Adult / Couple
Pray It
Mary's Song of Praise
My soul magnifies my God!
My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior whose glance has rested on me,
a poor and humble servant.
From this day forth all shall speak of me as blessed.
The Almighty has done wondrous deeds for me.
May the name of the Most High be praised.
God's mercy reaches out from age to age, touching all the faithful.
The proud have lost their thrones while God's hand has raised up the lowly.
The hungry are filled with all good while the rich go away empty-handed.
Ever present to our God are the promises made to our ancestors:
"To Abraham, Sarah, and their descendants, mercy forever!"
(Luke 1: 39-56)
My soul magnifies my God!
My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior whose glance has rested on me,
a poor and humble servant.
From this day forth all shall speak of me as blessed.
The Almighty has done wondrous deeds for me.
May the name of the Most High be praised.
God's mercy reaches out from age to age, touching all the faithful.
The proud have lost their thrones while God's hand has raised up the lowly.
The hungry are filled with all good while the rich go away empty-handed.
Ever present to our God are the promises made to our ancestors:
"To Abraham, Sarah, and their descendants, mercy forever!"
(Luke 1: 39-56)
Read It!
Our Lady of Guadalupe
Feast Day December 12
On December 9, 1531, a 57-year-old Aztec, Juan Diego, saw the Blessed Mother on a hill in Mexico City. She told Juan to have a church built in her honor. When Juan went to ask Bishop Zumarraga about this, the bishop did not understand the Indian dialect—and he did not believe in the vision Juan described.
Three days later, on December 12, Mary appeared again to Juan Diego, and this time she gave him a sign for the bishop. “Take these roses to the bishop,” she said, as she arranged in his cloak beautiful roses she had Juan Diego pick from the hillside although it was winter. When he was admitted into the bishop's room, Juan Diego opened his cloak, and out dropped the roses. On the cloak there remained an image of Mary as she had appeared to Juan Diego.
The image of Mary on the cloak is known as Our Lady of Guadalupe for an interesting reason. On that same day, Mary appeared to Juan's uncle and cured him, giving him a message for the bishop, saying that she would “crush the serpent's head.” The bishop did not understand the Indians' language. The Indian word for “crush the serpent” sounded to him like “Guadalupe,” the name of Mary's shrine in Spain. Thinking that the Virgin wanted the new shrine to have the same name, the bishop called her Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Mary appeared to Juan Diego dressed as an Aztec woman to show her love and compassion to an oppressed group of people. Mary had heard the prayers and pain of these people, and she came to give them hope.
Mary's visit to Guadalupe is a reminder that God will remember his mercy for all people. In Mary's song of joy, the Magnificat, she praised God because he has put down the mighty, exalted the lowly, filled the hungry, and sent the rich away empty. People honor Our Lady of Guadalupe because they recognize her motherly concern for them.
Feast Day December 12
On December 9, 1531, a 57-year-old Aztec, Juan Diego, saw the Blessed Mother on a hill in Mexico City. She told Juan to have a church built in her honor. When Juan went to ask Bishop Zumarraga about this, the bishop did not understand the Indian dialect—and he did not believe in the vision Juan described.
Three days later, on December 12, Mary appeared again to Juan Diego, and this time she gave him a sign for the bishop. “Take these roses to the bishop,” she said, as she arranged in his cloak beautiful roses she had Juan Diego pick from the hillside although it was winter. When he was admitted into the bishop's room, Juan Diego opened his cloak, and out dropped the roses. On the cloak there remained an image of Mary as she had appeared to Juan Diego.
The image of Mary on the cloak is known as Our Lady of Guadalupe for an interesting reason. On that same day, Mary appeared to Juan's uncle and cured him, giving him a message for the bishop, saying that she would “crush the serpent's head.” The bishop did not understand the Indians' language. The Indian word for “crush the serpent” sounded to him like “Guadalupe,” the name of Mary's shrine in Spain. Thinking that the Virgin wanted the new shrine to have the same name, the bishop called her Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Mary appeared to Juan Diego dressed as an Aztec woman to show her love and compassion to an oppressed group of people. Mary had heard the prayers and pain of these people, and she came to give them hope.
Mary's visit to Guadalupe is a reminder that God will remember his mercy for all people. In Mary's song of joy, the Magnificat, she praised God because he has put down the mighty, exalted the lowly, filled the hungry, and sent the rich away empty. People honor Our Lady of Guadalupe because they recognize her motherly concern for them.
Share It
Enjoy this most beautiful song about the qualities of Joseph and then share the link.
Joseph's Song by Michael Card:
Joseph's Song by Michael Card:
Do It!
Feast day January 1
Solemnity of Mary
Way back in 431, there was a bitter controversy among theologians over the role of Mary in the Catholic Church. They debated the question: Who is Mary in God’s plan?
In the end, the bishops declared that Mary is really the mother of Jesus and Jesus is really God. So it must be said that Mary is the Mother of God. The oldest Christian greeting of Mary was proclaimed when Mary’s relative Elizabeth called her “Mother of my Lord.” When Elizabeth welcomed Mary, she recognized both the great privilege God had given Mary and Mary’s great faith in accepting it.
For centuries, Mary has been praised because she believed. She is Mother of God because of her faith in God. The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, celebrates Mary’s faith and trust in God alone. The Church wants us to imitate her faith.
Attend Mass on January 1 and ask that Mary, Mother of God and our Mother, accompany you and your loved ones through this new year of 2015 as we walk together and grow in faith.
Solemnity of Mary
Way back in 431, there was a bitter controversy among theologians over the role of Mary in the Catholic Church. They debated the question: Who is Mary in God’s plan?
In the end, the bishops declared that Mary is really the mother of Jesus and Jesus is really God. So it must be said that Mary is the Mother of God. The oldest Christian greeting of Mary was proclaimed when Mary’s relative Elizabeth called her “Mother of my Lord.” When Elizabeth welcomed Mary, she recognized both the great privilege God had given Mary and Mary’s great faith in accepting it.
For centuries, Mary has been praised because she believed. She is Mother of God because of her faith in God. The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, celebrates Mary’s faith and trust in God alone. The Church wants us to imitate her faith.
Attend Mass on January 1 and ask that Mary, Mother of God and our Mother, accompany you and your loved ones through this new year of 2015 as we walk together and grow in faith.