SECOND STATION
In the Visitation episode, St Luke shows how the grace of the Incarnation, after filling Mary, brings salvation and joy to Elizabeth’s house. The Saviour of men, carried in his Mother’s womb, pours out the Holy Spirit, revealing himself from the very start of his coming into the world…. St Luke also seems to invite us to see Mary as the first “evangelist”, who spreads the “good news”, initiating the missionary journeys of her divine Son. Pope John Paul II, General Audience, , October 2, 1996
A MORNING OFFERING
O My Jesus, make me aware that everywhere I go today you are with me. Just as Mary went to visit Elizabeth to be of service. Help me to be of service to those around me. Mary brought You to John, Elizabeth and Zachariah, may I bring You to my family, neighbors, co-workers and everyone I meet today.
SECOND STATION
Mary set out at once to do the Will of God and to visit Elizabeth. In contrast to Eve, who offered a forbidden fruit to her neighbor, Mary will offer the fruit of her womb which is the fruit of God’s love to her neighbor.
A MORNING OFFERING
Dear Savior, Redeemer, Hope of humanity, thank You for coming into our world seeking us out so as to love us all the more. Help me today to follow the example of Mary the first Christian and to bring the fruit of Your Love and Truth to my neighbors. I desire only Your Will today Lord, nothing else.
FIRST STATION
St. Philip asked Jesus, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied,”
Jesus answered, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” ( Jn 14: 8-9).
The humanity of Jesus in all its aspects, even those that are apparently humblest and least important, is for us an immense space for communion with God. Every aspect of his humanity, each of his characteristics, even the smallest and most hidden, each of his words, deeds, and gestures, every stage of his life from his conception in Mary’s womb to his Ascension, brings us into communion with God the Father…
By exploring his humanity like a piece of land that belongs to us…we grow steadily in communion with the inaccessible, unfathomable mystery of God. (Excerpt from Time for God by Fr. Jacques Philippe )
A MORNING OFFERING
O Lord, I offer You this day. During this Advent, give me a love for the mystery of Your Incarnation. I praise You for your time in the womb and offer my day today in reparation for the sins against the unborn of our world. Amen
Umbert the Unborn – The Greatest Moment in Unborn History (Click on Picture to see full view)
FIRST STATION
“Creation is thus completed by the Incarnation and since that moment is permeated by the powers of the Redemption, powers which fill humanity and all creation.” (John Paul II # 52 The Holy Spirit in the Life of the Church and the World)
A MORNING OFFERING
O Lord, This new day of Advent I offer you my day. Renew my hope in your power to change the world. Help me to look for moments of grace throughout the day. The grace of your Incarnation that permeates Creation with the power to transform the world.
FIRST STATION
The Archangel Gabriel proclaimed God’s intention of renewing the face of the earth and the hearts of humankind by God Himself becoming Incarnate; one with humanity. Mary was in complete accord and said “Yes” to God. A new creation began as the Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary.
A MORNING OFFERING
My Lord and My God, as this new day begins I wish to say “Yes” to You also. Help me Lord to live every day, all day in union with You; especially today! I offer my heart, body, mind and soul to You God entirely. May Your Will be done in my life today.
Our Lady of Bogenberg in Bavaria, Germany
There is a wonderful tradition in Christendom of beginning each day by offering oneself and one’s day to God. It has been called by some ‘morning devotions’ or more frequently in Catholicism a ‘morning offering’. One of the traditional morning offering prayers is that promoted by the Apostleship of Prayer.
The morning offering is a great way to start each day. I know when I make this offering as I begin my day I am often mindful of the offering Christ made to His Father, from Mary’s womb, as He entered the world:
“Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said:
“Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired;
but a body have you prepared for me;
in burnt offerings and sin offerings
you have taken no pleasure.
Then I said, Lo, I have come to do your will, O God.”
(Hebrews 10:5-7)
Pope Paul VI called this “…the fundamental offering that the Incarnate Word made to the Father when He entered the world (cf. Heb. 10:5-7).”Marialis Cultus, #20
For Advent 2011 we are featuring our 9 Day Stations of the Incarnation, designed as a rapid reflection and morning offering. Each day focuses on one event in the succession of events from the Annunciation/Incarnation to the Nativity.
Filed under: Biblical Reflections, Evangelium Vitae, Incarnation, The Incarnation, Unborn Jesus
Meister des Marienlebens Annunciation
Sometimes words such as ‘gift’ and ‘giving’ – like the word ‘love’ – seem over-used, employed too often and too superficially, thus inclined to have their true meaning and intent eroded. But to call the Incarnation a ‘gift from God’ is not only appropriate, it is almost understatement. Consider this observation by John Paul II:
“The conception and birth of Jesus Christ are in fact the greatest work accomplished by the Holy Spirit in the history of creation and salvation: the supreme grace – “the grace of union,” source of every other grace, as St. Thomas explains.” (# 50 The Holy Spirit in the Life of the Church and the World)
Here is a very rough paraphrase: The Incarnation of Jesus Christ is the supreme gift – given by God to humanity.
John Paul goes on to say of the Incarnation that it is the “source of every other grace” – and every other Divine gift. Later in the same document, John Paul elaborates on this concept further:
“Creation is thus completed by the Incarnation and since that moment is permeated by the powers of the Redemption, powers which fill humanity and all creation.” #52
As we approach Thanksgiving Day, we know that it is a day to thank God for His plenteous and overflowing gifts. What better place to begin our thanksgiving recollection than in Nazareth?
In the time of Christ there was a rather dismissive popular expression: “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (Jn 1:46)
“Yes” we might respond, “All Good – ‘the supreme grace’ of God, the true ‘powers of the Redemption’ filling humanity to overflowing, ‘grace upon grace’, and enduring hope!”
Meister des Marienlebens Annunciation (Detail with Unborn Jesus)
The Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate have this beautiful icon at this location
Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel
Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate
199 Colonel Brown Rd
Griswold CT 06351
An explanation of this icon is found on their website.
“This icon of the Mother of God is called “The Helper in Childbirth“. The first prototypes of this icon appeared in Western Russia, in the early 19th century. It was made for a very practical and urgent need – the difficulties in conceiving and giving birth.
A variation of the ancient and famous icon of Our Lady of the Sign, this icon differs by showing the Mother of God folding her hands in prayer over her heart, instead of holding them outstretched to the sides. Under the protective arch of her hands, we can see the newly conceived Christ Child, emanating from inside her womb in an almond shaped-halo of light. To show He is the “Logos“, or Word of God incarnate, He holds a small white scroll. She is filled and radiant with light from inside.”
To read more about this icon and the Franciscan Friars click here
Here are 3 other icons in this tradition. Click on each icon – to see full view.
Filed under: Biblical Reflections, Inspirational Pro-life leaders, Quotes from Great Christians, The Incarnation, Unborn Jesus
(The following column by Los Angeles Archbishop José Gomez appeared in the Friday, Oct. 7, issue of the archdiocesan newspaper The Tidings)
Blessed John Paul II said that as Christians we are called to be people of life and for life.
Our religion, in a beautiful and mysterious way, is deeply identified with human life. What other world religion remembers the time when its founder was in his mother’s womb?
Yet in our sacred Scriptures, we preserve the story of Jesus’ conception, his birth, and even some events from his early childhood. We retell these stories in our worship, year after year — at Christmas time, in feasts like the Annunciation. We remember the name of Jesus’ mother in our confession of faith, when we say Jesus was “born of the Virgin Mary.”
Biblical religion is a religion in which family and children, and the promise of children, plays a big role.
Think of the stories of Abraham and Sarah and God’s promise to give them a son. Think of God’s words to the prophet Jeremiah: “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you.”
Again and again in the salvation history we read in the Bible, God’s plan is enacted through a woman who is with child. “Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son …”
God loved us so much that he entered into this world as each one of us did — through the womb of a mother.
Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta used to love the Gospel story of the Visitation. She always pointed to this detail — how St. John the Baptist leapt in St. Elizabeth’s womb when Mary walked into the room.
She said: “Something very beautiful, something very wonderful happened. The first human being to recognize the presence of Jesus was the little one in the womb of his mother — who leaped with joy. It is so beautiful to think that God gave that little unborn child the greatness of proclaiming the presence of Jesus on earth.”
Click here to read the rest of his statement.
‘Mary With Child’. oil on linen panel . Kay Eneim 2007
“He was hidden in the womb of His Mother; all through His life and death on earth, His Divinity was hidden except to a very few; in His Eucharistic life He will hide Himself to the end of time in the little Host.
He seemed to love hiding when He was on earth and when He did reveal Himself, it was something like a child playing at hide and seek.
He hid Himself from the Samaritan woman till He had heard all her story and then said suddenly : “I am He (the Messias) Who am speaking with thee” (St. John. iv. 26).
The blind man whom He cured had not the least idea Who He was till JESUS, hearing that he had been reviled and cast out of the Synagogue, went and talked to him about the Son of God and then said in the middle of the conversation: Thou hast both seen Him, and it is He that talketh with thee” (chap. ix. 37).
From Mary Magdalen at the sepulchre He deliberately hid Himself under the form of a gardener that He might have the joy of suddenly surprising her with His presence.
Perhaps the most touching story of all is that of the two disciples going to Emmaus ; out of His very love for them, He blindfolded them and then made them look for Him, while He put them off the scent by pretending that He knew nothing about all the things that had been
happening in Jerusalem ; and then when His moment was come their eyes were opened and they knew Him.” (St. Luke xxiv. 31).
He treats His children in the same way still, He constantly hides Himself from them, leaves them alone to fight and struggle in desolation, solitude and spiritual darkness, and then sometimes shows by His sudden presence how near He has been all the time.”
Mother St. Paul , Ortus Christi, 1921
This Sunday at Mass we heard a deep teaching of Jesus about forgiveness; Mt 18: 21-35. But look at how it all starts: “Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?”
This is a great question! Sure, some sophisticated know-it-alls may choose to dismiss Peter’s question and demean him, but to me this was a real and legitimate question to pose to the Lord. And of course, the answer was even better, much better!!
So today, Peter’s successor the Pope, and the Bishops as well, ask God many questions and listen attentively for His wonderful guiding responses. And the laity of course prays for our Pope and Bishops, to support them in their prayers and listening before God.
A few years ago I was quite surprised when I re-read the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium, issued by Vatican Council II. There was a reference that appeared several times which was at once surprising but very profound and beautiful:
“Guiding the Church in the way of all truth (cf. Jn 16:13) and unifying her in communion and in the works of ministry, he bestows upon her varied hierarchic and charismatic gifts, and in this way directs her; and he adorns her with his fruits (cf. Eph 4:11-12; I Cor 12:4; Gal 5:22).” LG #4 Hierarchic gifts – given to the apostles and their successors for the good of the Church!
Which brings us back to Peter. It is critical to ask God the right questions, to persevere in prayer seeking the truth. Our Popes and Bishops do this. (No they haven’t been perfect – just human, but generally with wonderful results.) A great testimony to this reality of the Church’s life is the solid defense given by the Church on behalf of unborn children.
From the 1st century A.D., when the Didache states: “You shall not put a child to death by abortion nor kill it once it is born…”, to Vatican II (Church in the Modern World, Gaudium et Spes, #51), to The Gospel of Life (Evangelium Vitae, written by John Paul II), the Church has been guided by the Holy Spirit to teach soundly on respect for human life, right from the moment of conception.
But this guidance came through prayer, asking God the right questions, like Peter did 2,000 years ago, and like Benedict XVI and his fellow Bishops do today. Last Advent, 2010, Pope Benedict introduced a profound new tradition on the eve of the first Sunday of Advent; he celebrated a Vigil for the Unborn, linking it to Advent when we contemplate Christ in the womb, about to born. Surely this too was the fruit of prayer, of seeking God’s inspiration and guidance. Thanks be to God!
Filed under: Evangelium Vitae
The Christ-child lay on Mary’s lap,
His hair was like a light.
(O weary, weary were the world,
But here is all aright.)
The Christ-child lay on Mary’s breast,
His hair was like a star.
(O stern and cunning are the kings,
But here the true hearts are.)
The Christ-child lay on Mary’s heart,
His hair was like a fire.
(O weary, weary is the world,
But here the world’s desire.)
The Christ-child stood at Mary’s knee,
His hair was like a crown.
And all the flowers looked up at Him,
And all the stars looked down.
Today, August 22 we celebrate the feast day of The Queenship of Mary. This special Liturgical Feast was proclaimed by Pope Pius XII on October 11, 1954 through his Encyclical Letter Ad Caeli Reginam.
The following is a quote from this Encyclical Letter.
“As We have already mentioned, Venerable Brothers, according to ancient tradition and the sacred liturgy the main principle on which the royal dignity of Mary rests is without doubt her Divine Motherhood.
In Holy Writ, concerning the Son whom Mary will conceive, We read this sentence: “He shall be called the Son of the most High, and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father, and he shall reign in the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end,”[Luke 1:32,33] and in addition Mary is called “Mother of the Lord”;[Luke 1:43] from this it is easily concluded that she is a Queen, since she bore a son who, at the very moment of His conception, because of the hypostatic union of the human nature with the Word, was also as man King and Lord of all things.
So with complete justice St. John Damascene could write: “When she became Mother of the Creator, she truly became Queen of every creature.” Likewise, it can be said that the heavenly voice of the Archangel Gabriel was the first to proclaim Mary’s royal office.”
AD CAELI REGINAM, ENCYCLICAL OF POPE PIUS XII ON PROCLAIMING THE QUEENSHIP OF MARY, # 34
Filed under: Mary
Rubens Assumption
This is the 2nd of two reflections on the Assumption of Mary. (The first was entitled Revelation 11, the Assumption & Unborn Jesus.)
It has often been said that there is no biblical basis for belief in the Assumption of Mary into heaven. Not withstanding the Old Testament accounts of Enoch (Gen 5:24, Heb 11:5) and Elijah (2 Kings 2:9-12) being taken up into heaven, and the tradition of Moses also being assumed into heaven (Deut 34:5-6), there is Revelations 12 which is a stunning presentation of a fait accompli; Mary was assumed – and here she is! (Rev 12 has many parts to it: Mary is pregnant, she delivers, she flees into the wilderness and “was given the two wings of the great eagle that she might fly from the serpent…”)
The Assumption of Mary into heaven is a living testament to the Resurrection of Jesus and our resurrections into heaven. Because Mary is the first Christian, God deigned to demonstrate her resurrection in a unique manner (by virtue of the death and resurrection of her only Son). Just as Christ came into the world – to His Mother – in a singular fashion, so God has deigned that Mary should go to heaven – to her Son – in a singular manner.
St. Peter says: “…we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and to an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you…” (I Pet 1:3-4) Mary has embraced this glorious reality through her assumption into heaven. Who better to manifest this undefiled inheritance for all of us who journey forward, than Mary the Mother of Jesus Christ, and by extension in all truth, Mother of His (Mystical) Body (the Church) also.
The Christian life is a journey. A journey from this earth of trials to heaven and glory! Lest we get discouraged, God has given us many signs of hope for our journey. One of these hopeful signs is Mary our Mother following after her only Son, close to Him, just as she was on earth.
Vatican II spoke of Christ our Lord going before us: “He blazed a trail, and if we follow it, life and death are made holy and take on a new meaning.” (Gaudium et Spes, #22). Mary followed Christ’s trail, following His signs, and leaving some of her own as well – a Mother’s prerogative – an extra effort on her part to ensure that none of her Christian children get lost along the way. In heaven Christ is waiting, arms outstretched, and nearby His Mother waits too, pointing the way to the Savior of the World. “Rejoice then, O heaven and you that dwell therein!” (Rev 12:12)
“Theotokos (God-Bearer)” by by Karl Kohlhase
Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple…. Rev 11:19
Above is the last verse of Revelation chapter 11. The next verse, the first verse of chapter 12, begins to narrate the portent of the “woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; she was with child….”
But there is a continuity here from Rev 11:19 to Rev 12. Mary is the “new ark” of the New Covenant”. What made the old ark in the Old Testament especially valuable was its contents. So too with Mary who was with child; containing within her the Unborn Savior of the world.
Numerous biblical scholars, theologians and Bishops have found a remarkable parallel between Old Testament accounts of the ark of the covenant (Sam 6:1-13, and elsewhere) and the Incarnation /Visitation accounts in Luke. (See Unborn Jesus Our Hope, Chp. 2, footnote 13.) So, Mary is the Ark of the New Covenant, carrying Unborn Jesus within her. She is also the Woman clothed with the sun.
There is within Christendom the ancient tradition that Mary was assumed into heaven, body and soul, and in a prophetic sense, Revelations 12 confirms that tradition, bearing witness to the reality of it. Read Rev 11:19 again. Here is one possible interpretation of Rev 11:19: Then God’s temple in heaven was opened and Mary, the pregnant Mother of Jesus our Savior stood within the temple. Perhaps this is heaven’s version of a Nativity scene; a revelation of the New Covenant, Jesus Christ (within the new Ark). Note: Mary is Not Divine, she is Not worshiped, it is Not her temple! She is privileged however, as the faithful and ever-loving Mother of Jesus Christ, to be with Him always in a special manner; and in Rev 11:19 He is her unborn baby.
Humanity’s “solitary boast”, as William Wordsworth would say of her (‘The Virgin’, Ecclesiastical Sonnet XXV).
Fragment of an altarpiece. Pregnant Mary in a blue dress with white cape in front of a red background. In Mary's womb the unborn baby Jesus is visible. Anonymous painter. c.1505 Swiss National Museum, Zurich
“From the Incarnation and birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, the whole of history was transformed and humanity received the total answer to all its questions and aspirations. In the Child-God, Icon of the Father, all has been given to us. In him is revealed to us the totality of the mystery and the key to our own greatness and our sublime dignity as image of God.”
Filed under: Pro-life
Robert Anning Bell - Mary in the House of Elizabeth (Mary and Elizabeth sewing and mending during three month visit!)
America the Beautiful is one of my favorite patriotic songs because it gracefully weaves together noble religious sentiments with a humble pure patriotism. One of my favorite lines in the song is: “God mend thine ev’ry flaw. Confirm thy soul with self-control, Thy liberty in law.”
As the saying goes, “Nobody’s perfect”… same too with organizations, groups, families, communities, nations. America has flaws. People of good will need to try and ‘mend them’.
But one flaw surely stands out – as more than a mere “flaw”; abortion, virtually on demand (that is, no reason or rationale need be given), literally up to the ninth month.
The current law of the land foisted upon us by neglectful judges is an “unjust law”; more than a flaw! When we sing the prayer line “God mend thine ev’ry flaw”, we should remember our greatest flaw; an unjust law.
The hollow and meaningless slogan “freedom of choice” is a ‘supposed liberty’ which needs to be curtailed by a just law.
The soul of America is sorely weakened, in large part by the deadly wound of killing its own unborn children. Its soul will be strengthened and confirmed, when a just law in the land protects the innocent unborn in the womb.
Sing and pray for unborn souls and just laws!
America! America! May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness,
And ev’ry gain divine.
UNBORN WORD of the day 
