Feast of Holy Mother of God
Luke 1:39-56
[39] At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, [40] where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth. [41] When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. [42] In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! [43] But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? [44] As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. [45] Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"
[46] And Mary said:
"My soul glorifies the Lord
[47] and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
[48] for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
[49] for the Mighty One has done great things for me --
holy is his name.
[50] His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
[51] He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
[52] He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
[53] He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
[54] He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
[55] to Abraham and his descendants forever,
even as he said to our fathers."
[56] Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
[39] At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, [40] where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth. [41] When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. [42] In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! [43] But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? [44] As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. [45] Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"
[46] And Mary said:
"My soul glorifies the Lord
[47] and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
[48] for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
[49] for the Mighty One has done great things for me --
holy is his name.
[50] His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
[51] He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
[52] He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
[53] He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
[54] He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
[55] to Abraham and his descendants forever,
even as he said to our fathers."
[56] Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
Our Lady of Velankanni
“VAILANKANNI”
OUR LADY OF HEALTH
In India, the Shrine Basilica of ‘Our Lady of Health' majestically stands on the East Coast, and is located 150 miles south of Madras in Tamil Nadu and 5 miles south of Nagapattinam. Our lady of Good Health, popularly called "Our Lady of Vailankanni is in the small town of Vailankanni (5000 residents). The church is very well known as the ‘Lourdes of the East'. Wondrous legends surround the church-the most famous being that of the ship-wrecked Portuguese sailors, who in the 16th century, vowed to build a great shrine for the Virgin Mary, for saving their lives in a terrible storm. they built a small permanent chapel on their return trip. On subsequent visits they improved on it. The merchants dedicated the chapel to Our Lady on September 8th to celebrate the feast of her nativity and to mark the date of their safe landing to Vailankanni. Today, the celebration of this feast is an annual festival which lasts for 9 (starts from August 29th and ends on September 8th) days and draws more than a million and a half pilgrims. Vailankanni attracts more pilgrims than any other sacred shrine in India. Not only do multitudes of Catholic travel there throughout the year but many non-Christians visit as well. Holy mass, blessing of the sick with the statue of ‘Our Lady of Health' will be conducted at the main shrine. High mass in Tamil, Marathi, English, Konkani, Malayalam, Telugu and Hindi will be conducted in the Basilica from morning till evening and Holy Mass in Tamil at Our Lady's Tank at 6 a.m. during the festival days.
Hundreds of miraculous cures are reported every year. Our lady chose this place to dispense her miracles to mankind. A strong oral tradition attests to Our Lady's apparitions at Vailankanni (Velankanni). The tradition is built around the following three significant events:
Hundreds of miraculous cures are reported every year. Our lady chose this place to dispense her miracles to mankind. A strong oral tradition attests to Our Lady's apparitions at Vailankanni (Velankanni). The tradition is built around the following three significant events:
First Apparition of St. Mary : During the sixteenth century (around 1560), Our Lady with her infant son appeared to a Hindu boy carrying milk. A young shepherd boy was asked to fetch some milk for his master. On the return trip, he stopped to rest under a tree near a pond. He was awakened from his slumber by a vision of the Blessed Virgin with the infant Jesus in her arms. She smiled at the boy and asked him for some of his milk for the Divine Child. After the Child drank, Our Lady smiled at the boy and the vision faded. Returning with little milk, the boy's master did not believe his story until the lid was taken off the milk jug and it miraculously began to run over with milk. After this, the pond where the vision took place became a popular place of worship and was known as "Our Lady's Tank".
Second Apparition of St. Mary : Towards the end of 16th century, Our Lady appeared again. This time she appeared to the lame son of a widow, who supported his mother selling buttermilk. One day, while he was selling his goods, the Blessed Virgin appeared to the boy with the Child Jesus in her arms. Both were enveloped in the brightest light. She asked the boy for a cup of buttermilk. Upon receiving the cup, the Queen of Heaven gave it to her Infant Son and asked Him to heal the boy's legs. She then told the boy to visit a wealthy gentleman who lived in another town and ask him to build a shrine in her honor on that very place. Just as the boy was about to protest that his infirmity made it impossible for him to travel, Our Lady commanded him to get up and walk. He then realized that his withered legs had regained their strength and motion. He immediately went to see the gentleman. Upon arriving the gentleman received him warmly and immediately complied with Our Lady's wishes. He had received the same message in a dream the previous night. He had a simple chapel built on the same spot where the Basilica stands today.
Third and the most famous Apparition of St. Mary : In the 17th century, when Our Merciful Mother rescued a few Portuguese merchant sailors from a violent storm, which wrecked their ship.
The Miracle that took place during ‘tsunami' : This brings us to December 26, 2004, when the terrifying ‘tsunami' wrought destruction throughout the coastlines of southern Asia. The town of Vailankanni was not spared the destruction. However, as the waves engulfed the town, a Mass was taking place in the shrine with 2,000 pilgrims in attendance. Although, it left the entire town in shambles, killing thousands, the deadly waters did not enter the shrine, and everyone present was spared. According to the BBC, the shrine was the only building to escape the devastation. Perhaps the most extraordinary aspect is that buildings on the same elevation, further inshore were destroyed, while those inside the shrine remained entirely dry. Basilica officials did not hesitate to call the event miraculous.
VIRGIN MARY BLESS US
Second Apparition of St. Mary : Towards the end of 16th century, Our Lady appeared again. This time she appeared to the lame son of a widow, who supported his mother selling buttermilk. One day, while he was selling his goods, the Blessed Virgin appeared to the boy with the Child Jesus in her arms. Both were enveloped in the brightest light. She asked the boy for a cup of buttermilk. Upon receiving the cup, the Queen of Heaven gave it to her Infant Son and asked Him to heal the boy's legs. She then told the boy to visit a wealthy gentleman who lived in another town and ask him to build a shrine in her honor on that very place. Just as the boy was about to protest that his infirmity made it impossible for him to travel, Our Lady commanded him to get up and walk. He then realized that his withered legs had regained their strength and motion. He immediately went to see the gentleman. Upon arriving the gentleman received him warmly and immediately complied with Our Lady's wishes. He had received the same message in a dream the previous night. He had a simple chapel built on the same spot where the Basilica stands today.
Third and the most famous Apparition of St. Mary : In the 17th century, when Our Merciful Mother rescued a few Portuguese merchant sailors from a violent storm, which wrecked their ship.
The Miracle that took place during ‘tsunami' : This brings us to December 26, 2004, when the terrifying ‘tsunami' wrought destruction throughout the coastlines of southern Asia. The town of Vailankanni was not spared the destruction. However, as the waves engulfed the town, a Mass was taking place in the shrine with 2,000 pilgrims in attendance. Although, it left the entire town in shambles, killing thousands, the deadly waters did not enter the shrine, and everyone present was spared. According to the BBC, the shrine was the only building to escape the devastation. Perhaps the most extraordinary aspect is that buildings on the same elevation, further inshore were destroyed, while those inside the shrine remained entirely dry. Basilica officials did not hesitate to call the event miraculous.
VIRGIN MARY BLESS US
Mother Mary has a very special and important part in our faith. The virgin who did not for a second hesitate to bear the Son of God knowing that she was engaged and she would be stoned by the society. She bears an example to all of us to be strong in faith in face of persecutions.
ReplyDeleteThe virgin ,who conceived the Incarnation of Creator Himself in her womb, not even for a second demanded royalty. The humble Mother bore her Son in a manger amongst cattle.
She knew from the second of Annunciation the suffering her Son would endure in the hands of men. But she bore that all in her heart. Simeon's word during circumcision pierced a sword in the heart of Our Mother. But she, engulfing all that sorrow did not try to lead Jesus away from God to protect Him like any mother would do. But She did the hardest thing ,by giving up her Son for the glory of God and for the Salvation of sinners.
Probably one of the most important incidents in the Bible is wedding at Cana, the first miracle Jesus performed. Mother Mary told her Son that the people ran out of wine. Jesus said His hour not yet come, but obeyed His mother by turning water into wine. This shows the powerful intercession of Our Mother Mary.
During Crucifixion Mother Mary stood under Jesus' cross with a heavy heart. No mother could bear such a sight. Jesus' words, " Behold your Mother" was not only directed to St.John but also to everyone of us in this world.
Mother Mary is divine because she received a Grace that no other women will ever get. She was the Immaculate Conception.
Mother Mary Pray for us!
Mother Mary is the ark of the covenant , who bore the "word"son of God.
ReplyDeleteThrough out the past century, Mother Mary has been appearing in various places of the world asking people to pray, so the past century is called as a Marian century.
Mother Mary is a apostle, who silently followed her Son's mission. She directed the people in Cannon wedding to do what ever Jesus asked them to do and she was present with apostles during Pentecost.