Saint Irenaeus: Mary as the New Eve

Saint Irenaeus was one of the most important Church Fathers of the 2nd century AD. Today we celebrate his feast day. Irenaeus was bishop of Lyons, in Southern France, though may have grown up in Smyrna, in Modern day Turkey. There, he had personal contact with Saint Polycarp, one of the Apostolic Fathers who knew the Apostle John, son of Zebedee. He was a pastor and a missionary. Before becoming bishop, Irenaeus studied in Rome where he was influenced by Saint Justin Martyr.

His major work, Against Heresies, written around the year 185 AD, exposed the Gnostic cults of the day and strongly defended of Catholic Christianity. His writings were a heroic defense of the church and cost him his life. He received the martyr's crown around the year 200. In giving up his life for the Lord, He upheld the truth and always sought unity and peace.

Excerpt from Saint Irenaeus' classic work, Against Heresies. 
"The Lord, coming into his own creation in visible form, was sustained by his own creation which he himself sustains in being. His obedience on the tree of the cross reversed the disobedience at the tree in Eden; the good news of the truth announced by an angel to Mary, a virgin subject to a husband, undid the evil lie that seduced Eve, a virgin espoused to a husband."

Eve was visited by a fallen angel and Mary was visited by an angel of the Lord. Eve, by her disobedience, brought sin and death to the human race; whereas Mary, by her obedience, brought salvation and new life to all humanity.

O Mary, you are the New Eve, the Sanctuary of God, the first Tabernacle of Jesus. Pray for us.

Our Mother of Perpetual Help, pray for us!

Today is the Feast Day of Our Mother of Perpetual Help. Her image is an icon, deeply rich in symbolism and meaning. Our Mother of Perpetual Help

Prayer to Our Mother of Perpetual Help

O Mary, Mother of Perpetual Help, I salute thee with the filial devotion. I renew the consecration of myself, and all I have, to thee. I thank thee for thy maternal protection and for the many blessings that I have received through thy wondrous mercy and most powerful intercession. In all my necessities, I have recourse to thee with unbounded confidence, O Help of Christians, O Mother of Mercy, I beseech thee now to hear my prayer and to obtain for me of thy Divine Son the favor that I request: (mention your petition now)

Obtain for me, also dearest Mother of Perpetual Help, the grace that I may imitate thee and become more like to thee in the practice of the virtues of humility, purity, submission to the Will of God, and charity. Be my protectress in life, guard and guide me in dangers, direct me in difficulties, lead me in the way of perfection, and assist me in the hour of my death, that I may come to Jesus, and with thee enjoy Him, bless Him, and love Him eternally in Heaven. Amen.

Our Mother of Perpetual Help, pray for us!

Reflection: The Lord delights in you...

Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God, and he who loves is born of God and knows God. 1 John 4:7

This morning at Mass, there was a young couple with their beautiful baby. Love came from her and love spread to those who encountered her. The baby was waving to the people around her. She was also gazing at her hands, moving them around, as though she had just discovered them. Isn't it beautiful to see the sense of "wonder" in the face of a baby! 

God is your Father and He looks at you with pure love. He delights in you. God wants an intimate relationship with you. He wants you to come to Him as trusting as a child.

If you have turned away from the Lord, turn back to Him. He is waiting for you with outstretched hands.  When you turn away from God, you can become battered and marred by sin as a ship is battered in a storm. Reach out to Jesus in Confession. It is there, you will experience His love and mercy. In the Sacrament of Reconciliation, He will restore you and heal you. 

Come and let the hand of the Father touch you. He is waiting for you. He will welcome you with outstretched arms into His loving embrace...

The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a mighty Savior, who will rejoice over you with gladness, and renew you in His love, who will sing joyfully because of you.  Zephaniah 3:17  

This is your invitation. Come to the Father and take hold of His hand.

O Lord, our Lord, how awesome is Your Name through all the earth! I will sing of Your majesty above the heavens with the mouths of babes and infants.  Psalm 8:2

Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus + Annual Global Rosary Rally for Priests

Today is the Feast Day of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and it is the World Day for Priests and the Annual Global Rosary Relay for Priests. Saint Pope John Paul II established the World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests on the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. On this day, the entire world is encircled in praying the rosary for our beloved priests. Pray the rosary today for all these intentions asking Mary, Mother of Priests, to be a refuge for her beloved sons, keeping them in her Immaculate Heart.

First Friday devotions in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus: 
The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Act of Reparation, The Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, The Sacrament of Reconciliation 

Promises of the Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus given by Jesus to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque: 
1. "I will give them all the graces necessary in their state of life."
2. "I will establish peace in their homes."
3. "I will comfort them in their afflictions."
4. "I will be their secure refuge during life, and above all in death."
5. "I will bestow a large blessing upon all their undertakings."
6. "Sinners shall find in My Heart the source and the infinite ocean of mercy."
7. "Tepid souls shall grow fervent."
8. "Fervent souls shall quickly mount to high perfection."
9. "I will bless every place where a picture of My Heart shall be set up and honored."
10. "I will give to priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts."
11. "Those who shall promote this devotion shall have their names written in My Heart, never to be blotted out."
12. "I promise thee in the excessive mercy of My Heart that My all-powerful love will grant to all those who communicate on the First Friday in nine consecutive months, the grace of final penitence; they shall not die in My disgrace nor without receiving the Sacraments; My Divine heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment."

Saint Thérèse, the Little Flower, Prayer for Priests
‘O Holy Father, may the torrents of love flowing from the sacred wounds of Thy Divine Son bring forth priests like unto the beloved disciple John who stood at the foot of the Cross; priests: who as a pledge of Thine own most tender love will lovingly give Thy Divine Son to the souls of men.

May Thy priests be faithful guardians of Thy Church, as John was of Mary, whom he received into his house. Taught by this loving Mother who suffered so much on Calvary, may they display a mother’s care and thoughtfulness towards Thy children. May they teach souls to enter into close union with Thee through Mary who, as the Gate of Heaven, is specially the guardian of the treasures of Thy Divine Heart.

Give us priests who are on fire, and who are true children of Mary, priests who will give Jesus to souls with the same tenderness and care with which Mary carried the Little Child of Bethlehem.

Mother of sorrows and of love, out of compassion for Thy beloved Son, open in our hearts deep wells of love, so that we may console Him and give Him a generation of priests formed in thy school and having all the tender thoughtfulness of thine own spotless love.’

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.  Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for and protect your beloved sons, our priests.

Today we join with the entire world in praying the rosary for our beloved priests: Annual Global Rosary Relay for Priests

Reflection: Our Father...

As the Father loves me, so I also love you.  John 15:9

Jesus taught the disciples to pray the Our Father and He teaches us, as well:

The Lord's Prayer
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy Kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Meditation:
Place yourself in a quiet setting to pray, open your hands, palms upward, and pray the Our Father. As you pray to the Father in heaven, consider how He is gazing upon you with great love. He knows what you need and He is delighted when you come to Him asking that your needs be granted. You are the Father's beloved child. Raise your heart and mind in prayer to Him each day. As you rest in the Father's Presence, talk to Him from your heart. Pour out your heart's desires and tell Him how much you long for Him. Then be still and listen. Allow His Presence to envelop you with grace and peace. You are His beloved. Rest in Him...

Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. Matthew 6:8

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church; 2761
"The Lord's Prayer "is truly the summary of the whole Gospel." "Since the Lord...after handling over the practice of prayer, said elsewhere, 'Ask and you will receive,' and since everyone has petitions which are peculiar to his circumstances, the regular and appropriate prayer (the Lord's Prayer) is said first, as the foundation of further desires." 

Grace to you and peace from God our Father. We always give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love that you have for all the holy ones because of the hope reserved for you in heaven. Colossians 1:2-5

We pray in the Name of our Heavenly Father, and of the Son Jesus, and of the Holy Spirit. Where the Holy Trinity dwells, our Blessed Mother Mary is in the center.

Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Every time we pray the Sign of the Cross, we call upon the Trinity to be with us as we pray. Where the Trinity dwells, our Blessed Mother Mary is with them. The Holy Trinity is Love.

The Angel Prayer of Fatima Prayer to the Holy Trinity was given by an angel to the children a year before the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima. With the Blessed Sacrament suspended in the air, the Angel of Peace recited this prayer during the third apparition to the children in Fatima in 1916. The children were illuminated with Love in the Presence of the Blessed Sacrament and they were consumed with zeal to pray and offer sacrifices for the conversion of sinners. They imitated the Angel and prostrated themselves before the Eucharist for long periods of time. The Angel prepared their hearts for the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima, who came to them and to us as Our Lady of the Rosary.

O Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I adore Thee profoundly. I offer Thee the most precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ present in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifferences by which He is offended. By the infinite merits of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary I beg the conversion of poor sinners.

O glorious Mother Mary, Queen of heaven and earth, you were crowned by God the Father as His beloved daughter, by Jesus, the Son, as His dearest Mother and by the Holy Spirit as His chosen spouse. You are the most perfect adorer of the Blessed Trinity. Help us imitate you. You are our most powerful intercessor and merciful Mother. We entrust our prayers and petitions for all the names we receive through this ministry into your loving care.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life.  John 3:16

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy Kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church; 2761
"The Lord's Prayer "is truly the summary of the whole Gospel." "Since the Lord...after handling over the practice of prayer, said elsewhere, 'Ask and you will receive,' and since everyone has petitions which are peculiar to his circumstances, the regular and appropriate prayer (the Lord's Prayer) is said first, as the foundation of further desires."

The grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with all of you. 2 Corinthians 13

We pray in the Name of our Heavenly Father, and of the Son Jesus, and of the Holy Spirit. Where the Holy Trinity dwells, our Blessed Mother Mary is in the center.

Anima Christi (Latin for Soul of Christ)

Anima Christi
Soul of Christ, sanctify me. Body of Christ, save me.Blood of Christ, inebriate me. Water from Christ's side, wash me. Passion of Christ, strengthen me. O Good Jesus, hear me. Within Thy wounds, hide me. Suffer me not to be separated from Thee. From the malicious enemy, defend me. In the hour of my death, call me. And bid me come unto Thee. That I may praise Thee with Thy saints and with Thy angels. Forever and ever. Amen.

O Blood and Water which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a Fount of Mercy for us, I trust in You. Jesus I trust in You.  From the Chaplet of Divine Mercy

Jesus said to His disciples, "As the Father loves Me so I love you. Remain in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and remain in My love."  John 15:9-10

During Eucharistic Adoration or after receiving Jesus in the Eucharist, pray the 14th century prayer, Anima Christi, and ask Jesus to be with you as He gazes upon you with great love. Meditate on the Passion of Our Lord as you speak to Him from the depths of your heart. Anima Christ is a prayer to ask the Lord for comfort, strength and guidance.

But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs, but one soldier thrust his lance into His side, and immediately Blood and Water flowed out. John 19:33-34

Reflection: Remember O most gracious Virgin Mary...

Ad sanctitatis tuae pedes, dulcissima Virgo Maria...

Our Mother Mary knows your sufferings and hurts. Offer them to her and ask for her intercession to her Beloved Son Jesus. Her heart was pierced when she heard Simeon's words, as she held her precious Child. She pondered this in her heart though she did not understand. Look to Mary and pray the Memorare.

Mary was petitioned as "Mother of God" at least by the 3rd Century, in the Sub Tuum prayer:  This prayer, known in Latin as "Sub tuum Praesidium" was first found in a Greek papyrus, c. 300, and is the oldest known prayer to the Virgin:

The "Memorare" is a sixteenth-century version of a fifteenth-century prayer that began "Ad sanctitatis tuae pedes, dulcissima Virgo Maria." Claude Bernard (1588-1641) popularized the idea that the "Memorare" was written by Saint Bernard.

The Memorare
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help or sought your intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly unto you, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To you I come, before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions but in your mercy, hear and answer me. Amen. 

Last weekend, my husband and I invited a family to our home for dinner. They are friends and John 10:10 prayer partners. We had a wonderful visit with them and their four children. They recently visited the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. and they brought me a beautiful image of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Memorare Prayer. I was so moved to receive this gift, especially because the Memorare is the prayer we pray daily for all the intentions we receive. This family and their young children pray for the John intentions 10:10 in their rosary intentions. We know that Jesus loves the prayers of little children. They rise up to the Throne of God like incense from the altar.

Saint Bernard wrote to our Blessed Mother in a wonderful prayer:
"Look to the star of the sea, call upon Mary… in danger, in distress, in doubt, think of Mary, call upon Mary. May her name never be far from your lips, or far from your heart … If you follow her, you will not stray; if you pray to her, you will not despair; if you turn your thoughts to her, you will not err. If she holds you, you will not fall; if she protects you, you need not fear; if she is your guide, you will not tire; if she is gracious to you, you will surely reach your destination."

Let us always turn to Mary and ask her to receive our petitions and bring them to Jesus.

Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us. Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.

A Pentecost Meditation...Veni Sancte Spiritus

Let us enter the Upper Room with Mary. The disciples are filled with fear. Mary is standing in their midst, comforting them. Let her comfort you. Invite Mary into your heart.

Suddenly, a noise came from the sky like a strong driving wind. As we stood there, tongues of fire appeared, which parted and came to rest on everyone. All were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues. We were no longer afraid. Let us ask the Holy Spirit to live in our hearts and pour out His gifts that we may proclaim the love of Jesus!

They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke of the great things God had done, alleluia. Acts 2:4, 11

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you." When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit." John 20:19-22

The Sequence for Pentecost Sunday, Veni Sancte Spiritus, a prayer to the Holy Spirit, is a beautiful melody of Gregorian chant. The words and melody blend together so well that it is a fine example of Saint Augustine's observation that one prays twice through song. The melody reflects supplication to the Holy Spirit, revealing a desire for His Love to fill us. Alleluias are not always joyous acclamations, but are often humble interior prayers as is this sequence. It has become the customary prayer to the Holy Spirit.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Father, send now Your Spirit over all the names we have received through this ministry. Let the Holy Spirit live in their hearts. May Our Blessed Virgin Mary be our Advocate. God of Spirit and Truth, today we celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit. Like the Apostles and Mary in the Upper Room, we are, at times, afraid and need to be assured that You are with us. As Your Spirit enlightened them, may Your Spirit give us the gifts we so desire. Like the Apostles and Mary, may we go out into the world to proclaim Your word.

Come Holy Spirit. Come through Mary.