April 16 - "...Peace be with you..."

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today’s Gospel continues the Gospel from yesterdays’ Mass readings in which we heard the disciples on their way to Emmaus, ask the Lord:

“Stay with us…”

In today’s Gospel we hear:

The disciples of Jesus recounted what had taken place along the way, and how they had come to recognize Him in the breaking of bread. While they were still speaking about this, He stood in their midst and said to them: “Peace be with you.”…

What precious words of Jesus for all of us to open our hearts to receive. May we listen to Jesus as Mary our Mother listened to all He said and did, pondering all in her heart. May we pray with Mary, by the power of the Holy Spirit that we might live the Truth we hear.

During this Octave of Easter, hearing both the Mass Readings and the Liturgy of the Hours for each day has been such a blessing for me! I hope they have blessed others as well.

There was again in the Liturgy of the Hours, Morning Prayer for today, not only another reminder of Baptism and the new life it brings, but the Response for the Petitions, repeated the words from yesterday’s Gospel: “Stay with us…”

Reading for the Liturgy of the Hours is from Romans 8: 10-11:

If Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is alive because of righteousness. If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also, through his Spirit that dwells in you.

The response to the petitions: “Stay with us, Lord” and the petitions which blessed me most:

– Come to heal a world wounded by division, for You alone can transform our hearts and make them one.
– Strengthen our Faith in final victory, and renew our hope in Your second coming;

Concluding Prayer:

Father, You gathere the nations to praise your name. May all who are reborn in Baptism be one in faith and love…

Come Holy Spirit, kindle in us the Fire of Your Love. Jesus we trust in You! Mary, Mother of the Church, pray for us. St. Joseph, pray for us.

Mass readings for today at: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/041620.cfm

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Cath,

Thanks for your “faith -full” and loving heart in letting us know you read and appreciated today’s Gospel excerpt and excerpts from the Reading, Petitions, and Concluding Prayer for today’s Liturgy of the Hours, Morning prayer.

This year, I’ve been so aware of the beauty of both liturgies, and it may be due to the “need to stay at home” to keep Co-19 from spreading. Being home has given me more time to “slow down” and take more time for prayer, listening to Scripture and pondering in my heart, as our Mother Mary did on this earth.

I wonder how many others had a similar experience. Hope many have found the Lord working Good in their souls during this time. I wonder if many remembered Jesus’ words and pondered them:

“Martha, Martha, you are busy about many things. Only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the better part, and it will not be taken from her” (Luke 10)

 

[hazcompat]

Ireland was consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, on the Solemnity of the Annunciation, by the Primate of All Ireland, Archbishop Eamon Martin, from Armagh Cathedral.

Let us recall that on March 25, 1984, Pope Saint John Paul II consecrated the whole world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, when the statue of Our Lady of Fatima came to Rome.

The consecration of the nations of the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary has spread following the request made by the Virgin Mary at Fatima during her third apparition to the three little shepherds on July 13, 1917. In particular, Our Lady asked for the consecration of Russia to her Immaculate Heart, in order to save humanity from war, famine and persecution against the Church and the Holy Father, and to obtain peace and the conversion of Russia.

Adapted from: Vatican News

Adelaide Patrignani - Vatican City

Read more on mariedenazareth.com:​

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death.
Amen.

 

[hazcompat]

I remember reading one of the seers of Fatima saying that as they said the Hail Mary’s Our Lady would roll the beads through Her hands, but when they said the Glory Be she prayed with them. Every time I say the Glory Be I meditate on this. It is JOY!

Peace

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear hazcompat,

Thanks for your replies to this thread, and I agree that Consecration to Mary is very, very important! Not only by those in positions of Authority, such as the Pope and Bishops but individually.

The decline in Marian Devotion within the Catholic Church is a sad situation in the world today. Please let us pray for one another for the Universal Church and for those in most need of God’s Mercy, that the world God loved so much, sending His Only Begotten Son to us through Mary, may turn back to Him through Mary.