Our Lady of Lebanon

Today we're going to learn about Our Lady of Lebanon, سيّدة لبنان, and why she is so special to us as Maronite Catholics. Long, long ago, God chose a young woman named Mary to be the mother of Jesus. When the angel Gabriel came to Mary, she said yes to God's plan with a brave and loving heart. Mary became the Theotokos - the God-bearer - because she carried Jesus, who is both God and man, in her womb. Can anyone tell me what makes Mary so special? That's right - she's the mother of Jesus! After Jesus went to heaven, Mary continued to love and care for all of God's children, just like she cared for Jesus. In our beautiful country of Lebanon, high up in the mountains, people have loved and prayed to Our Lady for hundreds and hundreds of years. They built a beautiful shrine where pilgrims come from all over the world to pray. Our Lady of Lebanon watches over our country and our people like a loving mother. She protects us and brings our prayers to her son Jesus. When we pray to سيّدة لبنان, we remember that Mary said yes to God, and we can say yes to God too! Can you think of ways we can say yes to God like Mary did? We can be kind, obey our parents, and help others. Our Lady of Lebanon reminds us that God loves us so much, and through Mary, He gave us the greatest gift - Jesus. She is our heavenly mother who always intercedes for us and loves us with a mother's tender heart.