A Virgin A Day: Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe

God of power and mercy,
you blessed the Americas at Tepeyac
with the presence of the Virgin Mary of Guadalupe.
May her prayers help all men and women
to accept each other as brothers and sisters. 
Through your justice present in our hearts 
may Your peace reign in the world.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with You
and the Holy Spirit, one God, 
for ever and ever.


The image of Mary presented here
shows a close resemblance
to Our Lady of Guadalupe.
I thought that this image
came from here, 
but when I returned to the site,
I was unable to find it.
If any of you are familiar
with this icon,
please enlighten me.
Thank you.

our last day of
A Virgin A Day
hosted by the inimitable
Rebecca
thank you, dear Rebecca!

Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe

A Virgin A Day: My Prayer to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

image found here

Trying to modify my attitude

while changing the date once again

for the Christmas gathering of my family.

Thoughts of “Why am I always the one 

who needs to accommodate others’ plans? 

Why can’t we have a tradition set in stone 

so I don’t go through this each year?”

Frustration layers upon resentment 

till I just want to go to bed 

and stay there till the onset of the new year.

Then I gaze upon your face, sweet Mother, 

and I ponder your long journey to Bethlehem

while being heavily laden with your divine Babe.

Your Immaculate Heart overcame

any questions concerning the reason

for this journey of 80 miles,

just to be counted for the greedy King 

and his tax-filled purse.

I ask your intercession now, Holy Mother, 

to help me remember that there are 12 days of Christmas,

not just the eve of Christmas and your birthday on the 25th, 

and to ask your Son to send me the grace

in order that our family’s Christmas get-together

will be filled with thoughts 

of the reason for the celebration-

Jesus’ birth and our gratitude for your “yes.”

A Virgin A Day: Traveling Icon

Information about where 

the Black Madonna is traveling

can be found here.

The reason for this traveling

is in support of life and family

under the support of

Our Lady of Czestochowa.

Details can be found here.

Prayer for Life

~Blessed Pope John Paul II~

Evangelium Vitae (105)

O Mary, bright dawn of the new world, 

Mother of the living, 

to you do we entrust the vast numbers of babies 

not allowed to be born, 

of the poor whose lives are made difficult, 

of men and women who are victims of brutal violence, 

of the elderly and the sick 

killed by indifference or out of misguided mercy.

Grant that all who believe in your Son 

may proclaim the Gosper of life 

with honesty and love to the people of our time.  

Obtain for them the grace 

to accept that Gospel as a gift ever new, 

the joy of celebrating it with gratitude 

throughout their lives, 

and the courage to bear witness to it resolutely, 

in order to build, 

together with all people of good will, 

a civilization of truth and love, to the praise 

and glory of God, the Creator and lover of life.

linking with the love 

of Our Lady

to Rebecca's

A Virgin A Day

A Virgin A Day: Prayer to St. Anne

image from here

Prayer to St. Anne

Good St. Anne, you were especially favored by God

 to be the mother of the most holy Virgin Mary, 

the Mother of our Savior.  

By your power with your most pure daughter

 and with her divine Son, 

kindly obtain for us the grace and the favor we  now seek.  

Please secure for us also forgiveness of our past sins, 

the strength to perform faithfully our daily duties 

and the help we need to persevere 

in the love of Jesus and Mary.

Amen.

an aside note: My journey continues with learning

more about my faith and our Blessed Mother.  

Of course, I knew that

St. Anne was the mother of Mary,

but I had not encountered prayers to her.

continuing devotion 

to the Blessed Virgin

at Rebecca's

A Virgin A Day

A Virgin A Day: The Immaculate Conception

 

image found here

SUB TUUM PRAESIDIUM

WE FLY TO THY PROTECTION

We fly to thy protection,

O holy Mother of God;

despise not our petitions

in our necessities,

but deliver us always

from all dangers,

O glorious and blessed Virgin.

Amen

You are all beautiful Mary,

and there is not stain or original sin.

linking to Rebecca's

A Virgin A Day

with other devotees of Mary

A Virgin A Day: Mother of Perpetual Help

Mother of Perpetual Help, 

you have been blessed and favored by God. 

You became not only the Mother of the Redeemer, 

but Mother of the redeemed as well. 

We come to you today as your loving children. 

Watch over us and take care of us. 

As you held the child Jesus in your loving arms, 

so take us in your arms. 

Be a mother ready at every moment to help us. 

For God who is mighty has done great things for you, 

and God's mercy is from age to age 

on those who love God. 

Intercede for us, dear Mother, 

in obtaining pardon for our sins, 

love for Jesus, 

final perseverance, 

and the grace always to call upon you, 

Mother of Perpetual Help. 

linking to 

devotees of Mary,

at Rebecca's

A Virgin A Day

A Virgin A Day: Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal

O Virgin Mother of God, Mary Immaculate,

We dedicate and consecrate ourselves to you 

under the title of

Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal

May this Medal be for each one of us a sure sign 

of your affection for us

 and a constant reminder of our duties toward you.

Ever while wearing it, 

may we be blessed by your loving protections

 and preserved in the grace of your son.  

O Most Powerful Virgin, 

Mother of our Savior,

keep us close to you every moment of our lives.  

Obtain for us, your children, 

the grace of a happy death; 

so that in union with you, 

we may enjoy the bliss of Heaven forever. 

Amen 

It is important to note as well that, 

as with all sacramentals, 

the Miraculous Medal is not some “lucky charm”. 

Keep in mind also that in expressing devotion to Mary, 

we do not worship her, 

as many Christians in other denominations, 

especially some Evangelicals, believe, 

but rather honor her in her devotion to our Lord! 

As the popular saying goes “to Jesus through Mary.” 

Remember also her last words in Scripture, 

which could almost be her motto, 

in which she told the attendants at the wedding feast of Cana

“Do whatever he [Jesus] tells you.” (John 2:5)

linking to 

the loving Rebecca at her 

A Virgin A Day

A Virgin A Day: Creation's New Eve

"Creation's New Eve

reveals

'a people in darkness'

not forsaken

but waiting,

for the blackness is contained

within a warm and spotless womb

dotted only

with the Speck of a Savior."

~Rita A. Simmonds~

note: This is the first time 

I've heard of Rita A. Simmonds. 

With this poem,

I know that I shall read

more of her poetry.

linking to the

incomparable Rebecca and her

A Virgin A Day

A Virgin A Day: A Mary Collage

o blessed Mother,

through these days of Advent,

when mothers are taking on

even more with shopping-

whether online or in stores-

planning menus for family

and guests,

driving children hither and yon,

helping at the local food bank,

buying extra food and gifts

for families in need,

remembering prayers

for their Advent partners,

reading the latest chapter

for their Bible Studies,

and taking the time

to pray for themselves

in order

to have patience and love

for their families and neighbors.

o please, Mary,

open your heart to cover over

all these beautiful mothers

with your divinity.

amen

a note about the collage:

I borrowed the image of Mary

from http://ww.123rf.com/stock-photo/

The other items are from

my From Teddi with Love kit.

linking with love

to Rebecca's

A Virgin A Day

Rest in Peace,
dear Joe Spado,
of
Round Circle

Advent Season

For Christians, Sunday, December 1st marks the beginning of the Advent season.  In simple terms, Advent means "coming," and the season is about our waiting for the 

most inexplicable and magnificent coming of all- into our hearts, our needy lives. 

 For my needs, I will be using the Magnificat Advent Companion plus a new (to me) Advent book called Sacred Space: for Advent and the Christmas Season 2013-2014.

The latter is by the Irish Jesuits and is published by Ave Maria Press.

What prompted me to buy Sacred Space was Father James Martin, SJ's book My Life with the Saints that we are studying in Women at the Well this year. 

No artist is credited for this art work . 

The date given is the last of the 15th century.

Just below is a site for those

desiring more information concerning Advent.

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01165a.htm

Advent, Latin ad-venio, to come to

According to present (1907) usage, Advent is a period beginning with the Sunday nearest to the feast of St. Andrew the Apostle (Nov. 30) and embracing four Sundays.  The first Sunday may be as early as Nov. 27, and then Advent has 28 days, or as late as Dec. 3, giving the season only 21 days.

With Advent the ecclesiastical year begins in the Western churches.  During this time the faithful are admonished:

To prepare themselves worthily to celebrate the anniversary of the Lord’s coming into the world as the incarnate God of love,

thus to make their souls fitting abodes for the Redeemer coming in Holy Communion and through grace, and

thereby to make themselves ready for His final coming as judge, at death, and at the end of the world.

However you intend to observe Advent this year, 

I wish for you and me to come closer

 to Our Lord and Savior as a result of it.

I'm adding this beautiful image
to Rebecca's inspiring
A Virgin A Day