First Saturday in August - month dedicated to the Immaculate Heart!

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

How providential to have this First Saturday on the First day of the month dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and also on the Feast of St. Alphonsus, who wrote “The Glories of Mary”!

…The month of August is traditionally dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The physical heart of Mary is venerated (and not adored as the Sacred Heart of Jesus is) because it is united to her person and is the seat of her love (especially for her divine Son), virtue, and inner life…

This devotion has received new emphasis in this century from the visions given to Lucy Dos Santos, oldest of the visionaries of Fatima, in her convent in Tuy, in Spain, in 1925 and 1926. In the visions Our Lady asked for the practice of the Five First Saturdays to help make amends for the offenses committed against her heart by the blasphemies and ingratitude of men. The practice parallels the devotion of the Nine First Fridays in honor of the Sacred Heart…(for more see [HERE] )(Liturgical Year : August, Month of the Immaculate Heart | Catholic Culture)

St. Alphonsus, great Doctor of the Church, has assembled in his book, “The Glories of Mary” the very finest information about Our Lady, taken from the many writings of the Saints, holy authors, and from Sacred Scripture.

From options for today’s Mass readings, let us listen and ponder Jesus’ t words in His Sermon on the Mount:

Gospel

Jesus said to his disciples:
"You are the salt of the earth.
But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned?
It is no longer good for anything
but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
You are the light of the world.
A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.
Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket;
it is set on a lampstand,
where it gives light to all in the house.
Just so, your light must shine before others,
that they may see your good deeds
and glorify your heavenly Father.… (Mt 5:13-19)

Mary, Mother of the Church, pray for us that we may be as you were on earth and are now in Heaven: His Light for all to see what marvels God continues to work through you.

God forgive us our sins and enable us to offer sincere Reparation today and always for our sins and the sins of the whole world, against Your Mother and which also offend You greatly.

 

[CF_Mathews]

TY so much, my CAF friend! We are so like-minded. I posted on this topic last night, but I missed the reference to St. Alphonsus. I enjoyed reading the Gospel passage above. Blessings to you and your family in this month of the Immaculate Heart!

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear CAF friend, CF_Mathews,

Thanks for your “heart” and your reply on this thread. It is always good to hear from you. Please let us give Our Mother much love especially in this month dedicated to her Immaculate Heart.

Totus tuus!

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Stephie,

Thanks for your “ever-Faith=Full” heart at the beginning of this Month dedicated to Mary’s Immaculate heart. Last night as my husband and I prayed the Rosary together I remembered (as I often do) the apparition of Mary with the boy Jesus to Sister Lucia of Fatima and their words:

Lucia was a postulant in the Convent of St. Dorothy in Pontevedra, Spain when she had the apparition of our Blessed Mother. She was standing over a cloud of light with the Child Jesus at her side. The Blessed Virgin put one hand on Lucia’s shoulder, while her other hand sustained her Immaculate Heart that was surrounded with thorns. The Child Jesus said: "Have compassion on the Heart of your Blessed Mother. It is surrounded with thorns that ungrateful men pierce each moment, and there is no one that is willing to offer an act of reparation to take the thorns away."

Our Lady immediately said to Lucia: “Look, my daughter. My Heart is surrounded with thorns that ungrateful men pierce unceasingly with their blasphemies and ingratitude. You, at least, try to console me and announce that for all those, who for five consecutive first Saturdays, confess, receive Holy Communion, pray the Holy Rosary and accompany me for15 minutes by meditating the mysteries of the Holy Rosary with the intention to do reparation, I promise to assist them at the hour of death with the graces needed for salvation.”

By God’s Grace may we listen and do as Jesus and Mary have said!