In the Name of Mary: Lord God, help!

If I were able to do so daily, it would be possible to catalog daily the numerous victories Our Blessed Mother Mary has delivered to the hands of her children over the years, I’d be writing until my death and there’d yet be more to write. She is the Triumphant Leader!

Today’s feast is an optional feast of the Holy Name of Mary. Although the feast originated in Spain, it wasn’t until 150 years and the leadership of Poland to put Mary at the front of a decisive battle that the Pope elevated this feast as a universal sign of Mary’s VICTORY! Explains Fr. Kubicki, S.J.:

Today’s feast of the Holy Name of Mary was first celebrated in Spain in 1513 but was extended to the whole Church as an act of thanksgiving by Pope Innocent XI. What was he thankful for? The victory of Christians forces over the Turkish army which had besieged the city of Vienna for two months. Pope Innocent XI had appealed to the leaders of Europe to come to the aid of Vienna and on August 15, 1683, King Jan Sobieski of Poland, answered the call and brought together their armies. On the way to Vienna, he and the army that began to gather, stopped in Czestochowa and prayed before the image of Our Lady that is there. Marching toward Vienna, the army prayed the rosary and the king gave them for their battle cry “In the Name of Mary: Lord God, help!”

via Offer It Up: Holy Name of Mary.

On this feast, ask yourself:  do you commend and consecrate your troubles to Mary’s aid?

Fr. Hardon, when speaking on true devotion to Mary, had some good points, that perhaps will inspire you to do something good for you Mother Mary today:

What you who are consecrating yourselves to Our Lady should expect is to obtain from her the habitual attitude of complete dependence on her in our whole life and in everything that we think and do.

What does it mean to be consecrated to Mary? It means, as Saint Louis de Montfort made plain—to give oneself to Mary as the one on whom we totally depend because she better than anyone else understands the mind and will of Jesus. It therefore means, Christ understands what good works we perform. He knows what reward we deserve. But one who consecrates him or herself to Mary without telling Christ what to do, tells His mother, “Mary I leave it up to you”. Consecration to Mary means a life of complete dependence on Mary’s providential care. Let me assure you, it is as a safe thing to do.

Mary, during her Son’s visible stay on earth took care of Him from the moment she conceived Him until He left this earth to go to His Heavenly Father. In the deepest sense of the verb, Mary cared for Jesus.

What does consecration to Our Lady mean? It means that I entrust myself, listen, as completely as we may be sure Jesus entrusted Himself to her motherly care. And He could trust His mother. Let’s be honest, so can we.

Finally, consecration to Mary means confiding in Mary. Sharing with Mary one’s thoughts and desires, and I should add one’s fears.

Consecration to Mary means (let me tell the three of you) it means talking to Mary. Let me change the sentence. It means talking with Mary. You never talk to Mary—hear it—without her talking, shall I say, back to you.

Consecration to Mary means not only loving Mary, but telling her in the deepest sense in which these three monosyllables can be used; “I love you!” And in saying these words all that we are doing is what we are sure Jesus, many times, how many times, in plain simple Aramaic told his mother, I love you.

Lets close with a prayer:

Mary, Mother of Jesus, Mother of God, Mary our mother,  first dear mother, grant those who consecrate themselves to your Immaculate Heart may follow your directives all the days of their life. May they always do what Jesus tells them to do. And help us dear Mother, help us to remain faithful to your Son so that by obeying Him and loving you we might possess Him and you in that everlasting consecration to Jesus through you for which we were made. Amen. 

This article, In the Name of Mary: Lord God, help! is a post from The Bellarmine Forum.
https://bellarmineforum.org/in-the-name-of-mary-lord-god-help/
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