Thought for the Day – 4 September – The Feast of Our Lady of Consolation
The tradition of praying to the Mother of God for the gift of consolation dates back to the early centuries. The first written evidence of prayer to the Mother of God, Mary, the Theotokos, is written in Greek on a scrap of Egyptian papyrus dating from between 300-540. In that prayer, she is invoked as the compassionate one:
“Beneath the shelter of your tender compassion we fly for refuge, Mother of God.
Do not overlook our supplications in adversity but deliver us out of danger”
This prayer makes clear, a vivid faith in Mary’s consoling role.
To our Lord and our God, Jesus Christ, we pray for a greater love of His Mother and to our Blessed Mother, Our Lady of Consolation, we lift our prayers for patience, for support and for comfort in our times of confusion, fear and anxiety. Pray for us, Our Lady of Consolation!
“The Church calls Mary the “Queen of Mercy”
because we believe she opens the abyss of God’s mercy
to whomever she wills, when she wills and as she wills.
No sinner — no matter how great —
who has Mary as protector, is ever lost.”
St Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153) – Doctor of the Church
Prayer to Our Lady of Consolation
O Mary Immaculate, our Mother and Consolation,
I take refuge in your most loving heart
with all the confidence of which I am capable;
you shall be the dearest object
of my love and veneration.
To you, who are the dispenser
of the treasures of Heaven,
I shall always have recourse,
in my sorrows to have peace,
in my doubts to have light,
in my dangers to be defended,
in all my needs to obtain your assistance.
Be therefore my refuge,
my strength,
my consolation, O Mary the Consoler!
At the hour of my death,
graciously receive the last sighs of my heart
and obtain for me a place in your heavenly home,
where all hearts shall praise with one accord
the adorable Heart of Jesus forevermore,
and your most lovable heart, O Mary.
Our tender Mother, Comforter of the afflicted,
pray for us who have recourse to thee.
Grant also peace and holiness to the Church,
through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord.
Amen
Mary, our Consolation and our Comforter, Pray for us!
Pope Benedict on Our Lady of Consolation here: https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2017/09/04/thought-for-the-day-4-september-the-feast-of-our-lady-of-consolation/
(via Thought for the Day - 4 September - The Feast of Our Lady of Consolation)
