Alejandro Rondón, LC
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Christ, our King.
Thy Kingdom come!
Preparatory prayer (to put me in the presence of God)
Begin this time of prayer by placing yourself in the hands of the Virgin Mary, and asking her for the grace to encounter God by reading and reflecting on the Gospel.
Lord and my God, I place myself in your holy hands, You are the safe harbor where my soul can rest in peace. I ask you in this moment of prayer to increase in me the gifts of faith, hope and love. Grant that I may arrive at the celebration of Christmas with a renewed heart so that I may receive You in my life after the example of Mary and Joseph.
Come Lord Jesus to reign in my heart! Today I want to proclaim you as the King of my life completely. Thank you for all that you give me and especially for this day. Into your hands I place today's activities so that in all things I may give you the greatest glory.
Gospel of the day (to guide your meditation)
From the Holy Gospel according to Luke 1:46-56
At that time, Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; for he has looked upon the humiliation of his handmaid. From now on all generations will congratulate me, for the Mighty One has done great deeds for me: his name is holy, and his mercy reaches his faithful from generation to generation. He does exploits with his arm: he scatters the proud in heart, he casts down the mighty from their thrones and exalts the lowly, he fills the hungry with good things, and the rich he sends away empty. He helps Israel, his servant, remembering mercy - as he had promised our fathers - in favor of Abraham and his descendants forever”. Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
Word of the Lord.
Meditate on what God tells you in the Gospel
«The Canticle of the Virgin also allows us to intuit the full meaning of Mary's experience: if the Lord's mercy is the driving force of history, then she who, in an ineffable way, gave life in her womb and flesh of her flesh to the author of all life, could not have known the corruption of the tomb. All this has not only to do with Mary. The “great things” done in her by the Almighty touch us deeply, speak to us of our journey through life, remind us of the goal that awaits us: the Father's house.
Our life, seen in the light of Mary assumed into Heaven, is not an aimless wandering, but a pilgrimage that, even with all its uncertainties and sufferings, has a sure goal: the house of our Father, who awaits us with love. It is beautiful to think of this: that we have a Father who waits for us with love and that our Mother Mary is also up there, and waits for us with love.
In the meantime, as life goes on, God makes “shine forth for his people, still pilgrims on earth, a sign of consolation and sure hope. That sign has a face, that sign has a name: the radiant face of the Mother of the Lord, the blessed name of Mary, full of grace, blessed because she believed in the word of the Lord. The great believer!
As members of the Church, we are destined to share in the glory of our Mother, because, thanks be to God, we too believe in Christ's sacrifice on the cross and, through Baptism, we are inserted into this mystery of salvation.». (H.H. Francis, Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, August 15, 2013).
Dialogue with Christ
This is the most important part of your prayer, prepare yourself to talk with much love with the One who loves you.
Lord Jesus help me to live united to you always. You are my God and my life, and the author of my sanctification. Increase in me the gifts of faith, hope and love. Faith to see you in others like Mary, hope to abandon myself to your will in my life, and love to put you in the first place in my life.
Help me to imitate the example of Mary Most Holy who knew how to face difficulties with faith and trust in God's providence. Most Holy Mary, my sweet Mother, thank you for being the most eloquent example of human virtues, and help me to imitate them as you did in your life.
Purpose
Propose a personal one. The one that involves the most love in response to the Beloved... or, if you believe that this is what God is asking of you, live what is suggested below.
On this day I propose to offer to Mary the Angelus prayer recalling her virtues and asking God's grace to increase them in my life as well.
Farewell
We thank you, Lord, for all your benefits, you who live and reign forever and ever.
Amen.
Christ, our King!
Thy Kingdom come!
Most prudent Virgin, Mary, Mother of the Church.
Pray for us.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
