There are a few feast days of Mary during this month. We honor Mary’s Assumption; at the end of her life on earth, she was assumed to heaven, body and soul. She was then united with her Son, Jesus.  They are now bonded together in eternity. As we pray the Magnificat, we find the words ‘lifting up the lowly’ and now Mary stands in the presence of God and intercedes for us.

Let us pray to her during this Jubilee Year. Pope Francis called her the “Mother of Hope”, “Mother of Mercy” and “Solace of Migrants”. Mary is a faithful, modest follower of Jesus Christ; she believed in the words of God’s promise to her.  Saint Luke says:

“Mary treasured all these words, reflecting on them in her heart.
Blessed are you who have believed
 that what was spoken to you by the Lord will be fulfilled”.

Mary is recognized by many different titles. On August 22, we celebrate the “Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary”. The Mother of a King is a Queen.  We can recite the litanies, pray invocations by saying “Mary pray for us.” Mary is our mother, our refuge; we rely on her and honor her with our personal prayers to her.

The Rosary is a precious meditative prayer of the heart. By reciting the 53 Hail Mary’s on our beads it helps us connect to Mary, as we focus on the main mysteries of her life. Saint Luke says:

‘For he looked upon his servant in her lowliness, all ages to come shall call me blessed.’

As we pray the rosary, we may have many intentions for Mary to present to her son Jesus. For example, for peace in the world, harmony between nations, cities, families and within ourselves as well. Our inner life can also be a field of battle as we live through various difficulties in life. As we cultivate peace within ourselves and with others, we can be pilgrims of hope especially during this Jubilee Year!

‘Mary, Mother of Pilgrims, pray for us.’

‘Mary, Queen of Peace, grant peace among nations’

‘Mother of God help us on our pilgrim journey here on earth.’

Saint Marie Rivier would say;

‘Oh, how we need the Blessed Virgin to come to our aid in everything’. St Marie Rivier confided her needs and desires to Mary by means of the Rosary, placing all her hope that her prayers would be answered.

So no matter what intimate personal prayer or devotion we use to address to Mary, she always listens to us.  A good prayer to recite;

HAIL, HOLY QUEEN

HAIL, HOLY QUEEN, MOTHER OF MERCY, OUR LIFE, OUR SWEETNESS AND OUR HOPE.  TO THEE DO WE CRY, POOR BANISH CHILDREN OF EVE.  TO THEE WE SEND UP OUR SIGHS, MOURNING AND WEEPING IN THIS VALLEY OF TEARS. TURN, THEN, MOST GRACIOUS ADVOCATE, THINE EYES OF MERCY TOWARD US, AND AFTER THIS, OUR EXILE, SHOW UNTO US THE BLESSED FRUIT OF THY WOMB JESUS. O CLEMENT,

O LOVING, O SWEET VIRGIN MARY.