May 3 - The Good Shepherd

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today’s Mass Readings are so perfect for the time in which we are living: The First Reading from the Acst of the Apostles, The Second Reading from Peter’s First Letter, the Responsorial Psalm, the Alleluia verse – and especially the Gospel:

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the good shepherd, says the Lord;
I know my sheep, and mine know me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. (Jn 10:14)

Jesus said: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber. But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice. But they will not follow a stranger; they will run away from him, because they do not recognize the voice of strangers.” Although Jesus used this figure of speech, the Pharisees did not realize what He was trying to tell them.

So Jesus said again, “Amen, amen, I say to you,
I am the gate for the sheep.
All who came before me are thieves and robbers,
but the sheep did not listen to them.
I am the gate.
Whoever enters through me will be saved,
and will come in and go out and find pasture.
A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy;
I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.” (John 10: 1-10)

Come Holy Spirit, fill the Hearts of Your faithful. Kindle in us, the Fire of Your Love. Enable us to Listen and hear God’s Word with the ears of our hearts. By God’s Grace may we ponder all in our hearts as our Mother Mary did on this earth and by His Grace may we like her, do the Truth we hear for God’s Glory, for our own salvation and the Salvation of the world.

O my Jesus, forgive us and save us from the fires of hell. Draw all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of Your Mercy. Jesus we trust in You! Mary Mother of the Church, pray for us. St. Joseph Guardian of the Child Jesus and Protector of Mary, pray for us.

Mass Readings for May 3 - See HERE

 

[hazcompat]

1979 – 1990: from Saint John Paul II’s consecration of Poland to Mary to the end of Communism​

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

In the year of the Millennium of Poland’s baptism, on May 3, 1966, the Primate of Poland pronounced the act of total servitude to the Mother of God for the freedom of the Church in Poland and throughout the world. This event took place in Jasna Gora, a shrine located in Częstochowa (Poland), on the feast of Mary, Queen of Poland.

During his first trip to Poland in 1979, Pope John Paul II declared: “Here at Jasna Gora, in my earthly homeland, Poland, and I wish first of all to confirm the acts of consecration and of trust that at various times— in many and various ways were pronounced by the Cardinal Primate and the Polish Episcopate. In a very special way I wish to confirm and renew the act of consecration pronounced at Jasna Gora on 3 May 1966, on the occasion of the Millennium of Poland. With this act the Polish Bishops wished, by giving themselves to you, Mother of God, “in your maternal slavery of love,” to serve the great cause of the freedom of the Church not only in their own homeland but in the whole world.” (Saint John Paul II, homily at Jasna Gora on June 4, 1979).

The Pope’s second trip to his homeland took place in 1983, in a very tense political and social context, since Communist Poland was under martial law. There the Pope presented the Shrine of Jasna Gora as the “Polish Cana of Galilee” and cried out: “Mother! Speak to your Son! Speak to your Son about the difficult times we are experiencing today!” (Saint John Paul II, Homily at Jasna Gora, June 19, 1983). Then the Pope commented on the vocation of Jasna Gora. He repeated this historic prayer, familiar to all Poles: “Mary, Queen of Poland, I stand before you, I do not forget you, I keep watch.”

The Marie de Nazareth team

Read more on mariedenazareth.com:​

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death.
Amen.

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear hazcompat,

St. John Paul II has certainly been a “Shepherd” after the Heart of the Good Shepherd! In the last paragraph written by “The Marie de Nazareth team” which you posted today, I was deeply touched by the beautiy of Pope John Paul II’s words:

The Pope’s second trip to his homeland took place in 1983, in a very tense political and social context, since Communist Poland was under martial law. There the Pope presented the Shrine of Jasna Gora as the “Polish Cana of Galilee” and cried out: “Mother! Speak to your Son! Speak to your Son about the difficult times we are experiencing today!” (Saint John Paul II, Homily at Jasna Gora, June 19, 1983). Then the Pope commented on the vocation of Jasna Gora. He repeated this historic prayer, familiar to all Poles: “Mary, Queen of Poland, I stand before you, I do not forget you, I keep watch.”

May God increase in each of us that tender love for Mary that is in the Heart of the Good Shepherd for His Mother – whom He gave to ALL of us from His Cross!

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Stephie and Cath

Thank you both for your faith-full, loving “hearts” which are always an encouragement to me and to others who want to see Mary better known and loved in this world in order that Jesus be better known and loved. He is the Good Shepherd and He has entrusted all His sheep and especially the little lambs to His Mother!

Last night EWTN had a documentary on Fatima and as we watched the little “Shepherd Children, Lucia, Francesco and Jacinta” I realized how often Mary’s apparitions were to little ones.

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear QuietTrad,

Thanks for your faith-full and loving “heart”, encouraging those who want our Mother to be better known and loved that Jesus, our Good Shepherd, be better known and loved. You and others may be interested in this quote from Pope St. John Paul II:

“My way of understanding the devotion to the Mother of God went through a change. While in the past I was convinced that Mary leads us to Christ, now I am starting to understand that Christ also leads us to his Mother.” (J. P. II, “My Vocation, Gift and Mystery,” Paris 1996)