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In the homily he gave on May 13, 1982, Pope John Paul II explains what consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary means. His analysis is historic. It is the first time that a sovereign pontiff provided such an in-depth explanation. But more importantly, the analysis became necessary because of the confusion in so many people’s minds. What exactly does the Church understand by this consecration and what are its implications for devoted Christians in our day?

The doctrinal basis for our consecration is the prior fact of Mary’s spiritual motherhood. On Calvary, Christ entrusted us, in the person of St. John, to His Mother’s care, when He told her, “Behold your Son.” That was the beginning of Mary’s mediation. On Calvary, Christ also entrusted Mary to us, again in the person of John, when He told the apostle, “Behold your Mother.” That was the beginning of our consecration to Mary.

In God’s providence, Mary is the chosen mediatrix of grace, from her Divine Son to us. Correspondingly, we are to entrust ourselves to her maternal care. Another name for this entrustment is consecration.

One more feature of this entrustment is brought out by the Pope before he explains the meaning of consecration. Why precisely should we entrust ourselves to Mary’s Heart? The answer is most revealing:

On the cross, Christ said, “Woman, behold your son!” With these words, He opened in a new way His Mother’s heart. A little later, the Roman soldier’s spear pierced the side of the Crucified One. That pierced Heart became a sign of the redemption achieved through the death of the Lamb of God. The Immaculate Heart of Mary, opened with the words, “Woman behold your son,” is spiritually united with the Heart of her Son, opened by the soldier’s spear. Mary’s heart was opened by the same love for man and for the world with which Christ loved man and the world, offering Himself for them on the cross until the soldier’s spear struck that blow. By entrusting ourselves to Mary’s heart we are, in effect, entrusting ourselves to her love.


1 posted on 03/03/2007 9:42:03 AM PST by stfassisi
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To: stfassisi

Ping!


2 posted on 03/03/2007 9:42:49 AM PST by stfassisi ("Above all gifts that Christ gives his beloved is that of overcoming self"St Francis Assisi)
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To: stfassisi
"On the cross, Christ said, “Woman, behold your son!” With these words, He opened in a new way His Mother’s heart. A little later, the Roman soldier’s spear pierced the side of the Crucified One. That pierced Heart became a sign of the redemption achieved through the death of the Lamb of God. The Immaculate Heart of Mary, opened with the words, “Woman behold your son,” is spiritually united with the Heart of her Son, opened by the soldier’s spear."

I gotta say it.. whan I read stuff like that it sounds like gobbledegook to me. Like recent satirical references to "life's truth-light" in a cartoon...

I am not trying to be sacriligeous or pick on anyone's believe system, but the words dom't make sense when used in this order in a sentence.

5 posted on 03/03/2007 10:10:48 AM PST by Mr. K (Some days even my lucky rocketship underpants don't help)
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To: stfassisi
The Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Memorial
Saturday following the Second Sunday after Pentecost



from a traditional prayer card

The devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary is connected on many points with that to the Heart of Jesus; nevertheless, it has its own history. The attention of Christians was early attracted by the love and virtues of the Heart of Mary, symbolized by her heart.

Simeon's prophecy in Luke 2:33-34 paved the way and furnished devotion with one of its favorite formula and most popular representations: the heart pierced with a sword. Saint Luke's Gospel says that Mary kept all the sayings and doings of Jesus in her heart, that she might ponder them and live by them.

Indications of a regular devotion are perceived in a sermon by Saint Bernard (d. 1180), De duodecim stellis, from which extract has been taken by the Church and used in the Offices of Compassion and of the Seven Dolors. Stronger evidence is discernible in the pious meditations on the Ave Maria and the Salve Regina, usually attributed to Saint Anselm of Lucca (d. 1080) or Saint Bernard.

Saint Jean Eudes (d. 1681) propagated the devotion to make it public, first in Autun in 1648 and afterward in a number of French dioceses. He established religious societies interested in upholding and promoting devotion. His efforts to secure a feast failed in Rome but the devotion progressed. In 1699 Father Pinamonti (d. 1703) published in Italian his beautiful little work on the Holy Heart of Mary, and in 1725 Pere de Gallifet combined the cause of the Heart of Mary with that of the Heart of Jesus in order to obtain Rome's approbation of the two devotions and the institution of the two feasts. In 1729 his project was defeated, and in 1765 the two causes were separated, to assure the success of the principal one.

In 1799 Pius VI, then in captivity at Florence, granted the Bishop of Palermo the feast of the Most Pure Heart of Mary for some of the churches in his diocese. In 1805 Pius VII made a new concession, thanks to which the feast was soon widely observed. In 1942, Pope Pius XII consecrated the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

(Principal source - Catholic Encyclopedia - 1913 edition)

Collect:
Father,
You prepared the heart of the Virgin Mary
to be a fitting home for Your Holy Spirit.
By her prayers
may we become a more worthy temple of Your glory.

Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. +Amen.

First Reading: Isaiah 61:9-11
Their descendants shall be known among the nations, and their offspring in the midst of the peoples; all who see them shall acknowledge them, that they are a people whom the Lord has blessed.

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall exult in my God; for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.

Gospel Reading: Lk 2:41-51
Now Jesus' parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover. And when He was twelve years old, they went up according to custom; and when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, but supposing Him to be in the company they went a day's journey, and they sought Him among their kinsfolk and acquaintances; and when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him. After three days they found Him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions; and all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers. And when they saw Him they were astonished; and His mother said to Him, "Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, Your father and I have been looking for You anxiously". And He said to them, "How is it that you sought Me? Did you not know that I must be in My Father's house?" And they did not understand the saying which He spoke to them. And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and His mother kept all these things in her heart.


9 posted on 06/12/2010 11:51:31 AM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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