed to get the best of me at will.<\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">Then,\u00a0one year, I felt a stirring to &#8220;consecrate&#8221; myself to Mary. I&#8217;d read that since she is the Mother of Jesus, she has but one goal, and that is to bring me safely to her Son. <em>She does this when I let her take my hand.\u00a0<\/em>That&#8217;s really what &#8220;consecration&#8221; is. And so I let her (read what happened on that day in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/2006\/08\/true-tales-of-our-lady\/\"><em>True Tales of Our Lady<\/em><\/a>). I noticed in the weeks and months ahead something\u00a0wonderful beginning to happen. Some of the areas in my life where I was struggling, there was suddenly new grace and strength\u00a0to conquer. All my years of wandering on my own, thinking I\u00a0was moving forward in the spiritual life, got me only so\u00a0far. But when I took this Woman&#8217;s hand, my spiritual life began to take off&#8230;<\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">IN THE ARMS OF MARY<\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">In more recent times, I felt compelled to renew my consecration to Mary. This time, something happened I did not expect. God was suddenly asking me for <em>more, <\/em>to give myself <em>totally<\/em> and <em>completely<\/em> to Him (I thought I was!).\u00a0<img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Glykophilousa_000.jpg\" width=\"251\" height=\"299\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"5\" vspace=\"2\" \/>And the way to do this was to give myself <em>totally<\/em> and <em>completely<\/em> to my Mother. She wanted to carry me now in her arms. When I said &#8220;yes&#8221; to this, something began to happen, and happen fast. She would no longer permit me to drag her toward the compromises of the past; she would no longer let me rest in the unncessary stops, comforts, and self-indulgences of before. She was now bringing me quickly and expediently into the very heart of the Holy Trinity.\u00a0It is as though her <em>fiat<\/em>, her<a href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/2008\/12\/the-great-yes\/\"> <em>Great Ye<\/em><\/a><em>s<\/em> to God, was now becoming my own. Yes, she is a loving Mother, but a firm one too. She was helping me to do something I was never able to do very well before: <em>deny myself, take up my cross, and follow her Son. <\/em><\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">I am just beginning, it seems, and yet, I must be honest:\u00a0the things of this world are fading fast for me. Pleasures I thought I could not live without\u00a0are now months behind me. And an interior desire and love for my God is growing everyday\u2014at least, every day that I let this Woman continue to carry me deeper into the mystery of God, a mystery that she lived and continues to live perfectly. It is precisely through this Woman who is &#8220;full of grace&#8221; that I am finding the grace to say with all my heart now, &#8220;<em>Jesus, I trust in You!<\/em>&#8221; In another writing, I want to explain <em>how<\/em> exactly Mary achieves this grace in souls.<\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">BOARDING THE ARK: CONSECRATION<\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">There is something\u00a0else I want to tell you about this Woman, and it is this: she is an <em>&#8220;ark&#8221; <\/em>that sails us safely and quickly to the<a href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/2011\/03\/the-great-refuge-and-safe-harbour\/\"><em> Great Refuge and Safe Harbour<\/em><\/a>, who is Jesus. I cannot tell you how urgent I have felt this &#8220;word&#8221; to be. There is no time to waste. There is a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/2011\/03\/the-seven-seals-of-revolution\/\">Great Storm<\/a> that has been unleashed upon the earth. The flood waters of fear, uncertainty, and confusion are beginning to rise. A<a href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/2010\/04\/the-coming-counterfeit\/\"> spiritual tsunami<\/a> of apocalyptic proportions is, and is going to sweep across the world, and many, many souls are simply unprepared. But there is one way to\u00a0get prepared, and that is to quickly enter into the safe refuge of the Immaculate Heart of Mary\u2014the\u00a0Great Ark of our times.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p align=\"left\"><em><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><strong><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/immaculate-heart-of-mary.jpg\" width=\"210\" height=\"258\" align=\"right\" hspace=\"2\" \/>My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and the way that will lead you to God.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/em><span style=\"font-size: small;\">\u2014second apparition to the children of Fatima, June 13th, 1917, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ewtn.com\/library\/MARY\/FIRSTSAT.htm\">www.ewtn.com<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p align=\"left\">You can do this by doing what a host of beautiful saints have done, and that is entrust your spiritual life completely to this Mother. You don&#8217;t need to completely understand it. In fact, it is <em>by <\/em>consecrating yourself to Mary that you will begin\u00a0to understand why Jesus left you this Mother.<\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">A wonderful new website has been launched\u00a0to help\u00a0you make this step to reach out toward your Mother: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.myconsecration.org\/\"><strong>www.myconsecration.org<\/strong><\/a> They will send you free information further explaining what it means to consecrate yourself to Mary\u00a0and how to do it. They will include a free copy of the classic guidebook, <em>Preparation for Total Consecration According to St. Louis Marie de Montfort.<\/em> This is the same consecration that John Paul\u00a0II made, and upon which his\u00a0pontifical motto: <em>&#8220;totus tuus<\/em>&#8221; was based. <span class=\"footnote_referrer\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToReference_5579_1('footnote_plugin_reference_5579_1_2');\" onkeypress=\"footnote_moveToReference_5579_1('footnote_plugin_reference_5579_1_2');\" ><sup id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_5579_1_2\" class=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text\">[2]<\/sup><\/a><span id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_5579_1_2\" class=\"footnote_tooltip\"><em>totus tuus: <\/em>Latin for &#8220;totally yours&#8221;<\/span><\/span><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_5579_1_2').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_5579_1_2', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top right', relative: true, offset: [10, 10], });<\/script> Another book which presents a powerful and refreshing way to enact this consecration is <em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Days-Morning-Glory-Do-It-Yourself-Consecration\/dp\/1596142448\/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1368732731&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=33+days+glory+consecration\">33 Days to Morning Glory<\/a>. <\/em><\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">I strongly encourage you to send this writing to as many friends and family as possible and allow the Holy Spirit to make this invitation\u00a0of consecration to others.<\/p>\n<p align=\"left\"><em>It\u00a0is time for us, in more ways than one, to board the Ark.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p align=\"left\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><strong>Just as the Immaculata herself belongs to Jesus and to the Trinity, so too every soul through her and in her will belong to Jesus and to the Trinity in a much more perfect way than would have been possible without her. Such souls will come to love the Sacred Heart of Jesus much better than they would have ever done up to now&#8230;. Through her, Divine love will set the world on fire and will consume it; then will the \u201cassumption of souls\u201d in love take place.\u00a0<\/strong>\u2014St. Maximillian Kolbe, <em>Immaculate Conception and the Holy Spirit<\/em>, H.M. Manteau-Bonamy, p. 117<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p align=\"left\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<p align=\"left\"><em>First published April 7th, 2011.<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"fb-like\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/the-great-gift\/\" data-send=\"true\" data-width=\"450\" data-show-faces=\"true\" data-action=\"recommend\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<div class=\"fb-follow\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/mark.mallett.752?ref=tn_tnmn\" data-layout=\"box_count\" data-show-faces=\"true\" data-width=\"450\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<p><a class=\"twitter-share-button\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/the-great-gift\/\" data-via=\"MarkMallett2\">Tweet<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\">\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=\/^http:\/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+':\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');\n\/\/ ]]><\/script>\n<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"twitter-follow-button\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MarkMallett2\" data-show-count=\"false\">Follow @MarkMallett2<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\" align=\"left\"><strong><span style=\"font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">Mark is now on Facebook!<\/span><\/strong><br \/><strong><span style=\"font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pages\/Mark-Mallett\/479309778804431?skip_nax_wizard=true\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-11364\" alt=\"like_us_on_facebook\" src=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/like_us_on_facebook-300x293.png\" width=\"70\" height=\"68\" \/><\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\" align=\"left\"><strong><span style=\"font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">Mark is now on Twitter!<\/span><\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MarkMallett2\"><br \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-11363\" alt=\"twitter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/twitter-300x300.png\" width=\"77\" height=\"77\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/twitter-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/twitter-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/twitter.png 397w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 77px) 100vw, 77px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/donations\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-images\/Donateovalbtnonbeige.gif\" width=\"112\" height=\"48\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<div align=\"left\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"pmark aligncenter\" alt=\" \" src=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/quentin\/images\/printer.gif\" width=\"102\" height=\"27\" \/><\/p>\n<div align=\"center\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span>Have you prayed yet with Mark&#8217;s powerful Rosary CD that includes original songs to Mary? It has touched both Protestants and Catholics alike. Catholic Parent Magazine called it: <a title=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/CDcommentspg.html\">&#8220;<em> the finest, holiest contemplative reflection of the life of Jesus ever presented in a recording&#8230;<\/em>&#8220;<\/a> <\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<dl><\/dl>\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span>Click the CD cover to order or listen to samples.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"center\"><span><a title=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/Songs.html\"><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-images\/THE%20Cover.gif\" width=\"216\" height=\"216\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"background-color: #660000;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a href=\"\/blog\/?page_id=279\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">Click here to <strong>Unsubscribe<\/strong> or <strong>Subscribe<\/strong> to this Journal. <\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><strong>Click below to translate this page into a different language:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/translations\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"WorldFlags\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/WorldFlags.jpg\" width=\"183\" height=\"163\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"speaker-mute footnotes_reference_container\"> <div class=\"footnote_container_prepare\"><p><span role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" class=\"footnote_reference_container_label pointer\" onclick=\"footnote_expand_collapse_reference_container_5579_1();\"><h5>Footnotes<\/h5><\/span><span role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" class=\"footnote_reference_container_collapse_button\" style=\"display: none;\" onclick=\"footnote_expand_collapse_reference_container_5579_1();\">[<a id=\"footnote_reference_container_collapse_button_5579_1\">+<\/a>]<\/span><\/p><\/div> <div id=\"footnote_references_container_5579_1\" style=\"\"><table class=\"footnotes_table footnote-reference-container\"><caption class=\"accessibility\"><h5>Footnotes<\/h5><\/caption> <tbody> \r\n\r\n<tr class=\"footnotes_plugin_reference_row\"> <th scope=\"row\" id=\"footnote_plugin_reference_5579_1_1\" class=\"footnote_plugin_index pointer\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToAnchor_5579_1('footnote_plugin_tooltip_5579_1_1');\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" class=\"footnote_plugin_link\" ><span class=\"footnote_index_arrow\">&#8593;<\/span>1<\/a><\/th> <td class=\"footnote_plugin_text\">see <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/2011\/02\/why-mary-2\/\">Why Mary?<\/a><\/em><\/td><\/tr>\r\n\r\n<tr class=\"footnotes_plugin_reference_row\"> <th scope=\"row\" id=\"footnote_plugin_reference_5579_1_2\" class=\"footnote_plugin_index pointer\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToAnchor_5579_1('footnote_plugin_tooltip_5579_1_2');\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" class=\"footnote_plugin_link\" ><span class=\"footnote_index_arrow\">&#8593;<\/span>2<\/a><\/th> <td class=\"footnote_plugin_text\"><em>totus tuus: <\/em>Latin for &#8220;totally yours&#8221;<\/td><\/tr>\r\n\r\n <\/tbody> <\/table> <\/div><\/div><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> function footnote_expand_reference_container_5579_1() { jQuery('#footnote_references_container_5579_1').show(); jQuery('#footnote_reference_container_collapse_button_5579_1').text('\u2212'); } function footnote_collapse_reference_container_5579_1() { jQuery('#footnote_references_container_5579_1').hide(); jQuery('#footnote_reference_container_collapse_button_5579_1').text('+'); } function footnote_expand_collapse_reference_container_5579_1() { if (jQuery('#footnote_references_container_5579_1').is(':hidden')) { footnote_expand_reference_container_5579_1(); } else { footnote_collapse_reference_container_5579_1(); } } function footnote_moveToReference_5579_1(p_str_TargetID) { footnote_expand_reference_container_5579_1(); var l_obj_Target = jQuery('#' + p_str_TargetID); if (l_obj_Target.length) { jQuery( 'html, body' ).delay( 0 ); jQuery('html, body').animate({ scrollTop: l_obj_Target.offset().top - window.innerHeight * 0.2 }, 380); } } function footnote_moveToAnchor_5579_1(p_str_TargetID) { footnote_expand_reference_container_5579_1(); var l_obj_Target = jQuery('#' + p_str_TargetID); if (l_obj_Target.length) { jQuery( 'html, body' ).delay( 0 ); jQuery('html, body').animate({ scrollTop: l_obj_Target.offset().top - window.innerHeight * 0.2 }, 380); } }<\/script>","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u00a0 \u00a0 IMAGINE a small child, who has just\u00a0learned to walk, being taken into a busy shopping mall. 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