(weekday) The Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Wednesday 31st May 2023)

The Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (weekday)

(Wednesday 31st May 2023)

Mass of the Feast, Preface of the Blessed Virgin Mary II

Readings:  
Zeph 3:14-18: The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst.

(or  Rom 12:9-16: Contribute to the needs of God's people, and practise hospitality).

"Psalm:" Is 12:2-6: R. Among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.

Alleluia, alleluia! Blessed are you, O Virgin Mary, for your firm believing, that the promises of the Lord would be fulfilled. Alleluia! (Cf Lk 1:45)

Lk 1:39-56: Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord?

Please listen to my audio recordings of the readings, prayers and reflections for the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. By clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-feast-of-the-visitation-of-the-blessed-virgin-mary-master/s-eVPXxkyUmqu  

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In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
{{Kindness and grace to you all}}

On this special (feast of) the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Elizabeth.

As one family in Christ, let us prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries by calling to mind our sins.

 

·        Lord Jesus, you humble the proud and exalt the humble. Lord have mercy.

·        You fill the hungry with good things. The self-sufficient you send away empty. Christ have mercy.

·       Your mercy reaches from age to age for those who revere you. Lord have mercy.

May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.

 

GLORIA
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Memorial Acclamation
2. When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we proclaim your Death, O Lord, until you come again.
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PREFACE:  Preface II of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  
Euch.Prayer:  II

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Dismissal:
Go, AND ANNOUNCE THE Gospel of the lord. .
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Prologue:

This feast celebrates the Virgin Mary's visit to her cousin Elizabeth, as told in the Gospel of Luke (Luke 1:39-56), and her example of faith in God's word and sensitivity to the Spirit. It was introduced into the Franciscan calendar by Saint Bonaventure (15 July) in the thirteenth century and was extended in 1389 to the entire Latin Church to heal the divisions in the Western Church of the time.

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"Yes, truly blessed is she who believed that the promise made to her by the Lord would be fulfilled" – And blessed are we when we hope and trust and believe that the lord will be faithful to us and fulfil the promises made to us.

 

"Mary and Elizabeth meet and an unspoken bond is formed,

Born of their shared condition – they each are expecting a baby.

They know that they cannot face this alone,

and they also know that God has no intention of letting them face this alone.

God is with them.

This "yes" from these ladies, will need an ongoing commitment, care, time, and the grace of God! 

They KNOW that they are God's partners in bringing to birth, hope and life !! "(A) 

 

This truly beautiful gospel passage today illustrates the importance of giving thanks and of explicitly naming our blessings.   

 

 

The Blessed Virgin Mary, and Saint Elizabeth are both wonderful examples of faithful discipleship. They notice the graciousness of God happening all around them and within them. They both  delight inpraising God, and in thanksgiving, and make a deliberate decision (and choice) to name the blessings of God and to give voice to the presence of God - It is a truly inspiring moment. A moment of true and abiding praise and thanksgiving.

 

The other thing that strikes me about this well-known passage of Scripture is the importance of family, including extended family (our family of faith, our parish, our friends, our colleagues, our neighbours, and our wider community). 

 

The Virgin Mary must have been daunted and filled with awe, by what she knew was happening to her. Not everyone would understand what God was doing in her life // and not everyone would be happy. Certainly, not everyone would have goodwill towards her and assume that the Holy Spirit was at work in this extraordinary event.  

 

Mary went to visit Elizabeth. Together, they meet in great joy and affection, and gain enormous support from each other. How very important is the support and encouragement we give to one another in times of joy and also times of trial.

 

Who are some of the people we need to give thanks for?

Let us recall in our hearts the acts of kindness and love. Neighbourliness and fraternity….. that so many people have shown us daily.

Who are the people through whom we have experienced Christ's graced presence, love, compassion, mercy and grace? Let us remember and give thanks for these people and these blessings in our hearts, minds, and show this gratitude in all our words and actions.

 

Let us seek out people like Elizabeth, who have grateful, remembering hearts; and who focus on the positives and show us the world in its goodness for us to build our lives upon. people who do not dwell on negatives, and who do not get us more and more upset and downcast by focusing on all that is wrong. .

 

Let us be attentive to the ways in which God is present to us, especially God's abiding presence and action, in the people with whom we socialize, work and live. 

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HOMILY:

The arduous journey to visit and care for her cousin Elizabeth

Blessed Virgin Mary,  and Saint Elizabeth. Pray for us.
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References:
Fr Paul W. Kelly

(A)  Alice Camille, 2009:  A Book of Grace-filled Days).

Image Credit: 

 

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Archive of homilies and reflections: http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul, please email: paulwkelly68@gmail.com

To listen to the weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here.
https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks


Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:
"Faith, Hope and Love - Christian worship and reflection" - Led by Rev Paul Kelly

Prayers and chants — Roman Missal, 3rd edition, © 2010, The International Commission on English in the liturgy. (ICEL)

Scriptures - New Revised Standard Version: © 1989, and 2009 by the NCC-USA. (National Council of Churches of Christ - USA)

"The Psalms" ©1963, 2009, The Grail - Collins publishers.

Prayers of the Faithful - " Together we pray" by Robert Borg'. E.J. Dwyer, Publishers, (1993) . (Sydney Australia).

Hymn – "Rainfall – Mother of  Mercy." Music by Paul W. Kelly. 1994, 2021. Words adapted by Paul W. Kelly, based on the Traditional Salve Regina Hymn. Arranged & with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2021. https://www.airgigs.com/user/stefankelk

Marian Hymn -   "Salve Regina Mater Misericordiae." (Traditional 11th Century). Melody: Mainz (1712), Hymn #783 - Brébeuf Hymnal. From https://www.ccwatershed.org/hymn/

 

Magnificat (Praise and sing to God)- (July 2021) -Music by Paul W. Kelly. (1985, 2010, 2021), Lyrics inspired by Magnificat (Luke 1:46–55). Music arranged, with adapted lyrics by Stefan de Freyne Kelk. [https://www.airgigs.com/user/stefankelk ] July 1, 2021.

[ Production - KER - 2023]

May God bless and keep you.

(weekday Memorial) - Mary, Mother Of The Church. Memorial for the Monday immediately after Pentecost Sunday

(weekday Memorial) - Mary, Mother Of The Church. Memorial for the Monday immediately after Pentecost Sunday


Gen 3:9-15, 20: The mother of all those who live.

(or
Acts 1:12-14: They all joined in continuous prayer together with Jesus' mother, Mary).

Responsorial Psalm. Psalm 86: 1-2, 3, 5, 6-7 "Of you are told glorious things, O city of God!"

Alleluia, alleluia! Happy are you, holy Virgin Mary, deserving of all praise; from you rose the sun of justice, Christ, the Lord. Alleluia!

Gospel:  John 19:25-34
 

Image Credit: Shutterstock Licensed stock photo ID: 172756952. ANTWERP, BELGIUM - SEPTEMBER 5, 2013: Paint of Crucifixion as part of Seven Sorrows of Virgin cycle by Josef Janssens from years 1903 - 1910 in the cathedral of Our Lady. By Renata Sedmakova
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Please listen to the audio podcast of the Mass – featuring  readings, prayers, and reflections for the Memorial of Mary Mother of The Church – (Monday after Pentecost) by clicking this link here https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-memorial-of-mary-mother-of-the-church-abc-genesis-version-2023-master/s-VL057VcLwVr    
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In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.Amen.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
On this special (feast of) Mary Mother Of The Church
 
my brothers and sisters, to prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries, let us call to mind our sins.
Lord Jesus, you are son of God and the son of Mary Lord, have mercy.
Your mother prays with us for true and lasting peace. Christ, have mercy.  
You give to us your mother as mother of the Church.  Lord, have mercy.
May Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
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Memorial Acclamation
2. When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we proclaim your Death, O Lord, until you come again.
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PREFACE: Mary, Mother and Model of the church
Euch .Prayer:  II
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Go and announce the gospel of the lord. .
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Prologue: The Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church. The Second Vatican Council, (1962-65), spoke eloquently of the Virgin Mary in its document on the Church, and in 1964 proclaimed the title Mother of the Church. Christ on the cross entrusted his mother to Saint John: This is your Mother! This memorial on the day after Pentecost recalls her maternal presence among the Disciples of Christ from the beginning.
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HOMILY:
As Our Lord hung, dying a cruel death on the cross, it would have been totally understandable if he was focused on just breathing…   and yet even at this time, in great pain and near the very end, his thoughts and concerns turned to his mother and to his disciples and the good of the mission he came to fulfil.   He said to his mother:  "Woman, this is your son!"  And to John the beloved disciple, "This is your mother!"   This action not only ensured the ongoing care of his beloved mother, and first and most perfect disciple, Mary, but also in doing this Our Lord gave his mother to care for all his disciples and the whole church.  So, today it is good and right to celebrate Mary as the Mother of the Church.
 
Mary was there from the very beginning. She was utterly attentive and faithful to the Word of God.  She accepted the word God so utterly into her heart and life that she was given the unique privileged of giving birth to the Word made flesh, and caring for him and raising him in love.
 
Throughout Our Lady's life, she pondered and treasured all the events of her life in her heart.  Mary was there to give the opportunity for his first sign as Messiah, when out of love and concern she drew Christ's attention to the wine running out at the wedding in Cana. Her words then apply to so many other acts of discipleship ever since…  "do whatever he instructs you."  
 
Our Lady was not at all put off when she and other relatives went to see Jesus when he was preaching and asked to speak with him. His reply was unusual -  Who is my mother?  Who are my brothers?  Whoever hears the word of God and keeps it,  is my mother, my sister my brother! This, of course, is a wonderful widening of his family to include everyone…   Mary's response to this was obvious…   Her actions before, during and after this event show that her reply was like this… "then I shall be your mother and your disciple." 
Mary was there at all the key moments of Christ's ministry…  She was at the foot of the cross when he suffered and died…   she is called, for this extraordinary act of valour, a "living-martyr, who stood at the foot of the cross," and surely suffered spiritually everything her son suffered physically.
Mary was again present at the news of the resurrection.

And as shown in the first reading today.  Mary is the New Eve…   restoring in complete obedience what was lost by the disobedience of our original forebears.
Mary was also, with the apostles in the upper room, after Christ's ascension.. continually at prayer along with the disciples.   
 
And profoundly…..Mary was with the disciples at Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended in its fullness and empowered Christ's church.
The Church is blessed and grateful that Mary's care for the church and all its disciples continued in her earthly life, and continues for us these many generations since.  The motherly care, intercession, protection and love of Mary is a wonderful blessing given to us by Christ.  
 
And of course, we are very aware of how much we appreciate this motherly care in these days when the world longs for lasting peace,  respect and harmony. … 
The newly established Australian colonies depended greatly on the motherly care and intercession of Mary in its early years, especially when there were no priests or sacraments available for most of the first thirty years since the First Fleet arrived.  The Rosary, Marian devotion and the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary kept the faith alive in those drawn-out decades.
 
And we are sure that Jesus has given us the motherly care, intercession and prayer of his beloved mother in times of uncertainty.   This fills us with hope, peace and a sense of direction. 
Our Lady, Mother of the Church.  Pray for us.
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References:
Fr Paul W. Kelly

Image Credit: Shutterstock Licensed stock photo ID: 172756952. ANTWERP, BELGIUM - SEPTEMBER 5, 2013: Paint of Crucifixion as part of Seven Sorrows of Virgin cycle by Josef Janssens from years 1903 - 1910 in the cathedral of Our Lady. By Renata Sedmakova
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Archive of homilies and reflections: http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul, please email: paulwkelly68@gmail.com
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Archive of homilies and reflections: http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul, please email: paulwkelly68@gmail.com

To listen to my weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks

Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:
"Faith, Hope and Love - Christian worship and reflection" - Led by Rev Paul Kelly

Prayers and chants — Roman Missal, 3rd edition, © 2010, The International Commission on English in the liturgy. (ICEL)

Scriptures - New Revised Standard Version: © 1989, and 2009 by the NCC-USA. (National Council of Churches of Christ - USA)

"The Psalms" ©1963, 2009, The Grail - Collins publishers.

Prayers of the Faithful - " Together we pray" by Robert Borg'. E.J. Dwyer, Publishers, (1993). (Sydney Australia).

Marian Hymn -   "Salve Regina Mater Misericordiae." (Traditional 11^th Century). Melody: Mainz (1712), Hymn #783 - Brébeuf Hymnal. From https://www.ccwatershed.org/hymn/

Marian Hymn – "Whom Earth and Sea and Sky Proclaim." Traditional 6^th Century Hymn. Melody: Bartholomaus Gesius (d.1613). #376 - Brébeuf Hymnal. From https://www.ccwatershed.org/hymn/
 
 
[Production - KER - 2023]
May God bless and keep you.

Pentecost Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year A - Sunday, May 28, 2023 (EPISODE- 422)

Pentecost Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year A - Sunday, May 28, 2023 (EPISODE- 422)

Readings for Sunday, May 28, 2023 - Pentecost Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year A
FIRST READING: Acts 2:1-11
Ps 104:1+24, 29-30, 31+34. "Lord, send out your Spirit and renew the face of the earth."
SECOND READING: 1 Cor 12:3b-7, 12-13
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION ((no bibl. ref.)). Alleluia, alleluia! Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful. And kindle in them the fire of your love.
GOSPEL: John 20:19-23

Image Credit: Shutterstock Licensed. Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 1881688891 - St. Louis, Missouri USA - April 15, 2019. Close Up of the Pentecost Mosaic in the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis with the apostles and Mary of Nazareth engulfed by the flames of the Holy Spirit. Important information. Editorial Use Only. Photo Contributor: Teresa Otto
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Please listen to the audio recordings of the Mass – (Readings, prayers, and homily), for Pentecost Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year A - Sunday, May 28, 2023, by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-solemnity-of-pentecost-a-ep-422-2023/s-ZIelkbX71cb  (EPISODE- 422)
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The Easter Season comes to an end this weekend with the Great Feast of Pentecost. The-descent-of-the-Holy-Spirit upon Christ's disciples. Jesus is now very much present and powerfully active, through the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit in the church and in his followers of every time and place. 

We, the followers of Christ, continue the wonderful work of the Kingdom. We do this work in tangible ways - putting into action the "warming breath" of God's Spirit of justice, love and practical care...  "God breathed into the first Human being the day of our creation. The book of Genesis tells us that the Lord put his lips to ours and breathed in us and gave us his spirit of life. And so we became human beings. And John tells us that on the day of Pentecost, the risen Lord breathed on us a second time and gave us new life. After receiving the Holy Spirit, courage replaced caution, and a "fire" was lit in our hearts that scatters the darkness of fear forever. We, like those first disciples, are now a new creation. We have been called to live an "heroic life" and to be instruments of God's peace and mercy in this beautiful and broken world."
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The Holy Spirit makes us disciples, able to be the "Warm breath of human kindness at a time of terrible coldness and need".....

The Gospel today, from Saint John, tells us about the coming of the Holy Spirit.  It is clear that these early disciples were hiding behind closed doors, very afraid.  The coming of the Holy Spirit takes their fears away!  These original followers of Christ seem to need peace because that is the first greeting that the Lord gives to them:  "Peace be with you!" -  May we (too) know the peace of Christ in our own lives!  With peace comes the capacity to forgive the sins of others.  This forgiveness is clearly a gift of the Lord, who loves us.  This gift is given to each of us individually and also to the Church through its ministry of service.
 
At the heart of our Christian life, fear is taken away; peace and forgiveness are given to us.  May we dispel the fears of others and proclaim the peace and forgiveness given to us in Christ.
 
In the first reading, too, the disciples were (again) described as being fearful……  They were still afraid to speak publicly and to proclaim Jesus to others. Even though they knew by now that he had Risen from the dead and had Ascended to the Heavenly Father, they had to wait for the Holy Spirit to take hold of them and give them courage in the face of doubt, persecution, ridicule and rejection.  Perhaps at times, we, too, may be shy about proclaiming our faith in the Lord.  Perhaps today, we can pray for this Spirit to descend upon us and to give us renewed courage so that our faith becomes so much a part of ourselves that it comes naturally to us and makes it easier to speak of our faith in an unforced manner.
 
Our gifts are different. Each person has different gifts.  We need all the gifts that each person has so that we can continue the work of Christ in our world.  How different our world looks when we begin to recognise that each person brings his or her own gifts and that we need those gifts to live in the fullness of Jesus Christ.
 
I have my favourite quotes about the Holy Spirit…  there is something about this text that I do believe captures the truth about the power and action of the Holy Spirit in our lives…..   it is written by the brilliant Jesuit writer Karl Rahner. He writes:
"Did we ever do a kindness to a person from whom we could not expect as much of a shadow of gratitude or appreciation, while at the same time, we had not even the compensation of feeling that we had acted unselfishly or decently in doing so?  Let us look into our lives, then, and see if we can discover whether any such experience ever came our way. If we find that it did, we may be sure that the spirit was at work within us then, and eternity and ourselves had a brief encounter, that the spirit means more than an ingredient in the make-up of a transient world. That explains the remarkable lives of the saints… They know well that God's grace can also bless the dull round of daily tasks well done and bring the doers a step nearer to God…. When we Christians… experience the action of the spirit, it means that we are, in point of fact, having contact with the supernatural, although that contact may be scarcely perceptible." (Karl Rahner SJ, 1904-1984, In Belief Today, 40-41).
 
I love that quote! Because, to me, it says very powerfully (and in an example that is very 'everyday' and unexceptional) that we KNOW the Spirit is at work in our lives, especially when the love and sacrifice we show is clearly coming from a loving hand bigger than our own lives and our own limited motives and actions.
 
When we do actions that are loving and unselfish, we are deeply aware that there is a power and a loving presence at work in us that is outside of just ourselves.  ….Transcending our limitations … and not explainable by our own actions… but bigger, ……. And "of which are just a cooperating part…."

It is God, …. It is God's Spirit at work in and through us.  At work in the world.   A power of unselfish, sacrificing, love and service. Unconditional love. That is at the heart of creation.
 
Finally, we often read this text about how (after the Spirit descended) people of different languages and cultures could all hear and understand….. but what is interesting is…   the people were not speaking the same language… they were still speaking in the language of those different cultures…..  but even so… they could understand….  This is a reminder that the Spirit brings not uniformity but diversity and variety…. But we are all ONE in that diversity because the common language we speak is the language of God… and that is LOVE…..
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References:

Fr Paul W. Kelly

St Mary's College daily diary entry on the Holy Spirit;     
MISSION 2000  – PRAYING SCRIPTURE IN A CONTEMPORARY WAY. YEAR B. BY MARK LINK S.J;

"SHARING THE WORD THROUGH THE LITURGICAL YEAR." GUSTAVO GUTIERREZ;  MONASTERY OF CHRIST IN THE DESERT. ABBOT'S HOMILY.

Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 1881688891 - St. Louis, Missouri USA - April 15, 2019. Close Up of the Pentecost Mosaic in the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis with the apostles and Mary of Nazareth engulfed by the flames of the Holy Spirit. Important information. Editorial Use Only. Photo Contributor: Teresa Otto

Pentecost Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year A (Sunday, May 28, 2023) (EPISODE- 422)

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
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{{Happy Pentecost to you all.  This is such a wonderful feast day, celebrating the birthday of the Church...   when, as promised, Our Lord Sent the Holy Spirit from his Heavenly Father... to fall upon the apostles and ensure Christ's presence is in and among his followers of every generation...  giving fruitfulness to all we do and say in the name of Christ.. and carrying on Christ's work in us all...    Peace and Goodness to you all}}
my brothers and sisters, to prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries, let us call to mind our sins.
Lord Jesus, you have revealed yourself as the way to the Father: Lord, have mercy.
You have poured out on your people the Spirit of truth: Christ, have mercy
You are the Good Shepherd, leading us to eternal life: Lord, have mercy.

May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.  Amen.
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Memorial Acclamation
2. When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we proclaim your Death, O Lord, until you come again.
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PREFACE: Pentecost
Eucharistic Prayer III
Communion side.  pwk:  LH
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{Thanks, everyone -   With today's feast of Pentecost.. this brings our easter season to a close... and ordinary time resumes from this Monday......   with the very fitting new Feastday of Mary the Mother of the Church....      , and have a grace-filled and compassion-filled week. And may God continue to bless and protect us all.

Go forth. The Mass is ended. Alleluia alleluia.
 
 
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Archive of homilies and reflections:  http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul, please email:  paulwkelly68@gmail.com

To listen to the weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here.
NB - It is often a week or so Ahead:  https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks


Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:
"Faith, Hope and Love - Christian worship and reflection"  - Led by Rev Paul Kelly

Prayers and chants  — Roman Missal, 3rd edition, © 2010, The International Commission on English in the liturgy. (ICEL)

Scriptures - New Revised Standard Version: © 1989, and 2009 by the NCC-USA. (National Council of Churches of Christ - USA)

"The Psalms" ©1963, 2009, The Grail - Collins publishers. 

 

The Pentecost Sequence.  Australian Lectionary for the Mass,  1969, 1981

Prayers of the Faithful -   " Together we pray" by Robert Borg'.   E.J. Dwyer, Publishers, (1993) . (Sydney Australia).

Sung "Mass In Honour of St. Ralph Sherwin" -  By Jeffrey M. Ostrowski. The ….Gloria, copyright 2011 ccwatershed.org.  

-Come Holy Spirit Hymn: inspired by the Hymn by  Rabanus Maurus (9th century). Music by Paul W. Kelly. Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2020. Sound effects by Mark DiAngelo,

May God bless and keep you. 

Our Lady Help Of Christians. (Patroness of Australia). (Weekday Solemnity) May 25th, YEAR A

Our Lady Help Of Christians  May 25^th 
Mass of the Solemnity, Gloria, Creed

Preface of the Blessed Virgin Mary I

Readings:  
Sirach 4:11-18; 
Ps 112:1-8 R. Blessed be the name of the Lord forever.
1 Corinthians 1:18-25;
Alleluia, alleluia! Happy are you, O blessed Virgin Mary; without dying you won the martyr's crown beside the cross of the Lord. Alleluia!
John 19:25-27

Image Credit: Mary Help of Christians Statue in  St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney Australia. From the website,   www.stmaryscathedral.org.au.
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Please listen to my audio recordings of the readings, prayers and reflections for the Solemnity in Australia of Our Lady Help of Christians. By clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-solemnity-of-mary-help-of-christians-year-a-2023-master

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In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
{{Kindness and grace to you all}}

On this special (feast of) Our Lady Help Of Christians
My brothers and sisters, trusting in God's mercy and love let us call to mind our sins.

Lord Jesus, you affirm Mary, as the mother of Mercy. Lord have mercy.
You honour her as the mother of good counsel. Christ have mercy.
You present her to us as Help of all Christians. Lord have mercy.

May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
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Memorial Acclamation
2. When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we proclaim your Death, O Lord, until you come again.
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PREFACE:  Preface I of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  
Euch.Prayer:  II

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Dismissal:
Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.
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Prologue: The Virgin Mary has often been invoked in times of religious strife under the title of Help of Christians. In thanksgiving for the release of Pope Pius VII from captivity in 1814, the feast was established the following year on the anniversary of his restoration. The first Australian provincial synod held in Sydney in 1844 placed the Church in Australia under Mary's patronage invoked by the title Help of Christians. The solemn feast is an occasion to seek Mary's help and protection for our Church and nation.

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HOMILY:
MARY HELP OF CHRISTIANS HOMILY
There are two inscriptions from the first centuries of Christianity in Greek related to the Virgin Mary: θεοτοκος, (Teotokos, Theotokos, Mother of God) and βοηθεια (Boetheia, the Helper). SO Help of Christians is one of the very earliest of titles for Mary.
Asking for the intercession of Mary as Help of Christians is part of the oldest prayer addressed directly to Mary, the Sub tuum praesidium, which was found on a papyrus dating, at the latest, from the end of the 3rd century. 
Saint John Chrysostom used this Marian title in year 345 as a devotion to the Virgin Mary. 
Saint Don Bosco also strongly and fruitfully promoted Marian devotion under this title throughout his order which became a world-wide ministry….
How fitting, when we see Mary's life portrayed in the gospels…  what a perfect intercessor, who knows all too well hardship and suffering.
Her trust, humility and complete faith in God as she said yes to what God was asking of her in her life.
The arduous journey to visit and care for her cousin Elizabeth
Her journey as a refugee with Joseph and Our Lord.. to Egypt..
Her pain at losing Jesus in the temple for three days..  when he was twelve.. and her pondering all these things in her heart..
He disciple and mother of Christ..  equally.
The sword of sorrow that pierced her heart through her life
Her trust in and intercession to her son at the wedding in cana…  concerned for the good of her hosts….
Her discipleship
Her faithfulness at the foot of the cross…  bearing the indescribable pain of her son's suffering and death.
Her presence in prayer and faith with the apostles at Pentecost.

The infant church in Australia had a special reason for turning to Mary. No priests were sent to the colony in its early days and Mass was not allowed except for one brief year until 1820. It was largely the Rosary, and strong devotion to Mary, in those early days that kept the faith alive.
Catholic Australia remained faithful to Mary and was the first nation to choose her under the title Help of Christians, as principal Patroness.
Mary Help of Christians both intercedes for us and inspires us in these trying times.
Also, even to this day, Australia is highly secularized and still we see signs at times of a concerning and deep anti-Catholic sentiment, that comes bursting out at unexpected times and in unfortunate ways….   . We need to invoke Help of Christians  to pray for and ask the Lord to transform any hardened hearts, headstrong… hearts and minds.
St Mary's Cathedral, In Sydney, New South Wales, was dedicated in her honour by the Irish pioneer priest, Fr John Therry, who arrived in Sydney in 1820 and assumed responsibility for the planning and initial construction of the Cathedral.

When Australia became the first country to have Mary Help of Christians as Patroness, it became the first country to have a mother-cathedral under the same title.

The statue of Mary, Help of Christians, stands in the Chapel of the Sacred Heart in the Cathedral of St Mary's Sydney.
The Church has traditionally focussed on two aspects of Our Lady's help on this feast day.
Firstly, upon the role of Our Lady's intercession in the fight against sin in the life of a believer.
Secondly, Our Lady is one who assists Christians as a community, through her intercession, in fighting against anti-Christian values and principles.
In the Opening Prayer for Our Lady Help of Christians, we rightly (and in heartfelt determination), prayed that through Our Lady's intercession God will "grant wisdom to our leaders and integrity to our citizens", so that "under her protection Australia may be granted harmony, justice and peace". This is longed for and treasured more than ever before.
Mary Help of Christians is not only the patroness of Australia but also the Australian Military Ordinariate

And the following prayer is quite fitting…. 
Almighty God, deepen in our hearts
our love of Mary Help of Christians.
Through her prayers and under her protection,
may the light of Christ shine over our land.
May Australia be granted harmony, justice and peace.
Grant wisdom to our leaders and integrity to our citizens.
Bless especially the men and women
of the Australian Defence Force and their families.
We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen.
Mary Help of Christians, pray for us.
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References:
Fr Paul W. Kelly

From- Catholic Weekly  2012:  https://www.catholicweekly.com.au/24-may-our-lady-help-of-christians/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Help_of_Christians
Gabriel Chow   in https://sacrosancta.blogspot.com/2019/06/australia-and-our-lady-help-of-christians.html

Image Credit: Mary Help of Christians statue  in  St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney Australia. From website,   www.stmaryscathedral.org.au.
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Archive of homilies and reflections: http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul, please email: paulwkelly68@gmail.com

To listen to my weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here.
https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks


Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:
"Faith, Hope and Love - Christian worship and reflection" - Led by Rev Paul Kelly

Prayers and chants — Roman Missal, 3rd edition, © 2010, The International Commission on English in the liturgy. (ICEL)

Scriptures - New Revised Standard Version: © 1989, and 2009 by the NCC-USA. (National Council of Churches of Christ - USA)

"The Psalms" ©1963, 2009, The Grail - Collins publishers.

Prayers of the Faithful - " Together we pray" by Robert Borg'. E.J. Dwyer, Publishers, (1993) . (Sydney Australia).

Sung "Mass In Honour of St. Ralph Sherwin" - By Jeffrey M. Ostrowski. The Gloria. Copyright © 2011 ccwatershed.org.

Hymn – "Rainfall – Mother of  Mercy." Music by Paul W. Kelly. 1994, 2021. Words adapted by Paul W. Kelly, based on the Traditional Salve Regina Hymn. Arranged & with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2021. https://www.airgigs.com/user/stefankelk

Marian Hymn -   "Salve Regina Mater Misericordiae." (Traditional 11th Century). Melody: Mainz (1712), Hymn #783 - Brébeuf Hymnal. From https://www.ccwatershed.org/hymn/

[ Production - KER - 2023]

May God bless and keep you.