August 22, 2022: IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY
August 22, 2022: IMMACULATE HEART OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
Rank: Double of the II Class.
Rejoice with me, all you who love me, for the Most High has chosen my Heart to set up His throne and to establish therein the Kingdom of the Son of His love.
“I am the mother of fair love, and of fear, and of knowledge, and of holy hope. In me is all grace of the way and of the truth, in me is all hope of life and of virtue. Come over to me, all ye that desire me, and
be filled with my fruits. For my spirit is sweet above honey, and my Inheritance above honey and the honeycomb. My memory is unto everlasting generations. They that eat me, shall yet hunger: and they that drink me shall yet thirst. He that hearkeneth to me,
shall not be confounded: and they that work by me, shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting.”
(Eccles, xxiv. 24-31)
Prayer (Collect).
Almighty and Eternal God, You prepared in the Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary a worthy dwelling place for the Holy Spirit; mercifully grant, that we, who devoutly celebrate the feast of that Immaculate Heart, may be able to live according to Your Heart. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the same Spirit, God, world without end. Amen.
“Now therefore, ye children, hear me: Blessed are they
that keep my ways. Hear instruction and be wise, and refuse it not. Blessed is the man that heareth me, and that watcheth daily at my gates, and waiteth at the posts of my doors. He that shall find me, shall find life, and shall have salvation from the Lord:
But he that shall sin against me, shall hurt his own soul. All that hate me love death.”
(Prov, viii. 32-36)
Let us all rejoice in the Lord while celebrating this festival in honor of the Most Holy Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a festival which rejoices the Angels and suggests to them new canticles of Praise of the Son of God.
Salutation
to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary
(This Salutation which is at once a magnificent consecration to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary and a real treatise in
abridged form of the devotion to the Sacred Hearts, has been recited since 1643, in the various institutes of St. John Eudes. The Blessed Virgin promised the Servant of God “to give to all who recite it with devotion, desires; to purify themselves more
and more from all sorts of order sins, in order to be more capable of receiving divine gifts and blessings.” And, in fact, numberless graces which seem almost miraculous, have, at all times, been obtained, testifying to the efficacy of this prayer.)
Hail, Heart most holy.
Hail, Heart most gentle.
Hail, Heart most humble.
Hail, Heart most pure.
Hail, Heart most devout.
Hail, Heart most wise.
Hail, Heart most patient.
Hail,
Heart most obedient.
Hail, Heart most vigilant.
Hail, Heart most faithful.
Hail, Heart most blessed.
Hail, Heart most merciful.
Hail, most loving
Heart of Jesus and Mary.
We revere Thee, We praise Thee, We glorify Thee. We give Thee thanks.
We love Thee with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our strength.
We offer Thee our heart. We give it to Thee. We consecrate it to Thee. We immolate it to Thee.
Receive it, and possess it wholly, purify it, enlighten it that Thou mayst live and reign now, always, and forever and ever. Amen.
St. John Eudes called his own Congregation by the two sacred names of Jesus and Mary; and he begins one of his devotional treatises by applying to them our Lord's famous words, "Whom God has joined, let no man sunder." He sometimes purposely used the expression in the singular, "The Holy Heart of Jesus and Mary," urging that they were morally one.
Sermon IX of St. Bernardine of Siena on the Visitation
What mortal, unless under the influence of Divine inspiration, may presume to speak little or much, with uncircumcised, my, polluted lips of the true Mother of the God-Man whom God the Father predestined from all eternity to be ever a most pure Virgin; God, the Son, chose her for His mother; the Holy Ghost prepared a dwelling full of grace? In what words shall I, a miserable creature, express the noblest sentiments ever entered by holy lips to her Virginal Heart? Not all the tongues of men, nor even of angels, would suffice to do so. For the Lord has said: A good Man utters good words from the treasury of his heart. And who among pure creatures can be imagined better than she who was worthy to become the Mother of God, who bore God Himself in her heart and in her womb? What treasure is better than Divine Love itself of which the Heart of the Virgin was the fiery furnace?
Therefore, from this heart as from a furnace of Divine love, the Blessed Virgin uttered good words, i.e., words of burning charity. As from a vessel full of the best wine, nothing can come forth but the best vine, or as from a furnace of intense heat, there comes forth nothing but burning fire; so from the Heart of the Mother of Christ, no words could come forth but words of Divine love and burning zeal. We have few words spoken by the Mistress and Mother of wisdom, but they are weighty and wise. The seven words spoken by the Blessed Mother of Christ are so many marvels of wisdom and virtues, a mystic sign that she was full of the seven-fold grace. She spoke twice with the Angel: “How shall this be done?” and “Behold the handmaid of the Lord!” With Elizabeth twice, viz., to greet her and to praise God, when she said: “My soul doth magnify the Lord.” With her Son twice, once in the Temple, “Son, why hast Thou done so to us,” and at the Marriage Feast, “They have no wine.” To the servants once: “Whatever He shall say to you, do ye.” In all these cases she spoke little except that in praise and thanksgiving to God, she spoke more at length, viz., when she said: “My soul cloth magnify the Lord,” since she was speaking not with man, but with God.
These seven words came forth as seven outgrowths and acts of love, varying in kind and degree like seven flames from the furnace of her heart. The devout mind, meditating and pondering these words, says with the prophet: “How sweet are Thy words to my palate,” i.e. my affections. This sweetness which the devout soul finds in the words of the Blessed Virgin is the fire of pious devotion which the soul experiences in their meditation. The devout soul, therefore, says: “How sweet am thy words to my palate.” Truly we distinguish an order to these seven darts of love – the words of the Blessed Virgin. The first is a dart of separating love; the second of transforming love; the third, communicating love; the fourth, joyful love; the fifth, savouring love; the sixth, compassionating love; the seventh, consummating love.
Homily of St. Bonaventure on the Gospel according to St. Luke, Ch. ii.
At that time, the shepherds said one to another; “Let us go over to Bethlehem and let us see this word which is come to pass, which the Lord has shewed us.”
Here is commended the diligence of the shepherds, whose praise may be summed up under three heads, with regard to the certitude of the discovery, viz., that it was fully confirmed, quickly published and studiously preserved. In the first place, it was fully confirmed by creditable signs and evidence, wherefore it is said,
“And they found Mary and Joseph and the Child lying in a manger.”
They found Him because they sought Him diligently and earnestly. And now that He is found with Mary, a Virgin, with Joseph, a just man, and in a manger; for he who wishes to find Christ, must have purity as regards his heart, justice as regards his neighbour, and humility and reverence with respect to God. Not only was it fully confirmed, but also quickly published, wherefore it is added,
“And all who heard marvelled at the Child who was born, at what was told them by the shepherds,”
viz., what they had heard from the angel. In the third place, it was studiously preserved whence it is added,
“But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her Heart.”
It was also prudent and discreet, according to this: “Mercy and truth are not wanting to Thee. Compass them about with thy lips and transcribe them on the tables of thy heart.” And in Ecclesiasticus, “He who layeth this up in his heart will be always wise.” Hence it is said of the fool, “The heart of a fool is like a broken vessel and does not hold wisdom.” Hence the Heart of Mary is the Ark, containing the secrets of Divine eloquence. And therefore it is designated by the Ark of Moses of which it is said that it contained the tables of the Divine law. And since she not only preserved them, but also understood them, it is added, “pondering them in her heart” so that she could say, I have hidden Thy words in my heart (Ps, cxviii. 11).
And He went down with them and came to Nazareth and was subject to them and His Mother kept all these things, pondering them in her heart.
Here is described His glorification and this in two ways, viz., by the testimony of His Mother and the proof of His own power. As to the testimony of His Mother it is said, “And His Mother kept all these things, pondering them in her heart,” that she might give testimony at the proper time and place. Thus it was said, “But do thou, Daniel, keep silence and seal the book until the appointed time.” (Daniel, xii. 4) And since she understood this, it is said “in her heart” according to these words. “The heart of the wise men knoweth the time to answer,” (Eccles, viii. 5) and it is said of the Transfiguration of our Lord that the disciples kept the secret among themselves.
Come let us adore Jesus, our love and our life, reigning in the Heart of Mary.
Litany of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Jesus, hear us: Jesus, graciously hear us.
God the Father of heaven, Have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us.
God the Holy Ghost, Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, Have mercy on us.
Response to the below: Pray for us.
Heart of Mary,
Heart of Mary, according to the Heart of Jesus,
Heart of Mary, united to the Heart of Jesus,
Heart of Mary, sanctuary of the Holy Ghost,
Heart
of Mary, temple of the Divinity,
Heart of Mary, tabernacle of the Word Incarnate,
Heart of Mary, always
exempt from sin,
Heart of Mary, always full of grace,
Heart of Mary, blessed among all hearts,
Heart of Mary, illustrious throne of glory,
Heart of Mary, abyss and prodigy of humility,
Heart of Mary, glorious holocaust of divine love,
Heart of Mary, nailed to the cross of Jesus,
Heart of Mary, comfort of the afflicted,
Heart of Mary, refuge of sinners,
Heart of
Mary, hope of the agonizing,
Heart of Mary, seat of mercy,
Lamb of God,
who takest away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, Have mercy upon us.
V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray.
O Divine Jesus! who tenderly lovest the most holy of virgins, and art reciprocally loved by her, grant, we beseech thee, through the intercession of thy blessed Mother, and by the resemblance her sacred Heart bore to thine, that we may ever return due love and affection for her care and tenderness in our regard, who, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, livest and reignest, world without end. Amen.
Consecration Prayer to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
O most amiable Heart of Mary! which of all hearts most perfectly resembles the Heart of Jesus, and is thereby worthy of the love and respect of all creatures, to thee I fervently consecrate my heart, and I choose thee, after the Heart of Jesus, for the object of my imitation and confidence. I beseech thee, O sacred Virgin! by all the graces which were bestowed on thee by thy beloved Son, to give me a passage through thy blessed heart to the Heart of Jesus. Lead me thyself into that adorable sanctuary, that I may learn to practice the virtues which rendered thee so faithful a copy of Him who was meek and humble of heart. Thou knowest that I wish most sincerely to venerate, to love, and to imitate that divine Heart, which was the source of all thy merit and happiness, as well as the only object of thy love; but as I feel my own weakness, I have recourse to thee, beseeching thee to present my heart to Jesus in union with thine; that in consideration of thy perfections and merits, my miseries and sins may be overlooked, and my heart for ever consecrated, through thee, to the perfect love of my Creator. I choose thee now, O holy Heart of Mary, for my advocate and model, that thy prayers may assist me to imitate thee, and thereby conform my heart to that of my divine Saviour. Thou wert, O most pure Heart! happily inaccessible to the monster sin! yet thou art penetrated with humiliation and sorrow for the sins of the world: obtain that my heart may be truly contrite for my own sins, and may love God sufficiently to feel and deplore the sins of others. Thou wert replenished with the meekness and mercy of the Heart of Jesus, and consumed with his most ardent love; therefore through thee I most firmly hope to receive a share in those virtues; and above all, the grace to detest the vice of pride, which would render me so hateful to the adorable Heart of Jesus, and to practise that sincere humility which can best liken me to my Saviour and to thee. In thee, O blessed Heart of Mary! I will confide during my life, and in thee also I confidently hope to find a secure refuge and powerful advocate at the hour of my death.
Taken from: The Admirable Heart of Mary, by St. John Eudes, Imprimatur. 1947;
The Ursuline Manual, Cork, Ireland, Edition 1855; and
Saint Joseph Daily Missal, 1957.
August 22, 2022: Ss. Timothy, Hippolytus Bishop, and Symphorianus, Martyrs.
Related Links:
1) Our Lady of Fatima and her requests.
2) The Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
4) Apostolic Brief of Pope Gregory XVI (for the Archconfraternity of the Immaculate Heart).
6) The Green Scapular of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, twice approved by Pope Pius IX.
7) Practice and spread the Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Blessed is Thy Heart, O Virgin Mary! It is the measure of sanctity, the furnace of divine love, the throne of all virtues, sanctuary of the Divinity: Mother of God, intercede for us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us now and at the hour of our death.