LENTEN REFLECTION ON THE SORROWS OF JESUS, THROUGH MARY´s Immaculate Heart. Welcome dear brethren, to the NOVENA TO THE SORROWS OF JESUS, THROUGH MARY. For Pope Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. For World Peace, especially in Venezuela. For our own personal intentions, Amen. Our Novena to our Sorrowful Mother, will end on Good Saturday. THE SEVEN SORROWS OF MARY. V: O God, come to my assistance; R: O Lord, make haste to help me V: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. R: As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Why Devotion to the Heart of Our Mother in Her Sorrows? Because Jesus wants this devotion. “Jesus Christ Himself revealed to Blessed Veronica of Binasco, that, He is more pleased in seeing His Mother compassionated than Himself.” He said to her: ‘My daughter, tears shed for My Passion are dear to Me; but as I loved My Mother Mary with an immense love, the meditation on the torments which She endured at My death is even more agreeable to Me.’ “Wherefore the graces promised by Jesus to those who are devoted to the dolors of Mary are very great.” An indulgence of 5 years. An indulgence of 7 years each day in September. A plenary indulgence once a month on the usual conditions, if these prayers are recited daily (Pius VII, Audience Jan. 14, 1815). Invocations Holy Mother, pierce me through; In my heart each wound renew, Of my Saviour crucified. (Roman Missal). An indulgence of 500 days. A plenary indulgence under the usual conditions, if prayed devoutly every day for a month (S.P. Ap., Aug. 1, 1934). Mary most sorrowful, Mother of Christians, pray for us. An indulgence of 300 days. (Pius X, Audience, June 4, 1906) Virgin most sorrowful, pray for us. Virgo dolorosissima, ora pro nobis. An indulgence of 300 days. An indulgence of 5 years, if, in honor of the B.V.M. Sorrowing, the Hail Mary is devoutly recited 7 times followed by the above. invocation. once (S.P. Ap., Nov. 22, 1934). Prayers to the Sorrowful Mother (from the Raccolta) Mary, most holy Virgin and Queen of Martyrs, accept the sincere homage of my filial affection. Into Thy heart, pierced by so many swords, do Thou welcome my poor soul. Receive it as the companion of Thy sorrows at the foot of the Cross, on which Jesus died for the redemption of the world. With Thee, O sorrowful Virgin, I will gladly suffer all the trials, contradictions, and infirmities which it shall please Our Lord to send me. I offer them all to Thee in memory of Thy sorrows, so that every thought of my mind, and every beat of my heart may be an act of compassion and of love for Thee. And do Thou, sweet Mother, have pity on me, reconcile me to Thy divine Son Jesus, keep me in His grace and assist me in my last agony, so that I may be able to meet Thee in Heaven and sing Thy glories. Amen. An indulgence of 500 days — (S.C. Ind., Mar. 20, 1887). Most holy Virgin and Mother, whose soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow in the Passion of Thy divine Son, and Who in His glorious Resurrection wast filled with never-ending joy at His triumph; obtain for us who call upon Thee, so to be partakers in the adversities of Holy Church and the sorrows of the Sovereign Pontiff, as to be found worthy to rejoice with them in the consolations for which we pray, in the charity and peace of the same Christ our Lord. Amen. An indulgence of 500 days (Pius X, Rescript in his own hand, Jan. 25, 1906). The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus on the Cross, with Mary and Saint John. When speaking about suffering, I am not just talking theory. Nor do I limit myself to other people’s experience when I tell you that the remedy is to look at Christ, if when faced with suffering, you at some time feel that your soul is wavering. The scene of Calvary proclaims to everyone that afflictions have to be sanctified, that we are to live united to the cross. If we bear our difficulties as Christians, they are turned into reparation and atonement. They give us a share in Jesus destiny and in his life. Out of love for men he volunteered to experience the whole gamut of pain and torment. He was born, lived and died poor. He was attacked, insulted, defamed, slandered and unjustly condemned. He knew treachery and abandonment by his disciples. He experienced isolation and the bitterness of punishment and death. And now the same Christ is suffering in his members, in all of humanity spread throughout the earth, whose head and firstborn and redeemer he is. Suffering is part of Gods plans. This is the truth, however difficult it may be for us to understand it. It was difficult for Jesus Christ the man to undergo his passion: “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless not my will, but yours be done.” In this tension of pleading and acceptance of the Father’s will, Jesus goes calmly to his death, pardoning those who crucify him. This supernatural acceptance of suffering was, precisely, the greatest of all conquests. By dying on the cross Jesus overcame death. God brings life from death. The attitude of a child of God is not one of resignation to a possibly tragic fate; it is the sense of achievement of someone who has a foretaste of victory. In the name of this victorious love of Christ, we Christians should go out into the world to be sowers of peace and joy through everything we say and do. We have to fight — a fight of peace — against evil, against injustice, against sin. Thus do we serve notice that the present condition of mankind is not definitive. Only the love of God, shown in the heart of Christ, will attain the glorious spiritual triumph of men. Christ is Passing By, 168 Sweetest Sorrowful Mother Mary, You too, Suffered Greatly with Thy Son Jesus. Help us to Bear the Daily Crosses of our lives, now that we will be Celebrating Jesus Victory on the Cross this coming September the 14TH, Amen. Our Father.... Hail Mary.... Glory be to the Father.... ------------------------------ Day 6 Prayer for Life Begins in the Home I know of another family which used to pray for unborn children every Friday night. They chose Friday because thats when Christ, innocent and without sin, was sent to the cross. Theres no prayer more powerful than that said over little folded hands asking God to take care of all the babies who youve made. Sixth Sorrow - the body of Jesus is taken down from the Cross. alt After this Joseph of Arimathaea, who was a disciple of Jesus, though a secret one because he was afraid of the Jews, asked Pilate to let him remove the body of Jesus. Pilate gave permission, so they came and took it away (John 19). Though John doesnt mention the presence of Mary she was surely there with them. Michelangelo immortalised this scene in his famous Pieta in marble - God’s Mother holding her dead Son in her arms. Without swooning, without trembling, you received Him into your arms and on your lap. Now you are supremely happy as having Him, though He comes to you not as He went from you. He went from your home, O Mother of God, in the strength and beauty of his Manhood, and He comes back to you dislocated, torn to pieces, mangled, dead. (Cardinal Newman) There is an Icon too which captures this moment, The Deposition from the Cross - mid 1700’s - Joseph and Nicodemus are on ladders loosening the nails from those dear hands, the freed Body of Jesus is leaning forward and Mary is clasping His limp hand to her head in a gesture of love and reverence. Yes even in the humiliating circumstances of His death the divinity of the Saviour shines through in the composure of the Body. Nature too becomes a partaker in this event as it unfolds; at the upper edges the sun and moon appear, while the rocky staircase forms an amphitheatre which encloses the central theme. In this way, the iconic portrayal, far from being a naturalistic copy of reality, becomes symbolic of the place that objects have in the world, of the relation they have with salvation [Uspenski] St Thomas also has some helpful words to tell us: Christ really died on the cross, His human soul was separated from His body, but His divine Personality remained united to both His body and his soul. For this reason the dead Body of Jesus was still infinitely precious because it was still united to the Person of the Son of God, any gesture of reverence paid to it by his Mother or the holy men and women who reverently buried It, was of infinite value for the salvation of the human race. We think too of Mary and the searing pain that swept through her when she saw how her own people had treated Jesus - Jesus the promised Messiah, the Son of God, her Son How can I bury my Son, how can I allow Him to be wrapped in these clothes? This cold lifeless Body- is this really my Son, the One of whom the Psalmist cried out: “You are the fairest of the children of men \and graciousness is poured upon your lips\-- therefore God has anointed you with the oil of gladness\ and your robes are fragrant with aloes and myrrh. (Psalm 44) But Mary knew how copious are the fruits of her Sons Passion. His sufferings are enough to outweigh all the evil in the world. So we too, must have tremendous faith in the Passion of Jesus, a readiness in our turn to do all we can to co-operate with Him. There is no assignable limit to the extent we can draw on the Passion except the limit of our faith and generosity. We are associates of the Redemption; all the immensity of the Passion is available to us. Can we drink His chalice? At least in will and desire- this real sharing in the Passion is essential if I am to draw on the merits of Christ Mary teach us the secrets of your compassion! Sorrow 6 - The Descent from the Cross (Matthew 27: 57 – 59) 3When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph, who was himself a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus; then Pilate ordered it to be handed over. Taking the body, Joseph wrapped it (in) clean linen It is over. Dark clouds have appeared in the sky and upon the world. Jesus is dead. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus take down the Body from the Cross. and Mary receives It in her arms. She is filled with a sadness that no human heart has known. This is her Son. Once she had cradled Him in her arms. listened to His voice, watched Him working at the carpenters bench. Now He is dead. She does not weep, her grief is too great for tears. I grieve for you, O Mary most sorrowful, in the wounding of your compassionate heart, when the side of Jesus was struck by the lance before His Body was removed from the cross. Dear Mother, by your heart thus transfixed, obtain for me the virtue of fraternal charity and the gift of understanding. Recite seven (7) Hail Marys O Sorrowful Mother, pierce my heart through, and every wound of Christ renew in my heart. ------------------------------------- Holy Mother of God, hear the prayers of the Church for all mothers, especially those wearied by life and overcome by the suffering they bear for their children. Hail Mary... O Mother of the Word Incarnate, intercede for them from your place in heaven, that the mercy of your divine Son might lighten their burden and give them strength. Hail Mary... Glory to the Father.... As we contemplate this Mother, whose heart a sword has pierced (cf. Luke 2:35), our thoughts go to all the suffering women in the world, suffering either physically or morally. In this suffering a womans sensitivity plays a role, even though she often succeeds in resisting suffering better than a man. It is difficult to enumerate these sufferings; it is difficult to call them all by name. We may recall her maternal care for her children, especially when they fall sick or fall into bad ways; the death of those most dear to her; the loneliness of mothers forgotten by their grown-up children; the loneliness of widows; the sufferings of women who struggle alone to make a living; and women who have been wronged or exploited. Then there are the sufferings of consciences as a result of sin, which has wounded the womans human or maternal dignity: the wounds of consciences which do not heal easily. With these sufferings too we must place ourselves at the foot of the Cross. Blessed Pope John Paul II. Litany of Our Lady of Seven Sorrows. 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 Ghost, Have mercy on us. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us. Holy Virgin of virgins, pray for us. Mother of the Crucified, pray for us. Sorrowful Mother, pray for us. Mournful Mother, pray for us. Sighing Mother, pray for us. Afflicted Mother, pray for us. Foresaken Mother, pray for us. Desolate Mother, pray for us. Mother most sad, pray for us. Mother set around with anguish, pray for us. Mother overwhelmed by grief, pray for us. Mother transfixed by a sword, pray for us. Mother crucified in thy heart, pray for us. Mother bereaved of thy Son, pray for us. Sighing Dove, pray for us. Mother of Dolors, pray for us. Fount of tears, pray for us. Sea of bitterness, pray for us. Field of tribulation, pray for us. Mass of suffering, pray for us. Mirror of patience, pray for us. Rock of constancy, pray for us. Remedy in perplexity, pray for us. Joy of the afflicted, pray for us. Ark of the desolate, pray for us. Refuge of the abandoned, pray for us. Shield of the oppressed, pray for us. Conqueror of the incredulous, pray for us. Solace of the wretched, pray for us. Medicine of the sick, pray for us. Help of the faint, pray for us. Strength of the weak, pray for us. Protectress of those who fight, pray for us. Haven of the shipwrecked, pray for us. Calmer of tempests, pray for us. Companion of the sorrowful, pray for us. Retreat of those who groan, pray for us. Terror of the treacherous, pray for us. Standard-bearer of the Martyrs, pray for us. Treasure of the Faithful, pray for us. Light of Confessors, pray for us. Pearl of Virgins, pray for us. Comfort of Widows, pray for us. Joy of all Saints, pray for us. Queen of thy Servants, pray for us. Holy Mary, who alone art unexampled, pray for us. Pray for us, most Sorrowful Virgin, That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. O God, in whose Passion, according to the prophecy of Simeon, a sword of grief pierced through the most sweet soul of Thy glorious Blessed Virgin Mother Mary: grant that we, who celebrate the memory of her Seven Sorrows, may obtain the happy effect of Thy Passion, Who lives and reigns world without end. Amen. The Stabat Mater At the Cross Her station keeping, Stood the mournful Mother weeping, Close to Jesus to the last. Through Her heart, His sorrow sharing, All His bitter anguish bearing, Now at length the sword has passed. Oh, how sad and sore distressed Was that Mother highly blessed Of the sole-begotten One! Christ above in torment hangs, She beneath beholds the pangs Of Her dying, glorious Son. Is there one who would not weep Whelmed in miseries so deep Christ’s dear Mother to behold? Can the human heart refrain From partaking in Her pain, In that Mother’s pain untold? Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled, She beheld Her tender Child, All with bloody scourges rent, For the sins of His own nation Saw Him hang in desolation Till His spirit forth He sent. O Thou Mother! fount of love, Touch my spirit from above. Make my heart with Thine accord: Make me feel as Thou hast felt; Make my soul to glow and melt With the love of Christ, my God. From The Way of The Cross according to the method of St. Alphonsus Liguori. The Stabat Mater. Oh Most Sorrowful Mother Mary, Pray for us and for World Peace. God Bless our hearts and our humble petitions, Amen.
Posted on: Thu, 17 Apr 2014 01:49:01 +0000