Jan 1 Mary the Mother of God. breski1 | December 30, 2007 Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, our Lady's greatest title. This feast is the octave of Christmas. In the …More
Jan 1 Mary the Mother of God.
breski1 | December 30, 2007 Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, our Lady's greatest title. This feast is the octave of Christmas. In the modern Roman Calendar only Christmas and Easter enjoy the privilege of an octave. According to the 1962 Missal of Bl. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, today is the Solemnity of Circumcision of Our Lord.
breski1 | December 30, 2007 Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, our Lady's greatest title. This feast is the octave of Christmas. In the modern Roman Calendar only Christmas and Easter enjoy the privilege of an octave. According to the 1962 Missal of Bl. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, today is the Solemnity of Circumcision of Our Lord.
JANUARY 1, 2011
DAILY PRAYER WITH REGNUM CHRISTI
[2]
-------------------------
OUR MOTHER KNOWS THE SONG OF THE ANGELS
January 1, 2010
Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God
Father Ernest Daly, LC
Luke 2:16-21
The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph,
and the infant lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made
known the message that had been told them …More
JANUARY 1, 2011
DAILY PRAYER WITH REGNUM CHRISTI
[2]
-------------------------
OUR MOTHER KNOWS THE SONG OF THE ANGELS
January 1, 2010
Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God
Father Ernest Daly, LC
Luke 2:16-21
The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph,
and the infant lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made
known the message that had been told them about this child. All who
heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds. And
Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. Then
the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had
heard and seen, just as it had been told to them. When eight days
were completed for his circumcision, he was named Jesus, the name
given him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
Introductory Prayer: Lord, you are my friend, my Father, and my
protector. I come to you on this new day confident in your presence.
I renew my love for you, trusting in your guiding hand.
Petition: Lord, I want to hear the angels sing. Help me learn to
listen.
1. Sometimes We Need a Little Help Would the shepherds have been
impressed to find Mary, Joseph, and the child Jesus if the angels had
not explained what was happening? They would have just thought it
was a poor, vagabond family—unimpressive and unassuming like
their own lives as shepherds. Yet the angels opened them to a
reality that they would never have imagined or perceived. In my life
God has also sent me angels who help me discover him: the faith of a
parent or grandparent, the sweet, innocent faith of a child, the good
example of a friend, a teacher, a priest or a nun, the example of
our Holy Father. Mary also teaches me to discover God in her Son. Do
I thank God for these angels that he has sent me? Do I follow their
advice and look for Christ in the simple, ordinary circumstances of
my life?
2. Hints of a New Song In a symphony, the first movement only hints
at the central theme. Mary had first heard this theme from the angel
Gabriel. Now the shepherds take up this theme—the hymn of the
angels—and even though the shepherds play their part with great
enthusiasm, it probably makes very little noise outside the little
town of Bethlehem. Yet the song had begun, and it would grow to a
crescendo as Christ lived out his mission. History unfolds God's
mysterious plan of salvation. I am part of that history, of that
symphony. Do I do my best to continue Mary's song, God's song, by
living my commitments and taking part in apostolate?
3. And His Name Shall Be "God Saves" Mary and Joseph take up the
hymn. They know the secret: this child will save Israel and will save
all mankind. They begin to explain to the world, using an ancient
name, Joshua (Yeshua), a name that now becomes not just a promise
but a person. This is God's new name. This is Our God: God Saves. He
is not merely a God who is the source of everything. Our God is
intimately committed to us, and he puts himself "in the line of fire"
to save us. Man had suspected that God was Creator, and the Jews had
received the surprise of his friendship, but neither Gentile nor Jew
dreamed that God was also this type of love. Do I dare to dream of
God's goodness? Do I let Christ give me peace and hope in the midst
of this despairing world?
Conversation with Christ: Lord, I have heard something new today.
You remind me this Christmas that it is time for a new song, a song
of confidence and hope. Mary teaches me this song, this good news. I
want to bring this good news more deeply into my life. I know that
you are helping me to discover you more each day. Help me also
discover you to others.
Resolution: In Mary's presence, I will strive to "sing this new
song" (the Christian virtue I have determined to cultivate) today by
making a special effort in one aspect of living this virtue
meditation.regnumchristi.org
DAILY PRAYER WITH REGNUM CHRISTI
[2]
-------------------------
OUR MOTHER KNOWS THE SONG OF THE ANGELS
January 1, 2010
Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God
Father Ernest Daly, LC
Luke 2:16-21
The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph,
and the infant lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made
known the message that had been told them about this child. All who
heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds. And
Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. Then
the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had
heard and seen, just as it had been told to them. When eight days
were completed for his circumcision, he was named Jesus, the name
given him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
Introductory Prayer: Lord, you are my friend, my Father, and my
protector. I come to you on this new day confident in your presence.
I renew my love for you, trusting in your guiding hand.
Petition: Lord, I want to hear the angels sing. Help me learn to
listen.
1. Sometimes We Need a Little Help Would the shepherds have been
impressed to find Mary, Joseph, and the child Jesus if the angels had
not explained what was happening? They would have just thought it
was a poor, vagabond family—unimpressive and unassuming like
their own lives as shepherds. Yet the angels opened them to a
reality that they would never have imagined or perceived. In my life
God has also sent me angels who help me discover him: the faith of a
parent or grandparent, the sweet, innocent faith of a child, the good
example of a friend, a teacher, a priest or a nun, the example of
our Holy Father. Mary also teaches me to discover God in her Son. Do
I thank God for these angels that he has sent me? Do I follow their
advice and look for Christ in the simple, ordinary circumstances of
my life?
2. Hints of a New Song In a symphony, the first movement only hints
at the central theme. Mary had first heard this theme from the angel
Gabriel. Now the shepherds take up this theme—the hymn of the
angels—and even though the shepherds play their part with great
enthusiasm, it probably makes very little noise outside the little
town of Bethlehem. Yet the song had begun, and it would grow to a
crescendo as Christ lived out his mission. History unfolds God's
mysterious plan of salvation. I am part of that history, of that
symphony. Do I do my best to continue Mary's song, God's song, by
living my commitments and taking part in apostolate?
3. And His Name Shall Be "God Saves" Mary and Joseph take up the
hymn. They know the secret: this child will save Israel and will save
all mankind. They begin to explain to the world, using an ancient
name, Joshua (Yeshua), a name that now becomes not just a promise
but a person. This is God's new name. This is Our God: God Saves. He
is not merely a God who is the source of everything. Our God is
intimately committed to us, and he puts himself "in the line of fire"
to save us. Man had suspected that God was Creator, and the Jews had
received the surprise of his friendship, but neither Gentile nor Jew
dreamed that God was also this type of love. Do I dare to dream of
God's goodness? Do I let Christ give me peace and hope in the midst
of this despairing world?
Conversation with Christ: Lord, I have heard something new today.
You remind me this Christmas that it is time for a new song, a song
of confidence and hope. Mary teaches me this song, this good news. I
want to bring this good news more deeply into my life. I know that
you are helping me to discover you more each day. Help me also
discover you to others.
Resolution: In Mary's presence, I will strive to "sing this new
song" (the Christian virtue I have determined to cultivate) today by
making a special effort in one aspect of living this virtue
meditation.regnumchristi.org
Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, our Lady's greatest title. This feast is the octave of Christmas. In the modern Roman Calendar only Christmas and Easter enjoy the privilege of an octave. According to the 1962 Missal of Bl. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, today is the Solemnity of Circumcision of Our Lord.
"Mary, the all-holy ever-virgin Mother …More
Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, our Lady's greatest title. This feast is the octave of Christmas. In the modern Roman Calendar only Christmas and Easter enjoy the privilege of an octave. According to the 1962 Missal of Bl. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, today is the Solemnity of Circumcision of Our Lord.
"Mary, the all-holy ever-virgin Mother of God, is the masterwork of the mission of the Son and the Spirit in the fullness of time. For the first time in the plan of salvation and because his Spirit had prepared her, the Father found the dwelling place where his Son and his Spirit could dwell among men. In this sense the Church's Tradition has often read the most beautiful texts on wisdom in relation to Mary. Mary is acclaimed and represented in the liturgy as the "Seat of Wisdom." — Catechism of the Catholic Church 721
A plenary indulgence may be gained by reciting or singing the hymn Veni Creator Spiritus on the first day of the year. This hymn is traditionally sung for beginnings of things, calling on the Holy Spirit before endeavoring something new.
The Eighth Day of Christmas
Mary the Mother of God
Like the Churches of the East, Rome wished to honor the Virgin Mother of God during the days after Christmas. As a result the ("Anniversary of St. Mary") made its appearance on January 1 in the seventh century; it has accurately been called "the first Marian feast of the Roman liturgy." — The Church at Prayer
On New Year's Day, the octave day of Christmas, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Holy Mother of God. The divine and virginal motherhood of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a singular salvific event: for Our Lady it was the foretaste and cause of her extraordinary glory; for us it is a source of grace and salvation because "through her we have received the Author of life" (127).
The solemnity of 1 January, an eminently Marian feast, presents an excellent opportunity for liturgical piety to encounter popular piety: the first celebrates this event in a manner proper to it; the second, when duly catechised, lends joy and happiness to the various expressions of praise offered to Our Lady on the birth of her divine Son, to deepen our understanding of many prayers, beginning with that which says: "Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us, sinners."
In the West, 1 January is an inaugural day marking the beginning of the civil year. The faithful are also involved in the celebrations for the beginning of the new year and exchange "new year" greetings. However, they should try to lend a Christian understanding to this custom making of these greetings an expression of popular piety. The faithful, naturally, realize that the "new year" is placed under the patronage of the Lord, and in exchanging new year greetings they implicitly and explicitly place the New Year under the Lord's dominion, since to him belongs all time (cf. Ap 1, 8; 22,13)(128).
A connection between this consciousness and the popular custom of singing the Veni Creator Spiritus can easily be made so that on 1 January the faithful can pray that the Spirit may direct their thoughts and actions, and those of the community during the course of the year (129).
New Year greetings also include an expression of hope for a peaceful New Year. This has profound biblical, Christological and incarnational origins. The "quality of peace" has always been invoked throughout history by all men, and especially during violent and destructive times of war.
The Holy See shares the profound aspirations of man for peace. Since 1967, 1 January has been designated "world day for peace."
Popular piety has not been oblivious to this initiative of the Holy See. In the light of the new born Prince of Peace, it reserves this day for intense prayer for peace, education towards peace and those values inextricably linked with it, such as liberty, fraternal solidarity, the dignity of the human person, respect for nature, the right to work, the sacredness of human life, and the denunciation of injustices which trouble the conscience of man and threaten peace.
Excerpted from the Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy.
The Circumcision of Our Lord
The old liturgy celebrated three feasts in one. The first was that which the old Roman sacramentaries called "the octave of the Lord," and indeed the greater part of the Mass was of the octave of Christmas with many extracts from the Masses of Christmas. Various portions of the Mass and Office celebrated the divine maternity of Mary. The third feast was that of the Circumcision which has been celebrated since the sixth century. Eight days after His birth Christ underwent, like all the Jews, this rite enjoined on Abraham by God as a pledge of his faith, and He received the name of Jesus.
When Our Lord submitted to the cut in His flesh at the Circumcision he began His work as Redeemer. He commenced that shedding of Blood which would reach its highest point of generosity in the Passion and Death.
In giving to Abraham the law of circumcision God bestowed on him his new name — Abraham. With the Jews henceforward the giving of a name had a spiritual significance; like circumcision it meant that the person belonged to the people of God. The bestowal of the name of Jesus has an even loftier significance: it is an assertion of His mission as Savior of the world.
www.catholicculture.org/…/day.cfm
"Mary, the all-holy ever-virgin Mother of God, is the masterwork of the mission of the Son and the Spirit in the fullness of time. For the first time in the plan of salvation and because his Spirit had prepared her, the Father found the dwelling place where his Son and his Spirit could dwell among men. In this sense the Church's Tradition has often read the most beautiful texts on wisdom in relation to Mary. Mary is acclaimed and represented in the liturgy as the "Seat of Wisdom." — Catechism of the Catholic Church 721
A plenary indulgence may be gained by reciting or singing the hymn Veni Creator Spiritus on the first day of the year. This hymn is traditionally sung for beginnings of things, calling on the Holy Spirit before endeavoring something new.
The Eighth Day of Christmas
Mary the Mother of God
Like the Churches of the East, Rome wished to honor the Virgin Mother of God during the days after Christmas. As a result the ("Anniversary of St. Mary") made its appearance on January 1 in the seventh century; it has accurately been called "the first Marian feast of the Roman liturgy." — The Church at Prayer
On New Year's Day, the octave day of Christmas, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Holy Mother of God. The divine and virginal motherhood of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a singular salvific event: for Our Lady it was the foretaste and cause of her extraordinary glory; for us it is a source of grace and salvation because "through her we have received the Author of life" (127).
The solemnity of 1 January, an eminently Marian feast, presents an excellent opportunity for liturgical piety to encounter popular piety: the first celebrates this event in a manner proper to it; the second, when duly catechised, lends joy and happiness to the various expressions of praise offered to Our Lady on the birth of her divine Son, to deepen our understanding of many prayers, beginning with that which says: "Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us, sinners."
In the West, 1 January is an inaugural day marking the beginning of the civil year. The faithful are also involved in the celebrations for the beginning of the new year and exchange "new year" greetings. However, they should try to lend a Christian understanding to this custom making of these greetings an expression of popular piety. The faithful, naturally, realize that the "new year" is placed under the patronage of the Lord, and in exchanging new year greetings they implicitly and explicitly place the New Year under the Lord's dominion, since to him belongs all time (cf. Ap 1, 8; 22,13)(128).
A connection between this consciousness and the popular custom of singing the Veni Creator Spiritus can easily be made so that on 1 January the faithful can pray that the Spirit may direct their thoughts and actions, and those of the community during the course of the year (129).
New Year greetings also include an expression of hope for a peaceful New Year. This has profound biblical, Christological and incarnational origins. The "quality of peace" has always been invoked throughout history by all men, and especially during violent and destructive times of war.
The Holy See shares the profound aspirations of man for peace. Since 1967, 1 January has been designated "world day for peace."
Popular piety has not been oblivious to this initiative of the Holy See. In the light of the new born Prince of Peace, it reserves this day for intense prayer for peace, education towards peace and those values inextricably linked with it, such as liberty, fraternal solidarity, the dignity of the human person, respect for nature, the right to work, the sacredness of human life, and the denunciation of injustices which trouble the conscience of man and threaten peace.
Excerpted from the Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy.
The Circumcision of Our Lord
The old liturgy celebrated three feasts in one. The first was that which the old Roman sacramentaries called "the octave of the Lord," and indeed the greater part of the Mass was of the octave of Christmas with many extracts from the Masses of Christmas. Various portions of the Mass and Office celebrated the divine maternity of Mary. The third feast was that of the Circumcision which has been celebrated since the sixth century. Eight days after His birth Christ underwent, like all the Jews, this rite enjoined on Abraham by God as a pledge of his faith, and He received the name of Jesus.
When Our Lord submitted to the cut in His flesh at the Circumcision he began His work as Redeemer. He commenced that shedding of Blood which would reach its highest point of generosity in the Passion and Death.
In giving to Abraham the law of circumcision God bestowed on him his new name — Abraham. With the Jews henceforward the giving of a name had a spiritual significance; like circumcision it meant that the person belonged to the people of God. The bestowal of the name of Jesus has an even loftier significance: it is an assertion of His mission as Savior of the world.
www.catholicculture.org/…/day.cfm