Monday, September 8, 2008

On the Birthday of our Blessed Mother...


Just as we celebrate birthdays of our loved ones here on earth, it should only seem fitting to also then celebrate the birth of our Heavenly Mother, Mary. Happy Birthday Mary!

May we all be inspired by her humble "yes" to our Lord, that we too may say yes to His will in our lives.


a prayer of praise:


It is truly fitting, Mary, that we should honor you. For God chose to honor you by making you His mother. The prophets of old spoke of you with their fairest praises, the glory of Israel and all of womankind. The angel bowed in reverence as he addressed you who were chosen to be God's mother. And all generations have called you blessed. So joyfully, Mary, we praise you: We praise you in your purity, far more radiant than that of the brightest seraphim and cherubim. We praise you in your maternity, in which you were privileged to nourish your God and Creator at your breast. We praise you in your virginity, which you kept so preciously together with you holy maternity. We praise you in the honor which through you has been given to holy motherhood throughout the ages. We praise you in the courage your pure and holy example has given to Christian mothers in a sinful world. We praise you, too, in your motherhood, which by God's decree has made you our mother and us your children. Yes, always and at all times and in all places will we praise and honor and bless you, as it is proper to do, holy Mother of God, ever-blessed virgin, mother of fair love! Amen.

~from a Mothers' Manual by A. Francis Coomes, S.J.