Are you struggling to pray lately? Maybe God feels distant—like your words aren’t reaching Him, or your heart isn’t responding. If that’s you, don’t worry. Cry out to Mary, Help of Christians—and help will come.
St. Louis de Montfort once wrote that despite all the prayers, sacrifices, and holy desires of the patriarchs and prophets of old, God did not give them the Savior. He reserved that gift for one person alone: Mary.
If even the holiest men of the Old Testament couldn’t draw Jesus down from Heaven—but Mary did—then maybe, when we feel far from God, the best thing we can do… is go to Her.
Because when God feels distant, Mary knows how to lead us back to Him.
The History Behind the Title “Mary, Help of Christians”
The title Mary, Help of Christians has roots in the early Church, but it rose to global significance after one of the most history-shaping victories ever credited to Our Lady.
It was 1571. The Ottoman Empire had the largest naval fleet in the world and was rapidly advancing across Europe. Fear was everywhere. If they succeeded, many believed Christian civilization would crumble.
In response, Pope Pius V formed a coalition of Catholic forces, called the Holy League, and then called all the faithful to pray the Most Holy Rosary.
On October 7, in the Gulf of Patras, the Holy League—vastly outnumbered—faced the Ottoman fleet at sea in what became known as the Battle of Lepanto.
And miraculously… they won.
It was such a stunning and unlikely victory that Pope Pius V declared it a direct miracle from Heaven. He credited it entirely to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, obtained through the humble but powerful prayers of the Rosary.
This pivotal moment not only preserved Europe, but also saw Mary crowned with a new title of love and trust: Help of Christians.
Centuries later, in 1815, Pope Pius VII—after being freed from imprisonment by Napoleon—would also credit his liberation to Our Lady’s intercession. In gratitude, he officially declared May 24 the Feast of Mary, Help of Christians.
And the devotion didn’t stop there.
It spread like fire—especially through St. John Bosco, who saw Mary as not just a defender of nations, but the everyday Help of orphans, students, the poor, and the struggling.
He once said:
“Have faith in Mary, Help of Christians, and you’ll see what miracles are.”
And great will those miracles be—especially when you let Her help you.
When God Feels Distant, Mary Comes Close to Lead Us Back
I always forget how holy God is—and what that even means.
It wasn’t until I began reading the early books of the Old Testament that I started to grasp it.
There were moments when God gave the Israelites very specific—and almost terrifying—instructions: only those who were cleansed, consecrated, and set apart could enter the most sacred parts of the Temple.
Those who disobeyed? They died.
(Like Nadab and Abihu in Leviticus 10:1–2, who offered unauthorized fire and were consumed by God’s presence.)
It’s like God saying to you, “Don’t walk into the fire—you’ll get burnt.” But then, you walk in anyway.
It’s not cruelty. It’s reality.
God’s Holiness is like the sun—radiant, overwhelming, and dangerous to approach in our sinful state. No evil, not even a speck, remains unmelted in the presence of such burning holiness.
But of course, it’s hard for us to grasp this. Limited as we are, we’ve barely scratched the surface of the physical universe—how much more the spiritual?
The gap between us and the Almighty is simply too great. But that didn’t deter God’s love.
He humbled Himself and fused His Divine nature with our human one. He became like us and reconciled us to Himself, so we could, once more, see His Holy Face in Heaven.
As St. Paul says in 1 Timothy 2:5:
“For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus.”
However, even with the renewed friendship of God and Man through Christ’s death and resurrection, if we’re honest, we still often struggle to experience Jesus.
Mary: The Gentle Bridge Between Our Weakness and God’s Holiness
Can you imagine the holiness it takes to contain God Himself?
Mary bore Jesus, kissed His Holy Face, and followed Him all the way to the Cross.
She is not divine by nature, but Her closeness to the Divine is unlike any other human being.
“The world was not worthy to receive the Son of God directly from the hands of the Father,” wrote St. Augustine, “so He gave Him to Mary to give to the world.”
If Mary was the vessel that brought Jesus to us, then surely She is also the vessel that will carry us to Jesus.
And that’s the heart of Marian consecration.
What St. Louis de Montfort Taught About Mary’s Help
I’m reading True Devotion to Mary (Part II, Chapter 2, Third Motive) right now.
Here, St. Louis de Montfort explains that when we consecrate ourselves to the Blessed Virgin, She, in turn, gives Herself to us. Entirely.
She consoles us in our pain, covers us in Her prayers, protects us from evil, and sweetens our lives with Her presence.
If you’ve ever found yourself thinking: “God feels so far away.” “I’ll go to Him once I’ve cleaned up my act.” or “There are billions of people—why would He care about me?”
Then know this: Mary holds Jesus in Her Arms. When you’re afraid to approach God, Mary is your safety. She is saying to you, “Come, my child. Let me take you to Jesus, My Son.”
No, you never have to fear Her judgment. She knows the depths of God’s mercy better than anyone. Will She not console your heart and gently lead you back?
Mary, Help of Christians—And Yours
This week, as we celebrate the Feast of Mary, Help of Christians, let that title remind you of something deeply personal:
She doesn’t just help nations. She helps you.
She’s there when you feel too far from God. When your prayers feel dry. When your heart feels tired.
She’s the gentle bridge between your weakness and God’s holiness. And if you give yourself to Her, She will lead you safely home.