"Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life."[John 6:68]
The memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Immaculate Heart of Mary
Memorial
Memorial
"The mysterium of the Heart of Jesus is projected onto and reverberates in the Heart of his Mother, who is also one of his followers and a disciple... The memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary is a celebration of the complex visceral relationship of Mary with her Son's work of salvation: from the Incarnation, to his death and resurrection, to the gift of the Holy Spirit"
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Opening Prayer
Father,
you prepared the heart of the Virgin Mary
to be a fitting home for your Holy Spirit.
By herprayers
may we become a more worthy temple of your glory.
Directory on Popular Piety and the Father,
you prepared the heart of the Virgin Mary
to be a fitting home for your Holy Spirit.
By her
may we become a more worthy temple of your glory.
Saints of the day:
SAINT ANTONY OF PADUA
Priest and Doctor of the Church
(1195-1231)
Priest and Doctor of the Church
(1195-1231)
In 1221 St. Francis held a general chapter at Assisi; when the others dispersed, there lingered behind, unknown and neglected, a poor Portuguese friar, resolved to ask for and to refuse nothing.
Nine months later, Fra Antonio rose under obedience to preach to the religious assembled at Forli, when, as the discourse proceeded, "the Hammer of Heretics," "the Ark of the Testament," "the eldest son of St. Francis," stood revealed in all his sanctity, learning, and eloquence before his rapt and astonished brethren.
Devoted from earliest youth to prayer and study among the Canons Regular, Ferdinand de Bulloens, as his name was in the world, had been stirred, by the spirit and example of the first five Franciscan martyrs, to put on their habit and preach the Faith to the Moors in Africa.
Denied a martyr's palm, and enfeebled by sickness, at the age of twenty-seven he was taking silent but merciless revenge upon himself in the humblest offices of his community. From this obscurity he was now called forth, and for nine years France, Italy, and Sicily heard his voice, saw his miracles, and men's hearts turned to God.
One night, when St. Antony was staying with a friend in the city of Padua, his host saw brilliant rays streaming under the door of the Saint's room, and on looking through the keyhole he beheld a little Child of marvellous beauty standing upon a book which lay open upon the table, and clinging with both arms round Antony's neck. With an ineffable sweetness he watched the tender caresses of the Saint and his wondrous Visitor. At last the Child vanished, and Fra Antonio, opening the door, charged his friend, by the love of him whom he had seen, to "tell the vision to no man" as long as he was alive.
Suddenly, in 1231, our Saint's brief apostolate was closed, and the voices of children were heard crying along the streets of Padua, "Our father, St. Antony, is dead." The following year, the church-bells of Lisbon rang without ringers, while at Rome one of its sons wasinscribed among the Saints of God.
Lives of the Saints, by Alban Butler, Benziger Bros. ed. [1894]The memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Book of Isaiah 61:9 Their descendants will be known among the nations,
their offspring among the peoples;
all who see them will acknowledge
that they are the seed Adonai has blessed.
10 I am so joyful in Adonai!
My soul rejoices in my God,
for he has clothed me in salvation,
dressed me with a robe of triumph,
like a bridegroom wearing a festive turban,
like a bride adorned with her jewels.
11 For just as the earth brings forth its plants,
or a garden makes its plants spring up,
so Adonai, God, will cause victory and glory
to spring up before all nations.
1st book of Samuel 2:1 Then Hannah prayed; she said:
“My heart exults in Adonai!
My dignity has been restored by Adonai!
I can gloat over my enemies,
because of my joy at your saving me.
4 The bows of the mighty are broken,
while the feeble are armed with strength.
5 The well-fed hire themselves for bread,
while those who were hungry hunger no more.
The barren woman has borne seven,
while the mother of many wastes away.
6 “Adonai kills and makes alive;
he brings down to the grave, and he brings up.
7 Adonai makes poor, and he makes rich;
he humbles, and he exalts.
8 He raises the poor from the dust,
lifts up the needy from the trash pile;
he gives them a place with leaders
and assigns them seats of honor.
“For the earth’s pillars belong to Adonai;
on them he has placed the world.
The Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ According to Saint Luke 2:41 Every year Yeshua’s parents went to Yerushalayim for the festival of Pesach. 42 When he was twelve years old, they went up for the festival, as custom required. 43 But after the festival was over, when his parents returned, Yeshua remained in Yerushalayim. They didn’t realize this; 44 supposing that he was somewhere in the caravan, they spent a whole day on the road before they began searching for him among their relatives and friends. 45 Failing to find him, they returned to Yerushalayim to look for him. 46 On the third day they found him — he was sitting in the Temple court among the rabbis, not only listening to them but questioning what they said; 47 and everyone who heard him was astonished at his insight and his responses. 48 When his parents saw him, they were shocked; and his mother said to him, “Son! Why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been terribly worried looking for you!” 49 He said to them, “Why did you have to look for me? Didn’t you know that I had to be concerning myself with my Father’s affairs?” 50 But they didn’t understand what he meant.
51 So he went with them to Natzeret and was obedient to them. But his mother stored up all these things in her heart.
The memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Commentary of the day:
Saint Maximilian Kolbe (1894-1941), Franciscan, martyr
Addresses of the 5/7/1936, 3 & 4/9/1937, 14/5/1936
She alone teaches us how to love the Lord Jesus, incomparably better than any book or teacher. She teaches us to love him as she herself loves him. And all our striving must aim towards her loving our Lord Jesus with our hearts.
Only the soul possessed by the love of God puts aside all that hinders it. All is centred on God's love. Now which of us loves Jesus poor, crucified, in the crib, more than his Mother most holy! There is no one in the world, not even among the angels, who has loved - and loves - the Lord Jesus as intensely as the Mother of God... The Immaculate one is the flowering of divine love in our souls and the means by which we draw near to Jesus' heart.
____________________________Only the soul possessed by the love of God puts aside all that hinders it. All is centred on God's love. Now which of us loves Jesus poor, crucified, in the crib, more than his Mother most holy! There is no one in the world, not even among the angels, who has loved - and loves - the Lord Jesus as intensely as the Mother of God... The Immaculate one is the flowering of divine love in our souls and the means by which we draw near to Jesus' heart.
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