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J M J
"For those who believe, no explanation
is neccessary; for those who don't believe, no explanation is possible."
"When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother,
'Woman, behold, your son.' Then he said to the disciple, 'Behold, your mother.' And from that hour the disciple
took her into his home." John 19:26-27
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| Our Lady of Grace |
THE WOMAN!
She is the "woman" in the first book of the Bible and the
"woman" in the last book of the Bible. Mary was the "woman"
who was with Jesus from the womb to the tomb.
Genesis 3:15 "I will put emnity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and hers..."
John 2: 3-5 "When the wine ran short,
the mother of Jesus said to him, 'They have no wine.' Jesus said to her, 'Woman, how does
you concern affect me? My hour has not yet come.' His mother said to the servers, 'Do whatever he tells you.'"
John 19: 26-27 "When Jesus saw his
mother and the disciple whom he loved, he said to his mother, 'Woman, behold, your son.' Then
he said to the disciple, 'Behold, your mother.' And from that hour the disciple took her into his home."
Revelation 11:19 - 12:2;4b-5a "Then God's temple in heaven was
opened, and the ark of his covenant could be seen in the temple... A great sign appeared in the sky,
a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve
stars. She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth...Then the dragon stood before
the woman about to give birth. she gave birth to a son, a male child, destined to rule
all the nations with an iron rod."
Devotion to Mary
Ever since the Archangel Gabriel
appeared to Mary (Lk 1:28), she has enjoyed an exalted status in the eyes of the faithful. While Jesus lay dying on the
cross, he made an extremely important and profound comment to his mother: “Woman, behold your son.” And to the
disciple whom Jesus loved he said: “Behold your mother.” (Jn 19:26-27) They are now as intimately connected as
Jesus and Mary are. The relationship that the Beloved Disciple enjoys with Mary is the same relationship that is meant for
us. Are we not all beloved disciples of our Lord? Does not God love us with the
same love that he loves his son? (1 John 4:8-11) It is this love and in response to this love, that the Christian Faithful
over the ages have brought Mary into their homes, just like the Beloved Disciple did (Jn 19:27).
This devotion to Mary has caused confusion in some non-Catholic circles over the last few hundred years. Historically,
the church has used two words to describe the ways in which we pray. The Latin word latria
means “adoration” and that is used in praise of God alone. The word doulia
means “veneration” and is always used in reference to Mary and the Saints. We venerate, we honor our saints, but
we adore our Lord God alone. Any particular devotion is not an end in itself, but ends up in Christ. The goal is to make you
stand more fully in the presence of Christ and you cannot stand in his presence apart from the church. All devotion to Mary
leads to Jesus Christ. Mary is so special because she points to her son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Without exception,
all religious art that depicts Mary with Jesus, the image of Mary is drawn in such a way that directs your attention to Jesus.
All prayer to Mary, ultimately, is prayer to Jesus.
Some early
Protestants venerated and honored Mary. Martin Luther said Mary is "the highest woman," that "we can never honor her enough,"
that "the veneration of Mary is inscribed in the very depths of the human heart," and that we should "wish that everyone know
and respect her." John Calvin said, "It cannot be denied that God in choosing and destining Mary to be the Mother of his Son,
granted her the highest honor." Zwingli said, "I esteem immensely the Mother of God," and, "The more the honor and love of
Christ increases among men, so much the esteem and honor given to Mary should grow." (This paragraph taken from the Wikipedia.)
Contributed
by Father John Mulcahy
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| Our Lady of Peace |
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| Our Lady of Consolation |
The Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin
Mary
Archbishop Fulton J Sheen said, "The rosary is the book of the blind, where souls see and there enact the greatest drama of love the world
has ever known; it is the book of the simple, which initiates them into mysteries and knowledge more satisfying than the education
of other men; it is the book of the aged, whose eyes close upon the shadow of this world, and open on the substance of the
next. The power of the rosary is beyond description."
The Rosary is a beautiful Christocentric prayer in which we meditate on the
life of Jesus with His Mother, Mary. In the Rosary, we use our WHOLE bodies to offer prayer to Our Father in Heaven
through His Most Blessed Daughter, Mary.
Still in progress....
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This litany to the Blessed
Virgin Mary was composed during the Middle Ages. The place of honor it now holds in the life of the Church is due to its faithful
use at the shrine of the Holy House at Loreto. It was definitely approved by Sixtus V in 1587, and all other Marian litanies
were suppressed, at least for public use. Its titles and invocations set before us Mary's exalted privileges, her holiness
of life, her amiability and power, her motherly spirit and queenly majesty.
The principle that has been followed
in their interpretation is the one enunciated by the same Pius IX: "God enriched her so wonderfully from the treasury of
His divinity, far beyond all angels and saints with the abundance of all heavenly gifts, that she . . .should show forth such
fullness of innocence and holiness, than which a greater under God is unthinkable and which, beside God, no one can even conceive
in thought."
Hence, whatever virtue and holiness is found in angels and saints must be present in Mary in an immeasurably
higher degree.
Listen to the Litany to the Blessed Virgin Mary in RealAudio
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Lord, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ,
hear us.
God the Father of Heaven,
God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
God the Holy Spirit,
Holy
Trinity, One God,
Holy Mary,
Holy Mother of God,
Holy Virgin of virgins, .
Mother of Christ, .
Mother
of divine grace,
Mother most pure,
Mother most chaste,
Mother inviolate,
Mother undefiled,
Mother
most amiable,
Mother most admirable,
Mother of good counsel,
Mother of our Creator,
Mother
of our Savior,
Mother of the Church,
Virgin most prudent,
Virgin most venerable,
Virgin
most renowned,
Virgin most powerful,
Virgin most merciful,
Virgin most faithful,
Mirror of justice,
Seat
of wisdom,
Cause of our joy,
Spiritual vessel,
Vessel of honor,
Singular vessel of devotion,
Mystical
rose,
Tower of David, .
Tower of ivory,
House of gold,
Ark of the covenant,
Gate of
Heaven,
Morning star,
Health of the sick,
Refuge of sinners,
Comforter of the afflicted,
Help
of Christians, pray for us.
Queen of angels,
Queen of patriarchs,
Queen of prophets,
Queen of
apostles,
Queen of martyrs,
Queen of confessors,
Queen of virgins,
Queen of all saints,
Queen
conceived without
Original Sin,
Queen assumed into Heaven,
Queen of the holy Rosary,
Queen of
families,
Queen of peace,
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Lamb of God,
Who takest away the sins of the world,
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Pray fo us,
O holy Mother of God,
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Christ, have mercy on us.
Christ, graciously
hear us.
Have mercy on us.
Have mercy on us.
Have mercy on us.
Have mercy on us.
pray for us.
pray
for us.
pray for us.
pray for us.
pray for us.
pray for us.
pray for us.
pray for us.
pray for us.
pray
for us.
pray for us.
pray for us.
pray for us.
pray for us.
pray for us.
pray for us.
pray for us.
pray
for us.
pray for us.
pray for us.
pray for us.
pray for us.
pray for us.
pray for us.
pray for us.
pray
for us.
pray for us.
pray for us.
pray for us.
pray for us.
pray for us.
pray for us.
pray for us.
pray
for us.
pray for us.
pray for us.
pray for us.
pray for us.
pray for us.
pray for us.
pray for us.
pray
for us.
pray for us.
pray for us.
pray for us.
pray for us.
pray for us.
pray for us
pray for us
pray
for us
pray for us
Spare us, O Lord.
Graciously spare us, O Lord.
Have mercy on us.
That we may be
made worthy
of the promises of Christ.
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| General:
Let us pray- Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord God, that we Thy servants
may enjoy perpetual health of mind and body, and by the glorious intercession of the Blessed Mary, ever Virgin, be delivered
from present sorrow and enjoy everlasting happiness. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen
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During Advent:
Let us pray - O God, you willed that, at the message of an angel, your word should take
flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary; grant to your suppliant people, that we, who believe her to be truly the
Mother of God, may be helped by her intercession with you. Through the same Christ our Lord. . Amen.
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From Christmas to the Purification:
Let
us pray - O God, by the fruitful virginity of Blessed Mary, you bestowed upon the human race the rewards of eternal
salvation; grant, we beg you,
that we may feel the power of her intercession, through whom we have been made worthy
to receive the Author of life, our Lord Jesus Christ your Son, who lives and reigns with you forever and ever. Amen.
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During Paschaltime:
Let us pray - O God, who by the Resurrection of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ,
granted joy to the whole world, grant, we beg you, that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, his Mother, we may attain
the joys of eternal life. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen. |
TOTUS TUUS
(Totally Yours, to Jesus through Mary)
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