THE EYES OF MERCY

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the Precious Gift of Mother Mary to us.

The birth of a child is an occasion of great joy, but the fact remains that we are all born out of original sin.

Mary’s soul was the most beautiful design created by God after the Incarnation of the Eternal Word, a most supreme and worthy present of Himself that an Omnipotent God ever did in this world.

There is no doubt that God blessed Mary with His grace as She was chosen to be the Mother of God but even before She was conferred with the Most Holy position She was adorned with the sanctity that was fit for this dignity.

St. Thomas Aquinas teaches us that the Most Blessed Virgin was so full of grace, that from the beginning her beautiful soul belonged to God. Secondly the grace overflowed to her body, as She merited to cloth the Eternal Word with Her most pure flesh. Thirdly, She was filled to think of the benefit of all, so that all might gain from the Salvation.

Let us joyfully witness Her presence in our day to day life as She was the first one to be loved and honored by God.

Let me share two of the many incidents that Mother Mary stood as a rock and guardian in my time of distress during my journey of life.

My elder daughter, born underweight, was kept in the incubator for almost nine days all the while losing her health to various infections. Holding onto Holy Rosary and Novenas of the Blessed Mary, I was granted extra courage to discharge her against medical advice, as it was unbearable to see the little one suffer. I brought the nine day old tiny bundle to my humble abode, laying her beneath my altar, totally surrendering to Mother Mary to take charge of her.

Lifting my cry of anguish and abandoning food and sleep for the next 3 days and 2 nights, my eyes were fixed on the Blessed Virgin and my child. Miraculously my child began to regain her health and soon we were even provided with a home doctor to keep a timely check on her.  

Once again with heartfelt gratitude I offered her to Mother Mary, with a prayer that my child be Hers. Till date she is safe in Mother’s hands and able to overcome all trials and tribulations in her life. I offer all my honor and glory to my Beloved Mother.

A complication arose during the fifth month of my second pregnancy. A scan revealed an acute cyst had formed over the foetus which blocked my child’s breath. After few days of observation, my gynecologist suggested as the matter was getting worse there was only one way out; to undergo a surgery.  Asking me to prepare myself mentally, she added that the surgery would be a risky one. They took a special written consent from us stating that they would not be held responsible had the child been injured during the procedure.

Apart from the regular prayers, I switched to recital of efficacious novenas to my Trustworthy Mother.  All my co-staffs too realizing the seriousness of the situation joined me with fasting and prayers. They equipped all the needs be it imparting courage to donating blood etc;

Here too my cry of anguish and distress reached the Queen of Mercy; as I could experience her assistance on the operation table. She kept me safe throughout and moreover the foetus in my womb was safe and sound. That moment I promised the Blessed Mother that my child and myself would be indebted to You and Your Son Jesus Christ throughout our life.

The Merciful Eyes of Mother Mary cannot forsake those who invoke Her.

Dear mothers, I assure you that whatever may be the condition of your children today, offer them to this Trustworthy Mother, she would keep them safe from all misfortunes.

Dear devotees of Christ, let me request you never to leave our Mother at the conclusion of the October month.

She requires our life to spread the message of Salvation; while we need her help every second of our life to overcome the temptations of the evil one.

A word of guidance to all the parents: Pray regularly to Mother Mary for the welfare of your children and family members; imbibe in children the practice of reciting small prayers like (Holy Mary, we love you, be with us); make a habit of gifting your children Rosary Prayer booklets and Rosaries, medals and permit them to carry it along with them devoutly.

You may not find a companion to recite the Holy Rosary; but let me remind you that Mary is always present when you recite it and your Guardian Angel would assist you to complete the recital.

Every ‘Salutation’ of Hail Mary will drive out your sorrows, fear letting in  a peace that only God can provide.

O Mary! Our Tender Mother, Comforter of the afflicted, pray for us who have recourse to Thee.  Amen.

With Love filled Blessings,

Your Sister in Christ

Kindly Note:

As per the message from God of KLWC, our team will be conducting an in-house Night Vigil service from 11 pm (1/11/2015) to 6 am (2/11/2015)   Your Thanksgivings and Prayer Requests are welcome.

THE VIRTUES OF BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Part II

You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart. (Matthew 22:3)

CLICK HERE FOR PART I

“O Virgin! Who taught you to please God by virginity and to lead an angel’s life here on earth?” asked St. Bernard to the Holy Mary.

God chose this most pure Virgin as His Mother so that she might be an example of CHASTITY to all.  Not only did Our Mother remain a Virgin throughout, but through her St. Joseph too preserved his virginity. St. Ambrose calls her the standard - bearer of virginity.

St. Gregory of Tours affirms that the Holy Mary fasted throughout Her life for grace so that gluttony cannot subsist together. 

The Most Holy Mary reveals to St. Elizabeth of Hungary, “‘No virtues can abide in us without effort and continual prayer’.

 

O Most Loving Redeemer grant us to learn from You to despise the things of this world, and just as you were, to be satisfied in our poverty on earth. 

“You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, rich as He was; He made Himself poor for your sake in order to make you rich by means of His Poverty.”  (2 Cor. 9) 

 A rich young man approached asking Jesus, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to receive eternal life?”  The Lord replied, “…..go and sell all you have and give the money to the poor and you will have riches in heaven, then come and follow Me.” (Matthew 19) 

Mary’s respect for poverty is evident when she accepts God’s will and agrees in marriage to St. Joseph, a poor carpenter. Enriched with all heavenly blessings, she still chose to live poor and also die poor.

He who loves the possessions of this world, can never suit and gain  the title of saint. The virtue of poverty lies in loving the hardships and discomforts attached to it.

So let’s abandon our grumpy faces set our eyes on our Savior and His Mother, and console our troubled hearts, to seek comfort from Them, who suffered and went through all this and is an example for us to enable us to detach ourselves from the passions and selfishness of this World.

Thus with more space in our heart, lets mediate. Blessed are the poor in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of God.  (Matthew 5:3).  Such people desire nothing but God and discover their paradise on earth.

Virgin Mary declared that God was pleased with her OBEDIENCE when she said, “He has regarded the humility of His handmaid.”

Eve by her disobedience swept in death of herself and the entire human race, while Virgin Mary, free from Original Sin, by her obedience bloomed God’s Salvation on herself and the entire mankind.

Her obedience in all things pleased God and was more ideal than all saints. The obedience she radiated reached the highest perfection, when she submitted herself and offered Her Son to death for the Divine Will. This still continues to amaze many, including saints, to draw inspiration and strength even during the darkest hours of life.

 Let us intercede with Her to Lord Jesus to obtain such obedience for us to be faithful in God’s will.

Blessed Virgin Mary is the role model for all virtues, but Her Virtue of PATIENCE is noteworthy.  We have already seen her sorrows, sufferings and patience in the flight of her journey to Egypt, the hidden life in Nazareth, during her presence at the crucifixion.  When life’s cross weigh heavily on us, let us have recourse to Mary who is called the Comforter of the afflicted and the Remedy for all sorrows of the heart. Mary who was innocent yet suffered with much patience.

Christ Jesus our Savior taught us to pray fervently (Luke 18).  Mary is the only one on earth who practiced the Lord’s PRAYER in perfect manner. 

Mary revealed to St. Elizabeth of Hungary that she always rose at midnight and went before the altar of the Temple to offer her supplications.  After the Resurrection and the Ascension it is said that she frequently visited the places of our Lord’s Nativity, Passion and the Sepulcher.  She prayed with the greatest recollection of Spirit. 

Never before was there anyone like Mary nor will there be  anyone like her who pleased God. 

Our Blessed Virgin Mary told St. Jane -which is a very pleasing practice to her - to recite ten ‘Hail Mary’ in honor of her ten virtues.

Act for the day

Let us offer a Holy Rosary to our Mother, to grant us the grace to honor her virtues.

With Love Filled Blessings,

Your Sister in Christ

THE VIRTUES OF BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

“You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart.”  (Matt 22:3)

Whoever loves resembles the person loved or endeavors to become like that person according to the well known proverb, “Love either finds or make its like.”

As a result of our Love for Blessed Virgin, if we can prove the same by imitating her virtues, then that would be the greatest honor we could present Her. Replicating the virtues of Saints and the Holy Mother, will enable us to obtain more certainty and acknowledge greater abundance of favors, so that they can work more efficaciously in us.

Let us go through few virtues of our Blessed Virgin Mary. 

‘Humility’: The foundation and guardian of all virtues.  Without humility no other virtues would exist in us.  St. Francis says, ‘God so loves humility that whenever He sees it He is immediately drawn there.’  The world was unfamiliar with humility until the Son of God Himself came on earth to teach it by His own example, when He said to us, “Learn from Me because I am meek and humble of heart.” 

(Matthew 11:29).

Mary being the first and most perfect disciple of Lord Jesus was also first in humility and by its merits she was exalted above all creatures.  The first effect of humility of heart is a lowly opinion of oneself.  Mary always had a humble opinion of herself even though she knew she was enriched with the greatest graces.  A soul that is truly humble does not praise itself; when praised by others, refers it all to God. 

Yes, we can never be true children of Mary, if we are not humble.

For example, when Gabriel the Archangel praised Mary and later St. Elizabeth also did the same, Mary refers it all to God by saying, “My heart praises the Lord; My soul is glad because of God my Savior, for He has remembered Me, his lowly servant!”  (Luke 1: 46-47) 

St. Bernard says, ‘You cannot imitate the virginity of this humble Virgin, let us imitate her humility.’

‘Charity’: Where there is greatest purity, there is also greatest charity.  The more the heart is pure and empty of itself; the fullness of love towards God is evident. Holy Mary was so humble having nothing of self within her was thus filled with Divine Love of God. 

God Himself has indeed given us the precept, “You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart.”  (Matt 22:37) 

This command is perfectly fulfilled only in heaven by mankind, but in the case of Mary it is been fulfilled in completion in this world itself because she practices virtues in the highest perfection.  The Love of God in her was so ardent which had no defect of any kind.  The Divine Love has penetrated and filled both in soul and body of Mary.  The Holy Spirit inflamed and melted Mary with love as fire does to iron. 

St. Peter Damian says, “That the duties of her active life did not prevent her from loving, and love did not prevent her from attending to those duties.”  He who loves God loves also his neighbor. 

So great was Mary’s charity when on earth that she helped the needy without even being asked.  For example the wedding feast at Cana.  (John 2:13)  Similarly, as soon as she heard of her cousin Elizabeth’s condition and knew she needed help, Mary went with haste to the hill country (Luke 1 : 39)

“Give and it will be given to you…….For the measure with which you measure, will be measured out to you.”  (Luke 6 : 38)  Anyone who assists the needy makes God indebted to him.

‘Faith’: St. Augustine wrote thus about Her faith, ‘When Mary consented to the incarnation of the Eternal Word, by means of Her faith She opened the heaven to mankind.’  Her faith made St. Elizabeth to address Her ‘Blessed’. 

The Queen of True Faith alone has destroyed all heresies throughout the world.  She proved that faith is not only to be the rule of our belief, but also that of our actions. 

St. Augustine insists, ‘If you say, ‘I believe’, then do what you say and it is faith.’ 

To have a ‘lively’ faith, live according to our belief.

‘HOPE’: Mary’s hope is also noteworthy. 

God enlightens us with faith to know His goodness and promises He has made, so that this knowledge may elevate hope in us.  Mary was totally detached from earthly affections, leaning on Her beloved Divine Grace. For example when She saw the anxiety of Her Holy spouse St. Joseph, unable to accept Her blessed pregnancy, She thought that it is better to abandon Herself to Divine Providence in full confidence that God Himself will defend Her innocence and reputation.  Again She showed Her confidence in God and obliged to give birth to Her Child in a stable and laid Him in a manger by placing Her confidence in God believing that He would assist her. 

We see over and again in the Gospels her trust in God during the flight to Egypt to escape from Herod that God would protect her Son.  Let us learn from Mary to have that kind of confidence in God.  For this, we must distrust our own strength and co-operate with God. 

ACT OF THE DAY

Through the intercession of Mother Mary, let us offer a Holy Rosary to obtain and follow Her Virtues in our life.

With love filled blessings

Your Sister In Christ

THE HOLY ROSARY

“When people love and recite the Rosary, they find it makes them better.”-- St. Anthony Mary Claret

One of the most beautiful ways to honor Mother Mary is by reciting the Holy Rosary. 

The Rosary is a beautiful garland of roses and the most efficacious means to obtain help from our Lord.  The flowers of the rosary never perish.  It has been handed down by our great grandparents and grandparents who by devoutly reciting the rosary invoked the help of our loving Mother who is ever ready to intercede on behalf of us for God’s Mercy.  It is a complete prayer when we meditate the mysteries that reflect the lives of both, Jesus and Mary.

Let us reflect on the story of a pious but self-willed lady who lived in Rome during the time of St. Dominic.  She was devout and led a holy life.  Once during confession, St. Dominic advised her to recite one Rosary every day.  But the lady excused herself from saying the Rosary, due to her busy routine life. However, she continued doing deeds of charity, fasting and abstinence.

One day during her prayer, she had a vision of her soul appear before Lord’s judgment seat.  St. Michael put all her penances and prayers on one side of the balancing scale and her sinful deeds on the other side.  The weight of her sins weighed much greater than all her penances and prayers.  Terrified she cried out for mercy imploring the help of our Blessed Virgin. Then, she saw that when a single Rosary was put in the weighing scale, it outweighed all her sins. 

Our Blessed Mother reproved her for refusing to follow St. Dominic’s advice for not reciting the Rosary.  She soon threw herself at the feet of St. Dominic and asked forgiveness for her unbelief and promised to recite the rosary daily. 

(Excerpts from “The Secret of the Rosary” by St. Louis Marie de Montfort)

Yes my dear ones, when we recite the Rosary we can conquer evil as David conquered Goliath with a sling.  By offering bouquets of Rosary every day as a family, to our Loving Mother, will enable us to experience peace, bonding and togetherness within our family.  The youngsters will get the courage to overcome their temptations, it imparts great solace to the sick and elderly and all the anxiety within us will depart.

So let us recite the Holy Rosary as a daily practice.

Do encourage your near and dear ones towards the knowledge of Christ Jesus along with Mother Mary through the recital of Holy Rosary so that the paths of many may be illuminated by Her guiding light.

-----By a Reader

act for the day

Through the intercession of Mother Mary, let us offer a Holy Rosary to console God our Father who is deeply pained by His children’s behavior.