Memorare

Today I'm gonna do the "Memorare". I've been reading a book by St Alphonsis ligouri (one of my favorite Saints!) called "The Glories of Mary". I have an abridged version, but it is an incredible  book and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to change, want to learn more about Mary and her relationship with God, or wants to be helped in some way, such as reduction of temptations. 

And now, our feature presentation…

Remember, oh most Gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known, that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession was left unaided.

Mary wants to help us. We are her children. Remember when Jesus was on the cross, he looked down at His Mother and his disciple (John) and said to His Mother "Behold thy son" and to the disciple (John) "Behold thy Mother"? That's when Mary became our mother, and she loves us with more love than any mother on earth ever could. You'll see where I'm going here. Anyways, like any good mother, she wants the best for us. When you pray to Mary, you are certain to have you prayer fulfilled. Mary will pray for you to her Son, to God, and since she is His mother (as we learn in the above mentioned book. Please read it!) He will grant it as a favor to Mary. Not to mention that all graces pass from God, through Mary's hands to get to us (also in the above book).

Inspired by this confidence, we fly unto thee, o Virgin of Virgins our Mother! To thee do we come, before thee we stand, sinful and sorrowful.

Since we have learned that Mary is in God's favor, and that He will answer her requests, why should we not fly unto her, like little children running to their mother when something scares them, or hurts them, or when they are sorry for something. Why should we not ask for her protection and prayers, if we are so certain of being protected and prayed for!?

Oh Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not our petitions, but in thy mercy, hear and answer them. Amen. 

Mary is the Mother of Jesus, the Word incarnate. Here humble ourselves to implore that she may take our requests and in her mercy, for God has made her merciful, to hear them, and answer them. 

Again, I highly recommend you read "The Glories of Mary"! It has helped me understand so much more about who Mary is, what her relationship with God is, what she can do for us, and much more. 

9/11

Remember 9/11,
The day the twins were felled.
The flames rose high,
the smoke rose higher,
thousands of people were killed.

Remember the tears the were shed that day,
of children who lost a parent.
Remember the mourning wails of wives,
who that day lost their husbands.
Remember the panic, the terror and fear,
that in the air was imminent.

Remember the Compassion of Firefighters,
Police officers and others.
The plunged among the burning flames,
They went and risked their lives,
to come to the aid of the burning people,
 to the aid of those trapped inside.

Remember the gasp of the nation,
And the panic that then ensued.
Remember the great uncertainty,
and the grief that hence pursued.

Remember to pray for the people,
who lost a loved one that day.
Remember to pray for every soul,
whose bodies lost life that way.
For every person who joined in grief,
everyone who shed a tear.
For all the selfless rescuers,
who stood up to the fear.

Prayer for the ones who lost a relative,
a friend,  pray for them all!
Pray for those who lost a piece of their hearts,
when they got that last phone call.

Pray for those who sent the planes.
God grant them a change of heart!
Oh please Lord, Rescue them!
please save them from this deed.

Pray for all affected that day,
by the events that we call 9/11.
Pray for the people who died that day,
May Eternal light shine upon them.

The our Father

 Today I'm going to do the Our Father, or the Lord's Prayer.

Our Father, who art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy name 

God the Father is, well, our Father! In an adoptive sort of way. "Art" basically means are, so when we say "Who art in Heaven, we are pretty much saying "Who is in Heaven" therefore, we are attesting to the fact that God is in Heaven. Hallowed mean Holy. God is so Holy, that even His name is Holy! Our human minds are incapable of fathoming how great His Holiness is. 

Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, On earth, as it is in Heaven.

When we say "Thy Kingdom come" I am honestly not sure if we are just acknowledging the fact that God's Kingdom is coming, or if we are, in a sense, Welcoming it. Maybe both. We are Also basically telling God that we want His will to be done like it is in Heaven. Which means we want what He wants to be done, done, and we want it done perfectly, like it should be, and is being done in Heaven. 

Give us this day our Daily Bread,

Here we are asking God to supply for our needs. I think we may also be asking Him to give us our spiritual bread (The Eucharist) as well as our physical bread (food)

And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.

Here we are asking God to forgive us, like we forgive others. It is debated on wither or not a person holding a grudge should say this prayer because of this particular line.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Here, we are not implying that God leads us to temptation. He allows us to be tempted, but He doesn't do the tempting. We are simply asking Him to lead us away from the temptations, and deliver us from evil. 

In Mass, it is added at the end:

For the Kingdom, The power, and the Glory are yours, now and forever.

Here we are attesting that The Kingdom belongs to God. All power belongs to God. All Glory belongs to God. They are His now, and will be forever. 

The Hail Mary

I don't have much time for a long  post right now, so this week I'm going with a shorter prayer; The Hail Mary.

Hail Mary, Full of Grace, The Lord is with thee. 

We Hail Mary, because she is queen of Heaven. She is full of grace, because she never sinned. The Lord is with her, because The Lord was born of her, and she is now in Heaven with Him. 

Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit if thy womb, Jesus.

Mary is blessed among women, because God chose her, out of all the women on earth he could have chosen. He made her special, He protected her from the stain of original sin which everyone else is born with. 

Jesus is the "Fruit of her womb". He is blessed above all, the Son of God and The word made flesh. 

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. 

We Mary the "Mother of God" because she was Jesus' mother. Jesus is God, so that makes Mary the "Mother of God". Here, we ask her to pray for all of us, who are sinners, now and when we die. Mary is a great intercessor for us in Heaven.