Mary TV: August 7, 2019 Reflection - Novena to Our Lady, Assumed into Heaven Day 2

(c)Mary TV/Anthony Zubac
Our Lady's Statue processed through a sea of young people!!

 

August 7, 2019
Novena in honor of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary - Day 2
Dear Family of Mary!
It seems to make sense that as we come back down to earth from the incredible 6 days of prayer and joy during the 30th Youth Festival in Medjugorje, that we would begin a novena to Our Lady. We began yesterday, a Novena to Our Lady, Assumed into Heaven. This is day 2. I want to share with you each day of this novena something beautiful about the Assumption, so that we can grow in our awareness of the timeliness and power of this Dogma. It was only proclaimed in 1950! So recent!! Pope Pius XII proclaimed it on November 1, 1950 in the Apostolic Constitution: Munificentissimuss Deus - Defining the Dogma of the Assumption. He explained very clearly all the steps that the Church took to come to this moment. And then he said these words:
41. Since the universal Church, within which dwells the Spirit of Truth who infallibly directs it toward an ever more perfect knowledge of the revealed truths, has expressed its own belief many times over the course of the centuries, and since the bishops of the entire world are almost unanimously petitioning that the truth of the bodily Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into heaven should be defined as a dogma of divine and Catholic faith--this truth which is based on the Sacred Writings, which is thoroughly rooted in the minds of the faithful, which has been approved in ecclesiastical worship from the most remote times, which is completely in harmony with the other revealed truths, and which has been expounded and explained magnificently in the work, the science, and the wisdom of the theologians - we believe that the moment appointed in the plan of divine providence for the solemn proclamation of this outstanding privilege of the Virgin Mary has already arrived.

42. We, who have placed our pontificate under the special patronage of the most holy Virgin, to whom we have had recourse so often in times of grave trouble, we who have consecrated the entire human race to her Immaculate Heart in public ceremonies, and who have time and time again experienced her powerful protection, are confident that this solemn proclamation and definition of the Assumption will contribute in no small way to the advantage of human society, since it redounds to the glory of the Most Blessed Trinity, to which the Blessed Mother of God is bound by such singular bonds. It is to be hoped that all the faithful will be stirred up to a stronger piety toward their heavenly Mother, and that the souls of all those who glory in the Christian name may be moved by the desire of sharing in the unity of Jesus Christ's Mystical Body and of increasing their love for her who shows her motherly heart to all the members of this august body. And so, we may hope that those who meditate upon the glorious example Mary offers us may be more and more convinced of the value of a human life entirely devoted to carrying out the heavenly Father's will and to bringing good to others. Thus, while the illusory teachings of materialism and the corruption of morals that follows from these teachings threaten to extinguish the light of virtue and to ruin the lives of men by exciting discord among them, in this magnificent way all may see clearly to what a lofty goal our bodies and souls are destined. Finally it is our hope that belief in Mary's bodily Assumption into heaven will make our belief in our own resurrection stronger and render it more effective. http://w2.vatican.va/content/pius-xii/en/apost_constitutions/documents/hf_p-xii_apc_19501101_munificentissimus-deus.html


Note how Pope Pius XII mentions that this Dogma will help us to stand against the "illusory teachings of materialism and the corruption of morals that follows from these teachings [and which] threaten to extinguish the light of virtue and to ruin the lives of men by exciting discord among them ..." Pope Pius XII could see the danger we were in at that moment, 1950. Two world wars had decimated our populations and covered the world with a heavy cloud of depression and disillusionment. The technological age was just beginning to grow, bringing a false sense that man could answer all his needs himself, without God. And the devil had planted the seeds of the destruction of the family through the sexual revolution which we have seen grow to enormous proportions. So, Pope Pius XII believed that it was Our Lady who could redirect mankind back to the safety of the faith, through her Assumption!
We have much to ponder in all of this. And so, let's embrace this novena, asking God to show us His great plan to save us from this hour in human history, through Our Lady, Assumed into Heaven!
Here is our Novena prayer:

Prayer to Our Lady of the Assumption
by Pope St. Pius X

O Immaculate Virgin, Mother of God and Mother of humanity, we believe with all the fervor of our faith in your triumphal assumption both in body and in soul into heaven where you are acclaimed as queen by all the choirs of angels and all the legions of saints; we unite with them to praise and bless the Lord who has exalted you above all other pure creatures and to offer you the tribute of our devotion and our love.

We know that your gaze, which on earth watched over the humble and suffering humanity of Jesus, in heaven is filled with the vision of that humanity glorified and with the vision of uncreated wisdom, and that the joy of your soul in the direct contemplation of the adorable Trinity causes your heart to throb with overwhelming tenderness; and we, poor sinners whose body weights down the flight of the soul, beg you to purify our hearts so that, while we remain below, we may learn to see God and God alone in the beauties of his creatures.

We trust that your merciful eyes may deign to gaze down upon our miseries and anguish, upon our struggles and our weaknesses; that your countenance may smile upon our joys and our victories; that you may hear the voice of Jesus saying to you of each one of us, as He once said to you of his beloved disciple: "Behold your son," and we who call upon you as our mother, we, like John, take you as the guide, strength and consolation of our mortal life. 

 

We are inspired by the certainty that your eyes, which wept over the earth crimsoned by the blood of Jesus, are yet turned toward this world racked by wars and persecutions, the oppression of the just and the weak. From the shadows of this vale of tears, we seek in your heavenly assistance, tender mercy, comfort for our aching hearts, and help in the trials of Church and country.

We believe finally that in the glory where you reign, clothed with the sun and crowned with stars, you are, after Jesus, the joy and gladness of all the angels and the saints, and from this earth, over which we tread as pilgrims, comforted by our faith in the future resurrection, we look to you our life, our sweetness, our hope; draw us onward with the sweetness of your voice, so that one day, after our exile, you may show us Jesus, the blessed fruit of your womb.

O clement, O loving,
O sweet Virgin Mary.

Amen.

In Jesus, Mary and Joseph!
Cathy Nolan
©Mary TV 2019