Most Blessed Mother, Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us.
Category: Blessed Virgin Mary
With a look full of hope and compassion Mary says: fear not, God loves you personally
Pope Benedict made the annual visit to Spain’s Square, the Spanish Steps as it’s known, to lay a wreathe at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to offer a prayer of filial devotion and to encourage the faithful in our faith. His address follows:
Also this year
we have made an appointment here, in Piazza di Spagna, to render homage to the
Immaculate Virgin, on the occasion of her solemn feast. To all of you, who have
come in great numbers, as well as all those taking part through radio and
television, I address my cordial greeting. We are gathered around this historic
monument, which today is all surrounded by flowers, sign of the love and
devotion of the Roman people for the Mother of Jesus. And the most beautiful
gift, and most pleasing to her, that we offer is our prayer, the one we bear in
our hearts and which we entrust to her intercession. They are invocations of
gratitude and supplication: of gratitude for the gift of faith and for all the
good that we receive daily from God; and supplication for our different needs,
for the family, health, work, for every difficulty that life has us encounter.
Lawrence Lew’s Meditation on the Immaculate Conception
Here’s a meditation on today’s feast of the Immaculate Conception by the Rev’d Br. Lawrence Lew, OP, a friar of the English Dominican Province.
Brother Lawrence is one of the animators of the Dominican students’ blog, Godzdogz.
In the coming year Brother Lawrence will be ordained a priest.
Consecration of Persons to the Immaculate Heart of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary
This prayer of consecration was written by a friend of mine, Father Mark. As he notes, “and may be helpful when one experiences a need to entrust particular souls in difficulty to the Immaculate Conception. As he notes, when a priest prays it, he may want to don the stole and pray it before a blessed image of the Most Holy Virgin. This intercessory consecration is appropriate for the unbinding and healing of situations marked by habitual sin and moral suffering. The Immaculate Virgin Mary is ever-ready to intervene in the lives of her children. She is the Mother of Mercy and the Mediatrix of All Graces.”
In the name of the Father, + and of the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit. Amen.
Most holy Virgin Mary, — thou whom the FATHER didst preserve
from the first instant of thy conception from all evil and from the least
shadow of sin,
– thou whom the Precious Blood of JESUS didst render immaculate
and all-beautiful, even before that same Blood was formed in thy virginal womb
and poured out upon the altar of the Cross,
– thou whom the HOLY GHOST didst
fill full with every grace in view of the glorious motherhood of the Son of God
for which thou wast created, — thou art she who crusheth the head of the ancient
serpent, thou art she who alone overcometh the evil that is in us and around
us.
To thee, O Mary, thy Son hath entrusted the liberation of souls enchained
by sin, the healing of wounded souls, and the sanctification of souls who have
suffered evil’s worst ravages.
Thou hast only to open thy immaculate hands over
them, and they are shot through with the rays of thy purity. Through thee,
entereth the light to shine in the darkest places. Through thee, souls are washed
in a downpour of graces. Through thee, the Holy Spirit succoureth the weakest
souls and giveth to the sterile a wonderful fecundity.
Continue reading Consecration of Persons to the Immaculate Heart of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary
Mary is the model of Christian life, pope reminds
In his pastoral visit to Sicily last week the Holy Father called to mind the beauty and the place of the Mother of God in our lives: she’s an intensely loving mother who truly looks after her children. Here are some excerpts:
To the Virgin Mary I wish to entrust all of the people
of God who live in this beloved land. May she sustain the families in love and
in educational commitment; may she fructify the seeds of vocation that God
liberally sows among the young people; may she instill courage in trials, hope
in difficulties, renewed strength in doing the good. May the Madonna comfort
the sick and all those who are suffering, and help the Christian communities so
that no one in them be forgotten or in need, but that each one, especially the
little and the weak, feel welcomed and valued.”
of God who live in this beloved land. May she sustain the families in love and
in educational commitment; may she fructify the seeds of vocation that God
liberally sows among the young people; may she instill courage in trials, hope
in difficulties, renewed strength in doing the good. May the Madonna comfort
the sick and all those who are suffering, and help the Christian communities so
that no one in them be forgotten or in need, but that each one, especially the
little and the weak, feel welcomed and valued.”
The also told us that “in Parma, Anna Maria Adorni
is being beatified. In 19th century she was an exemplary wife and mother and
then, having become a widow, she dedicated herself to charitable work among
women in prison and in difficulty, for whose service she founded two religious
institutes. Mother Adorni, because of her constant prayer, was called the
“Living Rosary.” I am glad to mention her at the beginning of the
month of the rosary. May the daily meditation on the mysteries of Christ in
union with Mary, the prayerful Virgin, strengthen us in faith, in hope and in
charity.”
is being beatified. In 19th century she was an exemplary wife and mother and
then, having become a widow, she dedicated herself to charitable work among
women in prison and in difficulty, for whose service she founded two religious
institutes. Mother Adorni, because of her constant prayer, was called the
“Living Rosary.” I am glad to mention her at the beginning of the
month of the rosary. May the daily meditation on the mysteries of Christ in
union with Mary, the prayerful Virgin, strengthen us in faith, in hope and in
charity.”
Benedict XVI
address at Palermo’s Foro Italico Umberto I
October 3,
2010
2010
Our Lady of the Rosary
I once told a youth director who was getting “heat” from his colleagues for having his parish youth group pray the rosary that that prayer is really Scripture study. What else could you call the each of the mysteries, the Hail Mary and the Lord’s Prayer? On the simplest level praying the rosary is not only a tool of spiritual education in the School of Mary, but also uniting oneself more and more closely to the Lord.
It is often said that if you want to end sin in your life, evil in the world, that is, to slice the head off evil, then pray the Rosary. I see more rosaries around the rear view mirror or around the neck but so rarely in those same hands fingering the beads of the Mysteries of the Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. In the rosary we trace the lines of salvation history and the beautiful mission of Jesus.
Pope, saints, good priests and religious and grandmothers recommend wholeheartedly our attachment to this divine gift of love.
The previous year’s post for this feast is here.
The infant church in prayer was gathered round
Th’apostles and the Mother of the Lord;
In faithfulness to Christ’s farewell command,
They prayed and waited, trusting in the Word.
With joy we think on incarnation’s grace;
With light we meditate upon Christ’s life;
With sorrow, all his passion keep in mind;
And in his glory, hope beyond all strife.
For Mary’s faithfulness we praise you, Lord,
who heard and trusted in your promise strong;
To you we sing, O Trinity most blessed,
In praise that through the ages echoes long.
10 10 10 10
SURSUM CORDA
Our Lady of Sorrows
There is certain richness these days in the liturgical memorials given to us by the Church (remember on St John Chrysostom on the 13th, the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on the 14th and Sts Cornelius and Cyprian on the 16th), all pointing to the meaning real Christian witness: that radical, honest, hopeful Christian discipleship means following Christ to the cross, adoring His sacred Passion and living as redeemed persons.
The bookend saints with the Blessed Mother provide us not only good example of what and who the Christian is called to be, but the truth of the Incarnation and the self-giving sacrifice of Jesus: to stand in very close proximity to Christ crucified. By baptism we share in the suffering of Christ’s Passion which gives way to sharing in His resurrection.
The Blessed Mother, today, under the title of Sorrows, reminds us the limitless love of God for us. With Mary, we know how to live the desire of our hearts for compassion, mercy and love. It is only through her that we know how to live in the intimacy of a spousal relationship with Christ and the Church.
Beatitudes and Beads: Rosary Meditations on Blessedness
Beatitudes and Beads is a 32 page booklet guides the user through the Beatitudes of the Sermon on the Mount, often called Lord’s Commandments which have the same force as the Decalogue. Beatitudes and Beads gives the user the original rosary with meditations on the Eight Beatitudes.
As the author states so clearly, “Our happiness in Christ is not assured because we’re right or powerful or feared. Jesus said we inherit the kingdom when we face insult, persecution, and lies with gladness, charity and mercy.” So very true but so hard to live, but we ought not shy away from trying to live the Beatitudes.
The author, Dominican Father Philip Neri Powell is a member of the Order of Preachers of the Southern Province, pursuing studies at the Angelicum, Rome.
Liguori Publications sells the booklet for $2.50 (click on the link above).
Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
On this our liturgical remembrance of Our Lady’s birthday, it is apt to recall what Saint Andrew of Crete, preached:
This is the highest, all-embracing benefit that Christ
has bestowed upon us. This is the revelation of the mystery, this is the emptying-out
of the divine nature, the union of God and man, and the deification of the
manhood that was assumed. This radiant and manifest coming of God to men most
certainly needed a joyful prelude to introduce the great gift of salvation to
us. The present festival –the nativity of the Theotokos– is that prelude, while
the final act is the foreordained union of the Word with flesh. Today the Virgin
is born, tended and formed, and prepared for her role as Mother of God, that
God who is the universal King of all the ages!
With the choirs of saints and angels,
Let the Church be joined as one,
Binding earth to highest heaven,
Praising Jesus, Mary’s Son
Son of God-the Father’s glory
Who took flesh that we might be
Reconciled, reborn, forgiven,
From the pow’r of sin set free!
On this solemn, joyful feast day
Let us sing a song of praise,
Thanking God for Mary’s witness
Faithfully kept all her days.
From her birth to blessed Anna,
Mary listened to God’s word,
And, when summoned by the angel,
Lived in faith what she had heard.
Glory now to God the Father,
Who has made us for his own;
Glory now to Christ our Savior,
Who has raised us to his throne;
Glory now to God the Spirit,
Who renews us in his grace:
Laud and honor, never ceasing,
Be to God from all our race!
J. Michael Thompson
Copyright © 2009, World Library Publications
87 87 D; PLEADING SAVIOR, or IN BABILONE
A closer look at the promise of the Assumption
Christianity holds forth a surprising happiness and promise of joy. It describes and offers a mystery of life that is full and forever. The magnificent Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary celebrated on August 15 proclaims the deepest and most profound of these Christian mysteries and promises. Virgin Mary– the Bearer of God who was the first and best disciple of her Son– lived a long life in the presence of God. She experienced a resurrection after falling asleep in death (called Dormition) and a transport to Heaven (called Metestiseen, Assumption). Remarkably, this is the joy that lies in wait for all other disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ whose bodies will rise at the end of time and be with God in Heaven forever.
Let us examine the details of the Assumption of Our Blessed Virgin Mary in the tradition and legend of the event of her falling asleep and transport to Heaven as found in the icon and liturgy of the ancient Church. At the beginning, understanding that God entered into the human realm to stamp out death and bring life without end to humanity, we see this believing young Hebrew mother as the first person since Adam and Eve to experience realization of God’s full life … herself receiving life without end both physically and spiritually in unity with God the Creator, a glory forever and ever.At the end of time, all those judged to be living in the presence of God, who is Life Eternal, will also receive this remarkable eternal gift.
The spiritual powers receive her with honors due to God, and she who is truly the mother of Life departs unto life, the lamp of Light which no man can approach, the salvation of the faithful and the hope of our souls. (The Feast of Dormition, Great Vespers, Lete, Tone 2*).
Cry out, O David, and tell us, what is this present feast about which you sang in the book of Psalms? And David says, “Christ has carried up into the heavenly mansions her who bore Him without seed. I sang of her in the Psalms calling her ‘daughter, bride of God and virgin’. Therefore, mothers, daughters and brides of Christ, rejoice and call out, “Hail to you, O Lady, who have been translated to the Kingdom on high.” (Orthros [Morning Prayer], Sessional Hymns after the First Reading from thePsalter, Tone 4*).
Wherefore, O most pure Mother of God, forever alive with your Son, the Source of Life, do not cease to intercede with Him that He may guard and save your people from every trouble, for you are our intercessor. (Vespers, Tone 8 before the Entrance*).
Father Stephen Bonian, S.J.
A Maronite Jesuit priest serving the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon