M
MariaChristi
Guest
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
No “optional Memorial” for Mary listed in Mass readings today. Hope it wasn’t removed from the liturgical calendar. Still today’s Gospel helps us appreciate the humility and faith God gives a Mother!
Before posting today’s Gospel, here is background for the Memorial honoring Mary:
No “optional Memorial” for Mary listed in Mass readings today. Hope it wasn’t removed from the liturgical calendar. Still today’s Gospel helps us appreciate the humility and faith God gives a Mother!
Before posting today’s Gospel, here is background for the Memorial honoring Mary:
In today’s Gospel, Jesus praises the faith of a mother:…Every year on August 5, white rose petals are dropped into the sanctuary from an opening in the coffered ceiling of Saint Mary Major to commemorate its legendary origin in the fourth century. As the story goes, during the night of August 4-5, 352 (or 358, in some accounts) the Mother of God appeared simultaneously in the dreams of Pope Liberius and of a wealthy, Roman named Giovanni Patrizio, who with his wife, had decided to leave everything they had to the Church. The Blessed Mother instructed them to build a church where her children could go to their Mother with their needs and prayers. Snow fall (in Rome’s sweltering August heat!) the following morning would indicate the site of the new church. Early in the morning of August 5, Pope Liberius was informed that snow had fallen on Esquiline Hill, including on land owned by Patrizio. A famous painting by Masolino depicts the Pope using a stick to delineate in the snow the outer foundation of what would become St. Mary Major.
The earliest name for the church was the Liberian Basilica, after Pope Liberius. It was also called Santa Maria della Neve (St. Mary of the Snow) and Santa Maria Del Presepe (St. Mary of the Crib) after 4 or 5 planks of wood, said to have come from Jesus’ crib, were given to St. Mary Major. They can still be venerated there.
During his pontificate, Pope Sixtus III (432-440) saw to a major renovation of the basilica and dedicated it to the Mother of God, following the declaration of Mary as Theotokos at the Council of Ephesus (431)…for more see HERE
Jesus left Gennesaret and withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. Then out came a Canaanite woman from that district and started shouting, ‘Sir, Son of David, take pity on me. My daughter is tormented by a devil.’ But he answered her not a word. And his disciples went and pleaded with him. ‘Give her what she wants,’ they said ‘because she is shouting after us.’ He said in reply, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the House of Israel.’ But the woman had come up and was kneeling at his feet. ‘Lord,’ she said ‘help me.’ He replied, ‘It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the house-dogs.’ She retorted, ‘Ah yes, sir; but even house-dogs can eat the scraps that fall from their master’s table.’ Then Jesus answered her, ‘Woman, you have great faith. Let your wish be granted.’ And from that moment her daughter was well again.
Let us praise the humility and faith of our Mother Mary pleading for all of us, every day and thank Jesus for giving Mary to be our Mother and Model in His words: "Behold your Mother!
(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)
Last edited: