Sunday, November 25, 2012

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

"Our Prayer" to Our Lady: written by my mom in 1940

My sister Buzzy gave me my mom's diary on my wedding day. While thumbing through it this evening on the day of the Presentation of Our Lady, I was struck by this entry, written in 1940.

"Our Prayer"


Oh, Virgin Pure

Oh, Virgin Fair
Sweet Mary, lily white,

Keep us in thy loving care.
Protect us, day and night.

Watch o'er us when
The days are dark
With life's great trouble
And strife.

Keep within us
A burning spark
A Love for eternal life.

Keep vigil, sweetest Mother dear
When Satan aims his arrow of sin
Coat our souls with an armor of fear
Of Hell's precocious din.

Please give us thy helping hand
When we stumble
In erring way.
Deliver us from the Devil's snare;
Protect us, we humbly pray.

Saturday, November 03, 2012

3 Days of Adoration, Prayer, Fasting: 2012 Elections

The inspiration for 3 days of fasting and prayer is found in the Book of Esther. Queen Esther, when informed of the possible annihilation of her people, called for a three day fast prior to her interceding with the king on behalf of her people.

Mary has been likened to Esther as she continually intercedes with the King of kings on our behalf. The nation has been entrusted to her under the title of Immaculate Conception. Let us ask her to pray with us and for us that we, as a people, will choose life.

"Who knows but that it was a time like this that you obtained the royal dignity?" (Esther 4:14)

Many thanks to my friends at Missionaries of the Blessed Sacrament for this prayer.

Prayer for Our Country

O Most Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Mercy, at this most critical time, we entrust the United States of America to your loving care. Most Holy Mother, we beg you to reclaim this land for the glory of your Son.

Overwhelmed with the burden of the sins of our nation, we cry to you from the depths of our hears and seek refuge in your motherly protection. Look down with mercy upon us and touch the hearts of our people.

Open our minds to the great worth of human life and to the responsibilities that accompany human freedom.

Free us from the falsehoods that lead to the evil of abortion and threaten the sanctity of family life.

Grant our country the wisdom to proclaim that God's law is the foundation on which this nation was founded, and that He alone is the True Source of our cherished rights to live, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

O Merciful Mother, give us the courage to reject the culture of death and the strength to build a new Culture of Life.

"...I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live." (Deuteronomy 30:19)