First on my Christmas List – A Gift from my Heart

It's that time of year again; and to quote the late, great Andy Williams, it's the "hap, hap, happiest season of all.” Andy is right, preparing for the beautiful season of Christmas makes us very joyful indeed. Jesus' coming into our hearts bearing the gift of love brings us a beautiful sense of peace - something our very troubled world needs desperately. As we write our Christmas cards, shop for and wrap gifts, trim the tree, and bake Christmas treats, we need to think of others who experience sadness during the Christmas season, for a variety of reasons, but mainly due to the loss of a beloved family member or friend. As I started my own Christmas shopping, tears began to fill my eyes, as I realized that my own dear father would not be on my gift list this year. This is particularly difficult as my dad was born on Christmas Day. I felt my heart breaking as I recalled the bittersweet emotion of his passing to Our Lord in Heaven in August of this year. When we lose a loved one, we are happy that they are free from their suffering, and resting in peace in the arms of our loving father God, but that peace is also accompanied by the pain of separation. Even Christ cried at the death of His dear friend Lazarus. Moments after experiencing this well of sadness, a bright light came to my suffering soul, and it occurred to me that I do not have to omit my dad’s name from my Christmas shopping list. In fact, his name is FIRST on my list. What can I give him? The best gift I can give him comes from my heart – a good deed, an extra act of kindness. I can honor his wishes by being a good daughter to my mom, and a loving sister, niece, aunt, and friend. I can perform a deed that would touch his heart. My dad will not be needing monetary things like new shirts or slippers this year, as he is celebrating with Jesus, but I am sure he will be happy with my gift, as it is a gift from my heart.  

Togetherness – A Spiritual Connection of Two Souls

When the circumstances of life separate loved ones from one another, it is comforting to know that “togetherness” is not limited to a physical experience. True togetherness is a spiritual connection of two souls. Although people miss and long for one another, they also feel great joy in knowing that even while apart, their souls remain close. God understands the tremendous sense of longing of the human heart, and to ease that pain, He brings peace and comfort to their sorrowful hearts by uniting them spiritually. And, although physically they appear to be apart, they are truly “together.”  

Take the First Step and God Will Provide the Rest

Have you ever noticed that waiting for the "right moment" to take action rarely results in success? Often the “right moment” doesn’t come because God is waiting for us to take a step. Maybe we are not using the gifts He has already given us. Notice how children are always looking for more - more presents, more dolls, more trucks, more silly bands, more video games, more apps for their electronic gadgets, etc. Often, we grownups feverishly search for more as well – more money, more time, more responsibility, more opportunities, more friends, more… We like to have all our “ducks in a row” before taking action. If only we had more time we could tackle the project we’ve been putting off; if only we had more money we could make a sizeable contribution to our favorite charity, if only we had the ideal opportunity we would seize it. Often we do not receive more because we have failed to utilize the gifts we have been given.  Maybe if we work with what we have we will be given more. If we use our time wisely, we will be given more time; if we act responsibly, we will be given greater responsibility; if we act upon the opportunities within our reach, others will come; and if we love and care for our friends, we will be blessed with more friends.

 

If we wait for the “right moment” to begin, we may wait a very long time. Take the first step and God will provide the rest.

 

When the Lord Closes a Door, We Search for a Window

“When the Lord closes a door, He always opens a window somewhere.” This familiar phrase from the movie The Sound of Music is also the running theme throughout the novel “The Trapp Family Singers” by Maria von Trapp. The von Trapp’s, whose fame skyrocketed with the release of the motion picture, were a gifted musical family whose courage and faith carried them through the brutal storms of life. Maria possessed a deep love for God as was evidenced by her own faith, trust, and perseverance in the face of tribulation.  

 

We all endure suffering, some more than others. It may seem that every door we attempt to enter is slammed in our face. Severed friendships, professional failure, financial loss, serious illness, and the romantic relationships that die on the vine can cause us to lose hope. Sometimes we feel like a deflated punching bag. But our faith tells us to trust in God.  Thus we patiently wait, and wait and wait. In our frustration we call out to God and ask, “Lord when are you going to open a window?” then His answer comes to us, “My child, I tried but your windows are locked.” When we feel that the straw has finally broken the camel’s back, we unintentionally throw up a force field to protect ourselves from further pain. However in so doing, we block out Our Lord who tries to shower us with His grace. At times all we need do is “unlock our windows”, and He will enter. However in other situations, Gods asks us to actually open the window and “stick our neck out.” He wants us to take that giant leap of faith, of course with prudence, trusting that He will be there to catch us if we should fall.

 

Risk taking is something we would just as soon avoid, for we all want to be certain that our next attempt at love, friendship, employment, or some personal undertaking will be successful. However, we all know that we may have to undergo many failures before we achieve success. If we don’t take the risks, we may never know what blessings await us on the other side. When we reflect on past mistakes and sufferings, it is understandable that we may be reluctant to take that step forward. However we need to muster up our courage and confidence and begin again. We ought to possess a compelling desire to achieve our goals but not like the vulture that takes his prey by force, but rather like the butterfly that attracts others’ with its beauty, grace and endearing persistence.

 

With supernatural optimism, confidence in our God given abilities, courage, and constancy, we will find that window of opportunity.  If the window is not open, we will simply have to open it. Life on the other side may have its share of joys and sorrows but Our Lord will be with us cheering us on and guiding our way.  He will never let us down, for even if He allows us to fall into the pit, He will reach out His hand and lead us out of darkness and into light.

 

Good Versus Evil - Living a God Centered Life in the Presence of Evil

Present in society today there exists a blatant dichotomy between good and evil. While people are generally good and try to live a God centered life, the cares of the world and the presence of evil weaken our resolve. On the one hand we are spiritually fed with God’s grace, love, and eternal truth; and on the other hand, evil lurks like a wild beast ready to trounce upon its prey, warping the human mind and endangering the soul. Evil generates from two sources: our own imperfection and inclination towards sin (due to original sin), and the direct influences of the devil. The devil does indeed exist and he cunningly worms his way into our lives infusing our minds with lies, tricks, and delusions, under the guise of goodness. His (empty) promises that material wealth, supreme power, and earthly perfection will lead us to ultimate happiness, only plunge us into despair when we realize we have been duped. At times evil seems so prevalent that it prompts us to seek seclusion in a sort of spiritual cocoon, a place where we can hide - and bask and grow in the warmth of God’s love. However, like that butterfly that eventually emerges from its cocoon, we too must leave our comfort zone and rejoin the imperfect world. This by no means suggests that Earth is doomed, but even a small amount of evil emits a deafening roar and has the potential to infiltrate the heart like a snake’s poisonous venom. Goodness, while very powerful, speaks softly, like an innocent lamb passing unnoticed. Unfortunately, people tend to listen to a loud bark over a gentle whisper.  So how do we teach others to listen to the gentle whisper...  The answer simply stated by St. Paul, drown out evil with an abundance of good – infiltrate society with the love of Christ.  We do this by inviting Christ to accompany us to each and every activity, encounter or situation of our day - work, school, shopping, entertainment, even times of rest and sleep. Others will come to know Christ through our good example and love. Little by little, evil will be overshadowed by good and thus restore faith to mankind. 

Recognizing the Voice of Our Lord – The Nature of Divine Inspiration

One week ago today love was born in a manger. Today, on the Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God, we stand by the crèche along with Our Lady, St. Joseph and the shepherds to adore the Christ child asleep in His crib. It is a great joy to have Christ with us now, but what happens when the Christmas season ends on January 10th, the Baptism of The Lord. Will He be put away with the Christmas decorations? Jesus Christ remains forever close to us in the Tabernacle but also in our hearts. Quite often Our Lord places people in our paths but we often pass them by for we see with our limited human vision. In order to see others’ as Christ sees them, we must first know Him. To know Him, we must listen to the words He speaks to our hearts.

 

Christ loves us with an infinite love and calls each us by name but frequently we do not hear His voice for the cares and responsibilities of life cause us to unknowingly filter out His voice. To hear Him we must enter into the silence of our hearts where we will hear Him speak.

 

How do we recognize the voice of God?  He comes to us in many ways. Perhaps the most obvious is through spiritual advisors or trusted friends. However, He also comes in unexpected ways, in song lyrics, lines from movies or television programs, thoughts that “unexpectedly pop into our heads”, and in dreams. We shutter to think what would have been had St. Joseph disregarded his dreams as nonsensical meanderings of the human subconscious. He may not have married Our Lady, and Our Lord Jesus may have been counted among the Holy Innocents – the infant martyrs who died at the hands of Herod and his jealous wrath. Naturally, St. Joseph must have been certain that the messages he received were indeed from God or he would not have altered his own plans. Simeon and Anna through the action of the Holy Spirit, recognized the Christ child as the Savior of the World. Recall that St. John the Baptist also knew of the Savior’s birth while still in his mother Elizabeth’s womb. God sent him as the forerunner of the Christ to come so that we would recognize Him of whom John spoke.  The gospel of St. John 14:25-26, 29-30 says, “These things I have spoken to you while yet dwelling with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your mind whatever I have said to you. … And now I have told you before it comes to pass, that when it has come to pass you may believe.” The Holy Spirit awakened the thoughts stored in the minds of His disciples, and also told them of things to come.

 

Our Lord speaks to us in similar ways. Consider the common phenomenon: an old friend from our past comes to mind and minutes, hours, or days later we hear from him; or perhaps we have a thought that a letter from so and so is in our mailbox, and discover upon picking up our mail, a letter from that friend; or two close friends utter the same words at precisely the same moment. We have all experienced such happenings. Why would Our Lord speak to us of such seemingly trivial incidents? Might it be that He is teaching us how to recognize His voice? If we believe in small matters, we will receive the graces to believe in matters of greater significance. If God did not reveal Himself in this way we would likely dismiss the thoughts as figments of our imagination. He wants us to believe and thus He manifests Himself through divine inspiration. When we receive perceived inspirations we should ALWAYS pray about them for they must be tested to ascertain that they are from God.  Additionally, consultation with a trusted spiritual advisor is essential.  St. Josemaria Escriva, the Founder of Opus Dei said, “Get to know the Holy Spirit, the Great Unknown, the one who has to sanctify you. Don’t forget that you are a temple of the God. The Paraclete is in the center of your soul: listen to him and follow his inspirations with docility.” (The Way, #57.) St. Josemaria founded Opus Dei through divine inspiration on October 2, 1928.

 

Rejoice with Our Lady and St. Joseph and believe in the Child Jesus. He who is our Savior, the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, and Prince of Peace is wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.

 

Recommended Reading:

 

In the School of the Holy Spirit, by Jacques Philippe

Christ is Passing By, Christ Triumphs through Humility, and the Epiphany of Our Lord, by St. Josemaria Escriva

Both books are available through Scepter Publishers, Inc. www.scepterpublishers.org

Works by St. Josemaria Escriva may also be viewed on-line at: www.opusdei.org

 

Preparing our Hearts for the Savior’s Birth - Maintaining Hope, Spiritual Optimism and Peace

We are nearing the end of our Advent season and the beautiful season of Christmas is near. As we patiently await the birth of our Savior, we find ourselves scampering here and there amidst the hustle and bustle of crowded stores, and traffic jams. At times such as these we must hang on to our hope for the “grinch” will try to rob us of our peace. It is very easy to get caught up in the net of commercialism; and the stress that consumes us can shake our spiritual optimism. We may find ourselves on a treadmill stuck in high gear. Consumerism is the apparent culprit, but perhaps the greater problem is a lack of faith and hope that leaves our vulnerable souls open for the enemy’s attack. At times Christmas celebrations can be “over the top” for we indulge in lavish foods, drink and jollity to the point that the real meaning of Christmas is overshadowed by the so called “finer things of life.” Eating, drinking and general merriment is wonderful providing that Christ’s birth is the reason for our happiness. Everyone tries to “get into the Christmas spirit”. A glass of eggnog, some Christmas Eve snow, and a few strolling carolers will add to the ambiance and help boost our spirits, but without Christ our parties are pointless, and superficial. How do we spread the joy of Christ’s birth when the stress of the season seems insurmountable? Perhaps if we get off the treadmill and simply contemplate the empty crèche that awaits the Christ Child, we will find the real Christmas spirit. Gaze at Mary and Joseph and imagine being in that lowly stable in Bethlehem as they wait with joy the birth of the child - the baby Jesus who comes bearing love to save us from our sins. Perhaps if we invite the Holy Family into our celebrations we will find our peace, for our hope is in The Child.  In decorating our homes, let every candle we place in our window, every ornament we hang on our tree, every carol we sing, every cookie we bake, and every gift we exchange be for Christ. Our homes should reflect His love, and our parties ought to be a joyful celebration of His anticipated coming. We should go to Mary and Joseph in prayer and ask them to help us prepare our souls to receive the Savior of the World, our King, the Prince of Peace.

 

Wishing all of you a Blessed and Joyous Christmas Filled with Hope.

Mary the Mother of God – Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

Today, on the occasion of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we conclude our nine-day novena in her honor. We rightfully honor her under her title Queen conceived without original sin, for she who was the most blessed among women was chosen to become the mother of God before she was conceived in her mother’s womb. Our Lord prepared Our Lady to receive in her beautiful, sacred and spotless vessel, the greatest gift ever bestowed to mankind, the gift of His only son, Jesus the Christ. Our Blessed Mother’s Fiat to the Angel Gabriel was a great blessing for all of us because in her words, “be it done unto me according to thy word”, she became the Mother of Christ, and later at the foot of the cross, became mother to all souls, living and dead. She now resides in Heaven as our Queen, and Queen of all creation. Even in Heaven she is within our grasp if we just go to her with all of our needs, joys and sorrows. This very loving mother of ours’ longs to hear from us and will come to our aid in an instant. St. Josemaria Escriva, the Founder of Opus Dei said in The Way, “Mother! Call her with a loud voice. She is listening to you; she sees you in danger, perhaps, and she­–your holy mother Mary–offers you, along with the grace of her son, the refuge of her arms, the tenderness of her embrace…and you will find yourself with added strength for the new battle.” (#516) Pray to her under her many titles in the Litany of the Blessed Virgin.

 

THE LITANY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

 

Lord, have mercy on us. Christ have mercy on us.

Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us.

Christ graciously hear us.

God the Father of heaven Have mercy on us.

God the Son, redeemer of the world

God the Holy Spirit

Holy Trinity, one God

Holy Mary, Pray for us

Holy Mother of God,

Holy Virgin of virgins,

Mother of Christ,

Mother of divine grace,

Mother most pure,

Mother most chaste,

Mother inviolate,

Mother undefiled,

Mother most amiable,

Mother most admirable,

Mother of good counsel,

Mother of our Creator,

Mother of our Savior,

Mother Immaculate

Virgin most prudent,

Virgin most venerable,

Virgin most renowned,

Virgin most powerful,

Virgin most merciful,

Virgin most faithful,

Mirror of justice,

Seat of wisdom,

Cause of our joy,

Spiritual vessel,

Vessel of honor,

Singular vessel of devotion,

Mystical rose,

Tower of David,

Tower of ivory,

House of gold,

Ark of the Covenant,

Gate of Heaven,

Morning star,

Health of the sick,

Refuge of sinners,

Comforter of the afflicted,

Help of Christians,

Queen of angels,

Queen of patriarchs,

Queen of prophets,

Queen of apostles,

Queen of martyrs,

Queen of confessors,

Queen of virgins,

Queen of all saints,

Queen of the family

Queen conceived without Original Sin,

Queen assumed into Heaven,

Queen of the most holy Rosary,

Queen of peace,

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,

Spare us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,

Graciously hear us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,

Have mercy on us.

 

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God,

That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

 

Let us pray. O God, whose only-begotten Son, by his life, death, and resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life; grant, we beseech you, that, we, who meditate on these mysteries of the most holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, may imitate what they contain, and obtain what they promise Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen

                 

                                                     

HAIL HOLY QUEEN

Hail, holy queen, mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To you we cry, poor, banished children of Eve. To you do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, your eyes of mercy toward us, and after this exile show unto us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.

V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.

R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

                                    

Mary the Mother of God – The Wedding Feast at Cana

As Our Lady lived most of her life in private, we have only a few accounts of her personal life. One of these was the wedding feast at Cana. Our Blessed Mother spoke only a few words at that wedding at Cana: “They have no more wine”, and “Do whatever He tells you.” These words simply stated, express the thoughts she carried in her heart.  She had no need to provide lengthy explanations for she trusted completely that her son would provide the solution.  Frederico Suarez, author of the book, Mary of Nazareth, delves deeply into the meaning of Our Lady’s simple words. “She was His mother. She had seen Him sleeping in her arms, but nevertheless she did not venture here to tell Him what He should do. She merely pointed out the problem to him and left the rest to his own judgment, convinced that whatever solution He offered, no matter what He decided to do, would be the best possible; she left the matter entirely to him, leaving him completely free to do his own Will without any feeling of obligation. Why? She knew that whatever He chose to do, it would be the most perfect thing that could be done, and the problem would be solved in the best possible way. She did not tie his hands, so to speak, or force him to take one line of action, determining a certain mode of proceeding for him; she trusted in his wisdom, in his superior knowledge, in his wider and deeper vision of things, a vision that took in aspects and circumstances perhaps unknown to her. She did not even ask whether He would think it fitting to intervene or not: She merely pointed out the problem and left it in his hands.”  

 

Frederico Suarez so eloquently captures the words in Our Lady’s heart that one can almost see inside her beautiful soul. Her deep faith, total trust and abiding love and respect for her son so moves our hearts that we desire to emulate her simple and most effective way. We may from time to time be at a loss for words. We know what we want to say but cannot effectively communicate our thoughts to others. Usually it is with those people closest to us that we encounter the greatest breakdown in communication, for the more we love, the harder it is to convey those words in our hearts. We too, in our relationships, should model Our Lady’s sincerity and simplicity for she always knew the right words to speak. She will help us to be docile to the inspirations from the Holy Spirit.

Recommended Reading:

Mary of Nazareth, Frederico Suarez - www.scepterpublishers.org

 

Mary the Mother of God – She Pondered All Things in Her Heart

Our Blessed Mother Mary was blessed abundantly with many truths of our faith yet these things she pondered in her heart. We do not know the finite details of Our Lady’s life in Nazareth for much of her life remained hidden from the world. She passed by unnoticed and blended into the background of society carrying out her duties with diligence, simplicity, and grace. Our Lady in her perfect humility never sought praise or recognition for her only desire was to give all the glory to God her Father. St. Josemaria Escriva said, “Not even to Joseph does Mary communicate the mystery that God has wrought in her. This lesson teaches us not to be accustomed to speaking lightly but to channel our joys and sorrows correctly without seeking praise or sympathy. Deo omnis Gloria! – all for God” (The Furrow #647.) When we find ourselves with a preponderance of thoughts to convey to others, let us model Our Lady’s humility and ponder all things in our hearts; and astutely ascertain that our speech not be self-serving but only be for the glory of God and the good of our neighbor. 

Mary the Mother of God – Model of Perfect Virtue

Mary is indeed the Mother God, but she is our mother as well. As she stood at the foot of the cross, overwhelmed with grief, Christ looked down and spoke the words we know so very well, “Son, behold they mother, mother behold they son”. At that moment Christ gave His mother not only to John, but to all of us. Mary became the mother of the whole human race. She lived the human virtues to perfection. Could there be any better model for those of us blessed with the responsibility of raising or caring for children than our beautiful Mother Mary?

 

The care of children can be a great challenge. Our Mother Mary, although she was perfect and free from any form of temptation or sin, still suffered for her son, Jesus. At the presentation in the Temple, she learned that Jesus was to be the cause of the rise and fall of many in Israel and her heart too a sword would pierce. Joseph and Mary both experienced fear and misunderstanding when Jesus was separated from them for three days as He went about doing His Father’s business. At the foot of the cross Our Lady suffered the greatest pain imaginable – the death of her child. Although she suffered greatly, her fortitude, trust and divine filiation enabled her to carry out the will of God in her life. 

 

There is no question that raising a family today is a challenge. However some parents find the task so overwhelmingly difficult, that rather than tackle the problems, they retreat to passivity and allow their children to “go with the flow” and succumb to current philosophies and practices. Regardless of the challenges that face parents today in the rearing of children, we have an obligation to honor God by living our faith and instilling in children the virtues of faith, hope, and charity as well as generosity, kindness, patience, perseverance, fortitude, courage and purity to mention a few. St. Josemaria, said, "Some people bring children into the world for their own benefit, to serve their own purposes, out of selfishness. They forget children are a wonderful gift from God for which they will have to render a very special account…” (The Furrow, #845.) Parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and teachers are called upon to set good example for their children by living all the Christian virtues, particularly Holy Purity. St. Josemaria said, “When we were little, we kept close to our mother in a dark alley or if dogs barked at us. Now, when we feel temptations of the flesh, we should run to the side or Our Mother in Heaven, by realizing how close she is to us, and by means of our aspirations. She will defend us and lead us to the light” (The Furrow, point 847.) The custom of reciting three Hail Mary’s at bedtime is recommended to protect one’s purity. The following short prayer to Our Lady will help us flee dangerous situations.

 

We Fly to Your Patronage

 

We fly to your patronage, O Holy Mother of God. Despise not our petitions in our necessities but deliver us from all dangers, O ever-glorious and blessed Virgin.

 

Recommended Reading:

 

The Mystical Rose, by John Henry Newman –

The following books by James B. Stenson:

Anchor – God’s Promises of Hope to Parents

Compass – A Handbook on Parent Leadership

Father, The Family Protector

Upbringing

All available from: www.scepterpublishers.org

 

Mary the Mother of God – Extraordinary Woman, Ordinary Life

Our Blessed Mother Mary is God’s most highly favored daughter, the most blessed among women for she was chosen from all women to be the mother of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. We dare compare ourselves with such a perfect being. Yet, Our Lady lived an ordinary life like the other women of her day. St. Josemaria said: “ Mary most holy, Mother of God, passes unnoticed, just as one more among women of her town. Learn from her to live with “naturalness.” (The Way, #499)

 

The following passage from St. Josemaria Escriva’s Christ is Passing By, beautifully expresses the ordinary life of Our Lady: “We can't forget that Mary spent nearly every day of her life just like millions of other women who look after their family, bring up their children and take care of the house. Mary sanctifies the ordinary everyday things — what some people wrongly regard as unimportant and insignificant: everyday work, looking after those closest to you, visits to friends and relatives. What a blessed ordinariness, that can be so full of love of God!

For that's what explains Mary's life — her love. A complete love, so complete that she forgets herself and is happy just to be there where God wants her, fulfilling with care what God wants her to do. That is why even her slightest action is never routine or vain but, rather, full of meaning. Mary, our mother, is for us both an example and a way. We have to try to be like her, in the ordinary circumstances in which God wants us to live. If we act in this way, we give those around us the example of a simple and normal life which is consistent, even though it has all the limitations and defects which are part and parcel of the human condition. And when they see that we live the same life as they do, they will ask us: Why are you so happy? How do you manage to overcome selfishness and comfort-seeking? Who has taught you to understand others, to live well and to spend yourself in the service of others? Then we must disclose to them the divine secret of christian existence. We must speak to them about God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, Mary. The time has come for us to use our poor words to communicate the depth of God's love which grace has poured into our souls.”

 

Consider these words from Mary of Nazareth by Frederico Suarez. “It is encouraging for us to know our Lady achieved her incomparable sanctity through these small, everyday actions. All our life, so ordinary, so monotonous, made up of little joys and unimportant sorrows, of commonplace occupations and happenings can become something very great if we do everything for love, with enthusiasm and trying for perfection.”

 

Our Lady truly was an extraordinary woman who lived an ordinary life. Each day we should try to emulate her virtue. The following “little prayers”, known as aspirations are a simple way of maintaining close contact with our Blessed Lady throughout our day.

 

SOME ASPIRATIONS TO OUR LADY

 

Holy Mary, our hope handmaid of the Lord, pray for us

*

Holy Mary, our hope, seat of wisdom, pray for us

*

Holy Mary, star of the sea, help your children

*

Mother of fair love, help your children

*

Queen of Apostles, pray for us

*

Show that you are our mother

*

Sweet Heart of Mary, prepare a safe way for us

 

 

Recommended Reading:

Mary of Nazareth, by Frederico Suarez, Scepter Publishers, www.scepterpublishers.org

 

Mary the Mother of God – Blessed is the Fruit of Your Womb

Our Lady, after learning of the Angel Gabriel’s news that she was to become the mother of God, went in haste to visit her cousin Elizabeth, as she too was with child. St. Josemaria said, “Turn your eyes towards the Blessed Virgin and see how she practices the virtue of loyalty. When Elizabeth needs her, the Gospel says that she went joyfully making haste. Learn from her!” (The Furrow, #371, St. Josemaria Escriva) Her first thoughts were of her cousin and her condition; her own news she humbly pondered in her heart. As soon as she entered Elizabeth’s house the Holy Spirit stirred the soul of St. John the Baptist causing him to leap for joy in his mother’s womb. At that precise moment St. John was cleansed of original sin, and his mother Elizabeth, also filled with the Holy Spirit, knew without a word from Our Lady, that she was in the presence of the Lord Himself. She proclaimed “Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord?” (Luke 1: 42-43) How very beautiful that the Holy Spirit chose the unborn babe in Elizabeth’s womb to be the catalyst that moved her to announce the news of Our Lady’s divine motherhood. Thus the feast of Our Lady’s visitation to Elizabeth became a celebration of rejoicing for she brought great joy to Elizabeth that day. Our Lady’s heart too was filled with joy as she poured out her deep gratitude to God the Father in the Magnificat. 

 

MAGNIFICAT

 

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name. He has mercy on those who fear Him in every generation. He has shown the strength of His arm, and has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty. He has come to the help of His servant Israel for He has remembered His promise of mercy, the promise He made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children for ever.

 

Recommended Reading:

Mother of the Redeemer – Encyclical Letter of Pope John Paul II, 1987