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Mother Mary and Infant Jesus
Photograph by Loci B. Lenar |
Commentary By Loci B. Lenar
The photograph is a close-up of Mary and Infant Jesus. A soft glow in the photograph helps to highlight the face of Mary and Infant Jesus. The beautiful wood icon is part of a display of votive candles which are lit for prayers and petitions. The display is on the left side of the church as you enter into the Monastery of Our Lady of the Rosary. The Catholic church is located on 543 Springfield Avenue, Summit, NJ, USA.
Prayers - Catholic Online
Mary, Our Model in Prayer
All praise and glory are Yours, almighty Father:
You have given us Your Son Jesus to save us from sin.
We praise You for choosing Mary to be His mother,
for teaching her to believe Your message,
for helping her to accept Your holy will.
Strengthen us by Your Spirit to be like Mary:
to ponder Your word in our hearts,
to obey Your will,
to love Your Son,
to sing Your praises every day.
Father,
we praise You through Jesus Christ Your Son
in the love of Your Spirit,
for ever and ever.
Amen.
Mary's Consent
You have heard it said, O Virgin, that you will conceive and bear a son; you have heard that it will not be by man but by the Holy Spirit. The angel awaits an answer; it is time for him to return to God who sent him. We too are waiting, O Lady, for your word of compassion; the sentence of condemnation weights heavily upon us.
The price of salvation is offered to you. We shall be set free at once if you consent. In the eternal Word of God we all came to be, and behold, we die. In your brief response we are to be remade in order to be recalled to life . . . .
Answer quickly, O Virgin. Reply in haste to the angel, or rather through the angel to the Lord. Answer with a word, receive the Word of God. Speak your own word, conceive the divine Word. Breathe a passing word, embrace the eternal Word.
Why do you delay, why are you afraid? Believe, give praise and receive. Let humility be bold, let modesty be confident. This is no time for virginal simplicity to forget prudence. In this matter alone, O prudent Virgin, do not fear to be presumptuous. Though modest silence is pleasing, dutiful speech is now more necessary. Open your heart to faith, O blessed Virgin, your lips to praise, your womb to the Creator. See, the desired of all nations is at your door, knocking to enter. If he should pass by because of your delay, in sorrow you would begin to seek him afresh, the One whom your soul loves. Arise, hasten, open. Arise in faith, hasten in devotion, open in praise and thanksgiving. "Behold the handmaid of the Lord," she says, "be it done to me according to your word."
From a homily in Praise of the Virgin Mother by Saint Bernard, Abbot
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