Thursday, March 28, AD 2024 5:39am

The Whole World Awaits Mary’s Reply

You have heard, O Virgin, that you will conceive and bear a son; you have heard that it will not be by man but by the Holy Spirit. The angel awaits an answer; it is time for him to return to God who sent him. We too are waiting, O Lady, for your word of compassion; the sentence of condemnation weighs heavily upon us.

The price of our salvation is offered to you. We shall be set free at once if you consent. In the eternal Word of God we all came to be, and behold, we die. In your brief response we are to be remade in order to be recalled to life.

Tearful Adam with his sorrowing family begs this of you, O loving Virgin, in their exile from Paradise. Abraham begs it, David begs it. All the other holy patriarchs, your ancestors, ask it of you, as they dwell in the country of the shadow of death. This is what the whole earth waits for, prostrate at your feet. It is right in doing so, for on your word depends comfort for the wretched, ransom for the captive, freedom for the condemned, indeed, salvation for all the sons of Adam, the whole of your race.

Answer quickly, O Virgin. Reply in haste to the angel, or rather through the angel to the Lord. Answer with a word, receive the Word of God. Speak your own word, conceive the divine Word. Breathe a passing word, embrace the eternal Word.

Why do you delay, why are you afraid? Believe, give praise, and receive. Let humility be bold, let modesty be confident. This is no time for virginal simplicity to forget prudence. In this matter alone, O prudent Virgin, do not fear to be presumptuous. Though modest silence is pleasing, dutiful speech is now more necessary. Open your heart to faith, O blessed Virgin, your lips to praise, your womb to the Creator. See, the desired of all nations is at your door, knocking to enter. If he should pass by because of your delay, in sorrow you would begin to seek him afresh, the One whom your soul loves. Arise, hasten, open. Arise in faith, hasten in devotion, open in praise and thanksgiving. Behold the handmaid of the Lord, she says, be it done to me according to your word.

Saint Bernard of Clairvaux

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Penguins Fan
Penguins Fan
Friday, January 2, AD 2015 11:28am

As an unfortunate result of the institution of the Missal of Blessed Paul VI, it is a rare occurrence when the Gospel readings coincide between the Extraordinary Form and the Ordinary Form. It was not enough to suppress the EF. The calendar that went with it was suppressed as well. January 1 is the Circumcision of Jesus.

The best two remaining ways to reform the OF are to adopt the OF to the EF calendar for feasts, solemnities and observances and to use the order of the EF readings for the OF. Having said that, the EF calendar needs updated for the saints canonized after 1962.

Philip
Philip
Saturday, January 3, AD 2015 10:09am

The Whole World waits Mary’s Reply….and all of Heaven waits for your reply.

Marys fiat is a foreshadowing of disciples to come. They too must say yes and bring Christ into the hearts of souls unaware of Truth.

Heaven is waiting.

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