Invoke the Holy Name of Mary

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today’s “Memorial” (liturgically speaking) of the “Feast of the Holy Name of Mary” is listed on my Catholic Calendar, but it is not too well known, if known at all, to many Catholics perhaps. Here is one explanation of this Feast:

The Story of the Most Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary

This feast is a counterpart to the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus; both have the possibility of uniting people easily divided on other matters.

The feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary began in Spain in 1513 and in 1671 was extended to all of Spain and the Kingdom of Naples. In 1683, John Sobieski, king of Poland, brought an army to the outskirts of Vienna to stop the advance of Muslim armies loyal to Mohammed IV of Constantinople. After Sobieski entrusted himself to the Blessed Virgin Mary, he and his soldiers thoroughly defeated the Muslims. Pope Innocent XI extended this feast to the entire Church.

Reflection

Mary always points us to God, reminding us of God’s infinite goodness. She helps us to open our hearts to God’s ways, wherever those may lead us. Honored under the title “Queen of Peace,” Mary encourages us to cooperate with Jesus in building a peace based on justice, a peace that respects the fundamental human rights of all peoples. See HERE

Besides the link given above there are other references to the Feast on the internet with some beautiful quotes from the saints. I hope anyone who reads this thread will reverently invoke the name of our Mother today, especially in praying her Rosary. Our Lady of Fatima asked three little shepherd children to pray the daily Rosary and taught them to pray these words after each decade:

O my Jesus, pardon us and save us from the fires of hell. Draw all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of Your Mercy.

Let us please pray through the intercession of Mary, Mother and Model of the Church, that the Lord may have mercy on us all.

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Gracie, Petra and TenEleven,

Thanks for letting me know you read and liked the fact that the Catholic Church acknowledges with love, the Lord’s great work in Mary our Mother and Model. She is holy because He sanctified her from the first moment of her conception. She is holy and her name is holy. Yesterday being Wednesday, many of us prayed the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary – how appropriate for us – to ponder as Mary did – all The Almighty has done for her.

Sept. 13 is the Feast of St. John Chrysostom; below is a Marian Prayer from this Saint and Doctor of the Church:

Hail, O Mother! Virgin, heaven, throne, glory of our Church, its foundation and ornament. Earnestly pray for us to Jesus, your Son and Our Lord, that through your intercession we may have mercy on the day of judgment. Pray that we may receive all those good things which are reserved for those who love God. Through the grace and favor of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, to Whom, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be power, honor, and glory, now and forever. Amen.

Sassoferrato – Virgin Mother

Sassoferrato – Virgin Mother

tomperna.org

Mary, Holy and Most Perpetual Virgin…Pray for Us

St. John Chrysostom…Pray for Us

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Tis_Bearself and (name removed by moderator),

Thanks for reading and “liking” this post to honor the Holy Name of our Mother Mary.

Today, Friday, Sept.14 is “The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross” and always when looking at a Crucifix, seeing Jesus, I see Mary also – standing beneath His Cross and Their two Hearts pierced.

We need to invoke the Holy Names of both Jesus and Mary, and many still do, but there are many others it seems who have either “forgotten” Mary was chosen by God to bring Jesus into this world by the power of the Holy Spirit or they are willfully choosing to pay less attention to God’s Plan, preferring their own opinions.

It continues to be a concern for me, for I cannot believe that Jesus is pleased to see this development among some Catholics, especially. The Holy Trinity cannot be pleased to see a child not honoring the mother who conceived that chid, nor the father who begot the child.

May the Lord have mercy on those who do not ask, seek and knock on the door, that God may open and grant grace to “see” what is most necessary (cf Mt 7:7-11). All grace comes to us through Mary, as Jesus came through her. Let us, by God’s grace, invoke the Holy Name of Mary for one another, and for all those in most need of God’s Mercy.

 

[Ryan1]

Blessed Virgin Mary, pray that we may be spared from the many false religions, especially from Islam!

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Ryan,

Thanks for calling on Mary today, Ryan, in your reply to this thread. Yes, we need her protection from the deceit of the evil one. As the First Letter of John warns us:

Beloved, do not trust every spirit but test the spirits to see whether they belong to God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can know the Spirit of God: every spirit that acknowledges Jesus Christ come in the flesh belongs to God, and every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus does not belong to God. This is the spirit of the antichrist that, as you heard, is to come, but in fact is already in the world.
You belong to God, children, and you have conquered them, for the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They belong to the world; accordingly, their teaching belongs to the world, and the world listens to them. We belong to God, and anyone who knows God listens to us, while anyone who does not belong to God refuses to hear us. This is how we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of deceit. (1 Jn 4: 1-6)

Mary is both Mother and Model for the Church, when we invoke her name we know that she will go to Jesus with our need, just as she did at Cana. After she spoke to Jesus, she told the servants: “Do whatever He tells you”.

St. Louis de Montfort wrote that when we say “Mary” - she says “God”. Jesus gave Mary to us from His Cross and so today as the Catholic Church celebrates this Feast of the Exultation of the Holy Cross, it is good to pray to our Mother who stood at the Foot of His Cross in faith. It is no wonder to me that Jesus told us all through John:

Behold your Mother

Jesus knew we would need her!

 

[Seagull]

I find it quite easy to ask Mary - to intercede for me - to Jesus.
Every day - at night - before going to bed -
I have a nice tapestry of “ Our Lady of Guadeloupe “
It hangs from my bedroom door - with red rosaries.
It’s one of my musts ! No matter what !

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Seagull,

Thanks for your reply. Yes, I too find it “easy” to invoke Mary, and I count it one of the greatest graces in my life. I know others, who have been baptized Catholic and yet seem to have a difficult time – I know for some of us it is hard to imagine anyone finding it difficult to grow close to such a beautiful, loving Mother whom Jesus Himself told us to “Behold!” – but I believe St. Therese of Lisieux, who had such a love for Jesus and Mary, gives us an answer from the Holy Spirit:

Everything is Grace!

It is a mystery, but like St. Therese, it seems to me that we need to trust in God’s Great Love, and in the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Jesus told us to ask that we may receive, seek that we may find and knock that the door may open. (cf Mt. 7:7-11). He may not answer some for a long time, but I think it is good to encourage people who have difficulty in drawing close to Mary to ask God to give them the grace needed.

A dear friend and sister in the Legion of Mary, who is now deceased, once said to me: “I feel so sorry for those who do not know our Blessed Mother”. I’ve never forgotten her words which I believe came straight from her heart. I remember my reply to her was: “I feel sorry for them too.”

O my Jesus, pardon us and save us from the fires of hell. Draw all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of God’s Mercy.

 

[Ryan1]

Blessed be the wood of the Cross!

All those in purgatory call on Jesus and Mary. Let us call on them now, while there is still time.

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Ryan,

Thanks again for your reply. Yes, I agree we need to call on Jesus and Mary now, while there is time.

In researching a bit more on your thought: “All those in purgatory call on Jesus and Mary” I read from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs : #1030 through #1032 – see HERE

Also read parts of a lengthy article on Purgatory by the late Fr. John Hardon, SJ see HERE.

It seems to me that while the souls in Purgatory can pray, (thus, I think they can call on Jesus and Mary) there are other factors according to Fr. Hardon:

… Although the souls in purgation perform supernatural acts, they cannot merit because they are no longer in the state of wayfarers, nor can they increase in supernatural charity. By the same token, they cannot make satisfaction, which is the free acceptance of suffering as compensation for injury, accepted by God on account of the dignity of the one satisfying. The sufferings in purgatory are imposed on the departed, without leaving them the option of “free acceptance” such as they had in mortal life. They can only make “satispassion” for their sins, by patiently suffering the demand of God’s justice…

Which lends even more impetus to our calling on Jesus and Mary, NOW – while we are still in the state of wayfarers and can by asking, seeking and knocking on the door, for God’s grace, make satisfaction for our sins. We can freely and patiently accept suffering now, after the example of Jesus and Mary on Calvary. They were sinless yet suffered for us. Let us make Fridays and Saturdays special days of Reparation for our sins and the sins of the world against the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and Mary.

Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us. Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.