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Ave Maria Meditations

O Mary, Immaculate Virgin, again this year, with filial love, we meet at the foot of your image to renew to you the homage of the Christian commu­nity and of the city of Rome. Let us pause in prayer here, following the tradition inaugurated by previous popes, on the solemn day in which the liturgy celebrates your Immac­ulate Conception, a mystery that is a source of joy and hope for all the redeemed.

We greet you and call upon you with the angel’s words: “full of grace” (Luke 1:28), the most beauti­ful name that God himself has called you from eternity. “Full of grace” are you, Mary, full of divine love from the very first moment of your existence, providentially predestined to be Mother of the Redeemer and inti­mately connected to him in the mystery of salvation.

In your Immaculate Conception shines forth the vocation of Christ’s disciples, called to become with his grace, saints and immaculate through love (see Ephesians 1:4). In you shines the dignity of every human being who is always precious in the Creator’s eyes. Those who look to you, All Holy Mother, never lose their serenity, no matter what the hardships of life. Although the experience of sin is a sad one since it disfigures the dig­nity of God’s children, anyone who turns to you discovers the beauty of truth and love and finds the path that leads to the Father’s house. (more…)

Homily #111108 ( 09min) Play – On this Memorial of Bl. John Duns Scotus, Fr. Bonaventure preaches on the teaching of this Marian Doctor, especially the Immaculate Conception which was formally adopted as a Dogma by Bl. Pope Pius IX in his Bull Ineffabilis Deus on December 8, 1854.
Ave Maria!
Mass: Bl. John Duns Scotus – Opt Mem – Form: OF
Readings: Tuesday 32nd Week of Ordinary Time
1st: wis 2:23-3:9
Resp: psa 34:2-3, 16-17, 18-19
Gsp: luk 17:7-10

Audio (MP3)

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One Minute Meditation

Homily #110101 ( 12min) Play – On this Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, Fr. Dominic talks about true devotion to Our Lady and how Our Blessed Lord has given us an example of how to be devoted to His and Our Mother.
Ave Maria!
Mass: Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God – Solemnity – Form: OF
Readings:
1st: num 6:22-27
Resp: psa 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8
2nd: gal 4:4-7
Gsp: luk 2:16-21

Audio (MP3)

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Homily #101208 ( 14min) Play – Today is the great Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary (Holy Day of Obligation. Fr. Bonaventure explains the background for the prerogatives of Mary that shine a spotlight on the Divinity of Christ, that He is true God and true Man. These include her Perpetual Virginity, Divine Maternity, Immaculate Conception, and the Assumption.
Ave Maria!
Mass: Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Solemnity – Form: OF
Readings:
1st: gen 3:9-15, 20
Resp: psa 98:1, 2-3, 3-4
2nd: eph 1:3-6, 11-12
Gsp: luk 1:26-38

Audio (MP3)

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Ave Maria Meditations

The Immaculate Conception

Eternal Love, Spirit of Light and Truth, make a way into my poor mind and allow me to penetrate, as far as it is possible to a wretched creature like myself, into that abyss of grace, of purity, and of holiness, that I may acquire a love of God that is continually renewed, a love of God who, from all eternity planned the greatest of all the masterpieces created by his hands: the Immaculate Virgin Mary.

From all eternity Almighty God took delight in what was to be the most perfect work of his hands, and anticipated this wonderful plan with an outpour­ing of his grace. Man, created innocent, fell by disobeying him; the mark of original sin remained engraved on his fore­head and that of his progeny who will bear its conse­quences until the end of time.

A woman brought ruin, and a woman was to bring salvation. The one, being tempted by a serpent, stamped the mark of sin on the human race; the other was to rise through grace, pure and immacu­late. She would crush the head of the serpent who was helpless before her and who struggled in vain under her heel; for she was conceived without sin, and through her came grace to mankind.

Protected with grace by him who was to be the Savior of mankind that had fallen into sin, she escaped all shadow of evil. She sprang from the mind of God as a pure ray of light, and will shine like a morning star over the human race that turns to her. She will be the sure guide who will direct our steps toward the Divine Sun which is Jesus Christ. He makes her radiant with divine splendor and points to her as our model of purity and sanctity. No creature surpasses her, but all creation defers to her through the grace of him who made her immaculate. He whom she was to carry in her womb was the Son of God participating with the Father and the Holy Spirit in the glory of her conception.

Clothed in light from the moment of her concep­tion, she grew in grace and comeliness. After Almighty God, she is the most perfect of creatures; more pure than the angels; God is indeed well pleased in her, since she most resembles him and is the only worthy repository of his secrets. In the natural order she preceded her Divine Child, Our Lord, but in the divine order Jesus, the Divine Sun, arose before her, and she received from him all grace, all purity, and all beauty.

All is darkness compared to the pure light that renews all creation through him whom she bore in her womb, as the dew on the rose. The Immaculate Conception is the first step in our salvation. Through this singular and unique gift Mary received a profusion of Divine Grace, and through her more.

St. Pio of Pietrelcina

Ave Maria Meditation

         ”Allow me to praise You, O Most Holy Virgin;   give me strength against your enemies.”

Bl. John’s Defense of the Immaculate Conception

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It was in Paris that Bl. John came to be called as the “Marian Doctor” after he championed the privilege of Mary’s Immaculate Conception. In England, Bl. John taught the truth of this Marian privilege without any opposition. But at Paris the situation was reversed. The academic body of the University admitted only the purification of Mary in the womb of Her mother St. Anne, like St. John the Baptist. Alexander of Hales, St. Bonaventure, St. Thomas Aquinas, the great Parisian Masters, were not able to solve the problem of the universality of original sin and of the efficacy of Christ’s Redemption. They thought that even the Blessed Virgin Mary was included in this universality, and therefore subject to contract the original stain even if only for an instant, so that she may also be redeemed. Scotus in his attempt to introduce and teach a theological position different from that upheld by the university, had to appear in a public dispute before the whole academic body, at the risk of expulsion from the university if he failed to defend his doctrine. Bl. John Scotus prepared himself for the event in prayer and recollection and in total confidence to the Immaculate Virgin, the Seat of Wisdom.

When the fixed day of the dispute arrived, on leaving the convent, he passed before a statue of Our Lady and with suppliant voice entreated her: “Allow me to praise You, O Most Holy Virgin; give me strength against your enemies.” Our Lady responded with a prodigious visible sign: the head of the statue moved and bowed slightly before him. It was as if to say: “Yes I will give you all the strength you need.” (more…)

VIS news – Holy See Press Office: DUNS SCOTUS: CANTOR OF THE INCARNATE WORD.

On Wednesday the Holy Father gave a catechesis on Bl. Scotus, which includes a positive assessment of his doctrine on the primary motive for the Incarnation and a clear affirmation that Scotus was not responsible for Voluntarism. This is big news, considering that:

1) while still a Cardinal, Joseph Ratzinger wrote in one of his books that he disagreed with Scotus’ doctrine on the Incarnation; now, as Pope, he seems to have changed his mind and embraced Scotus’ position.

2) in his famous Regensburg Address, the Holy Father made a comment which many people interpreted as criticizing Scotus’ doctrine on the will; in this new catechesis, however, he clearly states the opposite.

In regard to the Absolute Primacy of Christ: (more…)

The biblical basis for Immaculate Conception of Our Lady and Church Fathers on the Immaculate Conception.

Marycast #121 ( 10min) Play – When St. Bernadette asked Our Lady who she was, Our Lady responded by saying that she is the Immaculate Conception.  St. Maximilian Kolbe commenting on this name says that there is something about Mary’s very nature to be full of grace…

To ask questions regarding Mary, email Dr Mark Miravalle: marycast@airmaria.com

Ave Maria!

Audio (MP3)

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Homily #100211 ( 10min) Play – On this feast of Our Lady of Lourdes Fr. Angelo makes the connection between the Annunciation where an angel appeared to Mary and the Apparition at Lourdes when Our Lady appears to St. Bernadette. Our Lady tells  Bernadette she is the Immaculate Conception which is just another way of saying what St Gabriel said to Mary, “Hail, Full of Grace”
Ave Maria! Apparition of Mary at Lourdes – Mass: EF, Vidi Civitatem Sanctam – Readings: 1st: rev 11:19-12:1, 10 – Gsp: luk 1:26-31

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Homily #091215 ( 08min) Play – Today is the feast of Our Lady Queen of the Seraphic Order where we Franciscan celebrate Mary as Queen of our order. Fr. Angelo recalls the role that Franciscans played in defending the titles of Our Lady in the Church, including the Immaculate Conception and many other ways that Franciscans honor Our Lady.
Ave Maria! Our Lady Queen of the Seraphic Order – Mass: EF, Egredimini Et – Readings: 1st: sir 24:11–13, 15-19 – Gsp: luk 1:26–33

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AUDIO ONLY Homily #091208 ( 12min) – Moses, who spoke to God face to face, sinned, the great patriarch Abraham sinned, the king, warrior, musician and poet David committed adultery, and murder, only one is without sin…
Audio (MP3)

Ave Maria! Mass readings

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Ave Maria Meditations

IMMACULATE CONCEPTION: These words fell from the lips of the Immaculata herself. Hence, they must tell us, in the most precise and essential manner, who she really is. Since human words are incapable of expressing Divine realities, it follows that these words, “Immaculate” and “Conception”, must be understood in a much more profound, much more beautiful and sublime meaning than usual: a meaning beyond that which human reason at its most penetrating commonly gives to them…

Who then are you, O Immaculate Conception?

Not God, of course, because He has no beginning. Not an angel, created directly out of nothing. Not Adam, formed out of the dust of the earth. Not Eve, molded from Adam’s rib. Not the Incarnate Word, Who exists before all ages, and of Whom we should use the word “conceived” rather than “conception.”

Humans do not exist before their conception, so we might call them created “conceptions.” But you, O Mary, are different from all other children of Eve. They are conceptions stained by Original Sin; whereas you are the unique, Immaculate, Conception.

(more…)

Marycast #91 ( 11min) Play – Dr. Mark Miravalle discusses the message of Our Lady of America on Oct 13, 1956 which is the anniversary of the Miracle of the Sun at Fatima. She asks that the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington DC become a center for the promotion of purity.

To ask questions regarding Mary, email Dr Mark Miravalle: marycast@airmaria.com
Ave Maria!

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