..."Behold Your Mother"... (John 19:27)

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MariaChristi

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Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The words of Jesus from His Cross to John the beloved disciple are words for us to hear deeply in our own hearts and to ponder them for our lifetime. In all of Scripture, God is revealing what we need to hear and understand in order to be one with Him in the perfection of Charity. There is infinite Love and Wisdom in His Word.

St. John of the Cross wrote that God spoke “One Word”: Jesus. It seems to me, St. John of the Cross and all the saints did as Mary did on this earth in hearing God’s Word. They prayerfully kept pondering the height and depth and length and breadth of all Jesus said and did. Jesus fulfilled the Old and brought forth the New Testament. He is our Way, our Truth and our Life.

When we hear the words, “Behold your Mother” in the Gospel – have we become so used to the words that we neglect them? Have we prayed – and/or looked for commentaries – to understand these words any better? How important is God’s Word to us? How important is Jesus to us and how important is this particular phrase to us?

Hopefully, some have read or heard St. John Paul II’s insights into this phrase, repeated by Pope Emeritus (Benedict XVI) in the book Mary, the Church at the Source. Being scholars, they knew the Greek words said: John took her “into his own”. Our English translators have added the word “home” which is logical. But St. John Paul II believed that the Greek words in which the Gospel originally was written by John meant much more. It connoted John’s taking Mary into his life. That is the meaning I hold dear. As John took Mary into his life, so I want to have her in my life.

Pope St. John Paul II wrote that reading St. Louis De Montfort’s True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary as a young man was a turning point in his life. He consecrated himself to Mary and renewed his Total Consecration daily. He certainly took Mary into his life and his papal motto, “Totus Tuus” (All Yours), taken from St. Louis De Montfort, is evidence of how deeply devoted he was and is today in heaven.

Perhaps some who read threads HERE, and HERE, will spend 33 days in Preparation for Consecration or re-consecration to Jesus through Mary, beginning Aug. 14. By God’s Grace, may we hear more and more deeply Jesus speaking to us as He spoke to John, “Behold your Mother”. Like John may we obey Jesus and begin to take her more tenderly than ever into our lives.
 
The Virgin Mary is not our mother just because Jesus said so at the end of His earthly life. She is our mother because we are members of the Body of Christ, just as my earthly mother is the mother of every part of my body.

The distinction is important because many think of her as an adoptive mother, and because our culture seems to put heavy emphasis on biological relatedness for determining who is family (consider how those who were adopted as children hear their biological parents being called their “real parents”–yet Joseph was the earthly father of Jesus according to Jewish law), it leads us to think that she is somehow not really our mother. Yet she is our mother at least as much as our earthly mothers are.
 
The Virgin Mary is not our mother just because Jesus said so at the end of His earthly life. She is our mother because we are members of the Body of Christ, just as my earthly mother is the mother of every part of my body.

The distinction is important because many think of her as an adoptive mother, and because our culture seems to put heavy emphasis on biological relatedness for determining who is family (consider how those who were adopted as children hear their biological parents being called their “real parents”–yet Joseph was the earthly father of Jesus according to Jewish law), it leads us to think that she is somehow not really our mother. Yet she is our mother at least as much as our earthly mothers are.
Moreso. Because Our Lady is our Holy Mother for all eternity. Not just while on earth.

Stopping in to this forum again, as I take it that this is the planned thread for the 13th (not 14th, I think?!) August’s beginning day for the Seven Sorrows of Our Lady re…/Consecration, Maria-Christi?
 
Dear mathematics,

Thanks for your reply. The Catechism of the Catholic Church clarifies Mary’s role, as Mother of the Redeemer and mother of the members of Christ:
CCC 963 - …The Virgin Mary…is acknowledged and honored as being truly the Mother of God and and of the redeemer…She is 'clearly the mother of the members of Christ…since she has by her charity joined in bringing about the birth of believers in the Church who are members of the its Head…
CCC 968 - Her role in relation to the Church and to all humanity goes still further. “In a wholly singular way she cooperated by her obedience, faith, hope and burning charity in the Savior’s work of restoring supernatural life to souls. For this reason she is a mother to us in the order of grace.”
CCC 969 - "This Motherhood of Mary in the order of grace continues
uninterruptedly from the consent which she loyally gave at the Annunciation and which she sustained without wavering beneath the cross, until the eternal fulfillment of all the elect. Taken up to heaven she did not lay aside this saving office but by her manifold intercession continues to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation…

CCC 973 - …She is mother wherever He is Savior and Head of the Mystical Body’
The words of Jesus to John, however, remain significant, as is every word which Jesus spoke. So much depends on how willing persons are to hear God’s Word and receive the Grace He gives. All of us are called to grow in holiness, learning by God’s Grace more and more of the tremendous mysteries He reveals through Scripture, Tradition and the Magisterium of the Church.
 


Stopping in to this forum again, as I take it that this is the planned thread for the 13th (not 14th, I think?!) August’s beginning day for the Seven Sorrows of Our Lady re…/Consecration, Maria-Christi?
Dear friar chips,

Thanks for stopping in 🙂 Right you are!!! The 33 days would end on the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows if we began on Aug. 14 as the first day of the St. Louis’ 33 Day Preparation:
Preliminary 12 days - Seeking to rid oneself of the spirit of the world (Aug. 14 - Aug 25)
Week 1 - Seeking knowledge of self (Aug. 26 - Sept 1)
Week 2 - Seeking knowledge of Mary (Sept 2 - Sept 8)
Week 3 - Seeking knowledge of Christ (Sept 9 - Sept 15) - I simply forgot that the Act of Consecration is prayed the day after the 33 days are completed.

We could make our Act of Consecration on the final day, but It is probably better to begin as you said on Aug. 13. I’ll make the correction. Thanks .
 
Hi MariaChristi,

Okay, 13th it is then! Is there a website which it is okay to refer to for the 33day consecration or are the details each day going up on this thread about what to pray (might be simpler to go to an agreed website)? The AgeofMary website was simple to follow, yet I do remember one site - not sure if it was that one - having seemingly anti-magisterium stuff up there, on one of its pages - I don’t know if this was ever resolved either, on whatever website it was - and I do remember the ‘fisheaters’ website was a problem also, being brought to my attention so that I would not continue using it.

F.C
 
Hi MariaChristi,

Okay, 13th it is then! Is there a website which it is okay to refer to for the 33day consecration or are the details each day going up on this thread about what to pray (might be simpler to go to an agreed website)? The AgeofMary website was simple to follow, yet I do remember one site - not sure if it was that one - having seemingly anti-magisterium stuff up there, on one of its pages - I don’t know if this was ever resolved either, on whatever website it was - and I do remember the ‘fisheaters’ website was a problem also, being brought to my attention so that I would not continue using it.

F.C
Dear friardchips,

Yes, I will post prayers, etc. I wrote to the AgeofMary website but never got an answer on the anti-magisterium link, so I am reluctant to use it. Same with fish eaters – it is a shame because much of the rest of the material posted is very good.

God is always in control, however, so I trust He is working for good (Rom 8:28). In some ways, I prefer to keep our preparation more simple and directly based on the words of St. Louis de Montfort. Some authors of books on this Devotion have added things to the preparation which De Montfort did not. They added good things like readings from Scripture and the Imitation of Christ, but some fall away from the preparation, feeling they need to do too much! The preparation then becomes more of a burden than a help.

So, God willing, we’ll start with what St. Louis tells us in his own words. When I post, I’ll always be open to questions – not debate, but sincere and honest questions to help. I’ll do my best to answer from De Montfort’s book on True Devotion or from Scripture, Tradition or the Magisterium of the Church. I’m looking forward to the Lord’s work in our lives – especially the Holy Spirit, given to us to bring us into the complete Truth. (cf John 16:13), and of course our Blessed Mother’s intercession for us. 🙂
 
Dear friardchips,

Thanks for the link and the thread begun to honor Our Lady of Sorrows. I remembered reading about this particular devotion in the book Our Lady of Kibeho. The Rosary of the Seven Sorrows dates back to the middle ages, but gained new popularity following the (approved) Marian apparitions in Kibeho, Africa. In Mary’s apparitions to Marie-Claire Mukangango, she assigned the young visionary a mission to reintroduce this special rosary to the world. Before her untimely death, Marie-Claire did just that.

If you have never heard of, or read this little book, it is well worth your time and is not too expensive. See HERE. We bought the kindle version for only $4.99.

Mary our Mother, thank you for all you suffered with Jesus for us. Help us learn from Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit, as you did on this earth. Intercede for us that we may bring Jesus to others as you did on earth and continue to do from heaven, by His Grace.

Hope your first day on this journey of 33 Days to Total Consecration to Jesus and Mary, has been a blessed one. It has been for me. 🙂
 
Dear friardchips,

Thanks for the link and the thread begun to honor Our Lady of Sorrows. I remembered reading about this particular devotion in the book Our Lady of Kibeho. The Rosary of the Seven Sorrows dates back to the middle ages, but gained new popularity following the (approved) Marian apparitions in Kibeho, Africa. In Mary’s apparitions to Marie-Claire Mukangango, she assigned the young visionary a mission to reintroduce this special rosary to the world. Before her untimely death, Marie-Claire did just that.

If you have never heard of, or read this little book, it is well worth your time and is not too expensive. See HERE. We bought the kindle version for only $4.99.

Mary our Mother, thank you for all you suffered with Jesus for us. Help us learn from Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit, as you did on this earth. Intercede for us that we may bring Jesus to others as you did on earth and continue to do from heaven, by His Grace.

Hope your first day on this journey of 33 Days to Total Consecration to Jesus and Mary, has been a blessed one. It has been for me. 🙂
Dear MariaChristi,

Thank you, and you too! It is special to have as much history as possible on these amazing devotions and so I very appreciate your generous feedback. Will check out the link for the book!

Blessings to you and yours!
 
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