Ave Maria Meditation | AirMaria.com

No True Christianity Without Mary

Sr. JosephMary f.t.i. — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 19:00:48 +0000

Ave Maria Meditations

Raphael’s Madonna:

Consider, therefore, that the faith of all generations: those that have passed away up to the present; and the uncountable millions yet to come: the faith of all has depended on the words of that maiden (Mary).

No true Christianity without Mary

In return for this infinite gift all generations must henceforth call that maiden blessed. She who brought Christianity on earth cannot be denied a place in Christian worship. But what of the many people in this world who hold her cheaply, the many who slight her, the many who do worse? Does it ever occur to those people to think that every grace they have they owe to her? Do they ever reason that if they were excluded from her words of acceptance that night, then Redemption has never come on earth for them? In that supposition they would stand outside its scope. In other words, they would not be Christians at all, even though they may cry: ” Lord ! Lord!” all the day and every day. (Mt 7:21) And on the other hand, they are indeed Christians, and if the gift of life has come to them, then it has only come because she gained it for because they were included in her acceptance. In a word, baptism that makes a person a child of God makes one simultaneously a child of Mary.

Gratitude, therefore – a practical gratitude – to Mary be the mark of every Christian. Redemption is the joint

gift of the Father and of Mary. Therefore, with the words of thanks to the Father must go up the word of thanks to Mary.

The Son is always found with his Mother

It was God’s will that the reign of grace should not be inaugurated without Mary. It was His pleasure that things should continue in the self-same way. When He desired to prepare St. John the Baptist for His mission of going before Himself, He sanctified him by the charitable visit of His Blessed Mother in the Visitation. On the first Christmas night those who turned her from their doors turned Him away. They did not realise that with her they refused Him whom they awaited. When the shepherd representatives of the chosen people found the Promised of all Nations, they found Him with her. If they had turned away from her, they would not have found Him. At the Epiphany, the Gentile races of the world were received by our Lord in the persons of the three Kings, but they only found Him because they found her. If they had refused to approach her, they would not have reached Him.

What had been done in secret at Nazareth had to be confirmed openly in the Temple. Jesus made offering of Himself to the Father but it was between the arms and by the hands of His Mother. For that Babe belonged to its Mother; without her the Presentation could not be made. Proceed, and it is learned from the Fathers that our Lord did not enter upon His public life without her consent. Likewise her request at Cana of Galilee was the beginning of the signs and wonders and mighty deeds by which He proved His mission.

Man for man: Maid for maid: Tree for tree.

When the last scene came on Calvary which finished the awful drama of Redemption, Jesus hung upon the tree of the Cross and Mary stood beneath it, not merely because she was a fond Mother, not in any accidental way, but precisely in the same capacity as she was present at the Incarnation. She was there as the representative of all mankind, ratifying her offering of her Son for men’s sake. Our Lord did not offer Himself to the Father without her assent and offering made on behalf of all her children; the Cross was to be their Sacrifice and His Sacrifice, “For as truly as she suffered and almost died with her suffering Son”-these are the words of Pope Benedict XV -“so truly did she renounce her maternal rights over that Son for the sake of our salvation, and immolate Him, as far as with her lay, to placate God’s justice. Hence it may justly be said that with Christ she redeemed the human race.”

The Holy Spirit operates always with her.

Come a little further to the feast of Pentecost , that tremendous occasion when the Church was launched upon its mission. Mary was there. It was by her prayer that the Holy Spirit descended on the Mystical Body and came to abide in it with all His “greatness, power, glory, victory and majesty.” (1 Chron 29:11) Mary reproduces in respect of the Mystical Body of Christ every service which she rendered to His actual Body. This law applies to Pentecost, which was a sort of new Epiphany. She is necessary to the one as she had been to the other. And so of all divine things to the end: if Mary is left out, God’s Plan is not conformed to, no matter what one’s prayers and works and strivings may be. If Mary is not there, the grace is not given. This is an overpowering thought. It may provoke the question: “Do those who ignore or insult Mary receive no graces?” They do, indeed, receive graces, for failure to acknowledge Mary may be excused on grounds of utter ignorance. But what a sorry title to Heaven! and what a way of treating her who helps us! Moreover, the graces which come in such circumstances are but a fraction of what should flow, so that one’s life’s work is largely failing.

What place must we assign her?

Some may take alarm and say it is a slight to God to credit such a universal power to a creature. But if it has pleased God to make it so, how does it slight His dignity? How foolish it would sound were anyone to say that the force of gravity derogates from God’s power! That law of gravity is from God, and accomplishes His purposes throughout all nature. Why should one think it disrespectful to allow as much to Mary in the universe of Grace? If the laws which God has made for nature show forth His might, why should the law which He has made for Mary do otherwise than manifest his goodness and omnipotence? But even if it is conceded that acknowledgment is dueto Mary, there still remains the question of its manner and amount. “How” – some will say – “am I to apportion prayer to Mary and prayer to the Divine Persons or to the saintS? What is the exact amount – neither too much nor too little …which I am to offer to her?” Others will go further and their objection will present itself as follows: “Would I not turn away from God were I to direct my prayers to her?”

All these grades of doubt proceed from applying earthly ideas to heavenly things. Such persons are thinking of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and of Mary and the saints, as if they were so many statues, so that to turn to one they must necessarily turn away from others. Various examples might be utilized to help towards a better understanding of the true position. But, strange to say, the simplest and at the same time the holiest solution of such difficulties lies in the recommendation: “You must, indeed, give all to God, but give it all with Mary.” It will be found that this apparently extreme devotion to her is free from the perplexities which measuring and moderation bring.

Every action should endorse her Fiat.

The justification of this method is to be found in the Annunciation itself. In that moment all mankind were joined with Mary, their representative. Her words included their words, and in a sense she included them. God viewed them through her. Now, the daily life of a Christian is nothing else than the formation of our Lord in that member of His Mystical Body. This formation does not take place without Mary. It is an outpouring and a part of the original Incarnation, so that Mary is really the Mother of the Christian just as she is of Christ. Her consent and her maternal care are just as necessary to the daily growth of Christ in the individual soul as they were to His original taking of flesh.

What does all this involve for the Christian? It involves many important things of which this is one: he must deliberately and whole-heartedly acknowledge Mary’s position as his representative in the sacrificial offering, begun at the Annunciation and completed on the Cross which earned Redemption. He must ratify the things she then did on his behalf, so that he can enjoy, without shame and in their fulness, the infinite benefits thereby brought to him. And that ratification: of what nature is it to be? Would a once-repeated act suffice ? Work out the answer to this question in the light of the fact that it was through Mary that every act of one’s life has become the act of a Christian. Is it not reasonable and proper that likewise every act should bear some impress of acknowledgment and gratitude to her? So the answer is the same as that already given: “You are to give her everything.”

Glorify the Lord with Mary

Have her before the mind, at least in some slight way, at all times. Unite the intention and the will to hers in such fashion that every act done during the day, every prayer you utter, is done with her. She should be left out of nothing. Whether you pray to the Father, or to the Son, or to the Holy Spirit, or to a saint, it is always to be prayer in union with Mary. She repeats the words with you. Her lips and your lips form the words together, and in everything she has a part. Thus she is far more than at your side. She is, as it were, in you; your life is you and she together giving to God all you jointly have.

This all-embracing form of devotion to Mary acknowledges handsomely the part she played and daily continues to play in the workings out of salvation. Likewise it is the easiest devotion to her. It solves the doubts of those who say: “How much?” and of those who fear lest giving to her is taking from God. But even some Catholics may say: “It is extreme.” Yet where does it offend against sweet reason? And wherein does it deny his due to the Almighty? The latter fault is better laid to those who say that they are jealous of the dignity of God, but will not work the plan which He has made; who say they hold the Scriptures as the sacred word of God, yet will not hear the verses which sing that He hath done great things to Mary, and that all generations shall call her blessed. (Lk 1:48-49)

from the Handbook: Legio Mariae

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July: Month of the Most Precious Blood

Sr. JosephMary f.t.i. — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:00:40 +0000

Ave Maria Meditations

To the Precious Blood of Jesus:

O Precious Blood of Jesus, infinite price of sinful man’s redemption, both drink and laver of our souls, Thou who dost plead continually the cause of man before the throne of infinite mercy; from the depths of my heart, I adore Thee, and so far as I am able, I would requite Thee for the insults and outrages which Thou dost continually receive from human beings, and especially from those who rashly dare to blaspheme Thee.

Who would not bless this Blood of infinite value? Who doth not feel within himself the fire and love of Jesus who shed it all for us? What would be my fate, had I not been redeemed by this divine Blood? Who hath drawn it from the veins of my Savior, even to the last drop? Ah, this surely was the work of love. O infinite love, grant that every heart and every tongue may be enabled to praise Thee, magnify Thee and give Thee thanks now and for evermore. Amen.

Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus

V/ Lord, have mercy.
R/ Lord, have mercy.

V/ Christ, have mercy.
R/ Christ, have mercy.

V/ Lord, have mercy.
R/ Lord, have mercy.

V/ Jesus, hear us.
R/ Jesus, graciously hear us.

V/ God, the Father of Heaven,
R/ have mercy on us.

V/ God, the Son, Redeemer of the world,
R/ have mercy on us.

V/ God, the Holy Spirit,
R/ have mercy on us.

V/ Holy Trinity, One God,
R/ have mercy on us.

R/ for ALL: save us.

Blood of Christ, only-begotten Son of the Eternal Father,
Blood of Christ, Incarnate Word of God,
Blood of Christ, of the New and Eternal Testament,
Blood of Christ, falling upon the earth in the Agony,
Blood of Christ, shed profusely in the Scourging,
Blood of Christ, flowing forth in the Crowning with Thorns,
Blood of Christ, poured out on the Cross,
Blood of Christ, price of our salvation,
Blood of Christ, without which there is no forgiveness.
Blood of Christ, Eucharistic drink and refreshment of souls,
Blood of Christ, stream of mercy,
Blood of Christ, victor over demons,
Blood of Christ, courage of Martyrs,
Blood of Christ, strength of Confessors,
Blood of Christ, bringing forth Virgins,
Blood of Christ, help of those in peril,
Blood of Christ, relief of the burdened,
Blood of Christ, solace in sorrow,
Blood of Christ, hope of the penitent,
Blood of Christ, consolation of the dying,
Blood of Christ, peace and tenderness of hearts,
Blood of Christ, pledge of eternal life,
Blood of Christ, freeing souls from purgatory,
Blood of Christ, most worthy of all glory and honor,

Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world.
R/ spare us, O Lord

Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world,
R/ graciously hear us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world,
R/ have mercy on us.

You have redeemed us, O Lord, in your Blood.
R/ And made us, for our God, a kingdom.

Let us pray: Almighty and eternal God, you have appointed your only-begotten Son the Redeemer of the world, and willed to be appeased by his Blood. Grant we beg of you, that we may worthily adore this price of our salvation, and through its power be safeguarded from the evils of the present life, so that we may rejoice in its fruits forever in heaven. Through the same Christ our Lord.

R/ Amen.

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The Penitent who became a Saint

Sr. JosephMary f.t.i. — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 16:00:43 +0000

Ave Maria Meditations

Thoughts on Infinite Mercy and St. Mary Magdalene

PRESENCE OF GOD: Teach me, 0 Lord, the secrets of Your mercy that I may fully profit by them.

MEDITATION 1. God’s love for us assumes a very special claim, one that is adapted to our nature as frail, weak creatures: the character of mercy. Mercy is love bending over to relieve it, to redeem it, to raise it up to itself. It almost seems that God, in loving us, is attracted by our weakness, not because it is lovable, but because, being infinite goodness, His compassion stoops to compensate for it by His mercy.

He wants to heal our imperfection by His infinite perfection, our impurity by His purity, our ignorance by His Wisdom, our selfishness by His goodness, our weakness by His strength: God, the supreme, eternal good, wants to be the remedy for all our ills, “for He knoweth our frame, He remembereth that we are dust” (Ps. 102:14).

Since our greatest evil-rather, the only real evil-is sin, infinite mercy would be the remedy. Assuredly, God hates sin, but, although He is forced to withdraw His friendship that is, His grace, from the soul of the sinner because of the offense, His mercy still finds a way of continuing to love. If He can no longer love him as a friend, He loves him as a creature, as the work of His hands; He loves him for the that is still in him and which gives hope of his conversion. God’s mercy is so immense that no misery, however great can exhaust it; not even the most infamous sin, providing it be repented of, can halt it. This sad power is reserved to one thing only; the proud will of man by which he disdainfully shuts himself up in his wickedness, not wishing to admit how great is his need of God’s infinite mercy. In such a case, in spite of the immensity of divine mercy, the solemn words of the Gospel are fulfilled : “God hath scattered the proud the conceit of their heart, He hath put down the mighty from their seats … the rich He hath sent empty away” (Lk.1: 51-53).

2. There is no limit to God’s mercy. He never rejects us because of our sins, He never grows weary of our infidelities, never refuses to forgive us. He is always ready to forgive our offenses and to repay our ingratitude with graces. He never reproaches us for our offenses, even when we fall again immediately after being forgiven. He is never angered by our repeated failures or weakness in the practice of virtue, but always stretches out His hand to us, wanting to help us. When men condemn us, God shows mercy to us; He absolves us and sends us away justified, as Jesus did with the woman taken in adultery. “Go, and now sin no more”(Jn.8:11). By His words and example, Jesus has shown us the inexhaustible depths of God’s mercy. Let us think of the prodigal son, the lost sheep, Magdalene, and the good thief. But He has also said to us: “Be ye therefore merciful, as Your Father also is merciful” (Lk.6:36).

How far does our mercy go? How much compassion do we have for the faults of others? The measure of our mercy toward our neighbor will be the measure of God’s mercy toward us, for Jesus said, “With what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again” (Mt. 7:2) God does not require us to be sinless but that He may shower upon us the fullness of His mercy, but He does require us to be merciful to our neighbor, and moreover, to be humble.

In fact to be sinners is not enough to attract divine mercy; we must also humbly acknowledge our sins and turn to God with complete confidence. “What pleases God,” said St. Therese of Lisieux, ” is to see me love my littleness and poverty; it is the blind hope I have in His mercy. This is my sole treasure.” This is the treasure which supplies for all our miseries, weaknesses, relapses and infidelities, because by means of this humility and confidence we shall obtain the divine Mercy. And with this at our disposal, how can our wretchedness discourage us?

Fr. Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalene (Divine Intimacy)

PRAYER TO SAINT MARY MAGDALENE

Saint Mary Magdalene, woman of many sins, who by conversion became the beloved of Jesus, thank you for your witness that Jesus forgives through the miracle of love. You, who already possess eternal happiness in His glorious presence, please intercede for me, so that some day I may share in the same everlasting joy. Amen.

Isaiah 1:18

Says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;

though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”

Luke 7:47

“Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much.

But he who has been forgiven little loves little.”

We find the very same message echoing like a refrain throughout the

Diary of St. Faustina:

Jesus said to her: I am Love and Mercy itself (1074).

My Heart overflows with great mercy for souls, and especially for poor sinners ;

it is for them that the Blood and Water flowed from my Heart as from a fount overflowing with mercy (367).

Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet (699).

My mercy is greater than your sins, and those of the entire world (1485).

I let my Sacred Heart be pierced with a lance, thus opening wide the source of mercy for you. Come then with trust to draw graces from this fountain (1485).

Souls that make an appeal to My mercy delight Me. To such souls I grant even more graces than they ask. I cannot punish even the greatest sinner if he makes an appeal to My compassion (1146).

I never reject a contrite heart (1485).

Sooner would heaven and earth turn into nothingness than would My mercy not embrace a trusting soul (1777).

Proclaim to the whole world My unfathomable mercy (1142).

Proclaim that mercy is the greatest attribute of God.

All the works of My hand are crowned with mercy (301).

Jesus loved .. Mary. (Jn.11:5)

SAINT MARY MAGDALEN was the privileged friend of Jesus. She served Him with her wealth and accompanied Him everywhere. She honored His humanity magnificently with her gifts. She loved to pray at His feet in the silence of contemplation. For all these reasons she is the patroness and model of a life spent in the adoration and service of Jesus in the Sacrament of His love. Let us study Saint Mary Magdalen; her life is full of the very best lessons.

JESUS loved Martha, her sister Mary, and Lazarus; but especially Mary. Certainly He loved the three of them, but He loved Magdalen with preferential love. Although our Lord loves us all, He nevertheless has His favorite friends, and He allows us also have special friends in God. Friends are a natural and even supernatural need. All the saints had bosom friends, and they themselves were the most affectionate and devoted of friends.

Before her conversion Magdalen was a public sinner. She possessed all the qualities of mind and body and all the gifts of fortune that can lead one to the worst excesses. And she fell into them. The Gospel lowers her to the rank of a public sinner. She was so degraded that Simon the Pharisee felt disgraced when she entered his home. And he even doubted the prophetic power of Jesus because the Master allowed her to remain at His feet.

But after having been forgiven, this poor sinful woman was to take her place among the greatest saints. See her at work. Human respect is, more than anything else, what holds back great sinners and prevents them from being converted. “I will not be able to persevere,” they say. “I dare not start what I cannot finish.” And disheartened, they go no further.

But Magdalen learned that Jesus was in Simon’s house. She did not hesitate, but went straight to Jesus and made her confession in public. She dared enter a house from which she would heave been shamefully expelled had she been recognized at the door. While at the feet of Jesus, she said not a word; her love spoke audibly enough. Artists have painted her with disheveled hair and disorderly dress; that is all imagination; it would not have been worthy either of Jesus or of her contrition.

She went straight to Jesus without mistaking anyone else for Him. But where had she known Him? Ah! An ailing heart knows well where to find the One that will comfort and cure it! Mary dared not look upon Jesus. She said nothing: true contrition acts that way. Look at the Prodigal Son and at the Publican. The sinner who looks God full in the face after having offended Him insults Him. But Mary wept: she “washed the feet of Jesus with her tears and wiped them with the hairs of her head.” Her place is at the feet of Jesus. These feet trod the earth, and she knew she was but the dust of a corpse. The world is extremely fond of beautiful hair; she used hers as a rag.

She remained prostrate on the ground, awaiting her sentence. She heard the remarks made by the envious Apostles and Jews who honored only triumphant and crowned virtue. They did not like Magdalen who was teaching everyone of them a lesson; for everyone of them had sinned, but not one had the courage to ask pardon publicly. Simon himself, bloated with pride and hypocrisy, grew indignant. But Jesus avenged Magdalen. What beautiful words of rehabilitation: “More has been forgiven her because she has loved more …. Thy faith hath made thee safe,” said the Savior to her. “Go in peace.” He did not add: “Sin no more.” Jesus had said this to the adulteress, who was more humiliated for having been caught in the act than repentant for having offended God. But Magdalen had no need of that advice; her love assured Jesus’ of her firm purpose of amendment. What a beautiful and touching absolution! Magdalen must have had a very perfect contrition! When you go to confession, unite yourself to Magdalen and let your contrition, like hers, proceed more from love than from fear.

Magdalen withdrew after having received this baptism of love. By her humility she became more perfect than the Apostles. Ah! Despise sinners now if you dare! One moment is enough to turn them into great saints. How many among the greatest has not Jesus Christ drawn from the mire of sin: Saint Paul, Saint Augustine, and many others! Magdalen opens the way for them; she ascended to the very Heart of God because she started very low and knew how to humble herself. Who then has a right to despair?

MAGDALEN’S love became active after her conversion. That is an important lesson. Many converted sinners do nothing else beyond being converted. They want to remain in the peace of a good conscience through fidelity to the Commandments. They dare not follow Jesus, and they end by relapsing into sin. Man cannot live on tears and regrets. You have destroyed the objects to which your heart was so attached and of which you lived; you must substitute something else and live of the life of God.

You want to remain at the feet of Jesus? He rises to go; follow Him and walk with Him. And so Magdalen began to follow Jesus; she was never to leave Him. We find her again at His feet, listening to His words and pondering them in her heart. That was the grace of her life. She had no language other than meditation, prayer, and love. She followed Jesus and practiced the virtues proper to His varying conditions of life. A conversion that does not go beyond sentiment is not lasting.

Mary shared the different states of Jesus. During His journeys she procured for Him what He required for His own subsistence and that of His Apostles. Jesus was frequently to come to the home of His hosts in Bethany; by way of exchange’ He gave them a food of grace and love. On each occasion Mary sat at His feet and remained there in prayer. Martha became envious of her once, as do all those who think there is only one good state of life, one good way of living. Every state of life is good. The one you have is good; persevere in it, but do not despise the others. When Martha waited on Jesus, she was doing something good; but she was wrong in being envious of her sister. You know how Jesus answered her and defended Magdalen. It is better to listen to His voice than to wait on Him. It still happens that people engaged in active callings complain of contemplative souls: “You are useless! Come along and work for the salvation of your brethren in charitable’ undertakings.” But Jesus defends them. Must not one also practice charity towards Jesus Christ, Who is so poor and abandoned in His sacrament? Magdalen heard that dialogue and her sister’s complaints; but she did not answer them. She was at the Savior’s feet, and she remained there.

Another characteristic trait of Magdalen’s active love is suffering; she suffered with Jesus Christ. No doubt she knew beforehand of her Master’s death; friends have no secrets for each other. And if Jesus revealed His Passion to His Apostles who were so rude, why would He have concealed it from Magdalen?

See Magdalen in her suffering love. She went where men were afraid to go; she ascended Calvary; she forsook her dearly loved family; she followed the suffering Lord to the very end. And we find her with Mary at the foot of the Cross. The Gospel mentions her by name, and she certainly deserves it. What was she doing there? She loved and sympathized. A friend wants to share the condition of his friend. Love fuses two lives, two existences into one Magdalen did not stand; she remembered she had been a sinner, and she remained on her knees. Mary alone stood, immolating her dearly beloved Son, her Isaac.

Magdalen stayed there until after the death of Jesus. She returned on the morning of the first day of the week. She knew very well that Jesus was buried; but she wanted still to suffer and to weep. The Gospel praises the zeal of the other women and the magnificence of their gifts; it speaks only of the tears of Magdalen. She is the Christian heroine. More than all the saints Magdalen shows us the immensity of divine mercy.

St. Peter Julian Eymard

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The Day of the Lord

Sr. JosephMary f.t.i. — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 19:00:21 +0000

One Minute Meditation

On the Meaning of the Sabbath

Rabbi Jacob Neusner comments: “He, Jesus, and his disciples may do on the Sabbath what they do because they stand in the place of the priests in the temple; the holy place has shifted, now being formed by the circle made up of the master and his disciples.”

At this point we need to pause for a moment in order to see what the Sabbath meant for Israel. This will also help us to understand what is at stake in this dispute. God rested on the seventh day, as the creation account in Genesis tells us. Neusner rightly concludes that “on that day we celebrate creation.” He then adds: “Not working on the Sabbath stands for more than nitpicking ritual. It is a way of imitating God.”

The Sabbath is therefore not just a negative matter of not engaging in outward activities, but a positive matter of “resting,” which must also be expressed in a spatial dimension:· “So to keep the Sabbath, one remains at home. It is not enough merely not to work. One also has to rest. And resting means re-forming one day a week the circle of family and household, everyone at home and in place.”

The Sabbath is not just a matter of personal piety; it is the core of the social order. This day “makes eternal Israel what it is, the people that, like God in creating the world, rest from creation on the Seventh Day.” We could easily stop here to consider how salutary it would also be for our society today if families set aside one day a week to stay together and make their home the dwelling place and the fulfillment of communion in God’s rest.

Pope Benedict XVI

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Prayers from St. Thomas Aquinas

Sr. JosephMary f.t.i. — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 17:00:39 +0000

Ave Maria Meditations

Almighty and ever-living God, I approach the sacrament of your only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. I come sick to the doctor of life, unclean to the fountain of mercy, blind to the radiance of eternal light, and poor and needy to the Lord of heaven and earth. Lord, in your great generosity, heal my sickness, wash away my defilement, enlighten my blindness, enrich my poverty, and clothe my nakedness.

May I receive the bread of angels, the King of kings and Lord of lords, with humble reverence, with the purity and faith, the repentance and love, and the determined purpose that will help to bring me to salvation. May I receive the sacrament of the Lord’s Body and Blood, and its reality and power.

Kind God, may I receive the Body of your only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, born from the womb of the Virgin Mary, and so be received into His mystical Body and numbered among his members. Loving Father, as on my earthly pilgrimage I now receive your beloved Son, under the veil of a sacrament, may I one day see Him Face to face in glory, who lives and reigns with You forever. Amen.

Virgin full of goodness, Mother of mercy, I entrust to you my body and my soul, my thoughts and my actions, my life and my death. O my Queen, come to my aid and deliver me from 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, of loving you with all my heart and above all things. Amen.

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The Absorbeat

Sr. JosephMary f.t.i. — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 20:00:51 +0000

May the power of your love, Lord Christ,

fiery and sweet as honey,

so absorb our hearts

as to withdraw them from all that is under heaven.

Grant that we may be ready

to die for love of your love,

as you died for love of our love.

Amen.

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Offering of Self

Sr. JosephMary f.t.i. — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 19:00:08 +0000

Ave Maria Meditations

Jesus· speaks: As I offered myself willingly to God the Father for your sins with hands outstretched and body naked on the cross, so that nothing remained in me that had not become a complete sacrifice to appease the divine wrath, so ought you to be willing to offer yourself to me day by day in the Mass as a pure and holy oblation, together with all your faculties and affections, with as much inward devotion as you can.

What more do I ask than that you give yourself entirely to me? I care not for anything else you may give me, for I seek not your gift but you. Just as it would not be enough for you to have everything if you did not have me, so whatever you give cannot please me if you do not give yourself.

Offer yourself to me, therefore, and give yourself entirely for God – your offering will be accepted. Behold, I offered myself wholly to the Father for you, I even gave my whole body and blood for food that I might be all yours, and you mine forever.

But if you rely on self, and do not offer your free will to mine, your offering will be incomplete and the union between us imperfect. Hence, if you desire to attain grace and freedom of heart, let the free offering of yourself into the hands of God precede your every action. This is why so few are inwardly free and enlightened – they know not how to renounce themselves entirely.

Fr. Thomas a’Kempis

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Our Dayspring

Sr. JosephMary f.t.i. — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 16:00:25 +0000

Ave Maria Meditations

Through the tender mercy of our God when the day shall dawn upon us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness…(Lk 1:78-79)

Lauds II

The darkness flees, and dew-kissed earth Sings welcome to the waking day;

Hope holds to Christ the mirror high To catch the Dayspring’s healing ray!

You fill with light this sacred time, Give tears as well to purify;

Give flames of love to purge our hearts; In us your mercy magnify.

The hidden wound whence flow our sins, Wash clean by bathing in the tide;

Remove the things that, of ourselves, We cannot reach, or put aside.

The Day draws near when all re-blooms — Your Day, O Christ, life-giving Lord!

We too will joy, by your right hand From death’s dark tomb to joy restored.

To God, the loving Trinity, Let earth and sky adoring bend;

And evermore from hearts renewed Let songs fresh sprung of praise ascend. Amen.

The post Our Dayspring first appeared on AirMaria.com.

The Five First Saturdays

Sr. JosephMary f.t.i. — Sat, 05 May 2012 15:00:52 +0000

Ave Maria Meditations

“See, My daughter, My heart surrounded by thorns which ungrateful men pierce at every moment by their blasphemies and ingratitude… Say to all those who, for five months, on the first Saturday, confess, receive Holy Communion, recite the Rosary and keep Me company for 15 minutes while meditating on the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary, in a spirit of reparation, I promise to assist them at the hour of death with all the graces necessary for the salvation of their souls.”

The confession may be made on the First Saturday itself or some days before or after the First Saturday. This reparatory devotion was requested to atone for the five ways in which people offend the Immaculate Heart of Mary:

attacks upon Mary’s Immaculate Conception;
attacks against her Perpetual Virginity;
attacks upon her Divine Maternity and the refusal to accept Her as the Mother of all mankind;
for those who try to publicly implant in children’s hearts indifference, contempt and even hatred of this Immaculate Mother, and
for those who insult her directly in her sacred images.

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Inspiration through Prayer

Sr. JosephMary f.t.i. — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 16:00:34 +0000

Ave Maria Meditations

All we have to do, therefore, is act on our belief and open our minds in prayer. The moment we begin to pray our minds are open. And as long as we remain in the posture of prayer, whether we are conscious of it or not, whether we realize it or not, the Spirit of Christ is speaking to our spirit. We make ourselves aware of God and He pours in His divine wisdom.

Once thus enlightened, we must act on what we believe is God’s way of teaching us. Do not let these divinely inspirited ideas remain sterile on the mind! They are there to be fructified in action: to be put into practice. Those who believe this and act on their belief achieve great things for the extension of the kingdom of Christ, as witness those great men and women who never doubted that they were following Christ when they followed the illuminations He inspired in their minds during prayer.

+Fr. John Hardon, Servant of God

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