Thursday, October 27, 2016

Mary, Undoer of Knots

 
 
 
Painting by Johann Georg Melchior Schmidtner
 
St. Irenaeus of Lyons wrote in his work, Adversus haereses, that "the knot of Eve's disobedience was loosed by the obedience of Mary. For what the virgin Eve had bound fast through unbelief, this did the virgin Mary set free through faith."
 
In 1989, in Styria, Austria, the first chapel was dedicated to Mary, the Undoer of Knots, in response to the nuclear accident in Chernobyl, Russia.
 
Pope Francis has inspired increased devotion, especially in Argentina and Brazil. A nine day novena can be performed by adding the rosary when saying the following prayer:
 
O Virgin Mary, faithful Mother who never refuses
to come to the aid of your children;
Mother whose hands never cease to help,
because they are moved by the loving kindness
that exists in your Immaculate Heart;
Cast your eyes of compassion upon me,
and see the snarl of knots that exist in my life.
 
You know all the pains and sorrows
caused by these tangled knots.
Mary, my Mother, I entrust to your loving hands
the entire ribbon of my life.
In your hands there is no knot
which cannot be undone.
 
Most holy Mother,
pray for Divine Assistance to come to my aid.
Take this knot (make your personal request here)
into your maternal hands this day;
I beg you to undo it for the glory of God,
once and for all,
in the name of your divine Son, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
 
Dawn Pisturino
Copyright 2016 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.
 


 

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

The Angelus


Artwork by Jean Francois Millet

"The Angelus"

V.  The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary,

R.  And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.

      Hail Mary, full of Grace . . .


V.  Behold the handmaid of the Lord.

R.  Be it done unto me according to Thy word.

      Hail Mary, full of Grace . . .


V.  And the Word was made flesh.

R.  And dwelt among us.

      Hail Mary, full of grace . . .


V.  Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God.

R.  That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.


Let us pray.  Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts, that we to whom the Incarnation of Christ, thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross, be brought to the glory of His Resurrection.
Through the same Christ Our Lord.

Amen.
 
The Angelus prayer developed over several centuries into its present form and is traditionally recited at 6 am, 12 noon, and 6 pm. In some places, it is accompanied by a bell. This wonderful Marian devotion reminds us that Mary said "Yes!" when the Angel Gabriel delivered God's request that she become the mother of His Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
Dawn Pisturino



Thursday, August 6, 2015

Meditations on the Luminous Mysteries


Pope John Paul II introduced the Luminous Mysteries in October 2002. I learned the Rosary before the Luminous Mysteries were introduced, so I have posted them last.
 
 
1. The Baptism in the Jordan
 
Water. Rebirth. The moment John the Baptist baptized Jesus, Jesus was transformed into the messenger of God and the Savior of Mankind. May we also cleanse our lives of impurities and walk in the light of God.


2.  The Wedding at Cana

Jesus' first miracle was performed at the request of his mother, Mary. And it is here, at the wedding of Cana, that Jesus' ministry began. Let us look for ways to perform good deeds in our own everyday lives.

 
3.  The Proclamation of the Kingdom
 
The miracles that Jesus performed during his lifetime are only a small portion of what God will give us in heaven.
 
4.  The Transfiguration
 
God revealed His glory when Christ was transfigured before the apostles. So, too, may we revel in God's glory in the Kingdom to come.
 
5.  The Institution of the Eucharist
 
When Jesus asked us to remember Him while breaking the bread and drinking the wine, that's exactly what He meant for us to do. We become one with Christ when we partake of Holy Communion. Attend Holy Mass and receive the Holy Eucharist as often as you can. Be one with Christ. Follow the light of God.
 
Dawn Pisturino
August 6, 2015
Copyright 2015 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.





Saturday, May 23, 2015

Meditations on the Glorious Mysteries

 
The little girl, dressed in her Sunday best, flushed with pride and excitement as she crowned the head of Our Blessed Mother with a beautiful wreath of springtime flowers.
Such innocence! Such joy!  
It makes perfect sense that May is the month of Mary. Blooming flowers, the hum of nature's gentle creatures, warm breezes, and brilliant sunshine -- how beautiful is God's creation! And how beautiful is Our Blessed Mother!
 
1. The Resurrection of Jesus from the Dead
 
How blessed were Mary Magdalene and the Apostles to witness Our Lord Jesus Christ, risen from the bonds of death! His victory over death and obliteration is Our Victory, as well. Life is NOT finite, limited, confined to material space. God embraces the whole universe, infinite time, and eternal existence. He is our destiny, our life, our hope. Jesus' resurrection confirms that this is so.
 
2. The Ascension of Jesus into Heaven
 
Jesus told his apostles that his kingdom is not of this world. The Romans could not comprehend this statement because they were attached to a material existence, indifferent to their own pantheon of gods and goddesses. What a gloomy way of living, fearing the darkness and finality of the grave. Jesus went home to His Kingdom, where he awaits our arrival with expectation and joy. Should we feel anything less? Do Not Fear Death, for Our Lord and Savior awaits!
 
3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit
 
True to His word, Jesus appeared to His apostles after the resurrection, revealing His true nature. He exhorted them to believe, to have faith, and to spread the message to people everywhere. His believers became the body of Christ on earth. We become one with Jesus when we take the Eucharistic wafer at mass. We become one with Our Lord when we love one another and strive to act as one body. Unite! Do not allow the forces threatening our country and our world to be victorious.
 
4. The Assumption of Our Lady into Heaven
 
Mary consented to be the vessel of God's will. She carried His love and message into the world. She encouraged her son, Jesus, to begin His great ministry at Cana. How right, then, that God should make a special place for her in Heaven! 
 
5. The Crowning of Mary, Queen of Heaven and Earth
 
And so we come again to the May crowning, when we remember our Spiritual Mother as the Mother of God. We love her, embrace her, turn to her for comfort. She is the mother of the world, ready to embrace all mankind. And she will stand next to her Son with open arms when we enter the gates of Heaven.
 
Dawn Pisturino
Copyright 2015 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved. 


Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Meditations on the Sorrowful Mysteries

 
The First Sorrowful Mystery: The Agony in the Garden
 
When Mary agreed to be the mother of Jesus, did she understand the great mission He would fulfill?
 
The agony in the garden represents Jesus' moment of Truth. He has come to the end of His ministry and the beginning of the fulfillment of His great destiny. He has agreed to become a willing sacrifice to the Great Work of God, His father.
 
What are we willing to sacrifice in our own lives for God?
 
The Second Sorrowful Mystery: The Scourging at the Pillar
 
Jesus suffers pain, loss, and humiliation at the hands of His enemies. From the moment of Judas' betrayal, Jesus is stripped of His dignity, humbled, and punished.
 
 How many times have we been betrayed by a friend, a husband, a lover, a family member? We remember the pain, the humiliation, the loss of dignity and self-respect.
 
Jesus forgave His enemies. Do we have the strength to do the same? 
 
The Third Sorrowful Mystery: The Crowning with Thorns
 
When Jesus is crowned with thorns, His enemies believed they were humiliating Him and making fun of Him. But this crowning foreshadows Jesus' ultimate victory.
 
We too will achieve ultimate victory over our enemies and our sins, if we are humble, steadfast, and patient.
 
The Fourth Sorrowful Mystery: The Carrying of the Cross
 
Such weight! Such burden! Jesus carried the sins of mankind on His back, along with the Cross. He stumbled and fell but never wavered on His journey.
 
What burdens do we carry on our backs? What crosses do we bear? Do we bear them happily and willingly, for the sake of God? Or, do we grumble and fret, looking to free ourselves?
 
Love God and trust in His mercy.
 
The Fifth Sorrowful Mystery: The Crucifixion
 
Mary stood at the foot of the Cross, weeping, as her beloved son's life slipped away. Darkness filled the world. But Mary never gave up hope. She trusted in God's will while waiting for Her son's resurrection. She forgave His enemies and gave comfort to the apostles. She became a mother to all mankind.
 
We honor Mary for her love, strength, and devotion. She raises us up, just like she raised her beloved son, Jesus.
 
Dawn Pisturino
Copyright 2015 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.
 

Friday, December 5, 2014

Meditations on the Joyful Mysteries

 
by Dawn Pisturino
 
 
 
THE FIRST JOYFUL MYSTERY: The Annunciation
 
 
There would be no Christmas without Mary and Joseph.
 
Mary answered the call to serve God by agreeing to become the mother of Jesus.  She supported Jesus throughout his ministry, suffering as He suffered, and growing in her faith, despite the terrible death of her son. 
 
Joseph overcame his doubts and fears and accepted the responsibility of becoming a stepfather to Mary's son. He loved and protected the blessed infant and his mother. He stands as a role model for all men everywhere. 
 
THE SECOND JOYFUL MYSTERY: The Visitation
 
 
What joy Elizabeth felt when she recognized the special gift growing in Mary's womb! What joy she felt when her own son, John, leapt in her own womb!  Both women, blessed by God, helped to change the world. This is the special gift of all mothers, that their children have the power to create a better world for all God's children.
 
 
THE THIRD JOYFUL MYSTERY: The Nativity
 
The King arrives as a simple child, guileless, innocent, and vulnerable. His complete purity of mind, heart, and body reminds us that we, too, were born innocent. The world takes away that innocence, and it is in worshipping the small, innocent child that we regain our own purity. Kneel down to the King and worship Him.
 
KEEP CHRIST IN CHRISTMAS
 
THE FOURTH JOYFUL MYSTERY: The Presentation of the Child Jesus in the Temple
 
Mary fulfilled her duties and presented her child to the Temple and to God, his father. So, too, can we fulfill our duties by attending Mass and presenting ourselves to God, our father.
 
THE FIFTH JOYFUL MYSTERY: The Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple
 
Just as Jesus got about His father's business in the Temple, so, too, must we educate ourselves, be familiar with the Gospels and the teachings of the Catholic Church, and be about our Father's business.
 
PRAY THE ROSARY DAILY
 
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!
 
Dawn Pisturino
 
copyright 2014 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Salve Regina


Artwork by Stephen Pisturino
Copyright©2014. All Rights Reserved.
 
 
The “Hail, Holy Queen” (Salve Regina) is attributed to a German monk, Hermann of Reichenau.  This beautiful prayer to the Blessed Holy Mother is traditionally said at the end of the Rosary.
 
Hail, Holy Queen
Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee to we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn, then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Salve, Regina
Salve, Regina, mater misericordiae;
vita, dulcedo et spes nostra, salve.
Ad te clamamus exsules filii Hevae.
Ad te suspiramus gementes et flentes
in hac lacrimarum valle.
Eia ergo, advocata nostra,
illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte.
Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui,
nobis post hoc exsilium ostende.
O clemens, o pia, o dulcis Virgo Maria.

V. Ora pro nobis, sancta Dei Genitrix.
R. Ut digni efficamur promissionibus Christi.


The Salve Regina in Song



 
Pray the Rosary Daily