Sept. 12:
THE MOST HOLY NAME OF MARY. Audiovisual Summary and text.
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Best with sound. Audio credit: Kevin Macleod (public license).
Blessed are you, O Virgin Mary, by the Lord God Most High, above all women on the earth; for he has so exalted your name, that your praise shall be undying on our lips.
Entrance Antiphon, Mass proper
Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Name of Mary, or simply the Holy Name of Mary. It is a special day to honor the name of Mary the mother of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the 2nd Person of the Most Holy Trinity, our Savior and Redeemer, commemorating all the privileges bestowed upon Mary by God and all the graces received through her intercession and mediation.
The feast day began in 1513 as a local celebration in Cuenca, Spain. However, it has been a universal Roman Rite feast since 1684, when Pope Innocent XI included it in the General Roman Calendar to commemorate the victory at the Battle of Vienna in 1683.
It was in July 14 when Vienna had been entirely surrounded by the Turks headed by the visir Kara Mustafa along with his 200,000 men and isolated from the imperial army, who had retired to the left from the Danube. A forest of tents stretched around the city. The terrible bombings began resulting to an imposing fire. Illnesses also preyed on the besieged. Gunpowder and food provisions decreased very quickly and while each day passed the Turkish pressure became more violent and threatening. However, Divine Providence responded, once again, the prayers of Pope Innocent XI and the faithful devotees of the Mother of God, on whom they had pinned their hopes. King John Sobieski of Poland offered his help to King Leopold of Austria. The Polish king was prepared to fight and asked God’s help and protection by hearing Mass devoutly and receiving the Holy Eucharist, an example followed by all the Polish army.
The historical time of the final battle of Vienna sounded the dawn of the limpid sun September 12. The relief army led by King John Sobieski attacked the assailants. An unexpected hailstorm struck the camp of the Turks. Before the night, victory smiled to the Christian forces who had launched into battle by invoking the name of Mary
Pope Pius XII said in the radio message on the occasion of the beatification of Pope Innocent XI:
“If God had chosen the King of Poland as an instrument for the liberation of Vienna, critics and historians unanimously say that the primary architect of this same liberation was Pope Innocent XI, who, in turn, with touching humility, attributed the merit and glory that day the favor and help of Mary. So I wanted to dedicate this bright September day the feast of the Holy Name.”
Dear friends, as little children do, let us always invoke the name of our Mother Mary, especially when the going gets tough in our interior life or when we are downtrodden by the burdens of different problems of our daily life. Would there be any good mother in the world who would play deaf to the desperate pleas of her children?
“If you ever feel distressed during your day — call upon our Lady — just say this simple prayer: ‘Mary, Mother of Jesus, please be a mother to me now.’ I must admit — this prayer has never failed me.”
–St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta
Let us be convinced that Our Mother Mary, full of grace, the holiest creature of God will readily listen and attend to our pleas when we cry out her holy name: Mary!
“Lord, our God, when your Son was dying on the altar of the cross, He gave us as our mother the one He had chosen to be His own mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary grant that we who call upon the holy name of Mary, our mother, with confidence in her protection may receive strength and comfort in all our needs.”
Collect prayer, Mass proper
Thank you Mother Mary, for all the graces we have received through your loving maternal intercession! Help and pray for us, especially for our persecuted Christian brethren all over the world.
AUDIO SOURCE:
J. S. Bach, Magnificat by Tudor Consort http://freemusicarchive.org/music/The_Tudor_Consort/~/bach-gloria-patri licensed under a Attribution License.
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