Category: MARIAN REFLECTIONS

Posted in EUCHARISTIC Adoration, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MAY - The Blessed Virgin MARY'S MONTH, OPEN HOUSE...Conversations with..., The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, To JESUS through MARY

Thoughts of Mary – 17 May – Mother of the Eucharist

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Thoughts of Mary – 17 May – “Mary’s Month”

Mother of the Eucharist
Moments with Saint Pope John XXIII (1881-1963)

“The Christian heart understands certain harmonies at once, in a surprising and miraculous way and this mystery which fuses together the dearest objects of Catholic devotion, the Eucharist and Our Lady, is one of the most consoling and delightful harmonies of our faith.
It is a doctrine and it is a fact …. I open the Old Testament and find the Song of Songs which presents me with two most beautiful comparisons (cf Song of Solomon 2:2-3) – “As a lily among brambles, so is my love among maidens.”
Can we not all see here, in the delicate image of the lily, Mary the Immaculate, beautiful and resplendent?
In the same passage I find:  “As an apple tree among the trees of the wild forest, so is my beloved among young men.”
What is this tree, laden with fruit, which resembles the beloved?
This apple tree that grows among the trees of the wild forest, the fruit of which is wholesome and sweet to the taste?
Obviously, it is Jesus – the fruit of the tree is the Sacrament of His Body and Blood.
Oh, what a wonderfully apt association of images!
The lily and the tree – Mary and the Eucharist!
The Church is compared to a lovely garden, “a garden locked.”
In it, the fountains play and herbs and fruits make it pleasant and perfumed like a garden of Paradise.
And see! beside the fountain blooms the lily, near at hand is the tree.
The faithful soul seeks for himself a place between the fragrant lily and the fruit-laden tree, between Mary and the Holy Sacrament and lingers with great delight in the shade of the tree.  “I sat in his shadow….”
O Mary, pure lily, tender and delicate flower!
O Holy Sacrament!
O mysterious tree, truly the most beautiful of all the trees in the wild forest, because you are the Christ!”

o mary pure lily 2 17 may 2020 st john XXIII

Posted in CONTEMPLATIVE Prayer, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MAY - The Blessed Virgin MARY'S MONTH, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on PRAYER, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Thought for the Day – 17 May – Contemplation and Our Lady

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Thought for the Day – 17 May – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Contemplation and Our Lady

“True contemplation has it’s origin in love, for when love is intense it gives a clear insight into that which is loved.
It is never the result of mere learning, which can be cold and uninspiring and, therefore, unable to give us a vision of the truth.
Many are learned without love, while there are others, who have no learning but love God and contemplate Him with a spiritual joy which is a prelude to the happiness of Heaven.
Contemplation is not, therefore, a gift of learning.
Even an illiterate man can have it, while those who study a great deal, may be without it.
For the most part, it is the gift of divine grace.
This is not to deny that the knowledge of sacred things, especially of theology, can promote contemplation.
It can help, as long as it is not the kind of learning which makes a man proud but, rather leads him nearer to God.
This is what St Paul meant when he said that “knowledge puffs up but charity edifies” (1 Cor 8:1).

Contemplation, then, begins in the love which is based on humility and on prayer.
The contemplative must always look for the help of divine grace without ever presuming on his own powers and without fooling himself, that he has made any progress of his own accord.
It does not matter whether he is an ignorant or a learned man, as long as he sees the reflection of God in all things and comes to know and love Him.
Then, under the the influence of divine grace, contemplation flows from the loving knowledge of God.
The Blessed Virgin was created and conceived full of grace and endowed with more supernatural privileges than any other creature.
Therefore, she knew and loved God in a higher way than any of the Cherubim or Seraphim.
It is only to be expected then, that she would have had the gift of contemplation.
Her prayer was an intimate conversation with God.
We have an example of this kind of contemplative prayer in the hymn which she composed when she became the Mother of the Word Incarnate.
“My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour;  Because he has regarded the lowliness of his handmaid;  for, behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed….” (Lk 1:46-48).
In Mary, however, the contemplative life was united to the active life.
This was so, whether she was in the house in Nazareth, or following Jesus on His apostolic journeys, or co-operating with the Apostles in their great mission during her last years on earth.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

 

Posted in MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MAY - The Blessed Virgin MARY'S MONTH, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, The PASSION, Uncategorized

Thoughts of Mary – 16 May – Fountain of Life

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Thoughts of Mary – 16 May – “Mary’s Month”

Fountain of Life
Moments with Saint Pope John XXIII (1881-1963)

“There is a passage from the pen of a distinguished English writer on religious subjects (F W Faber, The Blessed Sacrament 1855), which is so wonderful that I am sorry that I can do no more than briefly trace the main line of his thought.
The Immaculate Virgin is with us.
We still enjoy hearing our fathers describe the delight felt by the whole Catholic world in the middle of the last century, when the ancient doctrine of Mary having been preserved from all taint of original sin, was defined as Dogma.
That doctrine is like the mountain spring, purer than the waters of Sion, from which flow all the other mysteries of the Incarnation.
The whole Church gathers around this source to gaze at it’s reflection in the clear deep waters.
Kneeling on the bank is the supreme Pontiff, the teachers who thirst for the truth, hasten to drink from the spring.
Mitred and crowned heads and humble children of the people, the poor and afflicted of all classes, a whole multitude of pious folk, stoop down, drink and rise again – sight is restored, Mary shines more brightly than before.
Look well, my brothers, at those waters.
They are the elements of the Precious Blood of Jesus.
They flow mysteriously in the sanctified breast of Anna, they appear again, transfigured into the blood of Mary, the fair child, the maiden of fifteen years, the Bride of the Holy Spirit.
Through the power of the Spirit that overshadows her, this blood gathers into itself, the elements of the Sacred Humanity of Christ.
Behold the Spring and then the Blood!
Oh, what a miracle occurs!
The Blood is already beating in the Sacred Heart, it crimsons the cheeks of the Divine Child – it is sweated out from every pore of Jesus, in His Passion.”behold the spring and then the blood - st john XXIII 16 may 2020

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Thought for the Day – 16 May – Prayer and Our Lady

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Thought for the Day – 16 May – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Prayer and Our Lady

“He told them a parable – that they must always pray and not lose heart” (Lk 18:1).
Nobody else on earth ever carried out this command of Our Lord as perfectly as Our Lady.
St Albert the Great says that, after Jesus Christ, the spirit of prayer is to be found at it’s most perfect, in Our Lady (Sup Miss 80).
It was because of her immense love for her divine Son that Mary was able to put into practice, throughout her life, that Gospel precept of unceasing prayer.
Prayer in it’s fullest sense, is in fact, an act of love rather than supplication.
It is defined as an elevation of soul to God, to adore and praise Him, to thank Him and to ask Him for His favours.
It leads to lasting and intimate union with God, who should be regarded as our only good and as the final end of our lives.
Since Mary was full of grace, she was always closest to God.
Even before she became His Mother, she constantly enjoyed His intimacy.
Despite the many sorrows of her life, this intimacy became still greater and more beautiful, when she became the Mother of Jesus.
From that time, she was able to hold Him to her immaculate bosom and to live in close familiarity with Him.
She was able, too, to follow Him on His apostolic journeys, until He reached Calvary and the Cross and, finally, to see Him gloriously risen from the dead.
After Jesus had ascended into Heaven, her soul expanded with a nostalgic love for her divine Son, until her earthly journey was over and she was taken up into Heaven.
There, she reigns supreme among the Saints and Angels and never ceases to pray for us, her exiled children, who need her help so much.
Let us learn from Mary, how to pray with love and perseverance.
Then, we shall be able to follow her along the difficult way of perfection, which leads towards Heaven.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

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Thoughts of Mary – 15 May – The Angelus

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Thoughts of Mary – 15 May – “Mary’s Month”

The Angelus
Moments with Saint Pope John XXIII (1881-1963)

“It is the custom in Catholic countries for the bells to ring the Angelus at dawn … “The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.”
This peal of bells, after the darkness of the night, represents the light that returns in splendour, while the heavens bow down to meet the earth.
The angel’s greeting is answered by our prayer which recalls the wonderful truth:  “and she conceived by the Holy Ghost.”

The woman, daughter of Eve, chosen before all ages for this privilege, is called to a unique motherhood, to become, by a divine miracle, the Mother of Jesus.
How our hearts throb with joy as we repeat together, a prayer in which Mary is invoked as our Mother too! …

These are simple and familiar words – but it is good to meditate on all they stand for, in recollection and peace of mind.

The Son of God has become the Son of Mary, our brother and has lived among us – and we know well what this means for us.
First of all thirty years of silence, work and obedience.
Then three years of the apostolate, teaching, miracles, all-conquering light.
Then the hour of humiliation and sacrifice, but, in the end the triumph!”

the angelus st john XXIII 15 may 2020

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Thought for the Day – 15 May – The Power of Mary

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Thought for the Day – 15 May – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Power of Mary

“Virgin most powerful, pray for us.”
This is one of the invocations to Our Lady in her Litany.
Mary’s power derives from her divine Motherhood.
The Eternal Word was made man in her most chaste womb.
By assuming our human nature in the Hypostatic Union, He became her Son.
In the same way as a mother can give instructions to her son, Mary can pray to Jesus with full confidence that she will be answered.
Not only has she the power of love, over Him but, also the power of a mother.
Her prayers have the force of a command and it is impossible for them to go unheeded.
When Mary seeks a favour from her divine Son for us, who are her adopted sons, says St Peter Damian, she commands rather than prays, she is more like the mistress than the handmaid of the Lord (Serm 41 de Nativitate).
Some ecclesiastical writers go as far as describing Mary as being omnipotent in grace and in intercession, even as God is omnipotent by reason of His nature.
“O Mother of God,” writes St Gregory of Nicomedia, “you have such invincible power, that the multitude of our sins can never exhaust your mercy.   Nothing can resist your power, for your Creator regards your glory as His own” (Orat de Exitu B Virg).
This doctrine should console even the most hopeless sinners.
It is enough to have loving recourse to Mary and we shall be sure of salvation.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MARIAN TITLES, MATER DOLOROSA - Mother of SORROWS, MAY - The Blessed Virgin MARY'S MONTH, OPEN HOUSE...Conversations with..., QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The HOLY CROSS, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Thoughts of Mary – 14 May – Praying With Our Mother

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Thoughts of Mary – 14 May – “Mary’s Month”

Praying With Our Mother
Moments with Saint Pope John XXIII (1881-1963)

“My dear brothers in Christ and in the love of Mary!
The Sacred Altar is the meeting point, of all, that is for the Christian and the Catholic, a vision of heavenly doctrine, inspired by divine grace, the inexhaustible source of strength, holiness and joy in our life here below, in the certainty of the eternal life to come.

Follow Me then to this Blessed Altar of My Sacrifice, which is the Sacrifice offered for you and with you, for all that is dearest to you in the innermost sanctuary of your souls and in your family life and in the various relationships of your civil and social activity.

The land where we were born, which is so dear to us, is always, even when resplendent with natural beauty, full of thorns and of things which cause us distress and pain.

True comfort is found, only in union with the Cross of Christ and His sufferings, united with the sorrows of His Mother, who is our Mother too.

Oh, how beautiful is and how consoling, to believe, live and pray with our Mother, sharing in her love with her Son, the Word of God, made man for us, as a sign of blessing, prosperity and peace amid the uncertainties of this present life, in the certain hope of the eternal joys which await us. Amen.

true comfort is found, only in union with the cross of christ - st john XXIII 14 may 2020

Posted in Hail MARY!, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MARIAN TITLES, MAY - The Blessed Virgin MARY'S MONTH, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI

Thought for the Day – 14 May – The Refuge of Sinners

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Thought for the Day – 14 May – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Refuge of Sinners

mary the refuge of sinners - bacci 14 may 2020

“Refuge of sinners, pray for us.”
This is one of the most beautiful invocations in the Litany of Loreto.
In the second half of the Hail Mary, the Church, knowing that we are all sinners, teaches us to pay to our heavenly Mother: “Pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.”
When a mother sees her sons going astray or behaving badly, she does not cease to love them.
One might say, that, she loves them all the more, because, in addition to her natural affection, she develops a sense of anxious compassion for them when she thinks of the way in which they have risked their eternal salvation by sinning.
Mary’s attitude to us is like this.
The only difference is, that our earthly mothers suffer as a result of our transgressions and ingratitude without being able to do much to change us.
Mary, on the other hand, being the Mother of Jesus as well as our Mother, is not only willing but able, to help us.
No matter how enormous our sins may be, no matter how irresistible our carnal instincts may seem, no matter how hopelessly we may have plunged into the depths of evil, it is enough for us to raise our eyes in confidence towards Mary.
Like a merciful Mother, she will obtain for us from God, forgiveness and the strength to return to the path of penitence and of peace.
“Poor ship-wrecked sinners,” says St Bonaventure, “have recourse to Mary and she will lead you to the port of salvation.” (In Ps 8).
Our good Mother, St Bernard tells us, does not shrink in horror from the most wretched of sinners.
He need only turn to her for help and she will save him from damnation (Or Pan ad BV).
How comforting it should be for us to realise that we have such a merciful and powerful Mother.
Let us turn to her with trust and humility and she will certainly assist us.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MAY - The Blessed Virgin MARY'S MONTH, OPEN HOUSE...Conversations with..., QUOTES of the SAINTS, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Thoughts of Mary – 13 May – Behold Your Mother

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Thoughts of Mary – 13 May – “Mary’s Month”

Behold Your Mother
Moments with Saint Pope John XXIII (1881-1963)

“Shortly before His death, Jesus, seeing His Mother with the beloved disciple by her side, said to Mary, indicating John:  “Behold your son.”
Then He said to His disciple:  “Behold our Mother.”

As if enraptured by the infinite generosity of God, St Robert Bellarmine asserts, that whoever draws near to the most high God with a frank and open heart may obtain grace and salvation.   In fact, Jesus, who wanted us to be co-heirs with Himself of His Father’s Kingdom, invites us too, to share in the kindness of His perfect Mother and, she herself loves to carry on her work of mercy and solicitude for all who are working their way to their home with her Son.

“Let us then,” says Bellarmine, “hasten with confidence to Christ’s throne of grace and with prayers and profound contrition, let us beg Him to repeat for everyone of us, the words He said His Mother:  “Behold your son.”
In the same way, as He looks at Mary, may He repeat to everyone of us, the wonderful invitation:  “Behold your Mother.”

In short, here we find our true relationship, already established on earth, with Jesus our Redeemer and our brother and our relationship with Mary, the Mother of Jesus and of all who belong to the to those He has wished to redeem.
It is, therefore, a glory of Catholic worship and of the Christian Doctrine, which always presents the Lord Jesus to us with His Mother by His side.

How eternally happy are those faithful, who invoke the heavenly Queen by the sweet name of Mother and faithfully follow her counsel, her inspiration and her example!”shortly before his death - st john XXIII 13 may 2020

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Thought for the Day – 13 May – Mary, Our Hope

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Thought for the Day – 13 May – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Mary, Our Hope

In the beautiful prayer, known as the Salve Regina or Hail, Holy Queen, the Church salutes Mary as “our life, our sweetness and our hope.”
Mary is our hope, because, she gave us our Saviour, Jesus and, because, she prays to Him continually for the graces which we need.
Following the example of Luther, modern Protestants raise the objection that Mary cannot be regarded as a source of hope, because, all our trust should be placed in God.
Anyone who places his trust in creatures, draws down God’s curse upon himself, they say and, they go on to quote from Jeremiah:  “Cursed be the man that trusteth in man” (Jer 17:5).
But this is true only, when we trust in creatures independently of God, as if we can derive any good from them, without recourse to God.
We invoke Mary, however, as the Mother of God and our Mediatrix with Him.
She is our hope, insofar as she obtains for us from God, the graces and favours which we require.
St Bernard assures us, that God has placed in Mary’s hands, all the riches which He wishes to bestow on us (Serm de aquaed).
“He will never experience eternal ruin,” says St Anselm, “for whom Mary has once prayed.”
St Bernard calls upon Mary as the foundation of all his hope (Ibid).
Let us remember, that Mary is our loving Mother who wishes us to pray to her, because, she knows that if she intercedes on our behalf, she will certainly be heard.
It should be most consoling to us to have such a good and powerful Mother in whom, we can safely trust in every peril and in every necessity.
Let us pray to her with love and faith, in the certainty that, we shall be answered in the way that is best for us.
Let us say along with St John Damascene:  “O Mother of God, if I place my trust in you, I shall be saved.   If I am under your protection, I have nothing to fear, because to be devoted to you, is to possess a weapon of salvation which God grants only to those, whom He desires to redeem” (Serm de Nat, cap 4).

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

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Thoughts of Mary – 12 May – To Jesus Through Mary

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Thoughts of Mary – 12 May – “Mary’s Month”

To Jesus Through Mary
Moments with Saint Pope John XXIII (1881-1963)

The simple words of the first page of Matthew’s Gospel:  “Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ” (Mt 1:16) suffice for me, to establish the fundamental principle of all the great theological teaching which illustrates the connection between the Blessed Sacrament and Our Lady.

Christian piety has rejoiced to learn from the Book of Acts, that Mary was present at the first gatherings of the faithful, when they broke read together as brothers and spent long hours in prayer.
And modern art has often portrayed the heavenly Mother in the act of receiving, from the hand of St John, the beloved apostle, the Communion of the Body and Blood of her Son.
But all this is superfluous and unnecessary for our convinced belief.

When we say, that in the Eucharist, we have the Son and in Mary, we have His Mother, have we not said all?
The great genius of Hippo, St Augustine, with his eagle-eyed power of vision, found the words which so brilliantly contain the Doctrine – Ave corpo vero, nato de Maria Virgine – Hail, true body, born of the Virgin Mary!

In this way – a delightful thing to say, a sublime thing to contemplate – the terms of this twofold mystery are merged into one, so that Mary appears to us radiant in the light of the Eucharistic mystery;  they are merged and yet they are the two extreme points, between which is evolved and developed, the whole Catholic Dogma of the Incarnation and of the continuing life of the Church.

when we say that inthe eucharist we have the son - to jesus through mary - st john XXIII 12 may 2020

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Thought for the Day – 12 May – “All Generations Shall Call Me Blessed”

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Thought for the Day – 12 May – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

“All Generations Shall Call Me Blessed”

she made a solemn prophecy behold all generations bacci 12 may 2020

‘A Jewish girl, poor in this world’s goods but rich in virtue, arrived after a long and difficult journey at a village in the hills of Judea, called Hebron.
There, she paid a visit to her cousin, Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth saw the girl, she was immediately enlightened by the Holy Spirit with the knowledge, that her visitor, was the Mother of God.
“How have I deserved,” she cried out, “that the mother of my Lord, should come to me?” (Lk 1:43).
At these words, Mary looked up towards Heaven and gave spontaneous expression to a hymn of humble acknowledgement to God, Who had “regarded the lowliness of His Handmaid” (Lk 1:48).
Then she made a solemn prophecy, which would surely have assured the cynical intellectuals and nobles of the land but, which history has wonderfully fulfilled.
“Behold” she said, “all generations shall call me blessed” (ibid).
We can testify today, that this miracle came to pass.
All the nations have paid reverence to the Jewish girl, who became the Mother of God and our Mother, the Queen of Heaven and earth, the comforter of the afflicted, the conqueror of Satan and the invincible Guardian of the Church.
From the engravings in the Catacombs, to the celestial Madonnas of the Angelico, from the rudimentary sculpture of Roman art, to the prayerful statues on the pinnacles of more modern Cathedrals, the image of Mary has shone as a beacon of hope for all generations.
Men bow before her and ask for light, for comfort and for pardon.
“If anyone follows Mary,” says St Bernard, “he will not lose his way; if anyone pray to her, he will not despair;  if anyone thinks of her, he will not sin;  if anyone reaches out to her, he will not fall;  if anyone places himself under her protection, he need have no fear;  if anyone places himself under her leadership, he will never give up;  if anyone pays homage to her, he is certain reach his destination safely“ (Homil Missus est 2:17).”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

if anyone follows mary - st bernard 12 may 2020

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Thoughts of Mary – 11 May – Bend Tenderly Over Our Wounds

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Thoughts of Mary – 11 May – “Mary’s Month”

Bend Tenderly Over Our Wounds
Moments with Venerable Pope Pius XII (1876-1958)
(Pontiff 1939-1958)

Enraptured by the splendour of your heavenly beauty and impelled by the anxieties of the world, we cast ourselves into your arms, O Immaculate Mother of Jesus and our Mother Mary, confident of finding in your most loving heart, appeasement of our ardent desires and a safe harbour from the tempests which beset us on every side.

Though degraded by our faults and overwhelmed by infinite misery, we admire and praise the peerless richness of the sublime gifts with which God has filled you, above every other mere creature, from the first moment of your conception until the day on which, after your assumption into heaven, He crowned you, Queen of the Universe.

O crystal Fountain of Faith, bathe our minds with the eternal truths!   O fragrant Lily of All Holiness, captivate our hearts with your heavenly perfume!   O Conqueress of Evil and Death, inspire in us a deep horror of sin, which makes the soul detestable to God and a slave of hell!

O well-beloved of God, hear the ardent cry which rises up from every heart.   Bend tenderly over our aching wounds.   Convert the wicked, dry the tears of the afflicted and oppressed, comfort the poor and humble, quench hatreds, sweeten hardness, safeguard the flower of purity in youth, protect the holy church, make all men feel the attractions of Christian goodness.   In your name, resounding harmoniously in heaven, may they recognise that they are brothers and that the nations are members of one family, upon which may there shine forth, the sun of a universal and sincere peace.

Receive, O most sweet Mother, our humble supplications and above all, obtain for us that, one day, happy with you, we may repeat before your throne, that hymn which today is sung on earth around your altars – You are all-beautiful, O Mary!   You are the glory, you are the joy, you are the honour of our people! Amen.

The above prayer, dedicated to Mary Immaculate, was composed … for the Marian year of 1954, which was proclaimed to mark the Centenary of the definition of the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception.

bend over our wounds o mary - pius XII 11 may 2020 FINAL

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Thoughts of Mary – 10 May – Our Mother

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Thoughts of Mary – 10 May – “Mary’s Month”

Our Mother
Moments with Saint Pope John XXIII (1881-1963)

“In this earthly life of ours, in the exercise of our individual and collective freedom, in mutual respect and in the common striving for charity and brotherliness – in all these things which make up our earthly life, that shines in the light of God, the light of truth and love – we have as our loving and guiding star, Mary the Mother of Jesus Christ, whom He, when about to die, left to us to be our Mother and whom we love with such warmth of filial affection, that we wish to glorify her as our Queen.

But, there must be no confusion of ideas.
Christ Jesus is King, by His very nature.
He is seated upon the throne, because He, is Himself, the Lord, the Holy One, the Most High.
That is why He is enthroned.
But we like to think of His Mother and ours, as standing beside Him, in her golden robe, surrounded by a great throng, as Psalm 44 (45) described her centuries before her birth: “At your right hand, stands the Queen, with her virgin companions, her escort, in her train.”

O Queen of the Universe, remain forever with us ….
All our voices will mingle with the voice of the Holy Father and those of the whole Catholic world: “Hear us, O Mary, O Mother and Queen, we pray to you, O sweet, O merciful, O loving, Immaculate Virgin Mary.” Amenhear us o mary o mother and queen - st john XXIII 10 may 2020

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Thought for the Day – 10 May – Mary’s Patience

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Thought for the Day – 10 May – “Mary’s Month” Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Mary’s Patience

The Patience of Mary bacci 10 may 2020

“Many people who honour the Cross of Jesus Christ, have no liking for their own cross.
Many of those who pray fervently to Jesus crucified, experience a sense of repugnance and rebellion when they are called upon to suffer with Him and to carry their own cross.
But Jesus has said:  “If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Lk 9:23).
If a man does not love his own cross, he does not love the Cross of Jesus Christ.
If we are to be true Christians, we must suffer with resignation and love.
Mary gives us a wonderful example of this kind of loving patience.
She is the Mother of Sorrows, because, when Jesus was in agony for love of us on Mount Calvary, she knelt at His feet.
From the depths of her stricken mother’s heart, she offered up her divine Son and united her own sufferings to the infinite merits of His passion and death.
In this way, she became the co-redemptrix of the human race.
But, she had already suffered in patience throughout the earlier part of her life.
Let us recall to mind the coldness of her reception in Bethlehem, the birth of her infant Son in a damp cave, the persecution by Herod and the flight into Egypt, the daily privations in the home of Nazareth, the anxious devotion with which she followed our divine Redeemer on His long missionary journeys and the day, when He was finally betrayed and arrested.
She knew that her divine Son had it in His power to spare both Himself and her, all this suffering and humiliation.
Even, when they lived in Nazareth, she knew that He had power to multiply loaves of bread, change water into wine, or annihilate His enemies.
But she never asked Him to do any of these things.
All she ever asked for, was a life of intimacy with Jesus.
She was happy to co-operate patiently with Him, in the work of redeeming the human race.
By humbly following Him as far as Calvary, she merited to follow Him triumphantly into Heaven on the day of her Assumption.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MARIAN TITLES, MAY - The Blessed Virgin MARY'S MONTH, OPEN HOUSE...Conversations with..., PRAYERS of the CHURCH, QUOTES of the SAINTS, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The INCARNATION

Thoughts of Mary – 9 May – “Show You are Our Mother”

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Thoughts of Mary – 9 May – “Mary’s Month”

“Show You are Our Mother”
Moments with Saint Pope John XXIII (1881-1963)

in her heaven and earth were joined - st john XXIII 9 may 2020

“The glorification of Mary, as it shines in the gentle radiance of this month’s celebrations, is simply a reminder of her mission, of all God’s purpose in her.

It is a mission of mercy and salvation, which springs from her other supreme privilege, divine motherhood.
God’s purpose is one of forgiveness and reconciliation, because the Heavenly Father, when He sent His Son to redeem the world, chose Mary as His first collaborator in His plan for our redemption.
In her, heaven and earth were joined and through her, the Divine Saviour was offered to mankind.

What harmonies of piety and love are awakened by the hymn Salve Regina, one of the oldest and dearest of all canticles, which sings with trustful longing, of this motherly role of Mary!
From beginning to end, this prayer – “Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of mercy,” is the lyrical cry of all, who, disturbed by sin and subject to tears, pain and death, still look to her, as their “life, sweetness and hope.”
To her, they address their imploring prayer, a supreme expression of shining and unconquerable faith:  “Show unto us Jesus, the blessed fruit of thy womb, O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.”

salve regina hail holy queen 22 aug 2019

Posted in MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MAY - The Blessed Virgin MARY'S MONTH, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on VIRTUE, The FOUR CARDINAL VIRTUES: JUSTICE, PRUDENCE, TEMPERANCE, FORTITUDE

Thought for the Day – 9 May – The Cardinal Virtues of Mary

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Thought for the Day – 9 May – “Mary’s Month” Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Cardinal Virtues of Mary

“Mary’s soul has been appropriately styled, ‘the Garden of all the Virtues.’
In it, the three theological virtues were wonderfully interwoven with the four cardinal virtues of, justice, prudence, temperance and fortitude.

As St John Chrysostom observed, justice is nothing else but the perfect observance of all the commandments. (Homil 12 super Matth).
The Blessed Virgin obeyed all the commandments in her relations with God, to Whom she dedicated herself, from the moment when she gained the use of reason.
She obeyed them in her relations with her Son, Jesus Christ, for she reared and instructed Him with loving maternal care, even though she knew that He was God and had no need of her attention.
She fulfilled them in her relations with men, for whose salvation, she united her sufferings and her merits, to the infinite sufferings ad merits of our Saviour.

Furthermore, Mary was prudence itself.
This virtue shone forth in all her words and in all her actions.
When the Angel appeared in human form and told her that she was to be the Mother of God, she was not flattered nor complacent.
She thought calmly about the mystery which had been announced to her and asked the Angel how it could come to be, since she had already consecrated her virginity to God.
She pronounced her Fiat only when she was reassured by the Angel that through the intervention of the Holy Spirit, she would be a virgin mother.
This was the beginning of the miracle of the Incarnation.
When she was greeted by St Elizabeth as the Mother of the Lord, she did not boast about her distinction but composed a hymn of gratitude, in which she attributed her glory to God alone.
Mary’s prudence, is equally evident in her words of gentle reproof to Jesus after He had been lost and found again, in the company of the Doctors.
It is again obvious at the wedding celebrations in Cana, when she knew well, how to snatch the first miracle from the heart of Jesus.

Mary possessed the virtue of temperance also, both in her external behaviour and in her perfect internal control over all her faculties.
This was the result of her immunity from original sin, which has created such grave moral disorder in our poor human nature.
This virtue, was further perfected, by the purity and holiness of her daily life.

Finally, the virtue of fortitude was Mary’s to an heroic degree.
But her fortitude was always calm and controlled.
The elderly Simeon had foretold that the sword of sorrow would pierce her heart.
Her whole life was interwoven with suffering and privation.
From the manger in Bethlehem, to the flight into Egypt, from the Circumcision, when Jesus first shed His blood, to the Hill of Calvary, where He gave all He had for our salvation.
Mary offered her sufferings along with those of her divine Son for our redemption.
Her fortitude never wavered but was always serene, for her mind and heart were in constant communication with God.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MAY - The Blessed Virgin MARY'S MONTH, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, Uncategorized

Thought for the Day – 8 May – The Theological Virtues of Our Lady

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Thought for the Day – 8 May – “Mary’s Month” Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Theological Virtues of Our Lady

“The three theological virtues of faith, hope and charity, shone like constellations throughout the life of Mary.
“Blessed is she who has believed” (Lk 1:45), St Elizabeth said of her.
Mary’s life was one long act of faith and of love.
She lived continuously in the presence of God, being united to Him by lively sentiments of faith, hope and charity.
Her spirit of constant prayer was the result of her intense practice of these theological virtues.
When the Archangel Gabriel came down from Heaven, to bring her the tidings of her divine motherhood, he found her absorbed in prayer.
When St Elizabeth praised and called her the Mother of her Lord, Mary, from the depths of her faith, attributed everything to God and glorified Him in her Magnificat.
When the baby Jesus was born in the cave of Bethlehem, she adored Him with faith, hope and love, as her God and future Saviour.
When she realised that Herod was searching for her Son to put Him to death, she placed her confidence in Him.
She fled with Him into Egypt and brought Him back later, to their land, always with the same faith, hope and love.
Her faith and hope were not weakened by the loss of Jesus in Jerusalem, only her mother’s love was disturbed, on this occasion.
When it seemed in that hidden life of Nazareth, that Jesus was leading a life of pointless silence, her faith and hope in Him, did not fade, while her love grew greater from day to day.
In the triumphs and sorrows of His public life, she continued to practice, to an extraordinary degree, these three virtues – on the road to Calvary, at the foot of the Cross, at the removal of Our Lord’s body from the Cross, at the tomb, at the glorious Resurrection, Ascension and Pentecost.
At last, when she was alone in this world without Jesus, these three virtues seemed to burn more brightly in her soul.
She thought only of Jesus, hoped in Jesus alone and loved Jesus alone.
Then Jesus rewarded the lively faith, expectant hope and flaming charity of His Mother, for on her assumption into Heaven, these three virtues shared in her triumph and coronation.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MAY - The Blessed Virgin MARY'S MONTH, The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

Thoughts of Mary – 7 May – The Shining Crown

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Thoughts of Mary – 7 May – “Mary’s Month”

The Shining Crown
Moments with Saint Pope John XXIII (1881-1963)

“Immaculate” suggests order and beauty – the natural order, raised to a state of grace as soon as it left it’s Creator’s hands and, therefore, ever obedient to His will and His commands and the beauty which is the shining crown of this order.

But everyone of us must begin in this way – by contemplating this vision of serenity and light, God’s masterpiece, we must draw strength to rise to the heights of perfection, whether of the individual or of the family, of institutions or of Holy Church.

Everyone must try to set his own soul in perfect order, for by this is true supernatural beauty and the special gifts of individuals are then reflected and reproduced, on an ever wider scale, in order to enrich, with increasing joy and beauty, the great family of believers.

And, finally, “Immaculate” suggests the vision of heaven.
The perfect and supreme grace bestowed on Mary from the first moment of her earthly life, is granted to us also, though, to be sure, to a lesser degree and only as a pledge of future happiness – for the day when faith will be stripped of the veils which hide the vision of God and we shall see the Lord, face-to-face!  Amen.

and finally immaculate suggests the vision of heaven - st john XXIII 7 may 2020

Posted in MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MAY - The Blessed Virgin MARY'S MONTH, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on HUMILITY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Thought for the Day – 7 May – The Humility of Mary

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Thought for the Day – 7 May – “Mary’s Month” Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Humility of Mary

“The profound humility of Mary was commensurate with her high dignity.
As Dante put it, she was the humblest and noblest of creatures. “Umile ed altra piu che creatura” (Paradiso 33:2)
None of the saints was humbler than Mary, just as none of them was greater.
It was an Archangel who came down from Heaven and bowed before her as he praised her in the highest terms as “full of grace” and announced the unique dignity she was to receive as Mother of God.
She bowed her head in turn and declared herself to be the handmaid of the Lord, ready to do His will in all things.
Then she went to visit and congratulate her cousin, Elizabeth, because she had heard from the Angel that she was to be the mother of the Precursor.
When she arrived at the house, she was greeted by Elizabeth with the words: “How have I deserved that the mother of my Lord should come to me?”
Far from being flattered, however, Mary attributed all her glory to God and replied with the Magnificat, a hymn of praise and gratitude in God’s honour.
It was the same when Jesus was born in the manger at Bethlehem.
There was a sudden brightness in the sky and the angels sang “Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace among men of goodwill.”
But even though she held the Lord of Heaven and earth, in her arms, the Blessed Virgin asked for nothing for herself.
Her only desire was to do the will of God.
The love of Jesus was enough for her.
She did not seek her own glory but the glory of God.
Likewise, on the weary journey into Egypt, she was content because, she was with Jesus and in the obscure life of Nazareth, she desired no other treasure but Her divine Son.
During His public life, she followed Him in silence.
Once only she spoke in a submissive tone, in order to ask a favour for others but not for herself.
It was at the wedding celebrations in Cana, when she asked for the first miracle, in such a way, that it was not even apparent that it was she who had wrung the favour from the filial heart of Jesus.
It was always like that, up to the time of Calvary and the Resurrection, the Ascension and Pentecost.
She remained humbly in the background all the time.
Now, after her departure from this earth, her humility has been gloriously crowned in the dogma of the Assumption and in her Coronation as Queen of Angels and of Saints.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MAY - The Blessed Virgin MARY'S MONTH, OPEN HOUSE...Conversations with..., QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on PURITY, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SACRIFICE, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on VIRTUE, The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

Thoughts of Mary – 6 May – The Purple Flower of Sacrifice

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Thoughts of Mary – 6 May – “Mary’s Month”

The Immaculate Virgin – the Purple Flower of Sacrifice
Moments with Saint Pope John XXIII (1881-1963)

She who was preserved from original sin through the merits of her Son the Redeemer, was granted this privilege because she was predestined for the sublime mission of being the Mother of God.
She, who was to clothe in mortal flesh, the eternal Word of the Father, could not be contaminated, even for an instant, by the shadow of sin.
So, she is immaculate through the power of Christ, because all that was granted to the Mother, was granted through her Son.
The blooming of this snow white flower on our soil, is a sure pledge of the reconciliation of mankind with God.

How apt are the words of the liturgy that we sin on the Feast of the Nativity of the Virgin – “Thy nativity, O Virgin Mother of God, was the herald of joy to the whole world.”

But this joy is also a purple flower of sacrifice – the sacrifice of the Blessed Mother of Jesus who, when she gave her consent:  “Be it unto me …” accepted her share in the destines of her Son, from the poverty of Bethlehem, to the self-denials of the secluded life in Nazareth and the martyrdom of Calvary.

So we may not consider ourselves, the beloved children of Our Lord and of His Mother, if our life is without sacrifice and self-denial.

May this reference to the requirement of sacrifice, be then a loving and thoughtful reminder of the strong and solid Christian virtues of self-denial, patience and penitence.  Amen

the purple flower of sacrifice - st john XXIII 6 may 2020

Posted in MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MAY - The Blessed Virgin MARY'S MONTH, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

Thought for the Day – 6 May – The Virginal Purity of Mary

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Thought for the Day – 6 May – “Mary’s Month” Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Virginal Purity of Mary

“It is a Dogma of Faith, that Mary was always a virgin in body and soul.
According to the teaching of the holy Fathers, Mary would have renounced her dignity as Mother of God, rather than lose her virginity.
When the Archangel Gabriel appeared with the news of the great privilege which she was about to receive, Mary was afraid and asked meekly, how she could become the Mother of God, since she had promised to remain always a virgin.
The Angel assured her, that it was through the power of the Holy Spirit, that the eternal Word of God, would take human flesh in her and become her son.
Only then did she bow her had and reply:  “Be it done to me according to thy word.”
Mary’s perpetual virginity is complemented by her purity and absolute immunity from sin.
When we consider sin of any kind, says St Augustine, Mary must always be the one exception to it (Cf De natura et gratia, c 36).
She was preserved free from original sin and possessed the fullness of grace.
The devil never had any power over her spotless soul.
Not even the slightest tarnish marred her virginal splendour.
Free from the concupiscence which has disturbed our human nature, she was like a snow-white lily, sparkling in the sunlight.
Her mortal life was a continuous ascent towards the highest peak of holiness.
It would be wrong to believe that the extraordinary privileges which God had granted her from her conception remained fixed and static, like an acquired inheritance.
On the contrary, her daily correspondence with God’s gifts was as remarkable as her dignity.
The most chaste Virgin Mary, is a model for our imitation.
We cannot obtain her privileges but, we should try and imitate her heroic and constant co-operation with the gifts of God.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MAY - The Blessed Virgin MARY'S MONTH, OPEN HOUSE...Conversations with..., QUOTES of the SAINTS, The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, The WORD

5 May – Thoughts of Mary – Mary Immaculate

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5 May – “Mary’s Month” – Thoughts of Mary

Mary Immaculate
Moments with Saint Pope John XXIII (1881-1963)

The splendour of dawn is called immaculate, unstained.
Mary, preserved from all stain of original sin, was full of grace, from the first moment of her conception.
While she was still in her mother’s womb, the divine light had entered into her soul.
After the long night of the centuries which passed since the sin of our first fathers, this morning star arose, pure and bright, transparent and inviolate, while the sky glowed with the promise of the coming dawn.

Friendship with God, granted to Adam when he was created and so soon lost, was restored in all it’s original perfection in Mary and already, men had heard the good news of the coming of the Sun of Justice (Mal 4:2), of Him who, by giving His life, has restored friendship and union with God for men of goodwill.

The Christian soul must feel this throb of supernatural life which begins with Baptism.
We say to you, in the words of the Apostle:  “Walk as children of light (for the furit of light is found in all that is good and right and true) and try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness” (Eph 5:8-11).

after the long night - imm conception - st john XXIII 5 may 2020

Posted in MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MAY - The Blessed Virgin MARY'S MONTH, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Thought for the Day – 5 May – Mary, Our Mother

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Thought for the Day – 5 May – “Mary’s Month” Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Mary, Our Mother

jesus give us his mother - foot of the cross - bacci 5 may 2020

“Let us imagine that we are on Calvary, at the foot of the Cross.
Jesus is nailed hand and foot to the wood and the last drops of blood are trickling from His wounds to the ground.
His thorn-crowned head has now nowhere to rest and the weight of His body is extending the wounds caused by the nails which hold it suspended between earth and sky.
He has given everything for our salvation.
He has given His commandments and His sermons of instruction.
He has given us His merits and the grace to apply them to ourselves.
He has worked miracles to strengthen the faith of His disciples.
He has given us the Sacraments, above all, He has given us Himself in the Blessed Eucharist.
Now, at last, He is giving His life for the redemption of men.
What more could He give us?
His eyes, misty with suffering, look down and see, near the Cross, the two beings whom He loves, even more than the rest.
His Mother Mary and the Apostle John.
All that is left for His infinite goodness to give us, is His own Mother.
He bestows on her, a last loving look and says: “Woman, behold thy son.”
Then, he turns to the beloved disciple.
“Son,” He says, “behold thy mother.”
Now, He has surrendered everything, even His dearest affections.
According to the interpretation of the Fathers and of the Church, in John, we become, from that moment, the sons of Mary and Mary became our Mother.
We are her sons, whether we remain faithful like the beloved Apostle, or, have become the slaves of sin.
A mother does not cease to love her sons when she sees them being led astray, by error or by vice.
She loves them more than ever and does not give up appealing to them to return to the straight path.
It should be a great consolation to us, to realise, that we have Mary as our Mother.
She loves us very much and takes a maternal interest in us, whether we are leading good lives, or have fallen into sin.
In life and in death, she is our most powerful protectress.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

mary our mother bacci 5 mary 2020

Posted in MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MAY - The Blessed Virgin MARY'S MONTH, MOTHER of GOD, OPEN HOUSE...Conversations with..., PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on the FAMILY, THE HOLY FAMILY - FAMILIAE SANCTAE

“Mary’s Month” – 4 May – The Watchful Guardian of the Family

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“Mary’s Month” – 4 May – Thoughts of Mary

The Watchful Guardian of the Family
Moments with Saint Pope John XXIII (1881-1963)

“The family is a most precious gift.
Founded by divine decree on the differing and complementary characteristics of the husband and wife, it finds in the wife, a watchful guardian.
We beg women, therefore, to love the family, understood as the natural setting for the growth of the human personality and the God-given shelter in which the passions of life are soothed and sweetened, the stirrings of unruly desires are stilled and the influence of evil example opposed.

This sanctuary is threatened by so many insidious attacks.
Propaganda, at times unrestrained, makes use of the formidable power of the press, entertainments and of amusements, to scatter the fatal seeds of corruption, especially among our young people.
The family must defend itself and the women must play their part in this struggle, courageously, with a sense of their responsibility, never wearied of watching and correcting and teaching the difference between good and evil.
When necessary, they must avail themselves of the protection offered by the laws of the State.

The Gospel … records the words of an unknown woman …. “Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts that suckled you!” (Lk 11:28).
These words very rightly referred to Mary but the same might be said of all mothers, if their children, on the hard, rough ways of this life, know how to bear themselves like true Christians, in accordance with the teachings they have received.
May all mothers, turn to her, the Mother of God, as their model and guide!”may all mothers turn to her - st pope john XXIII 4 may 2020

Posted in MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MAY - The Blessed Virgin MARY'S MONTH, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, MOTHER of GOD

Thought for the Day – 4 May – Mary, the Mother of God

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Thought for the Day – 4 May – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Mary, the Mother of God

“The near-infinite greatness of Mary, flows from the fact, that she is the Mother of God.
The Eternal Word of the Father, consubstantial with Him in nature and equal to Him in majesty, willed to become man in order to set us free from the slavery of sin and to regain Heaven for us.
He became man in the chaste womb of the Virgin Mary.
He took a human body and soul and was born of her, as the God-Man.
For this reason, there is attributed to His Divine Person, the title of Son of Mary and to Mary, the title of Mother of God.

There is a relationship between Mary and each of the three Divine Persons, for she is the daughter of God the Father, the spouse of the Holy Spirit by whose power the Word became incarnate in her and the mother of the Word made Man.
She is, moreover, in the words of Dante, the “termine fisso di eterno consiglio” (Paradiso 33:1-3).
In other words, she is the centre of the eternal plan which God established for the redemption of the human race.
It was God’s eternal design to reunite creation to the Uncreated, by means of Mary.
She became the mother of the Eternal Word, in whom the divine and human natures were indissolubly united.
He redeemed us by His infinite merits but, in this work of redemption, He employed the co-operation of His holy Mother.
All the graces, privileges and virtues of Mary, flow from this great mystery of her divine Motherhood.
As befitted the future Mother of God, she was conceived free from the stain of original sin and full of grace.
Her mortal life was a continuous ascent towards the highest peak of sanctity.
When she died, she was assumed body and soul into Heaven, where she was crowned in glory, as Queen of Angels and Queen of Saints.
When we consider the sublime nobility of Our Lady, we should be moved to love and venerate her.
This love and veneration does not subtract in the slightest from God’s glory, because, she is the Mother of God.
In fact, it is a great advantage to us, to imitate her and to call on her to intercede for us.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MAY - The Blessed Virgin MARY'S MONTH, QUOTES of the SAINTS, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Thoughts of Mary – 2 May -The Sweet Name of Mary with Saint Pope John XXIII

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“Mary’s Month” – 2 May – Thoughts of Mary

The Sweet Name of Mary
Moments with Saint Pope John XXIII (1881-1963)

“We are in the month of Mary – what could be found more beautiful and more encouraging, than a visit to the altar of Mary, there to join our voices with the songs of spring, with the birds of the air, the murmur of the wind, the blossoming of nature and above all, with the chants of those innocent children of our families?
Nothing is more joyful than this vision of youth, which is the promises of a sure future and an augury and fountain of blessings, because, pure young people who have flowered in innocence, are the pledge of the Lord’s most wonderful graces.
The Pope recalls his Lenten visits to some parishes of his Diocese of Rome, in newly built areas. He knew then, that all felt in their innermost hearts, the sweetness of this meeting of Christians and welcomed the Pope’s endeavour to bring to everyone, the name of Mary and the blessing of Jesus, to describe to them and recall to their minds, the great wonders and miracles, which, by the Lord’s grace, the Catholic faith and the practice of virtue, bring into the world.
So all feel greatly comforted, even when the road is sown with thorns, we have more courage to remove these thorns and to endure them with patience, turning our mind and heart to heaven, to call on the sweet name of Mary and ask her to bring us the true inspiration from on high and the source of all blessings, Jesus our Lord.”so all feel greatly comforted - st john XXIII the sweet name of mary 3 may 2020

Posted in MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Thought for the Day – 3 May – The Imitation of Mary

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Thought for the Day – 3 May – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Imitation of Mary

“Earthly mothers are delighted when they see a reflection of themselves in the features and mannerisms of their children.
In the same way, Mary, our Heavenly Mother, is pleased when her sons seek to reproduce, as far as possible, in their lives, the faithful imprint of her spiritual motherhood.
We should imitate Mary, therefore.
Especially in this month, which is dedicated to her, we should not be content, merely, to pray before her altar and decorate it with flowers but, we should make daily progress in imitating her virtues, particularly, the virtue which we need most.
We may be lacking in humility, that virtue which is so outstanding in Our Lady.
Or perhaps we are lacking in purity, the most difficult yet, the most necessary of all the virtues.
Then again, we may be wanting in acceptance of God’s will when we are suffering or misunderstood.
We should try and do God’s will in everything and with perfect trust in Him, as Mary did at Nazareth and Bethlehem, in exile and in her own country, in her humble home and on the apostolic journeys in which she followed her divine Son, on the sorrowful way of the Cross, on Calvary, at the feet of Jesus, at the Resurrection and glorious Ascension and in the years in which she waited on earth for the final loving reunion in Heaven.
Let us repeat with her always:  “Be it done to me according to thy word” (Lk 1:38).
There is a story told about a holy man who prayed to Mary in all his difficulties:  “Show yourself to be my mother.”
One day, he heard the reply:  “Show yourself to be my son.”
Mary says this to us as well.
If we wish her to prove that she is our mother, we must show her, that we are really her sons, by mirroring in our lives, her outstanding sanctity.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MAY - The Blessed Virgin MARY'S MONTH, PRAYERS for SEASONS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Thoughts of Mary – 2 May – Mother of Good Counsel by St John XXIII

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“Mary’s Month” – 2 May – Thoughts of Mary

Mother of Good Counsel
By St Pope John XXIII (1881-1963)

O Mary, your name has been on my lips and in my heart, from my early infancy.
When I was a child, I learnt to love you as a Mother, turn to you in danger and trust to your intercession.
You see in my heart, the desire to know the truth, to practise virtue, to be prudent and just, strong and patient, a brother to all.
O Mary, help me to keep my purpose of living as a faithful disciple of Jesus, for the building up of Christian society and the joy of the Holy Catholic Church.
I greet you, Mother, morning and evening;
I pray to you as I go upon my way;
from you, I hope for the inspiration and encouragement, that will enable me to fulfil the sacred promises of my earthly vocation, give glory to God and win eternal salvation.
O Mary!
Like you in Bethlehem and on Golgotha, I too wish to stay always close to Jesus.
He is the eternal King of all ages and all peoples.
Amen

o mary your name has been on my lips and in my heart - st john XXIII 2 mary 2020

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, DOCTORS of the Church, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES of the SAINTS, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, To JESUS through MARY

Thought for the Day – 2 May – The Intercession of Our Lady

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Thought for the Day – 2 May – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Intercession of Our Lady

“Our Lady’s intercession is very powerful with God.
St Bernard tells us that it is the will of God, that everything comes to us through her holy hands (Sermo in Nativ BMV no 7).
He assures us, that Mary is the Mediatrix through whom we receive all favours from God (In Assump. BMV sermo 2, no 2).
Her power of intercession is the result of her divine and human motherhood.
Because she is the Mother of God, Jesus refuses her nothing;  because she is our mother, she loves us dearly and is eager to obtain from God, the spiritual favours, for which we ask.
For this reason, we should approach her with complete confidence.
St Bernard also writes:  “If anyone feels that he is overwhelmed by the tempests of this world and cannot keep an even course, let him raise his eyes towards Mary, let him remember Mary and call upon her…. In danger and in doubt, let him remember and call upon her.   Let the thought of Mary never leave his mind;  let her name never be far from his lips and from his heart …” (Super Miss. Homil 2, no 17).
In all our necessities, we should have confident recourse to our heavenly Mother.
Let us remember, however, that if we wish to be true sons of Mary and to be sure of being heard by her, we should ask especially, for spiritual graces.
Afterwards, we may ask, with equal confidence but, with resignation to God’s will, for temporal favours, provided they will not stand in the way of our eternal salvation.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci