Spiritual Motherhood: In the care of my holy Mother

May 8
“I have placed you in the care of my holy Mother, as a deposit in trust, so that she may fashion you according to my pattern.”
-Jesus to St. Margaret Mary Alocoque
Today’s Reflection
Read Psalm 139: 13-16. Consider the way a baby is “fashioned” by God in the womb of its mother. Now, think of God fashioning you in this way spiritually within the heart of Mary according to the pattern of His Son. Why is Mary the perfect “place” for us to be entrusted? What would mark the maternal care she would provide for those given to her by her Son?

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Spiritual Motherhood: At the annunciation

May 7
“When at the annunciation the Most Blessed Virgin gave the consent which was expected by the Eternal Word before becoming her Son, she from that moment asked our salvation of God with intense ardor, and took it to heart in such a way that from that moment, as a most loving mother,
she bore us in her womb.”
-St. Bernardine of Siena
Today’s Reflection
Ponder this statement in reference to the past three Grace Lines. Ponder it in reference to yourself. What emotions does it excite in you? What insights does it provoke? How does it affect your understanding of Mary’s love for you, uniquely and specifically? Consider her selfless love. In what one way can you begin to love like this today?

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Speak Lord, I am Listening

By waiting and by calm you shall be saved, in quiet and in trust shall be your strength. (Is. 30:15)

God is never heard as a clanging gong nor a clanging cymbal. God speaks the language of silence, almost in a whisper. He can be heard in our prayer time in the quiet of our hearts. To those whose ear is attuned to His wisdom, He can be heard amid the noise of this world, loud and clear even when there is dead silence.

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Spiritual Motherhood: God the Father

May 6

“God the Father wishes to have children by Mary till the consummation
of the world…”

-St. Louis Grignion de Montfort, True Devotion, 29

 

Today’s Reflection

As the sister of Jesus Christ, Mary is your mother through the action of the Holy Spirit by God’s holy design. To what extent does this apply to every person who has ever had life and every person who will ever have life? Think of the person who causes you the most suffering. Consider this person in light of this understanding. What is your response?


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Should Catholics Watch Hallmark’s “Good Witch” Series?

AL writes: “A friend of mine watches a tv series on Hallmark channel called “Good Witch,” and she doesn’t understand why I’ve chosen not to watch it. She thinks it’s just because it has the word “witch” in the title, but I’ve tried to explain to her that it’s more than that, that the show seems to have a connection to the New Age cult and that, even if the magic in the show really is harmless, I would rather watch something else just to be safe. I’ve also researched the show a lot and what alarms me is that there a lot of witch blogs where the witches…that they love the show because it portrays witches as good, ordinary people. So, my question for you is, do you believe that we, as Catholics, should not watch ‘Good Witch?’ And if so, what are your reasons for it?”

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Spiritual Motherhood: The most pure womb of Mary

May 5

“Although in the most pure womb of Mary there was but one grain of corn, which was Jesus Christ, yet it is called a heap of wheat because all the elect were virtually contained in it.”

-St. Ambrose

 

Today’s Reflection

Consider St. Ambrose’s statement. By virtue of her conception of Jesus Christ, explain how you were, in a sense, “spiritually conceived in Mary” at the moment of the Annunciation? (For more insight, meditate on Eph. 1:4.) What is your interior response to this reality? Journal your insights.


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A Pseudo-Science Known as Splankna

DW asks: “Are you familiar with Splankna? It would fall under the general category of ‘Energy Psychology’ and uses three protocols: Neuro-Emotional Technique (N.E.T.), Thought Field Therapy (T.F.T.), and E.M.D.R. (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). Because the basis of this approach uses the ‘Meridian System of Energy,’ does it possess the same issues as Reiki and other new age healing modalities?”

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Spiritual Motherhood: If Jesus Christ

May 4
“If Jesus Christ, the Head of men, is born in [Mary], then the predestinate, who are the members of that Head, ought also to be born in her by a necessary consequence. One and the same mother does not bring forth into the world the head without the members… So in like manner in the order of grace, the head and the members are born of one and the same mother.”
-St. Louis Grignion de Montfort, True Devotion, 32
Today’s Reflection
St. Louis de Montfort uses the term “predestinate” and Paragraph 62 from Lumen Gentium makes reference to “the elect.” Read Paragraphs #600, #2782, #2823 in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. How have you been predestined by God in Jesus Christ? In light of this, explain in your own words how it is that Mary is our spiritual mother according to St. Louis de Montfort. Ponder all of this. To what extent does this enlarge your understanding of yourself? Of Mary? Of God’s love for you?

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