A Concord Pastor Comments: Praying 10 Minutes A Day: Fourth Week/Saturday

Image: Conception Abbey

I'll repost this litany on each Saturday of Lent.

Which of the names or titles for Mary in this Litany captures your mind's and heart's attention? I think the one that touches me this week is, "Mother who endures our sorrows,..." Especially in the the last days and hours of Jesus' life, Mary encountered her Son's pain and her own Mother's pain in seeing his... My ministry often brings me to meeting with others who share their pain...

Which name or title for Mary in the Litany captures your minds' and heart's attention?

Bring that name and how it reaches you to your 10 minutes of prayer today...

Sit in silence with the Lord, and with his Mother... Be still and know that he is with you... Be still and know that she is with you...

In this season of Lent when we contemplate the suffering and death of Jesus, let us to draw close to his Mother, Mary, whose own suffering and witness of her Son's passion was more than we can imagine.

As she stood by her Son in his suffering, so does she stand with us in our own hours of need...

A Marianist Litany to Mary

Holy Mary,
pray for us!
Mother of God,
Mother of our redemption,
Mother of a lost child,
Mother of comfort and understanding,
Mother who shares our joys,
Mother who endures our sorrows,
Mother whose heart was pierced by a sword,
Mother most merciful,

Woman responsive to God's word,
pray for us!
Woman willing to believe the impossible,
Woman who rejoices in her lowliness,
Woman with an undivided heart,
Woman of perfect freedom,
Woman wrapped in mystery,
Woman moved by the Spirit,
Woman champion of the poor and lowly,
Woman graced by a husband's love,
Woman widowed by a husband's death,
Woman at the cross,
Woman patient and waiting,
Woman clothed with the sun,

Queen of the fullness of times,
pray for us!
Queen of beauty unalloyed,
Queen of integrity,
Queen of painful meetings,
Queen of all our heart's treasure,
Queen of our destiny,
Queen of peace,

Mary, you are mother and virgin,
wife and widow,
peasant and queen,
blessed for all time.

We need the comfort of your prayers.
Remember us always to our Father through your Son, Jesus Christ,
who is our Lord for ever and ever.
Amen.

- Rev. Joseph H. Lackner, S.M.