Our Lady holding Jesus as He accepts flowers from the shepherd child

Our Lady holding Jesus as He accepts flowers from the shepherd child

Welcome to our intercessory prayer ministry for families, babies, little ones and those who love them.

In our prayers for families, we pray for the sanctity of all life and for vocations to marriage, the priesthood and consecrated life, which are born and nurtured in families.

The
Prayer of Entrustment to Mary was prayed for this ministry at the icon of the Madonna Salus Populi Romani (Salvation of the Roman People, Our Lady of Good Health) in the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore (Basilica of Mary Major) in Rome, Italy, in Nossa Senhora do Rosario da Fatima (Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary) in Fatima, Portugal, in Eglise du Sacre-Coeur (Sacred Heart Parish Church), the site of St. Bernadette's baptismal font, in Lourdes, France and at The National Shrine of The Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, Massachusetts at the Shrine of the Holy Innocents before Our Lady of Guadalupe and at Basilica Papale de San Pietro in Vaticano (St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City) at the Tomb of St. John Paul II in Rome, Italy and at the Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe (Basilica of the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe) in Mexico City, Mexico.

This ministry is consecrated to Jesus Christ, Wisdom Incarnate, through the hands of Mary and dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary. In our prayers to Mary, we honor and worship her Son Jesus. When He was on the Cross, He gave His Mother to John and she became our Mother as well. "Behold, your Mother." John 19:27

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam
For the greater glory of God

December 31, 2018

Reflection: Most Gracious Virgin Mary

Saint Bernard sums up the great spiritual advantage of true devotion to our Blessed Mother. Let us pray as a trusting child of Mary:

"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."

Mary, Our Mother, understands our sufferings and those we carry when our loved ones hurt. Let us bring them to her and ask her to intercede to her Beloved Son Jesus. Her heart was pierced when she heard Simeon's words, as she held her precious baby. She did not understand, but she kept all these things, pondering them in her heart. Let us unite our sufferings and those of our loved ones and those for whom we pray with Mary.

Mary was petitioned as "Mother of God" at least by the 3rd Century, as is evidenced by the discovery of the Sub Tuum prayer:

This prayer, known in Latin as "Sub tuum Praesidium" and first found in a Greek papyrus, c. 300, is the oldest known prayer to the Virgin.

We turn to you for protection, Holy Mother of God. Listen to our prayers and help us in all our needs. Save us from every danger, glorious and blessed 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.

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

On earth, the Blessed Virgin offered her life in obedient service of God. In heaven, she leads the song of eternal praise which rises like incense before the throne of God. O Mary, Queen of Heaven and Earth, pray for us.




December 30, 2018

Reflection: The Holy Family and the Angels

As we ponder the Nativity, let us gaze at the Baby Jesus, the Light of the World. He came to us as a little Baby.

Let us enter the scene. Mary and Joseph are watching over the newborn King with awe and wonder. They beckon you to come. As you draw close to the Holy Family, the love of Jesus comes pouring into your heart. Kneel before Him and adore Him. As you gaze at the Baby Jesus, He gazes at you with great love.

This is a beautiful image of the Nativity scene. In the painting, circa 1515, art historians and doctors say it depicts a child with Down syndrome as the angel nearest to Mary, possibly the child of the person who commissioned the painting. The painting is called "Adoration of the Christ Child" by Jan Joest of Kalkar in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The John 10:10 Prayer Ministry began through all the prayers offered for a beautiful baby with Down syndrome, Lily Grace. She is now a happy, healthy twelve year old who brings light and love to everyone she encounters.

At dusk recently, our family was visiting at a beautiful Nativity scene on the grounds of our parish. As we walked up the pathway, the lights suddenly came on shining on the Holy Family. Lily Grace and her little sister Norah, were amazed at how the lights came on at that very moment! As we drew near, they touched the Holy Family, the shepherds and the animals who were near them. Above the Holy Family, is a large Angel, holding a banner, "Gloria in Excelsis Deo Glory to God in the Highest." Norah asked why the angel looked so serious. I told her that the Angel has a very important job: to protect and guide the Holy Family and the Angel took his job very seriously. I explained that God gives each one of us a Guardian Angel who stays with us from the moment we are born to the moment we die. Our guardian angels protect, guide and enlighten us throughout our lives. We can talk to and thank our guardian angel.

O Holy Family, as we gaze at you, your light comes down to shine upon us and we give you our hearts. Saint Joseph and Holy Mary, Mother of God, help us to always keep our eyes fixed on the Baby. Sweet Baby Jesus, the Light of the World, let us look at the angels surrounding You, especially the little angel with Down syndrome, and bow in adoration of You asking for the love and pure heart of this special little angel.  

O Come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.



December 28, 2018

Reflection: The Holy Innocents, martyrs

Beloved, now this is the message that we have heard from Jesus Christ and proclaim to you: God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. 1 John 1:5

Jesus came to us in Goodness and Light as a vulnerable little baby born in a stable in Bethlehem. Amid the joy of Christmas, there is great sadness today as we remember the Feast Day of the Holy Innocents, the male children under the age of two who were put to death by Herod. His hatred for these little children made them the first martyrs for Jesus. 

When Herod realized that the Magi did not return to him after they followed the star to see the newborn king of the Jews, he became furious and ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity two years old and under. The horror of the massacre and the devastation of the mothers and fathers led Matthew to quote Jeremiah: “A voice was heard in Ramah, sobbing and loud lamentation; Rachel weeping for her children...”Rachel was the wife of Jacob. She is pictured as weeping at the place where the Israelites were herded together by the conquering Assyrians for their march into captivity.

Matthew 2:12-15
And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way. When they had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him." Joseph rose and took the Child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt. He stayed there until the death of Herod, that what the Lord had said through the prophet might be fulfilled, "Out of Egypt I called my son."

Ponder what it was like for Joseph when the angel appeared to him in a dream. Imagine how concerned he must have been for Mary and the Child Jesus. Joseph did not doubt or question the angel. He rose from the dream and left for Egypt immediately. Joseph trusted and obeyed God. Pray to Joseph and ask him to help you trust in God as he did.

Herod was “greatly troubled” when astrologers from the east came asking the whereabouts of “the newborn king of the Jews,” whose star they had seen. They were told that the Jewish Scriptures named Bethlehem as the place where the Messiah would be born. Herod cunningly told them to report back to him so that he could also “do him homage.” They found Jesus, offered him their gifts and, warned by an angel, avoided Herod on their way home. Jesus escaped to Egypt.

Matthew 2:16-18
When Herod realized that he had been deceived by the magi, he became furious. He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had ascertained from the Magi. Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet: "A voice was heard in Ramah, sobbing and loud lamentation; Rachel weeping for her children, and she would not be consoled, since they were no more."

Today we remember the Holy Innocents. We pray for all the babies lost in our time to the horror of abortion. We pray for their families and for all souls wounded by abortion.
Kiss of Mercy - Prayer Apostolate for Healing from Abortion

A baby is a precious gift from God. We pray that ALL LIFE will be protected through the powerful intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Unborn.

The Shrine of the Holy Innocents - A sacred place of prayer and healing for parents and others who have been touched by the loss of a child.

December 27, 2018

Reflection: Saint John, the Beloved Disciple

Saint John, known as the Evangelist and the "beloved disciple" was born in Bethsaida. Today we celebrate his feast day. John was called to follow Jesus while mending his fishing nets.

John wrote the fourth Gospel, three Epistles and the book of Revelation. His passages and writings are among the most powerful of the New Testament. He wrote of how Jesus is the light of the world and life of our souls. We learn about the interior life of Jesus and His love for the Father. Jesus desires us to know Him by spending time in prayer. When we do, our interior life grows and we come closer and closer to the Father and to Jesus and Mary through the power of the Holy Spirit.

With his brother James and Simon Peter, he was one of the witnesses of the Transfiguration. John was the disciple who reclined on the breast of Jesus at the Last Supper. He is thought to have been especially close to Jesus. He alone stood at the foot of the Cross when Our Lord died. Jesus entrusted His Mother to John, and to us, when He said, "Behold, your Mother."

Meditation:
Place yourself alongside the disciples as they are listening to Jesus. The beloved disciple John was resting his head upon the breast of Jesus. As you listen, Jesus beckons you to come to Him. From that moment, Love pours into your heart. You draw close to Jesus and He places His arm around you. In the safety of His embrace, speak to Jesus. Tell Him everything. Then, rest peacefully in His arms. You are His beloved.

1 John 1: 1-4 Beloved: What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes; what we looked upon and touched with our hands concerns the Word of life, for the life was made visible; we have seen it and testify to it, and proclaim to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was made visible to us, what we have seen and heard we proclaim now to you so that you too may have fellowship with us; for our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. We are writing this so that our joy may be complete.

O Beloved Disciple Saint John, the Evangelist, help us to have a personal encounter with Jesus each day and help us to be His disciples.  We ask your intercession for all the intentions we receive through this prayer ministry.

December 25, 2018

For a Child is born to us!

For a Child is born to us, a Son is given us; upon His shoulder, dominion rests. They name Him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:5 

Heavenly Father, we contemplate and gaze upon the newborn Baby Jesus, all holy, full of innocence, the Son of God.  Sweet Baby Jesus, Prince of Peace, we rejoice on this day of Your birth. Come into our hearts with Your peace and love.

Luke 8-14 "Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock. The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear. The angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger." And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests."

Jesus came to us as a little baby so we would not be afraid to come to Him. Open your heart to receive Jesus. You are His beloved one.

That I am Your beloved

O Come Let Us Adore Him!

December 24, 2018

Reflection: Away in a manger...

And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. Luke 2:12

The manger helps us to contemplate the mystery of God's love who revealed Himself in the simplicity of the Bethlehem cave. The secret of Christmas is in the crib. Jesus was born into poverty and in humility. Jesus calls upon us to embrace poverty and humility of spirit and to rely on Him for all our needs.

Like the shepherds who found the Babe in a manger, may we open our hearts to gaze at Jesus in the manger. May we find the joy and peace of Christmas and share it with all those we encounter.

When the angels went away from them to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go, then, to Bethlehem to see this things that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." So they went in haste and found Mary and Joseph and the infant lying in the manger. Luke 2:15-16

May our own Nativity scenes be a visible reminder of that Holy Night when our Savior was born. May we keep the Holy Family in our hearts, Mary and Joseph and the little Babe of Bethlehem, who came to save us from sin. May we always remember that the wood of the manger that held Him so securely would one day give way to the wood of the Cross.



Jesus, Mary and Joseph, pray for us and all the names we receive through this ministry.

December 19, 2018

The Christmas crèche

The cherished tradition of the Christmas crib and the Nativity scene was begun by Saint Francis of Assisi. On Christmas Eve in 1223, Saint Francis longed to see, with his own eyes, how Jesus came to Bethlehem, that he arranged to have the scene recreated in a cave at Greccio, using live people and animals. During the solemnities of the Mass being offered there, a little child was seen lying in the manger. From that celebration began the custom of the Christmas crib or crèche.

The manger helps us to contemplate the love of God who came as a little Baby and revealed Himself in the simplicity of the Bethlehem cave. Saint Francis of Assisi was so overwhelmed by the mystery of the Incarnation that he wanted to present it again in Greccio with the living manger, which led to our tradition today.

The crib helps us understand the secret of the true Christmas: humility, poverty and the merciful goodness of Christ.

Though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor.  2 Corinthians 8:9

Christmas brings joy and peace to those who accept the words of the angel, as the shepherds did:

And this will be a sign for you: you will find an Infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.  Luke 2:12

Place your Nativity scene under the twinkling lights your Christmas tree as a visible reminder of that starry Holy Night when Jesus Christ our Savior was born. 

May we see the Holy Family, Mary and Joseph and the little Babe of Bethlehem, who came to save us from sin. May we remember that the wood of the manger that held Him so securely would one day give way to the wood of the Cross. May we too embrace Jesus with all of our love as Saint Francis did.

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, pray for us and all the names we receive through this ministry.

December 18, 2018

Reflection: "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary into your home."

Behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this Child has been conceived in her. She will bear a Son and you are to name Him Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins."  Matthew 1:20-21

Joseph was betrothed to Mary but they did not yet live together. Imagine how he must have felt when he found out that Mary was with child! He was a good and loving man. He wanted to protect Mary so decided he would divorce her quietly. 

When the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph and told him Mary's child was conceived  by the Holy Spirit, Joseph responded with complete trust. Joseph listened to the message of the angel and he obeyed. He awoke from his dream and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and he took Mary into his home. 

Ponder Joseph's obedience and trust. Ask him to teach you how to obey and trust the way he did. When the angel appeared in his dream, calling Joseph, by name, the angel's first words were, "Do not be afraid." 

Meditation:

Are you afraid about something? Is there a situation in your life that provokes fear and worry? 

Go to Joseph. When you are faced with something that you do not understand, go to Joseph. Ask him to be with you and to help you trust the way he did. Go to Joseph. He will console you and protect you. As you await the birth of the Baby Jesus, invite Joseph to come into your home, the home of your heart.

Visit a chapel this week before Christmas, sit before the tabernacle or the creche and ponder the angel's message to Joseph. The angel called him "by name" and told him not to be afraid. As you sit in silence, The Lord calls you "by name." Ask Jesus to help you listen, be obedient and to trust Him in all things as Joseph did. Pour out your heart to Him and receive His love and peace.

Behold, the Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and they shall name Him Emmanuel which means "God is with us." Matthew 1:23

December 14, 2018

Reflection: We are Sandy Hook. We choose love.

Today is the 6th anniversary of the Newtown, Connecticut school tragedy, We remember the lives of twenty children and six educators and their families, friends and loved ones. 

After the massacre, there was a simple sign in Newtown: We are Sandy Hook. We choose love.

"Pray more. Love more." Saint Josemaria Escriva

Love and truth will meet. justice and peace will kiss.  Psalm 85:11

On the door of a local diner, a teddy bear with wings cradled a smaller bear and placed, alongside a message, declaring that the town's twenty six Angels are always here, never forgotten.

May the Angels lead you into Paradise; may the martyrs greet you at your arrival and lead you into the holy city, Jerusalem. May the choir of Angels greet you and like Lazarus, who once was a poor man, may you have eternal rest.

We pray for the Sandy Hook community, for the priests of Saint Rose of Lima Parish and for the ministers and rabbis who continue to guide and console all the brokenhearted. 

I am the Lord, your God, who grasp your right hand; It is I who say to you, "Fear not, I will help you."  Isaiah 41:13

Jesus is the Divine Healer. May Mother Mary wrap her protective mantle around the grieving families, console them and draw them into the Sacred Heart of Jesus where they will find healing, hope, comfort and rest.

The Lord is near the brokenhearted. Psalm 34:18

Through the intercession of Our Lady of the Rosary, we pray for continued healing and hope for the community in Newtown. We implore the intercession of Venerable Fr. Patrick Peyton CSC, the Rosary Priest, and we remember his powerful messages: "A family that prays together stays together" and "A world at prayer is a world at peace." May the love of Jesus and Mary be poured into their broken hearts.

A child shall lead them.  Isaiah 11:6 

In the midst of horror and suffering, God descends.

Mediation:
Place yourself in the arms of the Lord Jesus Christ. As you rest there with Him, imagine God the Father descending upon you and the Holy Spirit coming to you with His love and grace. You are in the Presence of the Holy Trinity and Mary is with you. Gaze at the Face of Jesus and bring your sorrows and sufferings to Him. Ask Jesus for the grace of healing and peace.  

Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your Holy Will, which is Love and Mercy itself.  Closing prayer of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy

Today bring to Me the meek and humble souls and the souls of little children and immerse them in My Mercy. Sixth day of the Novena of Divine Mercy

December 12, 2018

Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us!

Patroness of the Unborn and of the Americas  
Today is the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe. A poor Indian Juan Diego was a 57 year old widower who lived in a small village near Mexico City. On Saturday morning December 9, 1531, he was on his way to attend Mass in honor of Our Lady. He was walking by a hill called Tepeyac when he heard beautiful music like the warbling of birds. A radiant cloud appeared and within it a young Native American maiden dressed like an Aztec princess. The lady spoke to him in his own language and sent him to the bishop of Mexico, a Franciscan named Juan de Zumarraga. She told him that the bishop was to build a chapel in the place where the lady appeared.

Our Lady of Guadalupe to Juan Diego:

"Do not be troubled or weighed down with grief. Do not fear any illness or vexation, anxiety or pain. Am I not here, who am your Mother? Are you not under my shadow and protection? Am I not the fountain of your joy?"

“My dearest son, I am the eternal Virgin Mary, Mother of the true God, Author of Life, Creator of all and Lord of the Heavens and of the Earth...and it is my desire that a church be built here in this place for me, where, as your most merciful Mother and that of all your people, I may show my loving clemency and the compassion that I bear to the Indians, and to those who love and seek me.”


Juan Diego went to the bishop who told him to have the lady give him a sign. About this same time Juan Diego’s uncle became seriously ill. Poor Diego tried to avoid the lady but she appeared to him and assured him that his uncle would recover and she provided roses for Juan to carry to the bishop in his cape or tilma. Juan Diego told his story to the bishop, who instructed him to return and ask the Lady for a miraculous sign to prove her claim.

The Virgin told Juan Diego to gather some flowers from the top of Tepeyac Hill. It was winter and no flowers bloomed, but on the hilltop Diego found flowers of every sort, and the Virgin herself arranged them in his tilma, or peasant cloak. When Juan Diego opened his tilma in the bishop’s presence, the roses fell to the ground and the bishop sank to his knees. On Juan Diego’s tilma appeared an image of Mary miraculously imprinted exactly as she had appeared at the hill of Tepeyac. It was December 12, 1531.

The Image on the Tilma

The imprint of Mary on the tilma is striking, and the symbolism was primarily directed to Juan Diego and the Aztecs. Mary appears as a beautiful young Indian maiden with a look of love, compassion, and humility, her hands folded in prayer in reference to the Almighty God. Her rose dress, adorned with a jasmine flower, eight petal flowers, and nine heart flowers symbolic to the Aztec culture, is that of an Aztec princess. Her blue mantle symbolized the royalty of the gods, and the blue color symbolized life and unity. The stars on the mantle signified the beginning of a new civilization. La Morenita appeared on the day of the winter solstice, considered the day of the sun's birth; the Virgin's mantle accurately represents the 1531 winter solstice! Mary stands in front of and hides the sun, but the rays of the sun still appear around her, signifying she is greater than the sun god, the greatest of the native divinities, but the rays of the sun still bring light. Twelve rays of the sun surround her face and head. She stands on the moon, supported by an angel with wings like an eagle: to the Aztec, this indicated her superiority to the moon god, the god of night, and her divine, regal nature.

Most important are the black maternity band, a jasmine flower, and a cross that are present in the image. Mary wore a black maternity band, signifying she was with child. At the center of the picture, overlying her womb, is a jasmine flower in the shape of an Indian cross, which is the sign of the Divine and the center of the cosmic order to the Aztec. This symbol indicated that the baby Mary carried within her, Jesus Christ, the Word made Flesh, is Divine and the new center of the universe. On the brooch around her neck was a black Christian cross, indicating she is both a bearer and follower of Christ, the Son of God, our Savior, who died on the Cross to save mankind. The image signified Mary bringing her Son Christ to the New World through one of their own.

Our Lady's apparition was an event of great significance for Native Americans. Nine million Indians became Catholic in a very short time. Our Lady of Guadalupe shows us God's love for the poor and for the unborn.  Our Lady said to Juan Diego, "I will give all my protection to the people. I am the merciful Mother of all mankind. Am I not your fountain of life."  Our Lady of Guadalupe protects all her children, born and unborn.

And Mary said: "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior." Luke 1:46-47

Our Lady of Guadalupe, we entrust all the names we receive through this prayer ministry to you, our most loving and merciful Mother.

December 09, 2018

Reflection: Prepare the way of the Lord...

It is the second week of Advent, a time of waiting and a time of preparing. As we await the coming of the birth of Jesus on our journey to Bethlehem, let us ask Him to prepare our hearts.

A voice of one crying in the desert: "Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight His paths."  Mark 1:3

In the wilderness, John the Baptist proclaimed the saving Presence of God. After the Baptism of the Lord, the heavens opened, and the Holy Spirit rested upon Him in the form of a dove. The voice of the Father was heard: This is My Beloved Son, listen to Him.  


God came to a deserted place. He calls us into a deserted place, into the silence, where we can hear Him. Find a place to be quiet and sit with the Lord. Stop into a chapel or church. Place yourself in His Presence and just be. When you quiet your mind and heart, He will speak to you in the silence.

Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortable unto her.  Hosea 2:14  

Be still and know that I am God.  Psalm 46:10

Be still and trust in God. You are His beloved child. He never leaves you alone, unaided, or forgotten. God comes when you call Him. Be still. When the noise and storms of the world are all around you, come into the quiet Presence of the Lord and the storms will not come into your heart. Place your worries and fears in His hands and place yourself in His Presence. When you are in pain or anguish, God comes and He heals your broken heart. 

Be still. Pray and ponder God's Word, rest, take a walk, slow down and free your mind and heart so God can dwell within you. Prepare the way of the Lord...

Be still and know that I am God.  Psalm 46:10

December 08, 2018

The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

You are all beautiful, my beloved, and there is no blemish in you. Song of Solomon 4:7

Today is the Feast Day of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. On this day, we honor the Blessed Virgin Mary, who was conceived without sin. The Immaculate Conception means that the Blessed Virgin Mary was free from original sin from the very moment of her conception in the womb of her mother, Saint Anne. God made Mary a pure vessel to carry His Beloved Jesus in her womb.

We celebrate the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary on September 8; nine months before is December 8, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.

Our Lady of Lourdes appeared to Bernadette Soubirous, a fourteen year-old girl in Lourdes, France on February 11, 1858. The Blessed Mother told Bernadette to drink from the fountain within the grotto. This fountain was unknown and there was no sign of its location. Bernadette scratched the ground and a spring gushed forth from the spot from which she was asked to build a chapel. This is where the Blessed Mother proclaimed. "I am the Immaculate Conception." Ever since Our Lady appeared to Bernadette, Lourdes has been a site for countless miracles.

Today is the Patronal Feast Day of the United States of America. May Our Lady bless our country and protect and guide us as we pray for the protection and sanctity of all Life, especially for life in the womb, for the restoration of the sanctity of Marriage and for the protection of Religious Freedom in our beloved country.

Christ is the "new Adam". The Church Fathers, Saint Justin in 150AD and Saint Irenaeus 180AD, saw Mary as the "new Eve". Mary humbly obeyed God; Eve disobeyed. The Church Fathers also called Mary the "new ark of the covenant" and theotokos, God-bearer. From these titles came the doctrine of Mary's Immaculate Conception and her sinlessness unfolded. Saint Ephrem, the Syrian, in 373AD spoke of Mary as without stain or blemish, calling her "all pure, all immaculate, all stainless, all undefiled, all incorrupt, all inviolate." Saint Augustine left open the possibility of Mary's sinlessness, using language similar to the Catholic dogma of the Immaculate Conception.

From the Diary of Saint Faustina 564
On the feast day of the Immaculate Conception of the Mother of God, during Holy Mass, I heard the rustling of garments and saw the most holy Mother of God in a most beautiful radiance. Her white garment was girdles with a blue sash. She said to me, "You give Me great joy when you adore The Most Holy Trinity for the graces and privileges which were accorded Me."

Heavenly Father, You prepared the Virgin Mary to be the worthy Mother of your Son. You kept her sinless from the first moment of her conception. Help us, by her prayers, to live in Your Presence without sin. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.

December 02, 2018

Reflection: How can you prepare your heart for the Baby Jesus on Christmas Day?

Today is the first Sunday of Advent. The best way to prepare for Advent is to spend it with Mary, asking her to accompany you and reflecting on how she pondered God's Word. Mary was still. 

Gaze at the image of the Madonna with Child. She is awaiting the birth of Jesus. Let us wait with Mary and ask her to teach us how to ponder as she did.

Mary invites you to be still. to listen and ponder as God speaks to you during this beautiful season of Advent, as you prepare your heart for the birth of Jesus. 

Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:11

How can you prepare your heart for the coming of the Baby Jesus on Christmas Day? 

Ask Our Lady to accompany you. She is your most loving Mother and she will always lead you to her Beloved Son. Be still like Mary. Spend time with Jesus in Eucharistic Adoration. It is there, in the silence, that Jesus will speak to your heart. 

The message of Advent is to bring light into a world of darkness. The Advent candles symbolize Jesus Christ, the Light of the world. It is He who dispels the darkness and brings hope. The Lord is always coming to those who seek Him. Let us seek Him through the eyes and heart of Mary.

The silent soul is capable of attaining the closest union with God. It lives almost always under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. God works in a silent soul without hindrance. In order to hear the voice of God, one has to have silence in one's soul and to keep silence; not a gloomy silence but an interior silence; that is to say, recollection in God. Diary of Saint Faustina 198, 477, 118

Prepare the way of the Lord!


In the wilderness, John the Baptist proclaimed the saving Presence of God. After the Baptism of the Lord, the heavens opened, and the Holy Spirit rested upon Him in the form of a dove. The voice of the Father was heard: This is My Beloved Son, listen to Him. 

God came to a deserted place. He calls you into a deserted place, into the silence, where you can hear Him. 

Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and lead her into the wilderness, and speak persuasively to her. Hosea 2:16

Open the door of your heart, be still and rest awhile...