Category: The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, HOLY COMMUNION, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MAY - The Blessed Virgin MARY'S MONTH, MOTHER of GOD, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, To JESUS through MARY

Thoughts of Mary – 12 May – To Jesus Through Mary

Posted on by AnaStpaul

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

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, MARIAN PRAYERS, MAY - The Blessed Virgin MARY'S MONTH, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS for SEASONS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Our Morning Offering – 12 May – Gracious Lady, Mother and Virgin

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 12 May – “Mary’s Month” Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Easter

Gracious Lady, Mother and Virgin
By St Augustine (354-430)
Doctor of Grace

Gracious Lady,
you are a Mother and Virgin.
You are the Mother of the body and soul
of our Head and Redeemer.
You are also truly Mother
of all the members
of Christ’s Mystical Body.
For through your love,
you have co-operated
in the begetting of the faithful in the Church.
Unique among women,
you are Mother and Virgin,
Mother of Christ and Virgin of Christ.
You are the beauty and charm of earth, O Virgin.
You are forever, the image of the holy Church.
Through a woman came death,
through a woman came life,
yes, through you, O Mother of God.
Be with us through this life.
Amen

gracious lady mother and virgin - st augustine 12 may 2020

Posted in DOGMA, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MAY - The Blessed Virgin MARY'S MONTH, OPEN HOUSE...Conversations with..., PAPAL MESSAGES, PAPAL PRAYERS, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

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

Posted on by AnaStpaul

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

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, Hail MARY!, MARIAN PRAYERS, MAY - The Blessed Virgin MARY'S MONTH, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS

Our Morning Offering – 11 May – Hail, O Mother!

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 11 May – “Mary’s Month” – Monday of the Fifth Week of Easter

Hail, O Mother!
By St John Chrysostom (347-407)
Father and Doctor of the Church

Hail, O Mother!
Virgin, heaven, throne, glory of our Church,
it’s foundation and ornament.
Earnestly pray for us to Jesus,
your Son and Our Lord,
that through your intercession
we may have mercy on the day of judgement.
Pray that we may receive all those good things
which are reserved for those who love God.
Through the grace and favour of Our Lord, Jesus Christ,
to Whom, with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
be power, honour and glory,
now and forever.
Amen

hail o mother st john chrysostom 11 may 2020

Posted in MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MARIAN TITLES, MAY - The Blessed Virgin MARY'S MONTH, OPEN HOUSE...Conversations with..., QUEENSHIP of MARY

Thoughts of Mary – 10 May – Our Mother

Posted on by AnaStpaul

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

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

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

Posted on by AnaStpaul

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 MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN TITLES, MARY, MATER ECCLESIAE, MAY - The Blessed Virgin MARY'S MONTH, Our MORNING Offering, PAPAL PRAYERS, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Our Morning Offering – 10 May – Prayer to Mary, Mother of the Church

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 10 May – “Mary’s Month” – The Fifth Sunday of Easter, Year C

Prayer to Mary,
Mother of the Church
and Mother of our Faith
By Pope Francis

Mother, help our faith!
Open our ears to hear God’s word
and to recognise His voice and call.
Awaken in us a desire to follow in His footsteps,
to go forth from our own land
and to receive His promise.
Help us to be touched by His love,
that we may touch Him in faith.
Help us to entrust ourselves fully to Him
and to believe in His love,
especially at times of trial,
beneath the shadow of the cross,
when our faith is called to mature.
Sow in our faith, the joy of the Risen One.
Remind us, that those who believe are never alone.
Teach us to see all things
with the eyes of Jesus,
that He may be light for our path.
And may this light of faith
always increase in us,
until the dawn of that undying day
which is Christ Himself, your Son, our Lord!
Amen

*Prayer to Mary at the conclusion of the Encyclical Lumen Fidei (29 June 2013)prayer to mary mother of the chuch and of our faith - pope francis - 12 may 2019

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”

Posted on by AnaStpaul

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 DOCTORS of the Church, MARIAN PRAYERS, MAY - The Blessed Virgin MARY'S MONTH, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Our Morning Offering – 9 May – O Blessed Lady – St Bernard

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 9 May – “Mary’s Month” – Saturday Fourth Week of Easter

O Blessed Lady,
Mediatrix and Advocate
By St Bernard (1090-1153)
Doctor of Light

Our Mediatrix and Advocate
O blessed Lady,
you found grace, brought forth the Life,
and became the Mother of Salvation.
May you obtain the grace for us to go to the Son.
By your mediation, may we be received by the One
who through you, gave Himself to us.
May your integrity compensate with Him
for the fault of our corruption;
and may your humility,
which is pleasing to God,
implore pardon for our vanity.
May your great charity
cover the multitude of our sins
and may your glorious fecundity
confer on us a fecundity of merits.
Dear Lady, our Mediatrix and Advocate,
reconcile us to your Son,
recommend us to Him,
and present us to your Son.
By the grace you found,
by the privilege you merited,
by the mercy you brought forth,
obtain for us the favour we ask of you,
O blessed Lady.
Ameno blessed lady mediatrix and advocate 9 may 2020 st bernard

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

Posted on by AnaStpaul

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 PRAYERS, MAY - The Blessed Virgin MARY'S MONTH, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Our Morning Offering – 8 May – Mary, my Good Mother

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 8 May – “Mary’s Month” – Friday of the Fourth Week of Easter

Mary, my Good Mother
By St Marcellin Champagnat (1789-1840)
Founder of the Marist Brothers

Mary, my Good Mother,
I am called here to do good.
I can achieve nothing
without the assistance
of your divine Son,
and yours as well.
This is why I ask you to help me.
I ask you to be with me,
directing my hands,
my words,
my heart,
my whole person.
And when I am faced with some difficulties,
Good Mother, I will entrust them to you
though I myself will do all that depends on me.
I offer and commend to you,
all that will be entrusted to me this day.
Amenmary my good mother by st marcellin champagnat founder of the marist bros 8 mary 2020

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

Thoughts of Mary – 7 May – The Shining Crown

Posted on by AnaStpaul

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

Posted on by AnaStpaul

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

Posted on by AnaStpaul

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

Posted on by AnaStpaul

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 DOCTORS of the Church, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN TITLES, MAY - The Blessed Virgin MARY'S MONTH, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Our Morning Offering – 6 May – Mother of Mercy by St Bonaventure

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 6 May – ‘Mary’s Month” – Wednesday of the Fourth week of Easter

Mother of Mercy
By St Bonaventure (1217-1274)
Serpahic Doctor

Virgin full of goodness,
Mother of Mercy,
I entrust to you my body and soul,
my thoughts, my actions,
my life and my death.
O my Queen, help me,
and deliver me from all
the snares of the devil.
Obtain for me the grace
of loving my Lord Jesus Christ,
your Son,
with a true and perfect love,
and after Him, O Mary,
to love you with all my heart
and above all things.
Amenmother of mercy - st bonaventure - 6 may 2020

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

Posted on by AnaStpaul

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

Posted on by AnaStpaul

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 CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, MARIAN PRAYERS, MAY - The Blessed Virgin MARY'S MONTH, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Our Morning Offering – 5 May – Take my hand, O Blessed Mother

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 5 May – “Mary’s Month” Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Easter

Take my hand, O Blessed Mother
Traditional Marian Prayer

Take my hand, O Blessed Mother,
hold me firmly lest I fall.
I am nervous when I’m walking
and to thee I humbly call.

Guide me over every crossing,
watch me when I’m on the stairs,
let me know you are beside me,
listen to my fervent prayers.

Bring me to my destination
safely, every single day.
Help me with each undertaking,
as the hours go on their way.

And when evening falls upon me
and I fear to be alone,
take my hand, O Blessed Mother,
once again and lead me home.
Amentake my hand o blessed mother 5 may 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

Posted on by AnaStpaul

“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

Posted on by AnaStpaul

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

Posted on by AnaStpaul

“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

Posted on by AnaStpaul

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-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, MARIAN PRAYERS, MAY - The Blessed Virgin MARY'S MONTH, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Our Morning Offering – 3 May – Prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary Before Holy Mass

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 3 May – The Fourth Sunday of Easter, Good Shepherd Sunday and “Mary’s Month”

Prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary
Before Holy Mass

O most blessed Virgin Mary,
Mother of tenderness and mercy,
I, a miserable and unworthy sinner,
fly to you with all the affection of my heart
and I beseech your motherly love,
that, as you stood by your most dear Son,
while he hung on the Cross,
so, in your kindness,
you may be pleased to stand by me, a poor sinner,
and all Priests who today are offering the Sacrifice
here and throughout the entire holy Church,
so that with your gracious help,
we may offer a worthy and acceptable oblation
in the sight of the most high and undivided Trinity.
Amen.

(This prayer is adapted from the Priests’ Prayers Before each Mass)

prayer-to-the-blessed-virgin-before-mass-15-april-2018

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

Posted on by AnaStpaul

“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

Posted on by AnaStpaul

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

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN Saturdays, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Our Morning Offering – 2 May – Mary, Mother of Grace by St Athanasius

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 2 May – “Mary’s Month” – Saturday of the Third Week of Easter, the Memorial of St Athanasius (c 295-373) – Father and Doctor of the Church, “The Father of Orthodoxy”

Mary, Mother of Grace
St Athanasius (297-373) Father & Doctor

It becomes you to be mindful of us,
as you stand near Him who granted you all graces,
for you are the Mother of God and our Queen.
Help us for the sake of the King,
the Lord God and Master, who was born of you.
For this reason,
you are called full of grace.
Remember us, most holy Virgin,
and bestow on us gifts
from the riches of your graces,
Virgin full of graces.
Amenmary mother of grace no 2 st athanasius 2 may 2020

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Thought for the Day – 1 May – The Month of Mary

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 1 May – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Month of Mary

“It is often said, that May is the most beautiful month of the year.
The flowers are in full bloom, the weather is mild and the first fruits of the soil are beginning to reward man’s labour.
It is fitting that we should dedicate to Mary, the most beautiful month of the year, for she is the most beautiful of God’s creatures.

We should offer this month to Mary, by increasing our love for her.
We should love her with a filial love, for she loves us with the heart of a mother.
If we contemplate her beauty and goodness, we shall be inflamed with love for her.
It will be a tender love, such as we have for our earthly mother and, at the same time, a respectful and worshipful love, such as we ought to have for the Mother of God.
Our offering of the month of May to Mary, should result in a twofold resolution:
the resolution to make good our failings and to advance in holiness.
This, is the only way, in which we can prove the sincerity of our affection, by deeds rather than by words.
It is certain that we have many faults of character.
Let us examine ourselves in front of Our Lady’s Altar, by comparing our weakness with her magnificence of soul.
When we have discovered our failings, let us be courageous in eradicating them.
We can offer this sacrifice to Mary, with love and generosity, no matter how hard it may be.

We can spend everyday of this month, digging out those weeds in the garden of our soul, which, our passions and the influence of the devil have helped to flourish.
Let us plant and bring to perfection in their place, the flowers of Christian virtue.
In this way, we shall make the month of May, very pleasing to Mary.“

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

 

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, DOCTORS of the Church, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, Uncategorized

Rejoice! It’s 1 May and the Month of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Rejoice! It’s 1 May and the Month of the Blessed Virgin Mary

“God wills that all his gifts should come to us through Mary”

St Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153) Mellifluous Doctor

“This is the month in which, in the churches and individual homes,
the most affectionate and fervent homage of prayers and devotions
from the hearts of Christians are raised to Mary.
It is also the month in which from His throne, descend upon us,
the most generous and abundant gifts of the Divine Mercy.”

Saint Pope Paul VI, The Month of Mary,1967

may the month of the blessed virgin mary 1 may 2020

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, Hail MARY!, MARIAN PRAYERS, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS

Our Morning Offering – 1 May – Hail, O Mary, Mother of God

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 1 May – “Mary’s Month” and Friday of the Third Week of Easter

Hail, O Mary, Mother of God
By St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444)
Father & Doctor of the Church

Hail, O Mary, Mother of God,
Virgin and Mother!
Morning Star, perfect vessel.
Hail, O Mary, Mother of God,
Holy Temple in which god Himself was conceived.
Hail, O Mary, Mother of God,
Chaste and pure dove.
Hail, O Mary, Mother of God,
Who enclosed the One who cannot be encompassed
in your sacred womb.
Hail, O Mary, Mother of God,
From you flowed the true light, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Hail, O Mary, Mother of God,
Through you the Conqueror
and triumphant Vanquisher of hell came to us.
Hail, O Mary, Mother of God,
Through you, the glory of the Resurrection blossoms.
Hail, O Mary, Mother of God,
You have saved every faithful Christian.
Hail, O Mary, Mother of God,
Pray for us sinners now
and at the hour of our death.
Amenhail-o-mary-mother-of-god-st-cyril-of-alex-10-may-2019 (1)