SOLEMNITY OF THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD

Whither does the Archangel direct his flight?  Is it to Rome, the victorious city and mistress of the world? Or does he stay at Athens, queen of the sciences, of art, and of eloquence?  Or does he choose Jerusalem the sacred city,  proud of her august Sion, her unique Temple, her holy ark?  No, the Angel has already descended upon an obscure village of Galilee called Nazareth;  already he has reached the still more obscure dwelling of a Virgin and a working man.  

Mary it may be is in prayer, hastening by her vows and sighs the advent of the Messias.  

Sequence of Events:

"And in the sixth month the Angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee called Nazareth, to a Virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David: and the Virgin's name was Mary.  And the Angel being come in said unto her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee:  blessed art thou among women.  Who having heard was troubled at his saying, and thought with herself what manner of salutation this should be.  And the Angel said to her:  Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God.  Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb and shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus.  He shall be great and 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 shall be no end. And Mary said to the Angel:  How shall this be done, because I know not man?  And the Angel answering said to her:  The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee.  And therefore also the Holy which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.  And behold thy cousinn Elizabeth, she also hath conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month with her that is called barren;  because no word shall be impossible with God.  And Mary said:  Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me according to thy word.  And the angel departed from her."

The Virgin Mother 

According to Theology

Fr. J.B. Petitalot, 1876

My Mother's Gift to you :) :)

LEAVE A PRAYER AT THE GROTTO

Click Here 
to Send Your Prayer to Lourdes

It Went Away - A Story of Healing

Mr. Clyde King, the steady sacristan at my parish here in northern California, approached me one day after Mass last year, asking if perhaps I could fill in for him for about ten days.  He might be going out of town, though this was not yet assured . . .

He was planning, or rather hoping, to go to Lourdes;  He has been battling melanoma since 2009.  He had had one surgery to remove a tumor from his left temple, and another one in late 2010 to remove three more tumors just beneath his jaw line. . . . For the moment, all the melanoma had been removed.  Still, he put in an application to join an annual pilgrimage. . . .

He was put on the waiting list.  He responded with equanimity, saying simply that Mary will decide who ends up going.  Soon afterwards, the radiologist called and somberly informed him that a routine follow up PET scan revealed the presence of yet another and severe (stage 4 melanoma) tumor - this time in his chest, on the right side of his windpipe.  Both surgery and treatment would be required.

With no knowledge of that dispiriting medical development, the pilgrimage organizers then notified him - approximately a week before the pilgrimage to Lourdes was set to begin - that a space had opened up.

While he was in Lourdes, his doctor - quite concerned about the results of yet another test taken just before he left - contacted his wife in order to set up a new appointment as soon as possible.  He was set to return on a Wednesday.  So without her husband's knowledge, she scheduled an appointment for Thursday.  More tests were taken that day.  The results came back the following Monday - and the doctor was utterly nonplussed to discover that all signs of the melanoma had disappeared.  His regular oncologist would later tell him:  "I don't believe in miracles, but in your case, I may have to rethink that."

. . . That was about ten months ago and every subsequent test has verified his cancer-free status.

The Magnificat - February, 2013 page 152

THE MIRACULOUS MEDAL

To Receive Simply

Click on the Medal Above or Below  

THE STORY

The Miraculous Medal of the Immaculate Conception, popularly known as the Miraculous Medal, is unique among all medals.    

It was given by the Blessed Virgin Mary herself! 

No wonder, then, that it wins such extraordinary graces for those who wear it and pray for Mary's intercession and help.  Our Lady manifested the Medal to St. Catherine Labouré on November 27, 1830 in the motherhouse of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul and St. Louise de Marillac, in Paris.  Catherine saw Our Lady standing on a globe, with dazzling rays of light streaming from her outstretched hands.  Framing the figure was an inscription:  O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee."  Then Mary spoke to Catherine:  "Have a medal struck upon this model. Those who wear it will receive great graces, especially if they wear it around the neck."  

The vision then seemed to turn to show the reverse of the Medal:  the letter M surmounted by a cross with a bar at its base;  below this monogram, the Sacred Heart of Jesus crowned with thorns,  and the Immaculate Heart of Mary pierced with a sword. With approval of the Catholic Church, the first medals were made in 1832 and were distributed in Paris.  Almost immediately the blessings that Mary had promised began to shower down on those who wore her medal, and soon all of France was clamoring for what the people referred to as the "Miraculous Medal."  Use of the Medal spread from country to country and now blankets the world. Everywhere, the Medal is still drawing down from God blessings for body and soul.  As far as we know, the spinning medals on this page reveals what the first Miraculous Medals might have looked like when they were made and distributed in the 1830's.  This would be about two years after Our Lady manifested the Medal to St. Catherine Labouré on November 27, 1830 in the Apparition Chapel of the motherhouse of the Daughters of Charity in Paris. 

Act of Consecration to Our Lady

Holy Mary, Virgin-Mother of God.  I choose thee this day for my Queen, my Advocate, and my Mother―and I firmly resolve never to forsake thee―never to say or do anything to displease thee―and never to allow those under my care―to do anything against thine honour―I beseech thee, therefore, receive me as thy servant for ever:―assist me in all my actions―and do not abandon me―at the hour of my death.  Amen.  

SIMPLE PRAYER & PILGRIMS PROPER for LOURDES, Early 20th Century

 Rapperswil, Switzerland,  - July 20th, 2015

12. I am the Good Shepherdd

I am the Good Shepherd

Our Lord here shows Himself to us as a Shepherd full of love for His sheep.  Such, indeed, He truly is to men, during this season of mercy.  A portion of His flock had gone astray, and was wandering to and fro amidst the darkness of this world; but Jesus did not forget them. He went in search of them, that He might gather them together. He sought them through lonely deserts, and rocky places, and brambles. 

He now speaks to them through His Church, and invites them to return.  He sweetly encourages them, for perhaps they might fear and be ashamed to appear before Him, after so many sins. He promises them that, if they will but return to Him, they shall be fed on the richest pastures, near the river bank, and on the mountains of Israel. They are covered with wounds, but He will bind them up; they are weak, but He will strengthen them. 

He will once more give them fellowship with the faithful ones who never left Him, and He Himself will dwell with them for ever. Let the sinner, then, yield to this tender love; let him not refuse to make the efforts required for his conversion. 

If these efforts of penance seem painful to nature, let him recall to mind those happy days, when he was in grace and in the fold of his good Shepherd. He may be so again. The gate of the fold is open; and thousand who like himself had gone astray are going in with joy and confidence. Let him follow them, and remember how Jesus has said; 

'There shall be joy in heaven upon one sinner that doth penance, more than upon ninety-nine who need not penance.'

The Liturgical Year by Dom Prosper Guéranger O.S.B. Volume 5 Lent, page 143.

My Mother's Walk by Richard Rolle

11. Fruit of Love

Love is helping the poor and blessing our greatest enemy because they are our brothers, and that is the only way to please God.

O God who purifies thy Church by the yearly observance of Lent; grant, that what thy children endeavour to obtain of thee by abstinence, they may put in execution by good works.  Through the same Christ our Lord.  Amen.

The Liturgical Year by Dom Prosper Guéranger O.S.B. Volume 5 Lent, page 139.

My Mother's Walk by Richard Rolle

10. Saturday, First Week of Lent

Let Us Have Recourse to Mary

This is Saturday; let us have recourse to Mary, the refuge of sinners. Let us put under her maternal protection the humble penances we are now going through.

Hail Mary, full of grace! dear Mother of Jesus, and hope of the world!

O gate of heaven! O temple of God! O haven of the sea, where sinners confidently seek shelter and repose.

Thou didst speak thy word, and then conceivedst the Word; thou didst give birth to the King of kings, thou that was a pure Virgin.

Thou wast ever faithful to this King, thy Child; and, using a mother's privilege, thou didst feed him at thy breast.

Now, thou art united with him, and in reward for thy merits, thou art made the Queen of heaven and earth.

Then pray for us, O Queen, to him that is our King, beseeching him to pardon us poor fallen sinners.

Show us thy wonted clemency, and, having obtained us the new life of remission of our sins, bring us to the kingdom, there to reign for ever.  Amen.

The Liturgical Year by Dom Prosper Guéranger O.S.B. Volume 5 Lent, page 185

My Mother's Walk by Richard Rolle