Lessons about Our Lady of Mercy from a 2-Year-Old's Favorite Dress
- Leah Brix
- 3 hours ago
- 3 min read
This past summer, a few of my sisters and I had a Color Analysis session. We had a blast watching one another go through the process of discovering which of the 16 seasons and sub-seasons we fell into.
I have always been one to go for bold colors and prints. So, boy was I mad when the consultant announced that I was a toned summer. BORING! Lots of blues- I have always hated wearing blue! As well as soft shades of pink, green, and purple. She really slapped me in the face by saying that black and bold prints like cheetah or gaudy contrasting colors were too harsh.
Well, there went my ENTIRE closet. She encouraged us to upgrade our wardrobes slowly, starting by being mindful of the new pieces we brought in.
But that's just not how I roll. I hopped on Amazon and bought a pack of cute sleeveless tops that came in light green, light pink, and light blue. It was cheap, and they looked great with my tennis skirts - making them my official "uniform" of the summer.
I found a few other shirts for really cheap as well and felt good about that. But my church wardrobe was lacking. LOTS of black or bold prints.
I hopped online and found a website with a dress I really liked at a very reasonable price. But you know how they are... right as you are about to checkout they hit you with a "but wait, you can get this additional dress for 50% off," or whatever flashy bargain they want to throw at you.
Again, the price point was surprisingly good, so I selected my size of the random dress and quickly hit checkout before they could further entice me.
The dresses came, and both fit really well and were from my color palette. Guess what? I really liked the original dress I picked out, but I LOVED the random one I threw in the cart at the last minute. So much so that I bought 3 more!
Now I have a green, mauve, navy, and a gray one. They hit an inch or two off the ground, so they are long, but so comfy! I've dressed them up with pearls and heels for a gala, but I will wear them with sandals for a more casual look.
These dresses hang at the end of my walk-in closet. When my 2-year-old gets tired, he often goes to stand underneath one and wraps it around himself. I always laughed about him using my dress as a comfort item, and thought it was really sweet! But it struck me in a new way on Sunday, when he hid in the folds of my dress during Mass.
He has done it many times before, but I didn't pay special attention to it, likely because I was just thankful he wasn't running laps around the church, making loud tractor noises, or doing something even more embarrassing! But the significance of it really stood out to me. Johnny wrapped himself in my "mantle!”
A common prayer request of many Catholics is to ask Mary to wrap you in her mantle. If this is a new phrase for you, you may be asking what the heck that means!
A mantle is a long flowing cape, sometimes with a hood, making it similar to a long veil, but it can often be just worn over the shoulders .
So to ask Mary to wrap you in her mantle is an incredibly intimate request. You are asking to become like a little child yourself, and stand as close to her as you can, so you can hide in the folds of her dress or mantle.
When I look down at Johnny, wrapping the folds of my dress around him during mass, or tugging on one hanging in my closet, while doing his sleepy humming, I know he feels safe and comforted.
When we feel scared or uncertain, or are ever just tired from the demands of our busy lives, run to Mary and hide in the comfort of her mantle.
Under her careful watch and protection, all of our burdens melt away.
Madonna della Misericordia, Our Lady of Mercy, pray for us!
Until next time, your sister in Christ,
Leah
