Day: September 15, 2020

September 16, 2020 Reflection – Love never ends!

(c) Mary TV September 16, 2020 Sts. Cornelius and Cyprian Dear Family of Mary! At Mass today we hear these beautiful words from St. Paul: A reading from the First Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians 12:31–13:13: And I will show you a still more excellent way. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends; as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect; but when the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall understand fully, even as I have been fully understood. So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.    The word of the Lord. Really, St. Paul must have been in ecstasy when he wrote these words to the Corinthians.  If only we could live them… And equally amazing are the words of Our Lady about love, found in this message from 2018: “Dear children, all that my Son, who is the light of love, has done and does, He has done out of love. Also, you, my children, when you live in love and love your neighbors, you are doing the will of my Son. Apostles of my love, make yourselves little; open your pure hearts to my Son so that He can work through you. With the help of faith, be filled with love. But, my children, do not forget that the Eucharist is the heart of faith. This is my Son who feeds you with His Body and strengthens you with His Blood. This is a miracle of love: my Son who always comes anew, alive, to bring life back to souls. My children, by living in love you are doing the will of my Son and He lives in you. My children, my motherly desire is for you to always love Him more, because He is calling you with His love. He is giving you love so that you may spread it to all those around you. As a mother, through His love, I am with you to speak the words of love and hope to you – to speak to you the eternal words that are victorious over time and death – so as to call you to be my apostles of love. Thank you.” (May 02, 2018) We thank you, Mother, for the words of love and hope that you speak to us.  We want to respond to your words, and the words of St. Paul, so as to be your apostles of love, for Love never ends.  Teach us to love. In Jesus, Mary and Joseph! Cathy Nolan ©Mary TV 2020  

September 15, 2020 Reflection – Our Lady of Sorrows

(c) Mary TV September 15, 2020 Our Lady of Sorrows Dear Family of Mary! Our Gospel for today: Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.  John 19:25-27 Today we honor our Sorrowful Mother, Mary.  As exalted as the Cross may be, Our Lady lived through the utter annihilation of her Son on that Cross as He gave His life for our sins.  She lived the Crucifixion in silence, clinging to her trust in the Father as her only strength.  And when Jesus spoke His last words to her, it was to ask her to take as her own children the very people who were the reason for His Crucifixion.  Our sins nailed Jesus to the Cross, and now she was left with us as her children.  Only a heart like hers could have absorbed this moment in an unconditional ascent to Jesus’ request. And so today we honor her for the strength of faith, hope and love that she demonstrated, in the midst of the most horrible sorrow.  And we ask her to continue to be our Mother, never giving up on us just as Jesus did not give up on us. Let’s pray this beautiful litany to Our Lady in gratitude for her selfless love: The Litany of Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us. God the Father of heaven, have mercy on us. God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us. God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us. Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us. Holy Mary, pray for us. Holy Mother of God, pray for us. Holy Virgin of virgins, pray for us. Mother of the Crucified, pray for us. Sorrowful Mother, pray for us. Mournful Mother, pray for us. Sighing Mother, pray for us. Afflicted Mother, pray for us. Desolate Mother, pray for us. Mother most sad, pray for us. Mother set around with anguish, pray for us. Mother overwhelmed by grief, pray for us. Mother transfixed by a sword, pray for us. Mother crucified in thy heart, pray for us. Mother bereaved of thy Son, pray for us. Sighing Dove, pray for us. Mother of Dolors, pray for us. Fount of tears, pray for us. Sea of bitterness, pray for us. Field of tribulation, pray for us. Mass of suffering, pray for us. Mirror of patience, pray for us. Rock of constancy, pray for us. Remedy in perplexity, pray for us. Joy of the afflicted, pray for us. Ark of the desolate, pray for us. Refuge of the abandoned, pray for us. Shield of the oppressed, pray for us. Conqueror of the incredulous, pray for us. Solace of the wretched, pray for us. Medicine of the sick, pray for us. Help of the faint, pray for us. Strength of the weak, pray for us. Protectress of those who fight, pray for us. Haven of the shipwrecked, pray for us. Calmer of tempests, pray for us. Companion of the sorrowful, pray for us. Retreat of those who groan, pray for us. Terror of the treacherous, pray for us. Standard-bearer of the martyrs, pray for us. Treasure of the faithful, pray for us. Light of confessors, pray for us. Pearl of virgins, pray for us. Comfort of widows, pray for us. Joy of all saints, pray for us. Queen of thy servants, pray for us. Holy Mary, who alone art unexampled, pray for us. Pray for us, most Sorrowful Virgin, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Let us pray: O God, in whose Passion, according to the prophecy of Simeon, a sword of grief pierced through the most sweet soul of Thy glorious Blessed Virgin Mother Mary: grant that we, who celebrate the memory of her Seven Sorrows, may obtain the happy effect of Thy Passion, who lives and reigns world without end. Amen. In Jesus, Mary and Joseph! Cathy Nolan ©Mary TV 2020