Hail Mary!

Saint John Damascene (c.675-749), monk, theologian, Doctor of the Church
Homily on the Nativity of the Virgin, § 9 ; SC 80

"Hail, full of grace!"

This woman will be the Mother of God, the door to light, source of life; she will reduce to oblivion the judgement that weighed on Eve. “The rich among the people seek the face” of this woman, “the kings of the nations shall pay her homage”, they shall “offer gifts”..., yet the glory of the Mother of God is an interior glory: the fruit of her womb.

O woman, so worthy of love, thrice happy, “blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” Daughter of David the king and Mother of God, King of the universe, masterpiece in whom the Creator rejoices...: you are to be nature's full achievement. For you life is not yours; you were not born for yourself alone; but your life is to be God's. You came into the world for him, you will serve for the salvation of all people, fulfilling God's design established from the beginning: the incarnation of the Word and our own divinization. Your whole desire is to feed on the words of God, to be strengthened by their sap, like “a green olive tree in the house of God”, “like a tree planted by running water”, you are the “tree of life” who “yielded its fruit in due season”...

He who is infinite, limitless, came to dwell in your womb; God, the child Jesus, was nourished by your milk. You are the ever virginal doorway of God; your hands hold your God; your lap is a throne raised up above the cherubim... You are the wedding chamber of the Spirit, the “city of the living God, gladdened by the runlets of the stream”, that is to say the waves of the Spirit's gifts. You are “all fair, the Beloved” of God.

Litany of the Sacred Heart

 Dedication to the Sacred Heart of Our Blessed Lord God. With God all is possible, but we have to allow Him --may His will always be done! May you all be blessed.

http://www.discerninghearts.com/Devotionals/Litany_of_the_Sacred_Heart.mp3

The Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
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 Ghost, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, Son of the Eternal Father, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, formed in the womb of the Virgin Mother by the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, united substantially with the word of God, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, of infinite majesty, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, holy temple of God, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, tabernacle of the Most High, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, house of God and gate of heaven, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, glowing furnace of charity, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, vessel of justice and love, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, full of goodness and love, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, abyss of all virtues, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, most worthy of all praise, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, king and center of all hearts, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, in whom dwelleth all the fullness of the Divinity, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, in whom the Father is well pleased, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, of whose fullness we have all received, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, desire of the everlasting hills, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, patient and rich in mercy, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, rich to all who invoke Thee, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, fount of life and holiness, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, propitiation for our sins, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, saturated with revilings, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, crushed for our iniquities, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, made obedient unto death, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, pierced with a lance, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, source of all consolation, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, our life and resurrection, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, our peace and reconciliation, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, victim for our sins, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, salvation of those who hope in Thee, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, hope of those who die in Thee, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, delight of all saints, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord,
Lamb of God who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
V. Jesus, meek and humble of Heart.
R. Make our hearts like unto Thine.

Let us pray
Almighty and everlasting God, look upon the Heart of Thy well-beloved Son and upon the acts of praise and satisfaction which He renders unto Thee in the name of sinners; and do Thou, in Thy great goodness, grant pardon to them who seek Thy mercy, in the name of the same Thy Son, Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with Thee, world without end.

---

 Give your hearts to the Lord with love--and He in turn will bless you.

Temple of God

St Francis of Assisi:

Holy Virgin Mary, there is none like you among women born in the world. Daughter and handmaid of the heavenly Father, the Almighty King. Mother of our Most High Lord Jesus Christ!  Spouse of the Holy Spirit!  Pray for us to your most holy Son, our Lord and Master.

Hail holy Lady, most noble Queen, Mother of God, Mary ever Virgin!  You were chosen by the heavenly Father, who has been pleased to honor you with the presence of His most holy Son and Divine Paraclete.  

You were blessed with the fullness of grace and goodness. Hail, Temple of God, His dwelling-place, His masterpiece, His handmaid.

Hail, Mother of God, I venerate you for the holy virtues which, through the grace and light of the Holy Spirit, you bring into the hearts of your clients to change them from unfaithful Christians to faithful children of God. 

Amen.

Evening Visitation

 Evening Visitation/1947/Thomas Merton

Go, roads, to the four quarters of our quiet distance,
While you, full moon, wise queen,
Begin your evening journey to the hills of heaven,
And travel no less stately in the summer sky
Than Mary, going to the house of Zachary.
 
The woods are silent with the sleep of doves,
The valleys with the sleep of streams,
And all our barns are happy with peace of cattle gone to rest.
Still wakeful, in the fields, the shocks of wheat 

Preach and say prayers:
You sheaves, make all your evensongs as sweet as ours,
Whose summer world, all ready for the granary and barn,
Seems to have seen, this day,
Into the secret of the Lord's Nativity.
 
Now at the fall of night, you shocks,
Still bend your heads like kind and humble kings
The way you did this golden morning when you saw God's
Mother passing,
While all our windows fill and sweeten
With the mild vespers of the hay and barley.
 
You moon and rising stars, pour on our barns and houses
Your gentle benedictions.
Remind us how our Mother, with far subtler and more holy
influence, 

Blesses our rooves and eaves,
Our shutters, lattices and sills,
Our doors, and floors, and stairs, and rooms, and bedrooms, 

Smiling by night upon her sleeping children:
O gentle Mary! Our lovely Mother in heaven!

Novena to Our Lady

 Litany of Loreto

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxIVh5SCn50

In its present form it was approved and indulgenced by Pope Sixtus V in 1587, and again by pope Clement VIII in 1601. It is a series of invocations of the Blessed Virgin, each with the response, "Pray for us." Successive popes have added new invocations, e.g., "Mother of Good Counsel," by Pope Leo XIII, "Queen of Peace," by Pope Benedict XV, and "Queen Assumed into Heaven," by Pope Pius XII. It is a simplified version of older Litanies of Our Lady that were known already in the twelfth century.

   

Lord have mercy.
Christ have mercy.
Lord have mercy.
Christ hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God, the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the word, 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 the Church, 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.
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.
Spiritual vessel, 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 Peace, pray for us.
Queen of the Church, pray for us.

Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world; spare us O Lord!
Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world; graciously hear us, O Lord!
Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world; have mercy on us. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.


                                                                Let us pray:
O God, whose only begotten Son by His life, death and resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal salvation, grant, we pray, that meditating upon these mysteries in the Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise. 
Amen.
                                           

Gospel of Luke

Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary is primarily based upon the Sacred Scriptures. In the New Testament, there are two references to the Heart of Mary in the Gospel according to St. Luke:

 "Mary treasured all these things and reflected on them in her heart. " (Lk 2: 19) and " His mother meanwhile kept all these things in her heart. " (Lk 2:51)

In the Old Testament, the heart is seen as the symbol of the depths of the human soul, the center of its choices and commitments. For all mankind, it is a symbol of love. In the Book of Deuteronomy we are told, "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your strength." (Dt. 6:5) When Our Lord Jesus Christ was asked by the scribes which was the first commandment, he answered them by quoting this verse to them. (see Mk. 12:29-31)

Keep me

Justify my soul, O God, but also from Your fountains fill my will with fire. Shine in my mind, although perhaps this means

 “be darkness to my experience,”

 but occupy my heart with Your tremendous Life.

Let my eyes see nothing in the world but Your glory, and let my hands touch nothing that is not for Your service. 

Let my tongue taste no bread that does not strengthen me to praise Your great mercy. I will hear Your voice and I
 will hear all harmonies You have created, singing Your hymns. 

Sheep’s wool and cotton from the field shall warm me enough that I may live in Your service;

I will give the rest to Your poor. Let me use all things for one sole reason: to find my joy in giving You glory.

Therefore keep me, above all things, from sin. 

Keep me from the death of deadly sin which puts hell in my soul. 

Keep me from the murder of lust that blinds and poisons my heart. 

Keep me from the sins that eat a man’s flesh with irresistible fire until he is devoured. 

Keep me from loving money in which is hatred, from avarice and ambition that suffocate my life. 

Keep me from the dead works of vanity and the thankless labour in which artists destroy themselves for pride and
money and reputation, and saints are smothered under the avalanche of their own importunate zeal. 

Stanch in me the rank wound of covetousness and the hungers that exhaust my nature with their bleeding. Stamp
out the serpent envy that stings love with poison and kills all joy. Untie my hands and deliver my heart from sloth.

Set me free from the laziness that goes about disguised as activity when activity is not required of me, and from the
cowardice that does what is not demanded, in order to escape sacrifice.

But give me the strength that waits upon You in silence and peace. Give me humility in which alone is rest, and
deliver me from pride which is the heaviest of burdens. And possess my whole heart and soul with the simplicity of love.

Occupy my whole life with the one thought and the one desire of love, that I may love not for the sake of merit,
not for the sake of perfection, not for the sake of virtue, not for the sake of sanctity, but for You alone.

For there is only one thing that can satisfy love and reward it, and that is You alone.
-Thomas Merton

Chaplets of Divine Mercy

Someone whose writings are very dear to me said--

"The most productive time is the early hours of the morning when I pray--yet, I seem to be doing nothing".

Though I wish I could honestly say that I am up at dawn each morning--I am not. Only some days--but always I consider my time in prayer, with God and Our Lady most productive part of my life. In fact--if one looks at it realistically, that is the only real life we have. It is the only thing that matters though we may feel that life in general and our material life is ever so important--it is not.

What is strange--I was like this as a child. Loved everything about God--I remember walking to church by myself--I wasn`t quite 4. Where did all of this come from? How did it happen? Why was God so merciful to me? --I do believe it is all from the Holy Spirit--especially if we allow it to move within us, offer up ourselves and trust in Her Immaculate Heart.

Was I, am I a saint--so far from it. --and children are often not very happy about church , God and the spiritual life.--Now perhaps I am a child once more, we have come full circle. Is it age? Is it time? Is it spiritual maturity? I have no idea--but as the years go by I seem to be getting closer and closer to God--I think perhaps it is the work of The Blessed Mother--She is the mover and shaker of each life, if we allow Her.

I feel happy, content, grateful-- filled with spirit and the love of God.  The mystery, the mystical--all manifesting, yet; also the new enlightenment, new light within me. It is like all coming together, like a beautiful piece of music or a piece of divine poetry. The orthodox, the old, the new and the contemporary versions of God--the Father, Son, Holy Spirit, the Creator and Our Blessed Mother---the most Holy Theotokos. All explained, all understood, within spirit--yet the mystery remains, for God--the Mighty One, The Immortal One, The Eternal One--who is is unfathomable--the Alpha and the Omega--!

Jesus I trust in You! 

Immaculate Heart of Mary I trust in You!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5TGfisOKMM

BoldogasszonyAnyánk

 

Boldogasszony Anyánk ... (1714.) 
 

Boldogasszony Anyánk, régi nagy Pátrónánk!
Nagy ínségben lévén, így szólít meg hazánk :
Ó Atya Istennek kedves, szép leánya,
Krisztus Jézus Anyja, Szentlélek mátkája!
Nyisd fel az egeket sok kiáltásunkra,
Anyai palástod fordítsd oltalmunkra.
Kegyes szemeiddel tekints meg népedet,
Segéld meg áldásra magyar nemzetedet.
Magyarországról,
Édes hazánkról,
Ne felejtkezzél el
Szegény magyarokról!

Sírnak és zokognak árváknak szívei,
Hazánk pusztulásán özvegyek lelkei.
Vedd el országodról, ezt a sok ínséget,
Melyben torkig úszunk. Ó nyerj békességet.
Irtsd ki, édes Anyánk, az eretnekséget,
Magyar nemzetedből a hitetlenséget.
Hogy mint Isten Anyját régen tiszteltenek,
Úgy minden magyarok most is dicsérjenek.
Magyarországról,
Édes hazánkról,
Ne felejtkezzél el
Szegény magyarokról!

Tudod, hogy Szent István örökségben hagyott,
Szent László király is minket reád bízott.
Sokat Fiad ellen, megvalljuk, vétettünk,
De könyörögj értünk, s hozzája megtérünk.
Jézus Fiad előtt hajts térdet érettünk,
Mert ha nem cselekszel egy lábig elveszünk.
Dicséret, dicsőség legyen az Atyának,
A te szent Fiadnak s Szentlélek mátkádnak.

Magyarországról,
Édes hazánkról,
Ne felejtkezzél el
Szegény magyarokról!

Hail Mary-in gratefulness

Strange as it seems I have to confess that  I have been praying to You—but haven`t really had a conversation lately. Yes—I have numerous feeble excuses—but You do know where my heart is—it is with You, my Mother. There is new fire in my heart for You once more—I always have, but sometimes it is simply a mere spark, and at times a bonfire. Lately I have been thinking more about You—and the old feeling that I always have had for You, have returned. 

 I know through You all is possible—and only through You. I also know not to ask for anything for only You, my Mother know what is good for my life- for my heart and soul—Without You  and Your guidance I am without a map, without destination and without purpose or reason. Please guide me.

These past days—well, You know what is happening. I leave the entire process in Your most Holy Hand—and I shall be guided by You. For only You know what is good for me. What I need, what Your plan is for my life. I am offering all up to You—in love. Protect the one`s I love, shower them with grace and lead them all , as well as myself to Your beloved Son, Our Lord God.

Thank You—my dearest Mother, the most Holy Theotokos-most Holy Mother of God,  Immaculate Heart, Queen of heaven and earth!—I, most humbly with love and gratitude thank You for all the You are doing for me.  Whatever it maybe—Your will be done, have mercy on me, pray to My Lord God for me.

Hail Mary-blessed are You forever; Your loving daughter-

Zsuzsi

Immaculate Heart of Mary

Immaculate Heart of Mary, I place my trust in You!

Blessed are You forever Mother of God--the 

Most Holy Theotokos
My Mother!

All glory, praise and honor be 
Yours!

Glory to You O Lord God-Father Son, Holy Spirit and

 You Our Blessed Lady!

The most Holy Theotokos

 

 

Mary, Mother of God

by Father William Saunders
As Catholics, we firmly believe in the incarnation of our Lord: Mary conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Lk 1:26-38 and Mt 1:18-25) Through her, Jesus Christ--second person of the Holy Trinity, one-in-being (consubstantial) with the Father, and true God from true God--entered this world, taking on human flesh and a human soul. Jesus is true God and true man. In His person are united both a divine nature and a human nature.

Mary did not create the divine person of Jesus, who existed with the Father from all eternity. "In fact, the One whom she conceived as man by the Holy Spirit, who truly became her Son according to the flesh, was none other than the Father's eternal Son, the second person of the Holy Trinity. Hence the Church confesses that Mary is truly 'Mother of God' (Theotokos)" (CCC, No. 495). As St. John wrote,

"The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us, and we have seen His glory: The glory of an only Son coming from the Father filled with enduring love" (Jn 1:14).

For this reason, sometime in the early history of the Church, our Blessed Mother was given the title "Mother of God." St. John Chrysostom (d. 407), for example, composed in his Eucharistic Prayer for the Mass an anthem in honor of her: "It is truly just to proclaim you blessed, O Mother of God, who are most blessed, all pure and Mother of our God. We magnify you who are more honorable than the Cherubim and incomparably more glorious than the Seraphim. You who, without losing your virginity, gave birth to the Word of God. You who are truly the Mother of God."

However, objection to the title "Mother of God" arose in the fifth century, due to confusion concerning the mystery of the incarnation. Nestorius, Bishop of Constantinople (428-431), incited a major controversy. He stated that Mary gave birth to Jesus Christ, a regular human person, period. To this human person was united the person of the Word of God (the divine Jesus). This union of two persons--the human Christ and the divine Word-- was "sublime and unique" but merely accidental. The divine person dwelt in the human person "as in a temple." Following his own reasoning, Nestorius asserted that the human Jesus died on the cross, not the divine Jesus. As such, Mary is not "Mother of God," but simply "Mother of Christ"--the human Jesus. Sound confusing? It is, but the result is the splitting of Christ into two persons and the denial of the incarnation.

St. Cyril, Bishop of Alexandria (d. 440) refuted Nestorius, asserting, "It was not that an ordinary man was born first of the Holy Virgin, on whom afterwards the Word descended; what we say is that, being united with the flesh from the womb, (the Word) has undergone birth in the flesh, making the birth in the flesh His own..." This statement affirms the belief asserted in the first paragraph.

On June 22, 431, the Council of Ephesus convened to settle this argument. The Council declared, "If anyone does not confess that the Emmanuel is truly God and therefore that the holy Virgin is the Mother of God (Theotokos) (since she begot according to the flesh the Word of God made flesh), anathema sit." Therefore, the Council officially recognized that Jesus is one person, with two natures--human and divine--united in a true union. Second, Ephesus affirmed that our Blessed Mother can rightfully be called the Mother of God. Mary is not Mother of God, the Father, or Mother of God, the Holy Spirit; rather, she is Mother of God, the Son--Jesus Christ. The Council of Ephesus declared Nestorius a heretic, and the Emperor Theodosius ordered him deposed and exiled. (Interestingly, a small Nestorian Church still exists in Iraq, Iran and Syria.)

The incarnation is indeed a profound mystery. The Church uses very precise--albeit philosophical--language to prevent confusion and error. Nevertheless, as we celebrate Christmas, we must ponder this great mystery of how our divine Savior entered this world, taking on our human flesh, to free us from sin. We must also ponder and emulate the great example of our Blessed Mother, who said,

"I am the handmaid of the Lord; be it done unto me according to Thy word." May we turn to her always as our own Mother, pleading, "Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen."

---

Lovely Lady

 

Lovely Lady Dressed in Blue
 
Lovely Lady dressed in blue -------
Teach me how to pray!
God was just your little boy,
Tell me what to say!
Did you lift Him up, sometimes,
Gently on your knee?
Did you sing to Him the way
Mother does to me?
Did you hold His hand at night?
Did you ever try
Telling stories of the world?
O! And did He cry?
Do you really think He cares
If I tell Him things -------
Little things that happen? And
Do the Angels' wings
Make a noise? And can He hear
Me if I speak low?
Does He understand me now?
Tell me -------for you know.
Lovely Lady dressed in blue -------
Teach me how to pray!
God was just your little boy,
And you know the way.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgQ_YQCZRFM