fully at the foot of Thy cross appealing for us, reap
the happy fruit of Thy Passion.
God, what can have transformed Him into this
piteous, this ghastly object?
As the time of the Passion drew near, Mary’s
realization of the approaching sufferings of her Son
became more vivid. The sword of Simeon pierced
her heart as it had never done before. How could
she endure to see her Son and her God outraged and
ill-treated, insulted and put to death? “Weeping, she
wept in the night: there were none to comfort her
among all those that were dear to her” (Lament. i.
2).
PRACTICE
PRAY
Strive to perform well the little duties of each day,
in imitation of Mary; so live that you may be
always prepared for death. Say a Hail Mary
devoutly for those who are dying.
PRAY
I grieve for thee, O Mary most sorrowful, in the
affliction of thy tender heart at the prophecy of the
holy and aged Simeon. Dear Mother, by thy heart
so afflicted, obtain for me the virtue of humility and
the gift of the holy fear of God.
At last Mary could refrain no longer. She must go
and meet Him whom her soul loved. What a
meeting must that have been! Her darling Son, all
masked in blood, toiling under the weight of the
cross. O Holy Mother, who would not be moved
with compassion?
My Sorrowful Mother, by the merit of that grief
which thou didst feel in seeing thy beloved Jesus
led to death, obtain for me the grace that I also
may bear with patience the crosses which God
sends me. Happy indeed shall I be if I only know
how to accompany thee with my cross until death.
Thou hast carried a far heavier cross; and shall I, a
sinner, refuse to carry mine? Ah, Immaculate
Virgin, from thee do I hope for help to bear all
crosses with patience. Amen.
PRACTICE
PRAY
Ask the blessed Mother of God to help you to
become holy and to die a happy death. Adore God
only, and love Him perfectly; look upon life as a
preparation for death. Cultivate a childlike
confidence in Mary. And for her sake help those
who suffer.
I grieve for thee, O Mary most sorrowful, in the
wounding of thy compassionate heart, when the
side of Jesus was struck by the lance and His Heart
was pierced. Dear Mother, by thy heart thus
transfixed, obtain for me the virtue of fraternal
charity and the gift of understanding.
MONDAY IN HOLY WEEK
PONDER
WEDNESDAY IN HOLY WEEK
PONDER
PRACTICE
TUESDAY IN HOLY WEEK
PONDER
At last the storm of anguish burst upon her. The
apostles bring her the heartbreaking news: He has
been seized by the Pharisees, insulted by the
soldiers, dragged before Pilate, scourged,
condemned to the death of the cross. What a night
and morning for the Mother of Jesus! Each moment
full of an agony worse than death.
PRAY
O God, in Whose Passion, as Simeon had foretold,
the most sweet heart of Mary, Thy glorious Virgin
Mother, was pierced through by a sword of sorrow;
mercifully grant that we who reverently meditate
upon her transfixion and passion, may, the glorious
merits and prayers of all Thine elect standing faith-
Be patient. Look on the trials and sufferings of life
as the best preparation for eternity. Ask Our Lady
to help you to “run in the way of God’s
commandments” so that you may rejoice forever
with her in heaven.
PRACTICE
Cultivate a childlike confidence in the maternal
love and mercy of the Queen of heaven and earth.
GOOD FRIDAY
PONDER
Every wound in Jesus’ body was also a wound in
the heart of Mary: every fiber, every nerve
throbbing in agony. Every pang He suffered
reechoed in her heart. She endured by her
compassion a share in all the anguish of His
Passion. What was the thick darkness around
compared with the black darkness that overspread
her heart! “O all ye that pass by the way, attend,
and see if there be any sorrow like to my sorrow”
(Lament. i. 12). Why did Mary suffer all this? For
our sins: for mine.
PRAY
MAUNDY THURSDAY
PONDER
What words can ever describe the indescribable
anguish that rent the sacred heart of Mary as she
looked upon her divine Son hanging on the cross!
Was there ever such a spectacle? He is so torn and
mangled, covered with a mantle of blood from
head to foot, that one can scarcely recognize in
that unsightly figure the human form. Can it be
He, the fairest among the children of men? My
Ah, Mother, the most sorrowful of all mothers, thy
Son is dead; that Son so amiable, and Who loved
thee so much! Weep, then, for thou hast reason to
weep. But keep me near thee, O my Mother, to
weep with thee, since I have so much reason to
weep for the sins by which I have offended Him.
Ah, Mother of mercy, I hope, first, through the
death of my Redeemer, and then through thy
sorrows, to obtain pardon and eternal salvation.
Amen.
PRACTICE
The faithful who, between three o’clock on the
afternoon of Good Friday and noon of the
following day, spend some time in devout
meditation or offer some prayers, either in public or
in private, in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Sorrowing, may gain a plenary indulgence on the
usual conditions.
HOLY SATURDAY
PONDER
Holy Scripture tells us nothing of Our Lord’s
appearance to His blessed Mother after His
resurrection. It takes it for granted that He must
have appeared first to her. He who doubts it has but
a poor understanding of Mary’s part in the work
and life of Jesus. As she was first in sharing His
sufferings, so she was of necessity first in being
partaker of His joy.
PRAY
Most glorious Virgin, chosen by the Eternal
Counsel to be the Mother of the Eternal Word
Made Man, treasure-house of divine graces and
advocate of sinners; I, the most unworthy of thy
servants, have recourse to thee, begging of thee to
be my guide and counselor in this vale of tears.
Obtain for me, through the most precious blood of
thy divine Son, forgiveness of my sins, and the
salvation of my soul with all the means necessary to
secure it. Obtain for Holy Church triumph over her
enemies and the extension of the Kingdom of Jesus
Christ over the whole earth. Amen.
PRACTICE
Resolve (1) To seal your faith, if need be, with
your blood.
(2) To assure yourself in every adversity that all
things work together for good to them that love
God.
After the Resurrection, Our Lord greeted His
followers repeatedly with the words: “Peace be to
you.” Peace is a priceless treasure; it is, indeed,
happiness. Pray for peace, the peace of a good
conscience. Pray that you may always labor
for the
glory of God, that you may live and die in the state
of grace. “Rejoice in the Lord!”
EASTER SUNDAY
PONDER
How Mary had been longing and praying for the
Resurrection! How eagerly she had been expecting
the dawn of that first Easter Day! She had been
saying over and over again to herself, “I know that
my Redeemer liveth.” She knew that the darkness
would, in God’s time, usher in a glorious morning.
This should be my comfort when all seems dark. I,
too, must pray and wait.
PRAY
Most holy Virgin and Mother, whose soul was
pierced by a sword of sorrow in the Passion of thy
divine Son, and who in His glorious Resurrection
wast filled with never-ending joy at His triumph;
obtain for us who call upon thee, so to be partakers
in the adversities of Holy Church and the sorrows
of the Sovereign Pontiff, as to be found worthy to
rejoice with them in the consolations for which we
pray, in the charity and peace of the same Christ
our Lord. Amen. 500 days
PRACTICE
“Rejoice in the Lord always!” applies to all true
Christians. They ought always to be cheerful, and
their joy should find expression in deeds of
kindness and helpfulness to all with whom they
come in contact. They ought to heed the words of
Our Lord to His followers: “Be of good cheer!”
Life today is so strenuous that there is constant
need of relief from its strain, and a sunny,
cheerful, gracious soul is like a sea-breeze in
sultry August or like a “draught of cool
refreshment drained by fevered lips.”
Sweet Heart of Mary, be my salvation.
St. Gertrude the Great Church
4900 Rialto Rd., West Chester, Ohio 45069
(513) 645-4212
www.sgg.org
Lent with Our
Lady 2017
FORGIVENESS OF SIN
O Immaculate Heart of Mary, Refuge of Sinners,
to whom else will we turn in our sorrow for sin, if
not to thee. From whom shall we find comfort and
consolation, in
the shame of our
sins, except from
thee? Lead us
back,
dear
Mother of Love,
to the path of
righteousness
that leads to the
Sacred Heart of
thy Divine Son.
We have sinned
often, O dear
Mother, and the
remembrances of
the error of our
ways trouble us.
It shall be no
more. We know
that
thy
protecting care
will find peace and hope for us, and the remission
of our sins. We know too that as with Mary
Magdalene of old, thy Son shall welcome us with
a loving smile, because you have always pleaded
for us. Amen.
Our Lady of Fatima, Refuge of sinners,
inflame our hearts with the love of Reparation.
“Keep me company,”
Mary’s plea
Ponder, pray, resolve
with me