Wednesday, 15 January 2014

The Litany of Loreto Part Eight-The Sorrowful Mysteries-The Second Sorrowful Mystery, The Scourging at The Pillar

The Litany of Loreto The Second Sorrowful Mystery The Scourging at the Pillar  John 19:1-5

Our Father

Virgin Mary, have mercy on us. Pray that we may be humble in the face of unjust criticisms and rejection.

Hail Mary one

Lamentations 1:12
O all ye that pass by the way, attend, and see if there be any sorrow like to my sorrow: for he hath made a vintage of me, as the Lord spoke in the day of His fierce anger

Hail Mary two

Spiritual Vessel
A vessel may be a cup, or a ship, or any carved-out thing capable of holding something. Sorrow hollows out our hearts so that we may be filled with love. Christ was a strong Man. He knew He was the Son of God, and was always in the Presence of the Trinity. He knew His "rights" as the Son of the Most High, as the Messiah, the Promised One. The scourging was an experience of the withdrawal of the Father's loving protection for our sake. Christ did not cry out for His Godhead, His "rights" to be recognized. Mary, too, experienced pain with her Son. She, too was made empty--a vessel read to be filled in a few days with new love and joy at the salvation of all mankind. The vessel was emptied and filled, the Cup of Salvation, now filled with Christ's Blood, through the spirituality of His Mother Mary, through her yes, which she said over and over and over during the Passion.

Hail Mary three

Spiritual Vessel, only that which is emptied may be filled. Pray for us that we may be freed of all self-will in order to be overflowing with the wine of new life.

Hail Mary four

Lamentations 3: 15 and 30
He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath inebriated me with wormwood.

He shall give his cheek to him that striketh him, he shall be filled with reproaches.

Hail Mary five

Vessel of Honor
Do we not honor someone who has undergone great suffering and triumphed over pain? The wine of pain becomes the wine of honor. Mary's sainthood was dearly bought. Let us not take for granted her sacrifice, her holiness. Let us honor her who is most honorable and holds the honor of God more than any other human.

Hail Mary six

Lamentations 3:21
These things I shall think over in my heart, therefore will I hope.

Mary, pray for us who hold sorrow in our hearts.

Hail Mary seven

Lamentations 4:1-2
How is the gold become dim, the finest color is changed, the stones of the sanctuary are scattered in the top of every street? The noble sons of Sion, and they that were clothed with the best gold: how they esteemed as

Hail Mary eight

Singular Vessel of Devotion
Mary is unusual in that she, a golden chalice of graceful shape, is reduced to a clay pot during the humiliation of her Son. As her Son was degraded, so was she. Mary experienced every wound inflicted on her only Child. Mary has, indeed, "earned" our devotion. Devotion to the Sorrowful Mother is a powerful love and when we love, we are devoted which means very, very loving.

Hail Mary nine

Mother of the Suffering Christ, pray for us that we may not be afraid of the sufferings of our lives, of our friends, of our relatives. Help us to not hide from the pain of others and help us be devoted to you, Sorrowful Mother.

Hail Mary ten

Glory be

Fatima Prayer

To be continued....