Posted on 12/07/2005 12:17:56 PM PST by Pyro7480
Who Are You, Immaculate Conception?
Mary, mother of God
Fr. [now Saint Maximilian] Kolbe asked this question during a meditation on February 17 1941, the same day he was arrested, just before he left for the concentration camp at Auschwitz, where he would die on August 15. Immaculate Conception : these very words crossed the lips of the Immaculate herself. So they must show just how important they were in describing who she is. Fr Kolbe remembered Mary’s declaration to Bernadette on March 25 1858. Fr Peyramale, the parish priest of Lourdes, had been astonished by the name Our Lady gave to Bernadette: This couldn’t have been her own idea. In fact...one must pay attention to the date chosen by the little Lady of the Grotto to reveal her identity. March 25 points us to another conception other than her own: on this date the Son of God was also conceived in her virginal womb through the action of the Holy Spirit. Mary identified herself with the mission of bringing the Son of God into the world: she is nothing other than the Mother of God for the world. So she did not come to Lourdes just to confirm the doctrine of her Immaculate Conception, defined by the Pope four years previously; she came instead to give it meaning. Mary came to tell me: My child, look at me like God looks at me: through me, you will see a heart that is complete, perfect, open to childbirth, to the gift of Jesus, to the gift of the Saviour of the world. I am nothing on my own, other than a heart made for giving. Mother of God!
Mary, open to the Spirit
If God had really wanted to give himself to the world, if he had really wanted to have an encounter with us to release us from nothingness and death, it is because he had found a gap in our defence mechanism, he had found a door left open in this universe that he is forbidden from entering by force, because he is love. The only thing our Almighty God can’t do is to force a heart to love. So that he could give himself completely, as he dreamt he would, he had to prepare a heart capable of giving itself completely, like him. He decided to find and prepare the immaculate heart of Mary.
Mary on the earth is the pure reflection of what will come to pass in God throughout eternity. The Father begets, the Son is begotten. The Spirit is the love by which the Father begets and the Son is begotten, it is a circle of love: The Spirit is the uncreated, eternal Conception, the prototype of every life conceived in the universe. The Spirit is the most holy Conception, both infinitely holy and immaculate. All life from God, every heavenly happiness, means giving, receiving and sharing life. Through most holy Mary, God wanted to make known and share this one true happiness with the world.
Mary, our mother
Mary is not a screen between God and us. Mary reveals God as he really is, showing us the only way he wants to be known and loved, by the channel through which he gave himself: a mother’s heart. Through her, every grace is available. Through her, God’s gifts are open to us. To know God without her would be like making God in man’s image. Through her, we are loved by the Holy Spirit and also the Son, wrote Fr Kolbe on February 5 1941. She immerses us in the mystery of God. She makes us share the blessing bestowed upon her, because God also wants us to be “holy and spotless, and to live through love in his presence.” (Ephesians 1, 4) She makes us share in the mission that has been entrusted to her: to give Jesus, the God who saves, to the world. “Anyone who does the will of God, that person is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mark 3, 35) In Mary’s womb, the Spirit can freely make us a heart in its image: may she love God with our heart, that we may belong only to him: this is our ideal! (Fr Kolbe, June 24 1936)
Catholic ping!
John Michael Talbot has a song on "The Lover and the Beloved" that would have fit so well into this thread, but I don't know the lyrics any more.
What a wonderful image from St. Maximilian.
Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, now and at the hour of our deaths, Amen.
Leonardo Defilippis' one-man play of St. Maximilian Kolbe's life had a song that was based on his question.
Just looked up the CE: song was called Pass through my will...I used to have it cassette a long time ago, and just this week reordered it.
Funny how these things coordinate sometimes.
Like the Fragrance of the Rose
Like the fragrance of rose
wafted on the breeze
on a spring afternoon,
sweet,
gentle,
almost unperceived at first,
but growing more precious by the second,
O Maria,
Blessed Virgin,
beloved mother,
you come into my life,
when I need it most,
when I least expect it,
calling me gently home.
How could it be,
that the mother of my Lord
would deign come to me,
with the gentlest of mother's touches
to call me home
in that kindest of ways
never condemning,
ready to wipe my tears
and take me gently home?
O my Lady and my Queen,
Friend and comforter,
too often I have sent you looking for me!
Forgive me,
and thank you
for always keeping me under your mantle,
ready to lead me gently home
to your son Jesus.
Thanks Marcellinus.
Ping the MIs Frank!
Bump
O MARY CONCEIVED WITHOUT SIN,PRAY FOR US ,WHO HAVE RECOURSE TO THEE!
O Heart who knows well
how to love,
as generous as human heart
can be,
channel of God's grace
for this sad world,
ark of the covenant,
who carried within you
the one who created you,
You who offered your love,
Your generous heart
no matter the cost,
the sorrow,
the grief,
or how many swords would pass through
simply because the Lord asked it,
simply because you loved greatly,
Simply because that was you.
Mother of my Lord,
Immaculata,
Heaven's brightest rose,
Great-heart,
Full of Grace,
blessed,
Pray for us now, and at the hour of our deaths,
Amen.
Thanks for the Ping, netmilsmom! The Magnificat tonight has a beautiful meditation written in preparation for tomorrow's feast day. House of Gold, Mystical Rose, all the titles are there.
Don't forget to ask for the Plenary Indulgence! This includes confession within 8 days before or after, communion and prayers on behalf of the Holy Father's intentions. It is a special day for the poor souls as Our Mother loves them and asks God constantly for their release from Purgatory.
Frank
Posted on 11/30/2005 6:29:12 PM PST by NYer:
Plenary Indulgence Attainable on Dec. 8
Zenit News Agency ^ | November 30, 2005
Papal Decision for 40th Anniversary of Close of Vatican II
VATICAN CITY, NOV. 30, 2005 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI is offering the faithful a plenary indulgence on the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, Dec. 8, the 40th anniversary of the close of the Second Vatican Council.
The indulgence was announced in a decree published in Latin on Tuesday, signed by Cardinal James Stafford and Conventual Franciscan Father John Girotti, penitentiary major and regent, respectively, of the Apostolic Penitentiary.
The document establishes that when the Pope renders public homage to Mary Immaculate in Rome's Piazza di Spagna, he "has the heartfelt desire that the entire Church should join him, so that all the faithful, united in the name of the common Mother, become ever stronger in the faith, adhere with greater devotion to Christ, and love their brothers with more fervent charity."
"From here -- as Vatican Council II very wisely taught -- arise works of mercy toward the needy, observance of justice, and the defense of and search for peace," adds the decree.
For this reason, the decree continues, the Holy Father "has kindly granted the gift of plenary indulgence which may be obtained under the usual conditions (sacramental confession, Eucharistic Communion and prayer in keeping with the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff), with the soul completely removed from attachment to any form of sin, on the forthcoming solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, by the faithful if they participate in a sacred function in honor of the Virgin, or at least offer open testimony of Marian devotion before an image of Mary Immaculate exposed for public veneration, adding the recitation of the Our Father and of the Creed, and some invocation to the Virgin."
At home
The document concludes by recalling that faithful who "through illness or other just cause" are unable to participate in a public ceremony or to venerate an image of the Virgin, "may obtain a plenary indulgence in their own homes, or wherever they may be, if, with the soul completely removed from any form of sin, and with the intention of observing the aforesaid conditions as soon as possible, they unite themselves in spirit and in desire to the Supreme Pontiff's intentions in prayer to Mary Immaculate, and recite the Our Father and the Creed."
On Dec. 8, 1965, Pope Paul VI, in closing Vatican II, dedicated great praise to the Blessed Virgin who, as Mother of Christ, is Mother of God and spiritual Mother of all mankind.
Oh, Mother of the Word Incarnate, pray for us!
O Virgin conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!
This seemed appropriate:
Lord, have mercy on us, Christ have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, pray for us
Holy Mother of God, pray for us.
Holy Virgin of virgins, pray for us.
Mother of Christ, pray for us.
Mother of divine grace, pray for us.
Mother most pure, pray for us.
Mother most chaste, pray for us.
Mother inviolate, pray for us.
Mother undefiled, pray for us.
Mother most amiable, pray for us.
Mother most admirable, pray for us.
Mother of good counsel, pray for us.
Mother of our Creator, pray for us.
Mother of our Savior, pray for us.
Mother of the Church, pray for us
Mother of perpetual help, pray for us
Virgin most prudent, pray for us.
Virgin most venerable, pray for us.
Virgin most renowned, pray for us.
Virgin most powerful, pray for us.
Virgin most merciful, pray for us.
Virgin most faithful, pray for us.
Mirror of justice, pray for us.
Seat of wisdom, pray for us.
Cause of our joy, pray for us.
Vessel of honor, pray for us.
Singular vessel of devotion, pray for us.
Mystical rose, pray for us.
Tower of David, pray for us.
Tower of ivory, pray for us.
House of gold, pray for us.
Ark of the covenant, pray for us.
Gate of Heaven, pray for us.
Morning star, pray for us.
Health of the sick, pray for us.
Refuge of sinners, pray for us.
Comforter of the afflicted, pray for us.
Help of Christians, pray for us.
Queen of angels, pray for us.
Queen of patriarchs, pray for us.
Queen of prophets, pray for us.
Queen of Apostles, pray for us.
Queen of martyrs, pray for us.
Queen of confessors, pray for us.
Queen of virgins, pray for us.
Queen of all saints, pray for us.
Queen conceived without Original Sin, pray for us.
Queen assumed into Heaven, pray for us.
Queen of the most holy Rosary, pray for us.
Queen of families,
Queen of peace, pray for us.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Spare us, 0 Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us, 0 Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us.
V. Pray for us, 0 holy Mother of God,
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let Us Pray
Grant, we beseech Thee, 0 Lord God, unto us Thy servants, that we may rejoice in continual health of mind and body, and by the glorious intercession of Blessed Mary, ever virgin, may be delivered from present sadness, and enter into the joy of Thine eternal gladness. Through Christ Our Lord. R. Amen
Not for nothin' but I always thought that Mary could make quite an impression if she appeared to say -Billy Graham.
Ora pro nobis.
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