March 15, 2021 Update – Mary is a Queen who prays!
Mary is a Queen who prays! March 15, 2021 Dear Family of Mary! On Friday, we will honor St. Joseph for the incredible part he had to play in our salvation! Many of us are praying novenas and 33 day consecrations to St. Joseph! This is wonderful!!! But there is another feast day coming up that requires even more attention and preparation. It is the feast day without which St. Joseph would have been unknown. It is the Annunciation! Our Lady at the Annunciation gave her “fiat” and changed everything for mankind. Our Lady said “yes” to the invitation from God the Father to be the Mother of His Incarnate Son. Redemption began at that moment! I would like to pray a novena before the Annunciation, which will overlap our 33 day preparation for St. Joseph’s Feast Day on March 19. But we can do both! Today I want to share with you a short meditation from the Magnificat by Fr. Elwood Ferrer Smith, O.P., which spoke very strongly to me about Our Lady and her role as Mother of God. It is a good preparation for our Novena before the Annunciation. Read it slowly and let it sink deeply into your heart: All God makes and does and gives is freely accomplished by him. He makes but one stipulation, one condition—that it be sought, be asked. Ask and you shall receive (Mt 7:7). By Mary’s prayer the Church asks for Christ and every blessing. By Mary’s prayer the human race beseeches God its destiny. By Mary’s prayer does all the universe bespeak of God his goodness. That this be so is fitting, especially so for men, for the Church. St. Paul says: We know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit himself asks for us with unspeakable groanings (Rom 8:26). She who is the Seat of Wisdom knows what is our need. She who is the Bride of the Spirit brings to him our yearnings and, more, her yearnings for us. In Mary, the vocation of woman as woman is brought to an undreamed-of summit. She is Mother and she is Queen. As Mother she begets, nourishes, fosters, brings to maturity the life of Christ again in every soul. As Queen she seeks and gains that life for us. As Mother she brings forth the Kingdom of God; as Queen she seeks for each and all—she seeks for Christ, her King—the perfection of the Kingdom. Through her the divine mercy comes to lift us from death to life. Through her the savor of the goodness of God’s love is ours. In her we find the strength where we have naught but weakness. Well do we pray to her: Hail, holy Queen, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. Mary is Queen. She is a Queen who prays and by her prayer gains all and governs all. She is the Queen who prays, and, through her, prayer achieves fulfillment. It becomes glory. (Father Elwood Ferrer Smith, O.P. Magnificat, P. 178 -March 2021) Beautiful! St. Joseph! We know that the more we reflect upon and wonder at your spouse, Mary, the happier you are!! We pray to you: Dear St. Joseph, foster father of us all, we love you! You so faithfully stayed by the side of Mary when she gave Jesus to the world the first time. Help us now in our turn to stay faithfully by her side in Medjugorje. Dear St. Joseph, you were always strong and resolute – in Bethlehem, in Egypt, and in Nazareth. You never wavered from the side of Mary. Help us to be strong and resolute and to never waver from her side. Dear St. Joseph, help us to be faithful to the call of Our Lady and to witness to her presence in these days. St. Joseph, pray for us! In Jesus, Mary and Joseph! Cathy Nolan (c)Mary TV 20201 PS. We have been informed that Mirjana Soldo’s March 18, 2021 apparition will be private, with no filming. Let’s pray for her as she anticipates her time with Our Lady!