The Holy Name of Mary - 12th September
“The virgin’s name was Mary. the angel went in and said to her :’Rejoice, Mary, you who enjoy God’s favour: the Lord is with you!”
Eph.1, 3-12 Lk.1, 46-55 LK.1, 26-38
“In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to av irgin bethrothed to a man named Joseph, and the virgin’s name was Mary.. The angel went in and said to her : ’Rejoice, you who enjoy God’s favour! The Lord is with you.”
God, in Jesus, created in the former House of Israel a new humanity and Mary is to welcome this revelation in the flesh. The Spirit accomplishes a new creation : Jesus is the new Adam, the head of a new House. Mary’s reaction is marvellous : ’May everything come about according to your Word.“She grants God this accpetance and collaboration without which such a marvellous mystery such as this is could not have come about. The feast day of the Holy Name of Mary was established by Pope Innocent XI in the year 1683, in rememberance to a memorable victory won by Christians over the Turks, with the visible protection of the Queen of Heaven. One hundred and fifty thousand Turks had moved foward as far as the walls of Vienna and they threatened the whole of Europe. Sobieski, King of Poland,came to the rescue of the besieged town during the Octave of the Nativity of Our Blessed Lady, and was ready to go into a widespread battle. It is quite right that the name of Mary finds its place in our Catholic feast days, next to the name of Jesus; the name of Mary is a glorious name altogether pleasant, a salutary name.”Mary was deeply disturbed by these words and asked herself what this greeting could mean, but the angel said to her, Mary, do not be afraid ; you have won God’s favour.Look! You are to concieve in your womb and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus. he will be great and will be called Son of the Most High.The lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David ; he will rul eover the House of Jacob for evr and his reign will have no end."
John of the Cross says about this mystery :
, ’Cover with his shadow’ means to protect, to favour. From the moment she has been covered with the shadow of the Holy Spirit, it is a sign that one is close enough to favour and defend.
From here comes from what is said of the Blessed Virgin, that ’the virtue of the Most High’ would cover her with his shadow., that is,the Holy Spirit would get so close to her that he would come down upon her.
’ The Church is moved by the Holy Spirit and Mary is her Mother’, this is how Sobieski, King of Poland, that religious prince, began by having a mass celebrated, which he himself had wanted to serve, with his arms in a cross-like position.
After having taken Holy Communion with great fervour, he got up at the end of the Sacrifice and cried out :
’Let us walk under the protection of Heaven and with the assistance of the Most Blessed Virgin.“His hope was not decieved : the Turks, struck by a panic attack,fled in a disorderly manner. It is since this memorable period in time that the feast of the Holy Name of Mary is celebrated during the Octave of the Nativity, relates, the Abbé L.Jaud in ’the Life of the Saints’. The Saints tried to retrace the marvels of the Name of Mary. The first glory of this blessed name is that it was inspired by God to the parents of the Virgin to be born, and that the Archangel Gabriel pronounced it with a voice full of respect ; and ever since then, all Christian generations say it at each moment of the day.”Mary said to the angel : “But how can this come about, since I have no knowledge of man?’ The angel answered her : ’The holy Spirit will come upon you,a nd the power of teh Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and wil be called Son of God. And I tell you nthis too : your cousin Elizabeth also, in her old age, has conceived a son,a nsd she whom people call barren is now in her sixth month, for nothing is impossible for God.Mary said,” Behold the servant of the Lord, let it happen to me according to his Word." And the angel left her.
Thérèse of the Child Jesus said to Mary : ’Oh I love you, Mary, saying you are servant/Of God whom you delight by your humility;/This hidden truth makes you all powerful;/ It attracts the Blessed Trinity in your heart/So the Spirit of Love covering you with his shadow/ Since one must call him :“Jesus, your First born”/ Heaven pronounces this beautiful name that is so beautiful to the earth, and the earth sends back to Heaven a melodious echo “”In the name of Mary, said Pierre de Blois, the Church bends its knees, the wishes and the prayers of the people echo from everywhere’.
’How glorious is your name, o Holy Mother of God! ’cries out Saint Bonaventure; how glorious it is, this name thatwa sat the souce of so many marvels!’
’ O name so sauve! ’cried out the Blessed Henri Suzo.
O Mary! Who are you yourself, then, if just your name is already so pleasant et full of charms?’
’Your name, o Mary, said Saint Ambrose, is a delicious balm that spreads the odour of grace!’ But most of all, the name of Mary is a name of salvation. Saint Ephrem called her ’the key of Heaven.’
’The very name of Mary, ’ said Saint Bernard, ’makes all the demons take flight.’
All this is but a tiny echo of the apology of the name of Mary made by Saints.
We ask the Holy Spirit to have us enter into the Mystery of Mary
The Holy Name of Mary - 12th September
“In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to av irgin bethrothed to a man named Joseph, and the virgin’s name was Mary.. The angel went in and said to her : ’Rejoice, you who enjoy God’s favour! The Lord is with you.”
God, in Jesus, created in the former House of Israel a new humanity and Mary is to welcome this revelation in the flesh. The Spirit accomplishes a new creation : Jesus is the new Adam, the head of a new House. Mary’s reaction is marvellous : ’May everything come about according to your Word.“She grants God this accpetance and collaboration without which such a marvellous mystery such as this is could not have come about. The feast day of the Holy Name of Mary was established by Pope Innocent XI in the year 1683, in rememberance to a memorable victory won by Christians over the Turks, with the visible protection of the Queen of Heaven. One hundred and fifty thousand Turks had moved foward as far as the walls of Vienna and they threatened the whole of Europe. Sobieski, King of Poland,came to the rescue of the besieged town during the Octave of the Nativity of Our Blessed Lady, and was ready to go into a widespread battle. It is quite right that the name of Mary finds its place in our Catholic feast days, next to the name of Jesus; the name of Mary is a glorious name altogether pleasant, a salutary name.”Mary was deeply disturbed by these words and asked herself what this greeting could mean, but the angel said to her, Mary, do not be afraid ; you have won God’s favour.Look! You are to concieve in your womb and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus. he will be great and will be called Son of the Most High.The lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David ; he will rul eover the House of Jacob for evr and his reign will have no end."
John of the Cross says about this mystery :
, ’Cover with his shadow’ means to protect, to favour. From the moment she has been covered with the shadow of the Holy Spirit, it is a sign that one is quite close so as to favour and defend. From here here comes from what is said of the Blessed Virgin, that ’the virtue of the Most High’ would cover her
with his shadow., that is,the Holy spirit would get so close to her that he would come down upon her. ’ The Church is moved by the Holy spirit and Mary is her Motehr, this is how Sobieski, King of Poland, that religious prince, began by having a mass celebrated, which he himself had wanted to serve, with his arms in a cross-like position.After having taken Holy Communion with great fervour, he got up at the end of the Sacrifice and cried out : ’Let us walk under the protection of Heaven and with the assistance of the Most Blessed Virgin.“His hope was not decieved : the Turks, struck by a panic attack,fled in a disorderly manner. It is since this memorable period in time that the feast of the Holy Name of Mary is celebrated during the Octave of the Nativity, relates, the Abbé L.Jaud in ’the Life of the Saints’. The Saints tried to retrace the marvels of the Name of Mary. The first glory of this blessed name is that it was inspired by God to the parents of the Virgin to be born, and that the Archangel Gabriel pronounced it with a voice full of respect ; and ever since then, all Christian generations say it at each moment of the day.”Mary said to the angel : “But how can this come about, since I have no knowledge of man?’ The angel answered her : ’The holy Spirit will come upon you,a nd the power of teh Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and wil be called Son of God. And I tell you nthis too : your cousin Elizabeth also, in her old age, has conceived a son,a nsd she whom people call barren is now in her sixth month, for nothing is impossible for God.Mary said,” Behold the servant of the Lord, let it happen to me according to his Word." And the angel left her.
Thérèse of the Child Jesus said to Mary : ’Oh I love you, Mary, saying you are servant/Of God whom you delight by your humility;/This hidden truth makes you all powerful;/ It attracts the Blessed Trinity in your heart/So the Spirit of Love covering you with his shadow/ Since one must call him :“Jesus, your First born”/ Heaven pronounces this beautiful name that is so beautiful to the earth, and the earth sends back to Heaven a melodious echo “”In the name of Mary, said Pierre de Blois, the Church bends its knees, the wishes and the prayers of the people echo from everywhere’.