Oh! May Mary keep us faithful in her love! May she gently make us die and form us anew in her divine Jesus. May we allow ourselves to be filled with light and warmth in her, and be seen henceforth as hearths of warmth for souls, for poor, dark, and cold souls, until opening to receive our rays, they themselves become light and fire. ~Blessed Edward Poppe (Booklet: Under the Gaze of God)
How much shorter, easier, and more secure Mary makes the path which leads to Jesus! She knows the crossings, the little paths, the secret ways. ~Blessed Edward Poppe (Booklet: Under the Gaze of God) This especially touched me, as it's true in my case. @-}---
Love Mary as your good, your illustrious, your powerful Mother; as the one who each day causes your soul to shine brighter with new diamonds of grace; as the one who knows the secret of union with Jesus and teaches it to her children. ~Blessed Edward Poppe (Booklet: Under the Gaze of God)
Have a fervent love for Mary and you will experience sweetness in your devotion, abandonment and joy in trials, perfection and peace in your whole life. * Put a drop of Marian devotion into every- thing! It gives everything a sweet taste. ~Blessed Edward Poppe (Booklet: Under the Gaze of God)
The peaceful name of Mary! When day is at its close, And weary hearts and eyelids Are yearning for repose; Sleep falls in dreams more holy, Rest shows her form more fair, Where the sweet name of Mary Hath closed the evening prayer. ~Sister M. A. Dominic
When one is confronted with evil at every turn When life holds nothing but sorrows in all its endeavours When prayer seems to evaporate into the ether without answer It is then, as I melt into the abyss of endless pain, that you answer me, my Dearest Mother. Thank You! But why was I held on this precipice of pain and doubt? I know even unto my soul, that it was to reiterate my nothingness. I see Our Blessed Mother Mary, rejoicing in my uniqueness and also rejoicing in my nothingness. I believe Our dearest Mother rejoices in all her children's uniqueness, holding us all in the refuge of Her Immaculate Heart!
[QUOTE="josephite, post: 376715, member: 901" ...But why was I held on this precipice of pain and doubt? I know even unto my soul, that it was to reiterate my nothingness. I see Our Blessed Mother Mary, rejoicing in my uniqueness and also rejoicing in my nothingness. I believe Our dearest Mother rejoices in all her children's uniqueness, holding us all in the refuge of Her Immaculate Heart![/QUOTE] Wonderful thoughts, josephite!Though in my weakness I prefer littleness rather than nothingness.
Be saints. Through this you will yourselves be happy and certainly you will make those around you happy. * To become holy is easy and pleasing when we have a tender and steadfast devotion to Mary.
What a desert of dryness, temptation, and doubts a person must cross who wants to go to Jesus without Mary's special support. * The person who wants to grow in holiness without Mary is like a child who wants to grow up without his mother. ~Blessed Edward Poppe (Booklet: Under the Gaze of God)
As I get older and look back on long time memories of my mother and father, now long departed I appreciate and understand them so much better and grow to love them all the more. Like some rich wine grown deeper, stronger and more wonderful with the passing of the years. Just so with Mary. As I walk down the golden avenues of the years and mine more and more deeply into her Immaculate Heart, I like Gabriel, cry Ave Full of Grace!
Beautiful. I recall the final Protestant church we attended together (ended in 2015). During a Christmas play (put on by adults), they had a man portraying Our Lady. A basketball tucked under the robe. I found this somewhat amusing (year 2011) UNTIL this man put on a whining, nagging female voice. "Mary" is scolding "Joseph" ... nagging and complaining in a high-pitched nasal tone. "She" doesn't feel well. "He" needs to hurry up! Etc. Etc. I nearly got up and walked out!! But husband was with me, so of course I had to stay put. I've been a Marian long before coming to Catholicism.
Isn't Our Lady, So magnificent! She is the Queen of Mercy! The Mother of Perpetual help! The beacon, when all lights go out! She is the source of our redemption, when we need a mother, this is ordained by the Lord! I know I have often stated in my sorrow "Dearest Lord Jesus, stay away from me, for I am, but full of sin" I know Jesus hears this cry, and in His unbounded Love, He always sends His Most Pure Mother the Holy Virgin Mary (normally accompanied with St Joseph) to cradle me in my distress and to give me Hope! The Lord does this for all, remain truthful with God and go to confession at least every second week! Over the last few weeks the Lord has allowed me to become familiar with His infancy, this devotion has never been at my forefront of any of my devotions, I have always wondered about it's efficacy, to be truthful, only at Christmas do I normally have a semblance of this devotion. I have always preferred to consider Jesus in His adult life, where are redemption took place. But the infant Lord has been presenting Himself to me, His words are so gentle and kind, He looks with Love upon us, He implores us to follow His mother and His foster father. Its like this little innocent boy, who is God! is pleading with me, caressing me, clinging to my neck, he sees me with my human concerns and remains ever close and forgives me for these concerns ! I so much, do not want to offend the little Jesus. May He preserve me from all sin. Amen. About a month ago I was drawn to venerate the infant of Prague statue that my eldest son got for me (about 3 years ago) while in Prague. And amazingly the day before yesterday I was given a beautiful statue of the infant of Prague and also a beautiful picture of the infant of Prague , that were My Nanna's prise possessions in her lounge room. One thing I know about devotion to the infant Jesus is that He says........ if you occupy yourselves, with His concerns He will occupy Himself , with your concerns I believe the little Lord is extending His Mercy at this time. May we remain faithful to the little Jesus. He will supply the strength needed.
I've not yet been drawn to such a devotion, but I really adore images of Jesus as a small boy, especially as the Sacred Heart, and like this lovely holy card I found only yesterday (https://tinyurl.com/mr3scaac):
