Video – A Day With Mary #21: Fr. Angelo Geiger – Jesus and Mary Suffered for You

Ave Maria!

During the pontificate of John Paul II a collection of votive masses in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary were put together and made available especially for use on Saturdays and special occasions . Votive masses are not normally permitted during privileged seasons - The Mass setting we are using is Mary at the foot of Cross. To see the pascal mysteries clearly and to benefit we are best guided by seeing this vision thru the eyes of our Blessed Mother. Blessed John Paul II says that the Rosary is  seen through the eyes of Mary. The Stations of the Cross is a Marian devotion, traceable back to the middle ages. The Via Dolorosa was going to the places in Jerusalem and recalling the various events in Our  Lord's life.  Eventually they came down to the 14 Stations we have today. After our Lords Ascension, the Blessed Virgin Mary visited the places of Our Lords passion. The apostles weren't prepared for Good Friday even after our Lord tried to explain it, but they didn't get it. The Transfiguration was preparation to get ready for His suffering and death; the scandal of the cross. Moses and Elias were talking about His suffering and the Disciples saw him transfigured, but he real miracle was not that He shone with light, it was that He didn't always shine with light!. In hindsight we shouldn't make the same mistake but we do. We are in need of the same mercy, we have to go back to school every year and learn the lessons properly. We need to think about lent as preparing ourselves to live and to act in solidarity with Jesus. Not to sleep, but to live and make visual solidarity with Christ. On Holy Thursday we have the opportunity to be with Christ in His passion, in the garden. Our response to his passion is compassion. We find this in Our Lady. The mystery of God suffering. He is Her child, by a miracle worded by the Holy Spirit. He is Her treasure and when the time comes She is prepared. Jesus gives His life and She offers Him as well. She offers Him to the Father. Just as Our Lady's heart was opened symbolizing the life of the Church, the water and the blood, so Our Lady's  heart was opened with the words "Woman behold your son" . Spiritual Martyrdom. We become members of Gods family and we become her children . So during lent we offer our prayer, fasting, and alms-giving, but all is directed to strengthening our spiritual body with Christ. The scandal of the Corss  in our own life is where our cross is at. We all know what it is - we all know were we struggle. Most often our cross is living with one another. persevering thru difficulties. Christ suffered for you as if you were the only one who needed his suffering.

Ave Maria!

Audio (MP3)

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