"How sweet the name of Jesus sounds to the ear and the heart of a chosen soul! "

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MariaChristi

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Dear Brothers and Sisters,

As I read these paragraphs from St. Louis De Montfort’s book, “The Love of Eternal Wisdom”, I thought of “Mary, Mother of the Church” whose, Memorial we celebrate today! She was the first to hear the Name of Jesus from Gabriel : “Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High…(Luke 1: 31-32)”

His Name sounded most sweetly in her heart and remains hallowed forever in her! By God’s Grace may we hallow the Name of God made flesh in Mary our Mother, now and always.
  1. The prophets, who had in advance been shown the incarnate Wisdom, referred to him as a sheep and a lamb because of his gentleness. They foretold that because of his gentleness “he would not break the bruised reed nor quench the smoking flax” (Is. 42:3). He is so full of kindness that even if a poor sinner be weighed down, blinded, and depraved by his sins, with already, as it were, one foot in hell, he will not condemn him unless the sinner compels him to do so. St John the Baptist for almost thirty years lived in the desert practising austerities to gain the knowledge and love of incarnate Wisdom. No sooner had he seen Jesus approaching than he pointed him out to his disciples, exclaiming, “Behold the Lamb of God. Behold him who takes away the sins of the world.” (Jn. 1:29). He did not say, as seemingly he should, “Behold the Most High, behold the King of Glory, behold the Almighty.” But knowing him more thoroughly than any man at any time, he said: Behold the Lamb of God, behold that eternal Wisdom who, to captivate our hearts and to take away our sins, has gathered into his person all that is meek in God and in man, in heaven and on earth.
  2. But what does the name of Jesus, the proper name of incarnate Wisdom signify to us if not ardent charity, infinite love and engaging gentleness? The distinctive characteristic of Jesus, the Saviour of the world, is to love and save men. “No song is sweeter, no voice is more pleasing, no thought is more appealing, than Jesus Son of God.” How sweet the name of Jesus sounds to the ear and the heart of a chosen soul! Sweet as honey to the lips, a delightful melody to the ears, thrilling joy to the heart.
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Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your Faithful. Mary, “Mother of the Church”, pray for us.
 
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1 Thessalonians 5:18
In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Jesus Christ.
 
Thanks for your “heart”, dear Greenfields! It is such a joy to ponder the relationship between Jesus and His Mother from the time of His Conception until He ascended into heaven and she began her ministry to His Mystical Body the Church.

It seems to me the same tenderness with which she heard herself call Him “Jesus” remained in her heart when she heard His words to her as she stood with John:
“Woman, behold your son” (Jn 19: 26)
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How we need to believe that she looks on us, members of His Body, with the same tenderness as she looked upon Jesus and then at John! How we need to obey Jesus as He said to John:
“Behold your Mother” (Jn 19:28)
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John took Mary into his life. How many of us have taken her truly for our Mother in faith, and sought to welcome her into our lives? I wonder how many priests will preach on “Mary Mother of the Church” today.

“O Jesus, living in Mary, come and live in Your servants, in the spirit of Your holiness, in the fullness of Your power, in the perfection of Your ways, in the truth of Your virtues, in the communion of Your mysteries. Rule over every adverse power, in Your Spirit, for the glory of the Father. Amen.” – Prayer of Fr. Olier, S.S. (1608-1657)
 
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Dear Joe,

Thanks for the reference to 1 Thes 5:18; for we truly need to give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God for us. How I do thank Him for His many gifts-- too many to number 🙂 On this day especially I thank Him for His Great Love in coming to save us, becoming like us in all things except sin, conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Word became Flesh and dwelt among us! What an immense Mystery of Love the Incarnation is! Today we celebrate our own “second birth” in Baptism when we were incorprated into the Body of Christ – we honor Mary Mother of Jesus and Mother of His Body the Church. We are Her children given to her by Jesus from His Cross! Let us give thanks!

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your Faithful. Mary, Mother of the Church pray for us. Jesus we trust in You!
 
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Thank you for your post, MariaChristi,

I pray that we all know more deeply the sweetness and power of the holy names of JESUS and Mary.

The Catechism says:

"[2666]But the one name that contains everything is the one that the Son of God received in his incarnation: JESUS. The divine name may not be spoken by human lips, but by assuming our humanity The Word of God hands it over to us and we can invoke it: “Jesus,” "YHWH saves.“16 The name “Jesus” contains all: God and man and the whole economy of creation and salvation. To pray “Jesus” is to invoke him and to call him within us. His name is the only one that contains the presence it signifies. Jesus is the Risen One, and whoever invokes the name of Jesus is welcoming the Son of God who loved him and who gave himself up for him.”
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p4s1c2a2.htm

St. Alphonsus Liguori, a Bishop and Doctor of the Church wrote the most-consoling book, “The Glories of Mary”. The tenth chapter is all about the sweetness and grace-giving power of the name of Mary.

Here is one excerpt:

St. Germanus declares, “that as breathing is a sign of life, so also is the frequent pronunciation of the name of Mary a sign either of the life of divine grace, or that it will soon come; for this powerful name has in it the virtue of obtaining help and life for him who invokes it devoutly.” Addressing the Blessed Virgin, he says, “As breathing is a sign of life in the body, so is the frequent repetition of thy most holy name, O Virgin, by thy servants, not only a sign of life and of strength, but also it procures and conciliates both”
http://www.marys-touch.com/Glories/ChX.htm
 
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MariaChristi said:
“Behold your Mother” (Jn 19:28)
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Dear patricius,

Thanks for your “heart” to indicate your Love of Jesus through Mary. Today’s “new” Memorial for Mary, “Mother of the Church” is one we will celebrate on the First Monday after Pentecost from now on in the Church. Mary has been honored with that title for some time, but how very appropriate for us to acknowledge it now when so many seem to have either forgotten or perhaps have never realized how important Mary is to the Church.The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches so clearly:
CCC 963 - "… it is fitting now to consider her place in the mystery of the Church. “The Virgin Mary . . . is acknowledged and honored as being truly the Mother of God 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 its head.”

CCC 971 “All generations will call me blessed”: “The Church’s devotion to the Blessed Virgin is intrinsic to Christian worship.” The Church rightly honors "the Blessed Virgin with special devotion…
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Let us love and honor our dear Mother Mary now and forever! 🙂
 
Thanks again, dear patricius! Let us encourage all those who love Jesus and Mary to ever strive by God’s Grace to grow in Faith, Hope and above all Charity, calling on the names of Jesus and Mary!
 
I was conversing w/ a Christian friend, he, knowing I’m Catholic
said that the RC’s have it wrong worshipping Mary as they do
the Lord Jesus. I explained to him that Jesus himself would
HONOR and Venerate his Mom, and that is why WE should do
the same. He, being baptised as a boy in the RCC, but wandered
from the faith, remembered to say the Hail Mary prayer, I explained
to him that when the “Mother of God, pray for us sinners” is said
in this short prayer, it is Mary who prayed for the “sinner” Jesus
on the Cross, who is also able to pray for us, a lightbulb lit up
in his mind and he said: “Oh, yeah, NOW I get it!!” it was a touching
moment… for BOTH of us! Praise and glory to God.
 
Doctors of the Church like St. Alphonsus tell us that Mary, the Mother of God, loves each human person more than all mothers combined have ever loved all of their children. This is so consoling

In a word, she is both the Mother of God and the Mother in the order of grace, of each human being

Here is a beautiful quotation from Vatican II:

61. Predestined from eternity by that decree of divine providence which determined the incarnation of the Word to be the Mother of God, the Blessed Virgin was on this earth the virgin Mother of the Redeemer, and above all others and in a singular way the generous associate and humble handmaid of the Lord. She conceived, brought forth and nourished Christ. She presented Him to the Father in the temple, and was united with Him by compassion as He died on the Cross. In this singular way she cooperated by her obedience, faith, hope and burning charity in the work of the Saviour in giving back supernatural life to souls. Wherefore she is our mother in the order of grace.
http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_...s/vat-ii_const_19641121_lumen-gentium_en.html
 
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Thanks, Glam, for your reply and for sharing that “touching moment” of God’s Grace for both you and your friend. How Perfect are God’s designs! Hopefully you can keep in touch with your friend and continue to share with him, the beautiful Truth of Mary as our Mother, given to us by Jesus.

Blessings on this new Memorial of Mary, Mother of the Church to you and to all 🙂
 
Thanks again, dear patricius, for your reply and for the beautiful quote from Vatican II.

Hopefully, many were blessed by today’s “Memorial of Mary, Mother of the Church” and it will be only the beginning of a renewed appreciation for Mary’s Love for us, and increase in us all a desire to love her more and to make her better known that Jesus may be better known.
 
In reading what you wrote it brought to mind a conversation I had with a dear friend just today who was sad about her daughter becoming a Baptist and challenging her with regard to “worshiping” Mary, which is not what we Catholics do.

I once read, I don’t remember where, a priest describing Mary our Blessed Mother’s soul as a plate of clear glass that has no smudges on it…and allows the Light of the Blessed Trinity to shine through perfectly.

Her greatness lies in what she said “He who is mighty has done great things for me”.

He made her special, to be our spiritual Mother. I don’t know a mother who suffered more in beholding her Son’s agony.
 
Thank you Maria Christi for many times reminding us of our Blessed Mother and her importance to us.
 
Dear Dorothy,

Thanks for your replies to this thread ( and to othr threads on Mary our Mother). It is a joy - truly given by the Holy Spirit - to honor our Mother Mary in word and deed! St. Louis de Montfort wrote, and I believe this to be truly from the Holy Spirit:
  1. My heart has dictated with special joy all that I have written to show that Mary has been unknown up till now, and that that is one of the reasons why Jesus Christ is not known as he should be.
If then, as is certain, the knowledge and the kingdom of Jesus Christ must come into the world, it can only be as a necessary consequence of the knowledge and reign of Mary. She who first gave him to the world will establish his kingdom in the world. – From “True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin”
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