Search

Bethany Hang Out

Catholic contemplative life and devotion

Open Search
Tag

Virgin Mary

Summer Evening Magnificat

Evenings are my favorite time of day. Especially after the bustle of family end of day reunions, when the cooking and dinner and cleaning up is done I feel both alert and recollected.

The evenings I love most are summer evenings. There is relief from the heat of the day (sort of,) the cicadas and crickets are chanting their vespers, the neighborhood birds gather along the power line to pray and to gab about the day. I love the colors of the light at this time; rose and gold and the blue tint as dusk approaches.

Time to bring the chickens in.

They’re ready for me at the gate, waddling in a line of fluffy butts to their coop for the night.

And I love this traditional time to recite the Magnificat. I like best saying it by a window looking out so I can bless the world with Mary and her vision of the Kingdom of her Son.

Get you some iced tea now. Go to a window and pray it with us. Bless the world out there.

And Mary said,

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor on his lowly handmaiden.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him 
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children forever.” (Luke 1:46-55)
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

.


0

The Perpetual Help of Mary

Today is Our Lady of Perpetual Help. I just don’t know what I would do without Mary. Why would anyone want to live without her? Sometimes I want to tell people just to give friendship with her a shot, try it for themselves and they will see right away what she is to us. When I think of Our Lady of Perpetual help, I think of how she was and is a good Jewish Mother. When we are in trouble, she moves in, cleans up, takes over, thinks of the little things that are actually big things we need. She rubs our back, she asks us if we’ve eaten, she calls her Son with updates. She makes sure we take a nap and have a snack and a glass of water.

She says, “Tell me what else I can do. How can I help? I told Jesus not to be late he will be here in a minute. Until then, here is some soup I just made. And a sandwich. Here you need more water you cried so much. Here’s a tissue. Wipe your nose. There you go. You know how much I love you, right? We all love you and you’re going to be OK. We will make sure.”

One time I had been crying for hours. I went to adoration and there were no tissues in there. I was annoyed. They usually have some. I got home and checked the mail. I kid you NOT I opened an envelope from a religious organization and in it there was a small packet of tissues. On it there was a picture of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. I had to laugh.

“Here, blow your nose, and go back out and play.”

She’s the best.

Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com

0

The Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary

Photo by Alem Su00e1nchez on Pexels.com

 Come into Mary’s rose garden which is the rosary, and pick red roses of devotion to bring with you on this journey with her through the Sorrowful Mysteries.

Photo by Irina Iriser on Pexels.com

The first Sorrowful Mystery: The Agony in the Garden

rose hip: Union of will with God

“My Father, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Mtt. 26:39

Mary takes your hand. She brings you to Jesus, lying prostrate as he prays. Suddenly as if  you fell in, you are in the depths of Christ’s Heart, experiencing his anguish, physically feeling his bloody sweat, his stinging tears smearing on your cheek as you sink into the abyss of his agonized heart.

 Let yourself feel your love for him. What do you want to say to him? 

Maybe, “Jesus I love you. I will not deny you anything. “

He hands you the cup he has now drunk, compassion  in his eyes. 

You understand. 

It tastes like fire but is sweet.

Chaos breaks out. He is arrested and taken away. 

In the silent  Garden of Gethsemane you and Mary lay a red rose. Beside it place the empty cup.  

The Second Sorrowful Mystery: The Scourging at the Pillar

Rose hip: endurance with love

“My soul is in deep anguish. How long, Lord, how long?” Psalm 6:3

You’ve never seen or imagined cruelty like this. As hooked whips tear into Jesus’ back you want to throw up and Jesus does as his body goes into shock.  You look at Mary as the violence goes on and on. How can she stand it? Her eyes are filled with tears, yet her face is resolute. His blood pools between the tiles of the courtyard. You want to stop this, comfort him, comfort her. Her arm slips around your shoulders without her taking her gaze from her Son. 

Finally Jesus is carried away and the laughter of the guards fades. Holding hands, you and Mary silently venture forward. Together lay a red rose beside the pillar. Kneel here. Pray with Mary. 

Third Sorrowful Mystery: The Crowning with Thorns

rose hip: reverence

“My spirit blesses the Lord, the Great King.” Tobit 13:15

They’ve been beating Jesus for what seems like Hours. Then one of the soldiers gets an idea. He weaves a crown of long thorns which is forced onto Jesus’ head. Blood runs down over his face and eyes from the wounds. This isn’t enough because they start hitting his head with reeds and shouting “Hail to the King” in mock reverence. Mary is on her knees repeating something again and again. Listening closely you can tell she is saying, Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu, melekh ha’olam…” (“Blessed are You, LORD our God, King of the universe) in praise of God. Join her in making reparation to the Lord for the mock reverence of the soldiers who know no better. 

You and Mary lay a red rose in Jesus’s cell once he is taken away for an interview with Pilate. 

The Fourth Sorrowful Mystery: Carrying the Cross

Rose hip: holy perseverance

[We keep] our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of our faith. For the sake of the joy that lay before him he endured the cross, heedless of its shame. Hebrews 12:2a

Your hand tightens on Mary’s as Jesus comes your way dazed and stumbling under the heavy weight of the cross, prodded on by soldiers. You don’t even want to look at Mary. It hurts too much. It hurts too much to see any of this anymore.  To shut it out you close your eyes. Then you remember, “for the sake of the joy that was set before him.” Mary squeezes your hand and you understand that the joy set before the Lord that urges him on is yourself. You are his joy.  Open your eyes now. Don’t be afraid to join Mary in sharing his suffering. 

Once he has passed by, you and Our Lady lay a red rose on this path of sorrows.  

Fifth Sorrowful Mystery: The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus

Rose hip: sacrificial love

[His Mother whispered,] “do not be afraid of this executioner, but be worthy of your brothers and accept death, so that in the time of mercy I may receive you again with your brothers.” -2 Maccabees 7:29

“I’m not going to cry until he’s gone,” she says in a low voice. You understand that she has to be present to him, even participate with him, united with him in heart and purpose. She wants to look at the face of her Son as long as he has left to live. She will grieve later. 

He is struggling to speak to her. “Mom. Mom, this is your son.” Then he says to you,  Beloved Disciple, son, daughter, “this is your mother.” 

Hold Mary close now as Jesus cries out in utter abandonment. Every strangled cry of his you can feel sending shock waves through her. And now his body is without life and the sky darkens. She collapses against you. Your prayer is only to hold her, to share her tears. 

Go together now to the foot of the cross and lay a red rose in the place of sacrifice. Unpetal the others and sprinkle them over Mary. Some of the petals stick to her tear stained face,  some to her hair. Most flutter down to this holy ground which has become the altar of the world. She scoops them up and throws them toward the body of her Son. You do the same. 

Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com

Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.

0

A Christmas Rosary (The Joyful Mysteries)

Photo by Bob SpringBob54 on Pexels.com

A personal tradition of mine on Christmas night after all the hubbub is done, the household is asleep, and the living room is dark, is to settle in a comfortable spot near the lit Christmas tree and pray a sweet rosary. Gently bathed in the multicolored lights of the tree, with something hot to drink, I’m especially comfortable and relaxed. Join me. 🙂

Take me, Lord, to the center of everything, into the mysteries of your Incarnation and Childhood. Take me into Mary’s pondering heart.

If you forgot or don’t know how to pray the rosary, check here. for instructions.

If you don’t have a rosary guess what? God made us with the perfect number of fingers to make do with as a rosary of the moment!

Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com

The important thing is to settle down and to pray with attentive love.

So take a few steady breaths. Most likely it’s been a long day hasn’t it? My head is usually swimming at the end of Christmas festivities even if they were nice. My feelings swirl around in me without much definition and I need quiet and solitude with God. Maybe you feel like that too. So take a nice deep breath so you can concentrate now, releasing it slowly. Smile a small smile in a relaxed way. Think of Mary’s joy. She was tired on this night too after all. Let’s relax with her and look at Jesus.

Come, Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Thy well- beloved spouse.

Proceed as usual with the Apostle’s Creed, an Our Father, and three Hail Marys in honor of her faith, hope and love that brought us to this moment with the Lord.

First Joyful Mystery: The Annunciation to Mary and the Incarnation of the Lord within her

Mary’s humility was light, natural and free. Real humility is only the truth about ourselves and Mary was grounded and centered in truth. She was free to respond with wonder and love and also to ask for clarification from the Angel Gabriel. “How can this be since I am a virgin?” Once she understood how this would happen, in freedom and with love she accepted. God the Son became a tiny pin point asking for shelter and love and she said yes. It was a quiet thing. And he was there. Maybe she cried. Maybe she smiled. Maybe both.

“To whom God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

Colossians 1:27

The Second Joyful Mystery: The Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth

Mary seems to have gone alone to see her kinswoman Elizabeth. She didn’t hesitate, either. She “went with haste.” Nobody told her to. She seemed to just be drawn there. She must have felt full of the stars God showed Abraham as she hurried to Elizabeth’s, stars bright across the sky, stars in her body, woven in her hair, scatted in her path. I wonder if she felt so astonished and scared and excited that sometimes she ran? Elizabeth heard Mary’s voice calling to her. Nobody told her anything. She just knew. And it seemed the baby she carried knew too. She knew she was in the presence of the Lord and that Mary was her queen. Both women prophesied in joy. The first two Christians, the first two gathered in his Name. God took care of them both through one another. Mary needed understanding, partnership and support, someone to pray with her who was in on the Secret. Elizabeth needed help, companionship and understanding too. They must have had an amazing, as well as joyfully ordinary three months together, leaving both women stronger.

A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter:
    [she] that has found one has found a treasure.
 There is nothing so precious as a faithful friend,
    and no scales can measure [her] excellence.
 A faithful friend is an elixir of life;
    and those who fear the Lord will find [her].

Sirach 6:14-16

The Nativity of Jesus

None of the women of her family or village were there to help her. Men were not used to being part of the birthing process. But Joseph, surrounded by the kindly witness of the animals who seemed to understand, did his utmost for Mary that night in the dark, in the hay of a stable. Maybe she told him what she needed since she would have seen many births by then, going with her mother to help the other women. Joseph held her close and they prayed, wiping tears from each other’s faces, telling each other “You’re so brave!”

Mary laid the Baby in a feeding trough after his first nursing and after wrapping him in swaddling cloth she had brought with her, while Joseph cleaned up and brought her water. Then they would have placed the baby between them and slept, waking to feed him, to gently laugh and touch his soft little head wondering what was going to happen now as beyond the stable the rising star of Bethlehem shone out to the three wise men on their travels, and the angels sang to the shepherds in the fields filling the sky and their hearts with awe and joy.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, coming from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:14
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

The Presentation of the Baby Jesus in the Temple

Oh no this was not what she thought she would hear at all; that Jesus would be rejected? That her heart would be pierced with a sword? What did it mean? The Angel had not said this. But Simeon had recognized him. She and Joseph had listened astonished as the old man blessed God and declared he could go in peace because he had seen the Savior as God had promised him. The prophetess Ana had known him too, had spoken about him. What is this God was telling them!? Joseph was worried because Simeon hadn’t said anything about him which made him think Mary and Jesus would face this calamity alone and it broke his heart. But Joseph and Mary were brave young people, full of love and determination. They discussed Simeon’s words on their way home. What would they do? Maybe Joseph said that there was only one thing to do: to love Jesus and each other, and to go on knowing they would walk with him as far as the Lord allowed. Mary squeezed his hand. “After all,” she said, “what else is there?” “God is it,” Joseph said. “God is it and that’s it.”

I say to the LORD,

you are my Lord,

you are my only good.

Psalm 16:2

The Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple

“Mary, please try to eat,” Joseph pleaded. “Maybe you should sleep,” she said. “Maybe you will have one of your dreams.” But there was no sign, and no one knew where Jesus was. They prayed as they walked and searched with growing desperation, calling his name.

Finally they found him in the Temple. Mary interrupted the questions of the teachers of the law to embrace her Son. “Why have you done this to us? We have been looking for you everywhere!” Jesus was surprised. “Didn’t you know I would be here in my Father’s house?” The teachers were telling Joseph how amazed they had been to hear the uncanny wisdom of his child. Jospeh and Mary weren’t sure what was going on. But Jesus went home with them and kept growing, learning, and loving them, and they loved him back.

Maybe you feel like you have lost Jesus. Maybe you can’t find him and be with him the way you used to. But he is there in the Temple of your heart and you will find him again.

Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you?

Corinthians 13:5

Now imagine yourself with Mary. She is there with you, smiling gently, looking at you expectantly. Take her hand and pray the Hail Holy Queen. Add some words of your own. Maybe you would like to say, “Thank you Mother Mary. Thank you for all that you did to bring us Jesus and to be with us on our way.” Wish her a Merry Christmas. 🙂 Merry Christmas Mother Mary. And happy birthday, Lord. Happy birthday to you. 

Photo by Lu00f3 Juan on Pexels.com
1

In her hearing

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com



During these horrifying days of unutterable violence and war, of every kind of atrocity, what can we do? We are far away. We are not leaders of nations. We have to go to work, we have to let the dogs out, listen to a little kid, put dinner together, and also be horrified, feel helpless, ache for the children caught in this, and feed the cat. We have to figure out what to wear tomorrow, wonder if we forgot something we were supposed to do, and as the scenes of  mutilation blood and terror cross our minds we wonder what to even say to God. 

Maybe nothing.

Maybe we should just let our hearts be pierced as Mary did. We could take on her pure and open heart completely in tune with her suffering Son’s and willing to be present and active in those hours he was slowly dying. She accepted the piercing of her heart, and “the secret thoughts of many [were laid] bare.” I used to wonder what that last part meant. I couldn’t get an answer from anyone about it that seemed right.

But what happens when our secret thoughts are laid bare? We see the truth about ourselves. Our conscience is awakened and we tend to desire to change. Maybe the piercing of Mary’s heart caused conversion of heart for others and still does. 

At the same time she was made the mother of all Christians from the cross by Jesus, she received from God a special gift for nudging us toward conversion, of laying bare the truth within us. This would be in line with her role as Spouse of the Holy Spirit who is the Spirit of Truth and Love.

We know Mary has been given unique gifts and that she intercedes for us in heaven. She is advocate of the people of God and she hears the cries of the world. 

Such is her unity with God that in her hearing of suffering her knowledge of it is already prayer. Mary is there in Israel and Gaza now touching every face, assisting the dying, suffering with those in distress and in the piercing of her heart at the foot of this cross the possibilities open for changes of heart. 

She is to be found wherever her Son is found, exactly where he said he would be; among those who are hungry naked imprisoned or persecuted. He is with the suffering and so is Our Lady. She is there praying with all who pray. Her feet are muddy and her face is streaked with tears. She wants us to join her and in the wind of the Spirit we can. 

This is not a helpless dwelling on the horror taking place. This is knowing that God makes our little prayers BIG. We are to reign with Christ and this is how he shares his reign with us. He loves to share his mission with his disciples. 

We don’t know what God will do in response. But we know he will do something. We know he gave the world a mother we need so much. 

We can take on the mind and heart of Mary. We can go with her and bring comfort in mysterious ways, change hearts even when we don’t know it. We can become windows of grace God’s will can flow through into this world. 

We are only little windows but God doesn’t care. He shares his power and love to widen our hearts for his love to flow through.

And in our hearing and seeing and knowing if we remain close to God, our silence becomes full and active. What we know instantly becomes intercession, becomes prayer. 

When you hear of bloodshed and terror you will already be praying, and prayer does things. 

Like Mary let our hearts be pierced at the foot of this cross. May God receive our offering.

“Come, Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, thy well beloved spouse.”

Photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels.com
2

What I did this Summer

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Brown and yellow leaves flutter to the ground from the trees outside my window; not because of the advent of autumn but from heat stress. This is common in Texas this time of year. However the heat has been relentless this summer. It wasn’t just triple digit heat now and then but every day every day every day every day. I would even say it was brutal. I’m content though. It’s been a great summer all the same.

My daughters traveled a lot but I didn’t. That means lots of extra child care has come my way. I would like the girls to settle down now, as much as I adore to distraction all three of my grandchildren, (ages 7, 6 and 4). However I am soon to have the boys for a few days. It should be both fun and exhausting.

A very consequential event this summer was the rescue of a box of abandoned puppies by my eldest daughter. Sadly one of them died at her house. After that my youngest daughter and I took the other two, both very ill. We did try to get them to the emergency room at the vet school here but they would not take them. They offered to euthanize them but we were unwilling. It was late at night so we took them home with us. For a couple of days I slept with both puppies cuddled up to me. The female was apparently blind, either from injury, illness or maybe she was born that way. Her eyes were a milky blue and she obviously saw nothing through them. The established dogs at my eldest daughter’s house kept attacking her. The remaining puppies clung to one another, often licking each other’s faces. They seemed much too young to have been taken from their mother. Before we could get them to a vet the female died. Her brother was so sad: lingering by the box where she had slept during the day.

At the vet we heard that the male puppy had little chance of survival. He didn’t have Parvo thank God but he was critical. Someone I know (thank you thank you) offered to pay his medical bills if we wanted to do the arduous work of bringing this mange covered, worm infested lethargic little boy back to health. We decided to try. We lived in a small already crowded upstairs apartment. We had four cats already. (Not really on purpose). We thought we would find him a home if he lived. He was a Great Pyrenees cross so we couldn’t imagine how we would manage a dog who had the potential to grow to an 150 pound animal.

He did live. In fact he just ran down the hall chasing one of the cats. We love him. He’s a joy. He is also enormous for a five month old puppy.

That’s no problem; we have room for him now however big he gets because…. I bought a HOUSE!

Now this is something I thought I would never be able to do again. I had tried to let the idea go. About a year before my brother committed suicide I had just sold my paid for house to go live in one he was to build on his land. After his death all of the money from the sale of my house had gone missing. It had been stolen out of my bank account. I’ll never know what happened to it.

Out of the blue my father and my step mom offered to give me enough money for a down payment on a house. They reasoned that since my dad and I are only 17 years apart we were nearly contemporaries. So when they left me money in their wills, when they died, I would be pretty old too. They decided the money would do me more good now. They were right about that.

After all that has happened this gift from my parents to make things right as best they could changed EVERYTHING. I cannot begin to tell you how healing it has been for them to do this for me. It feels wonderful. It’s a great experience of righteousness and mercy and love. Thanks Dad and M. Forever thanks.

This task of house shopping was daunting for me. I’m terrible at dealing with business type stuff. And I had never had to get a mortgage before or shop for houses. After the death of my first husband I was offered a settlement that provides me with a modest monthly income since his seat belt ripped out of the car when he crashed, causing his death. The settlement comprises the majority of my income and my jobs fill out the rest. I don’t know what we would have done without it. After I received that settlement I simply bought the rental house we were living in already. I raised my children there over 22 years.

The first thing I did with the down payment was try to buy my old house back. After feeling displaced for eight years, often living at other people’s houses or in apartments that didn’t feel permanent, and with my stuff still in storage, just going home sounded good. I have often wished myself back over the years. But it wasn’t to be. The current owners were willing to sell but the foundation had such severe damage that fixing it would cost more than the worth of the house. I couldn’t afford that. It nearly broke my heart. But not for long. God must be calling me to build a new life after all the losses. (We lost four family members between 2012 and 2015; all of them tragic traumatic losses and life has been upside down for us ever since).

So we started looking and dreaming. Then one day we walked into the right house. I knew it even the first moment the realtor let us in through the hot dark garage. It was the smell. It smelled like our old house. Turns out it was built almost the same year. and in a similar style. My daughter said it had “the vibe” of our old house. It did.

She said as soon as she saw the adorable kitchen and the shiplap walls she knew I was going to want this one.

If you have ever bought a house you know what a wild and stressful journey it is. But we got the house. And we’re here. And I can’t tell you how grateful I am every day. It’s been over a month and I’m still walking around smiling at everything. My granddaughter has her own room. She can play outside now because for the first time in her life she has a back yard. My grandchildren can play in the sprinkler. My dog can bark outside.

Photo by Lisa Fotios on Pexels.com

It won’t be long before I fill my little patch of earth with antique roses just as I did my old yard; tangled in the trees, hanging down in graceful strands from the branches. I plan to get a few chickens again in the spring. I don’t even eat eggs. I just like having chickens around. I can give the eggs to others. (Unfertilized don’t worry)! They will be much better than store eggs. Happy chicken eggs are the best by far. And these will be very happy chickens!

I am always finding new things to appreciate about this place. We named it for my book: Casa Maria. “Mary’s House. “

Thats another thing. I’ve been working on Spanish all summer with my youngest daughter. We have an app for it and friends we can practice with. My granddaughter finds it annoying when we talk in Spanish at home. She is a nosey Parker and wants to know everything we say. She should learn Spanish too then we tell her, if she wants to understand.

Another cool thing that happened was my book won an award from the Catholic Publishers’ Association. YAY! Third place in the category of prayer.

AND Our Sunday Visitor would like me to write another book. Yay! So I am working on a new book proposal. That means I am making a possible outline, and writing a prospective introduction as well as some samples of what it would be like. They haven’t decided yet whether they are into my topic. That takes time, lots of time. Meanwhile I mull it over constantly, always writing in my head.

And here we are. Happy Mother Mary’s Birthday! I am reading at mass for the first time today, and at our new church! My parish has built a new gorgeous gorgeous church. That’s another good thing that happened this summer.

It’s really been a good summer. So good it’s kind of freaking me out.

As I leave you all four cats; Frankie, Annie, Dia and Buttercup, Joey the Great Pyrenees mix and my older daughter’s little brown (pit bull I think) puppy named Doo-dah are all asleep in my room. The blinds are closed now because it’s hot as a pistol outside. Hotter maybe. Still I’m having some coffee and listening to jazz and I go to work in a bit.

Grace and peace to you,

Shawn

P.S. Reading at mass went fine. 🙂 So yay.

P.P.S. It’s 108 outside today.

Photo by Engin Akyurt on Pexels.com
5

Immaculate Heart of Mary

Photo by Felipe Balduino on Pexels.com

Happy Immaculate Heart of Mary day! I’m wearing my Immaculate Heart of Mary.shirt today as I clean house, watch my granddaughter and cook. Normally I would be at work on a Saturday but today I am not. As I clean or hang out laundry, I’m pondering Mary’s heart; open and free of the obstructions and blindness that would keep her from love. She had the freedom to be unreservedly given to prayer and communion with God.

Her beating heart also reminds us that Mary was and is 100% human. She is our sister. Because she is free from sin, she is us without impediments; able, as Eve would have been, to see other people’s inner truths as well as their physical bodies when she looked at them, and to see God in all things because of her purity of heart. When she looks at us now Mary sees and understands us completely with total freedom from selfishness and pride, able to love us as we are. She doesn’t judge us. She just loves us. She wants to give us everything. With all of her heart she longs to bring us to her Son more and more fully. She is totally human, totally pure of heart. She is all God’s. She is all ours.

Spend some time appreciating Mary’s beauty and humanity today, her love, her sweetness, her heart.

Photo by Hassan OUAJBIR on Pexels.com
2

Marian Holy Spirit Novena

Photo by Tim Mossholder on Pexels.com

Day 1

“Come, Holy Ghost, Creator blest,
and in our hearts take up Thy rest;
come with Thy grace and heavenly aid
to fill the hearts which Thou hast made. 
O comforter, to Thee we cry,
O heavenly gift of God Most High,
O fount of life and fire of love,
and sweet anointing from above.”

– “Come Holy Ghost, Creator Blest”


Come, Holy Spirit! Come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Thy well beloved spouse.

.
Oh Comforter with Mary let us travel the world by our prayer of the heart, touching the faces of those who weep, whispering to every soul, “Love is here.” that they may truly experience Divine Love in a conscious way. Sweep over the world with a mighty creative wind bringing peace and Mary’s kiss everywhere your inspiration is most needed.
Pour out your power and love with the grace to receive it, to radiate You as Mary does.

Day 2

“Indeed, the earth will be filled with knowledge

of the glory of the LORD,

as water fills the sea.” Habekkuk 2:14

Come Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Thy well beloved spouse


Immersed in the pure heart of Mary let us pray her soul’s deep longing “May the knowledge of God fill the earth as water fills the sea.” As the moon draws the ocean tides may Mary’s prayer and love draw the Spirit to rest on her children gently urging us nearer and nearer to God. May we be pure of heart and blessed with the vision of the Lord.


Day 3

“Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.
They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.
Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.”
Psalm 19 1-4a

Come Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary they well beloved spouse.

Mary you are the Throne of Wisdom and the Star of Evangelization. So filled were you with the Holy Spirit your presence refreshed the souls and brought light to the eyes of those who came into contact with you. In your sweet simplicity and inner strength you made anyone who spoke with you feel in themselves a measure of your faith. Though your dusty and calloused feet were firmly planted on the earth there was a quiet mystery about you, something bright though unseen. People who came near you wondered where the gentle calming breeze that stilled their anxious minds could have come from. As we live in your presence today may we sense you near and smile.

Day 4

“…the fruit of the Spirit is love,

joy, peace, patience, kindness,

generosity, faithfulness,

gentleness,

self-control.”

(Galatians 5:22-23a)


Come, Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, they well beloved spouse.

Mary by your prayer for us and our commitment to you may our hearts fully flower with the fruits of the Spirit. May the inflow of God engender the effortless outflow of his will, which is always love, into the world through us in our thoughts words and actions.
May we know your easy laugh, your joyful smile, your grounded-ness in the continual awareness of the presence and movements of the Holy Spirit. May we experience the peace only God can give.

Day 5

“It was revealed to them that

they were not serving themselves

but you,

when they spoke of the things that have now been told you

by those who have preached the Gospel to you

by the Holy Spirit sent from Heaven.

Even angels long to look into these things.”

1 Peter 1: 12

Come, Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immacukate Heart of Mary, they well beloved spouse.

Mary let us live in your heart, the shrine of the Holy Spirit, that we might serve others authentically, experiencing Jesus in the help we give as you lived in his presence taking care of him. In your quiet way you visited the sick, tended the dying, assisted at births, watched the other women’s children for them when they needed a hand. You cared for everyone you met and smiled at every human face. The work you did for others must have carried a sense of liturgy in each movement you made because of your attentiveness and the prayerful quality of your presence. Make us aware oh Mary, of the beauty of what we do, maybe especially the most simple things, that all might be alive in love, each humble task done in the Spirit.

Day 6

“When Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and ublessed is vthe fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of wmy Lord should come to me?”
(Luke 1:40-43)

Come Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, thy well beloved spouse.

Mary we want to hear your voice, to know the Lord is with you, to recognize his presence. We want to you to come to us, Mother of Our Lord, our Queen Mother. Come and stay with us, talk to us, pray with us, help us around the house and in our struggles too when we need you most. Bring the Holy Spirit in your wake and sing to us your song oh Mary, of you vision of the Gospel. Help us to joyfully follow your Son without compromise. Allow us to praise you oh Sacred Virgin, with the inspiration of the Spirit who overshadowed you and brought the Lord Jesus to us.
Hail Mary…

Day 7

“Commit thy way unto the LORD.” – Psalm 37: 5

Come Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary they well beloved spouse.

Our Lady of Good Counsel, in union with the Holy Spirit you guide us in all our ways. Be with us in all of our discernment and each desire of our hearts to keep us in the will of the Lord. Obtain for us the Holy Spirits’ gift of Counsel that we may be truly wise and always move with the nudges of the Holy Spirit and to be willing to let go of our own ways and expectations, open to those of the Spirit just as you were so bravely, Holy Mother.

Day 8

And when we pray 
Do we listen to the Silent Wind? 
And if we pray 
Will we listen for the Silent Wind? 
And when we pray
Is our hand against the Silent Wind? 
And if we pray 
Will we breathe in the Silent Wind?

Come, Holy Spirit, come by means of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, thy well beloved spouse.

Do we Blessed Mother? Do we listen to the Silent Wind that swept you off your feet, asked everything of you and gave you a life, an eternity beyond anything anybody could possibly dream in the most glittering of dreams? Oh Mary May we never turn our hands against the Spirit of God but instead learn to open ourselves, to be still and receptive and ready for anything, to have our lives filled with impossible colors of richness and beauty even though we often must suffer. Even suffering will contain great meaning and carry us deeply into the Heart of Jesus and his mystery if we can become lighter and more movable by the Silent Wind, embracing all as you did.

Day 9

“[They] devoted themselves with one accord to prayer, together with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus.” Acts 1:14a

Come, Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, they well beloved spouse.

Holy Spirit, you came once again to Mary, now as Mother of the Church, the family of believers gathered around her. As St. Therese said she wanted to be, Mary was and is “love in the Heart of the Church.” Come Holy Spirit and make us so. In union with Mary may we be love within the Church, to heal, strengthen, to sanctify, to love and evangelize under your guidance and with your inspiration. Open the way before us, illuminate the darkness of this world beleaguered, of the Church longing for her Bridegroom to come to her, let us be a light to all who need your grace and peace and Divine LOVE.

We have reached the end of our novena and now we wait in prayer with Mary Mother of the Church for your mighty wind, your tongues of fire sent to enlighten and enliven us, to teach us all things, to reveal your love. Come, Holy Spirit.
Photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels.com
1

With joyful love

Photo by Kristina Paukshtite on Pexels.com


With Jesus risen and back for forty days I bet Our Lady could hardly stop cooking and bringing him food, watching him eat. It was probably hard not to hug him every minute. I bet she kept looking in on him when he was asleep, draping him in too many blankets because she was so happy to bring them and cover him up again. Let’s tend to Jesus like that too. Let’s treasure him and peek in at him and bring him things and wait for a moment we can hug him again and have a look at those wounds, kissing them many many times.

Photo by u5965u5c3cu5c14 u5b59 on Pexels.com

Blessed Octave of Easter ♥️

1

Blog at WordPress.com.

Up ↑