Immaculate Conception Novena

Mary, Mother of the New Evangelization

Day 3

Theme:  Mary, the Mother of Christ

Scripture Passage       Matthew 28: 18 – 20

Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”

Marian Reading

Tell me how Mary became the mother of Christ, if it was not by giving birth to the members of Chirst? You, to whom I am speaking, are the members of Christ.  Of whom were you born?  “Of Mother Church,” I hear the reply of your hearts.  You became sons of this mother at your baptism, you came to birth then as members of Christ.  Now you in your turn must draw to the font of baptism as many as you possibly can.  You became sons when you were born there yourselves, and now by bringing others to birth in the same way, you have it in your power to become the mothers of Christ.  (St. Augustine, Sermon 25)

Prayers

§        -  an Our Father

§        - a Hail Mary

§        - a Glory Be

§        -  the invocation “Mary, Immaculate, Help of Christians, pray for us.”

Image source:  www.qumran2.net

Novena to the Immaculate Conception

Mary, Mother of the New Evangelization

Day 2

Theme:  MARY, SERVANT OF THE FATHER

Scripture Passage       Luke 1: 26 – 38

Marian Reading

God surprises us.  This was the experience of the Virgin Mary. At the message of the angel, she does not hide her surprise. It is the astonishment of realizing that God, to become man, had chosen her, a simple maid of Nazareth. Not someone who lived in a palace amid power and riches, or one who had done extraordinary things, but simply someone who was open to God and put her trust in him, even without understanding everything: “Here I am, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word” (Lk 1:38). That was her answer. God constantly surprises us, He bursts our categories, He wreaks havoc with our plans. And He tells us: Trust me, do not be afraid, let yourself be surprised, leave yourself behind and follow me!

Today let us all ask ourselves whether we are afraid of what God might ask, or of what He does ask. Do I let myself be surprised by God, as Mary was, or do I remain caught up in my own safety zone: in forms of material, intellectual or ideological security, taking refuge in my own projects and plans? Do I truly let God into my life? How do I answer him? (Pope Francis, Homily for Marian Day during the Year of Faith, October 13, 2013)

(Image:  Sandro Botticelli, The Mourning of Christ)

Novena to Immaculate Conception

Mary, Mother of the New  Evangelization

Day 1

Theme: MARY, THE VIRGIN AT PRAYER

Scripture Passage: Luke 1: 46 - 55
http://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/prayers/magnificat.htm

Marian Reading:
Mary is the Virgin in prayer. She appears as such in the visit to [Elizabeth], when she pours out her soul in expressions glorifying God, and expressions of humility, faith and hope. This prayer is the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55), Mary's prayer par excellence, in which there mingles the joy of the ancient and the new Israel…. In her exultation Mary prophetically declared in the name of the Church: 'My soul proclaims the glory of the Lord....'

At Cana, Mary appears once more as the Virgin in prayer: when she tactfully told her Son of a temporal need she also obtained an effect of grace, namely, that Jesus, in working the first of His "signs," confirmed His disciples' faith in Him.

Likewise, the last description of Mary's life presents her as praying. The apostles "joined in continuous prayer, together with several women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers" (Acts 1:14). We have here the prayerful presence of Mary in the early Church and in the Church throughout all ages, for, having been assumed into heaven, she has not abandoned her mission of intercession and salvation. The title Virgin in prayer also fits the Church, which day by day presents to the Father the needs of her children, "praises the Lord unceasingly and intercedes for the salvation of the world."

(Pope Paul VI, Apostolic Exhortation Marialis Cultus, #18)

Prayers:
An Our Father
A Hail Mary
A Glory Be
The invocation: Mary, Immaculate Help of Christians, pray for us

Immaculate Conception Novena

The Novena preparing for the Immaculate Conception begins today.

She is the Queen of the New Evangelization.

The Church invites us "trusting in the help of Mary, the Church in America desires to lead the men and women of the continent to encounter Christ. This encounter will be the starting-point of authentic conversion and of renewed communion and solidarity. Such an encounter will contribute greatly to strengthening the faith of many Catholics, helping them to mature in strong, lively and active faith. (Pope John Paul II, Apostolic Exhortation Ecclesia in America)

Each day a reading with a theme will be posted

Please make the Novena, both with prayer and with other ways that are suitable for you to prepare for the celebration (This year the feast will be on Monday, December 9)

(Image by Bartolome Murillo)

1st Sunday of Advent - A (December 1, 2013)

Commentary

Matthew 24: 37 – 44

The Coming of the Son of Man

All of the parables/examples used by Jesus in this passage affirm that the Son of Man will come in the most ordinary moments of life.  The list includes eating, drinking, marrying, giving in marriage, men being out in the field, and women grinding grains at the mill.  It is in those ordinary moments and activities that the Lord will come.

In fact, with the Incarnation, the first coming of the Son of God, every human reality can and indeed is an encounter with the invisible God.  Jesus is the Emmanuel, God with us.  The Kingdom of God is here, in the midst of our daily life and ordinary responsibilities of our calling.

God surely is present to us in moments of prayer, in God’s words, in the Sacraments, and other spiritual realities.  And the same God is present to us in the events of our daily life, in ourselves, and in the people around us. 

If we are sensitive to the Lord’s presence in the here and now, then we are ready for his second coming among us, whenever that might be.

On the contrary, we can get caught up in the hustle and bustle of daily life, and lose sight of the presence of the Emmanuel, God-with-us.

Advent calls us to train our interior eyes to see the God-with-us, and recognize Him in our ordinary life.  Then, we will be ready to celebrate His first coming at Christmas, as well as His second coming, whenever that might be.

1st Sunday of Advent - A (December 1, 2013)

Readings

Image source: http://www.agnusday.org

Christ the King - C

Commentary

Luke 23: 35 – 43

Jesus – God Saves

The verb “to save” appears four times in this passage.  Ironically, it is used all four times by those who oppose Jesus: the rulers, the soldiers, and the first of the two criminals crucified with him. 

The rulers acknowledge that Jesus “saved others.”  Probably unintentionally, they testified that Jesus had been true to his identity – the name Jesus means “God saves” [1].   However, they do not pronounce that name “Jesus.”

The soldiers and the criminal express the common expectation people have on a king – a king ought to save himself. 

Interestingly, only the one criminal addresses Jesus by his name [2].  He recognizes who Jesus truly is.

Jesus the King saves.  But he saves others.  

He has done so throughout his ministry.  He identifies his mission as “[coming] to seek and to save what was lost” [3].  And he continues to do that even to the end. 

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[1] In Matthew 1:21, “the angel of the Lord” announces the name” Jesus” and its meaning in instructing Joseph, “You are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

[2] Luke Timothy Johnson, The Gospel of Luke, Sacra Pagina series.  Collegeville, MN, Liturgical Press, 1991; p. 378. 

[3] Luke 19: 10