Meditation: Litany for Mary

On Sunday New Zealand celebrates its national Feast Day: the Assumption of Mary.

His mother said to him,
“Son, why have you treated us like this?
Your father and I have been
anxiously searching for you.” Luke 2:48

   Leader: Mary, mother of mothers
   Response: pray for us.

Mary is the human mother of a human child. She
fed him, guided him, picked him up and kissed him
better when he fell. She comforted him when 
he was ill, and stood by him when he was alone.

   Leader: While we are growing
   Response: Pray for us
   Leader: When we we fall
   Response: Pray for us
   Leader: In our moments of shame
   Response: Pray for us
  
Like many women through the ages, bright 

but without influence, Mary accepted life and set

about being the best she could be: a model 
of trust, acceptance, courage and integrity.

   Leader: Mary, model of prayer, model of assent
   Response: Pray for us
   Leader: Mary, beacon of hope
   Response: Pray for us
   Leader: Mary, bearer of pain
   Response: Pray for us

You stood by your son in his pain, when he was
naked before the world and not able to protect
himself. You took him from his place of suffering 
to a place of rest. You carried on through your pain.

   Leader: Mary, patient listener, faithful to
     your call
   Response: Pray for us
   Leader: Help us as we, like you, watch for
     God in our lives
   Response: Pray for us
   Leader: When we too are called to stand at
     the foot of our crosses
   Response: Pray for us

God called to Mary throughout her life, and she listened to hear the gentle breeze as well as the 
clear inner voice. She helped her son, a son of man, 
hear and accept and follow the God in him.

   Leader: Mary, model of prayer
   Response: Pray for us
   Leader: You gave hope to the Apostles in
     their dark moments; give hope to us too
   Response: Pray for us
   Leader: You said "yes" to hope, to love, to God
   Response: Pray for us

Mary too heard and accepted the God in her. 
This human being came to see that she too was 
created in the image of that God, and when
her time came, undoubtedly faced the transition
with the same peace and love and acceptance 
as she faced the other crises of her life.

   Leader: Mary, you stood by your son at the
     foot of the cross. At the hour of our death
   Response: Pray for us
   Leader: As we walk our individual paths home
   Response: Pray for us
   Leader: When we stumble on our path
   Response: Pray for us
   Leader: When we are distracted and turn away
   Response: Pray for us
   Leader: And, at the hour of our deaths
   Response: Pray for us

Suggestions for meditation

Always begin by offering your time to God and asking for the grace to grow closer: something like "My loving God, I love you with my whole heart and above all things. I give you this time as I reach out to you, and ask that you guide me now, and each day, closer to you".

The exact words of the prayer are not important but you do need a firm intention to ask for God's help and to open yourself to God's input. We cannot do this on our own.

Read the mediation over slowly a couple of times.

Listen for the personal message for you. There will always be one word or phrase that will reach into your heart. Think of it as the personal meaning God has for you alone!

If you would prefer a more authoritative reading to focus your meditation try Luke 1: 46-49 from today's Mass in New Zealand (tomorrow's Mass in the rest of the world) ... 

And Mary said:
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me
and holy is his Name."

Re-read the passage or the meditation - maybe read it slowly aloud.

Is there a word or phrase that jumps out to speak to you?

Why? Try to put yourself into those words. Maybe imagine Jesus speaking, and reply.

Then spend 5, or 10, or 15 minutes with your word from Jesus, or the word LOVE or BLESSED.

You need a clear intention to empty your mind of random thoughts (you won't be entirely successful but you need the intention).

You might want to begin the meditation using the breathing exercise I suggest in We have two minds.

After a minute or two focused on your breathing, move your focus to the word/s you have chosen.

Each time your attention moves away from the word/s, push the distraction gently aside and return to the word ("without the intervention of analytical thought" as The Cloud of Unknowing puts it).

You may need a countdown clock.

At the end thank God, and return to your day.

Meditation: Be ready

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Ka au, ka au, ka awatea.
(It is light. It is light. It is dawn.)






For where your treasure is, 
there also will your heart be.
Luke 12:34

My God:
I know you are everywhere and are everything.
I know that you are in me always
and are my life.

Help me to become more aware of this:
   to recognise what I see,
   to truly and deeply love what I recognise,
   to sing with joy each moment as you touch me with your love.

Help me to empty my mind so I can:
   hear the whisper of your word,
   feel the hush of your movement in me,
   recognise your eternal presence in my brief life.

Suggestions for meditation

Always begin by offering your time to God and asking for the grace to grow closer: something like "My loving God, I love you with my whole heart and above all things. I give you this time as I reach out to you, and ask that you guide me now, and each day, closer to you".

The exact words of the prayer are not important but you do need a firm intention to ask for God's help and to open yourself to God's input. We cannot do this on our own.

Read the mediation over slowly a couple of times.

Listen for the personal message for you. There will always be one word or phrase that will reach into your heart. Think of it as the personal meaning God has for you alone!

If you would prefer a more authoritative reading to focus your meditation try Luke 12:35-40 from today's Mass ... 

Jesus said to his disciples: “Gird your loins and light your lamps and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.  

Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself, have the servants recline at table, and proceed to wait on them. And should he come in the second or third watchand find them prepared in this way, blessed are those servants.  

Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour when the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”

Re-read the passage or the meditation - maybe read it slowly aloud.

Is there a word or phrase that jumps out to speak to you?

Why? Try to put yourself into those words. Maybe imagine Jesus speaking, and reply.

Then spend 5, or 10, or 15 minutes with your word from Jesus, or the word LOVE or GOD.

You need a clear intention to empty your mind of random thoughts (you won't be entirely successful but you need the intention).

You might want to begin the meditation using the breathing exercise I suggest in We have two minds.

After a minute or two focused on your breathing, move your focus to the word/s you have chosen.

Each time your attention moves away from the word/s, push the distraction gently aside and return to the word ("without the intervention of analytical thought" as The Cloud of Unknowing puts it).

You may need a countdown clock.

At the end thank God, and return to your day.