Yesterday, on December 8, 2012, I took time to sit with God in a retreat at St. Gianna Beretta Molla's Parish in Northfield, NJ. It was the Feast of the Immaculate Conception (of Mary, not Jesus). Mary as the Immaculate Conception is the Patron Saint of the United States of America.
The Advent retreat started with a skit. A young boy had to guess the profession of St.Luke, one of the Gospel writers. Of course, St. Luke's trained profession was as a doctor. St. Gianna Beretta Molla was also a doctor. She was also a mother who gave her life for her child. St. Gianna is a present day
canonized Saint. The blessing of the day involved meeting a friend. I would say about 100 adults and children participated in this retreat.
I also attended the National Night of Prayer for Life at Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Linwood, NJ from 9 pm to 1am. The night was a night of communal prayer in saying The Rosary, listening to musical reflections, and silent meditation. This was also a retreat from the artificially busy world. About 25 people participated through the night. Virginia Godleski's beautiful songs for pro-life were sung.
As I was reading during the silent meditation, I found this prayer by an unknown writer. I kept being drawn to reading it so I include it here. A few years ago, I handed it out to mothers I knew. Please share it with mothers and fathers in your life. There were mothers praying last night, but the most powerful witness to me was from the women who would love to be mothers, but are not able to conceive. They are mothers too because they care about the children of others. Blessings on all the women who are mothers in spirit to many.
Consecration of the Children to Mary, the Mother of God:
O most Holy Mary, Mother of the All-Knowing God, I give you all the children He has put into my life. In Your Motherly tenderness protect them from every negative influence, even those now growing in the warmth and secrecy of their mother's womb and those yet to be conceived into our families and lives in the years to come. To Your Immaculate Heart I consecrate their bodies and souls, their hearts and their minds.
Forever protect them throughout their changing lives: the miraculous pre-natal growth, during infancy, the toddler stage, grammar school age, and the fragile teen years (and middle school!), college age, adulthood, and even into old age. Guard over their youth, and keep their hearts pure, their thoughts holy, innocent and childlike as Jesus has taught us. Bestow on them the grades they need to live according to God's own special design for each one of them. Protect them always throughout life and preserve their innocence. Stay close to them as they experience joys and live through sorrows and endure failures. Uplift their spirits when disappointments take their toll on them. Clothe them with Your purity and love in their relationships and commitments.
Mother them as You mothered little Jesus; shelter them from distractions that may harm and prevent their true happiness. Most Holy Mary, these children that God has put into my life are now as much Yours as they are mine through this Act of Consecration.
Wrap them in the mantle of Your Immaculate Heart and lead them to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Bless our families. Pray for our families, that we may take our example from the Holy Family and live as holy families too. Be with us always, and teach us how to pray and live good Christian lives.
And when our Divine Creator sees fit to call them and me one by one to Himself, may we all merit Heaven where one day we shall live together in His true peace, praising Almighty God face to face for all eternity.
Amen.
Mary and Gianna were present last night also. They made sure I found these words.
Oh, Holy Day!!
Mary did you know?
Marian R. Carlino (with the inspiration of two Holy and exemplary mothers!!)
December 9, 2012
Marian R. Carlino (with the inspiration of two Holy and exemplary mothers!!)
December 9, 2012
