Category: Mary

"31 Days with A Heart Like Mary's" by Barb Szyszkiewicz (FranciscanMom.com)

31 Days with a Heart Like Mary’s: Day 4

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For the past few weeks, I’ve kept Father Edward Looney’s A Heart Like Mary’s tucked in my bag, and I’ve made a special effort to get to the 9 AM Mass a little early instead of sliding in at 8:59, so I can spend a few quiet moments pondering the day’s reflection.

With 31 chapters, this book is a month-long mini-retreat that you can start reading anytime. Each day’s entry contains a Scripture passage, reflection, prayer to Mary our intercessor, and an action item: a step toward living with a Marian heart.

Pray a bit of today’s prayer from A Heart Like Mary’s with me:

"31 Days with A Heart Like Mary's" by Barb Szyszkiewicz (FranciscanMom.com)
Copyright 2018 Barb Szyszkiewicz. Created in Canva with free image elements. All rights reserved.

Read the rest of this series.

Copyright 2018 Barb Szyszkiewicz, OFS
This post contains Amazon affiliate links. I received a review copy of this book from the publisher, but no other compensation. Opinions expressed here are my own.

"31 Days with A Heart Like Mary's" by Barb Szyszkiewicz (FranciscanMom.com)

31 Days with a Heart Like Mary’s: Day 3

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For the past few weeks, I’ve kept Father Edward Looney’s A Heart Like Mary’s tucked in my bag, and I’ve made a special effort to get to the 9 AM Mass a little early instead of sliding in at 8:59, so I can spend a few quiet moments pondering the day’s reflection.

With 31 chapters, this book is a month-long mini-retreat that you can start reading anytime. Each day’s entry contains a Scripture passage, reflection, prayer to Mary our intercessor, and an action item: a step toward living with a Marian heart.

Pray a bit of today’s prayer from A Heart Like Mary’s with me:

"31 Days with A Heart Like Mary's" by Barb Szyszkiewicz (FranciscanMom.com)
Copyright 2018 Barb Szyszkiewicz. Created in Canva with free image elements. All rights reserved.

Read the rest of this series.

Copyright 2018 Barb Szyszkiewicz, OFS
This post contains Amazon affiliate links. I received a review copy of this book from the publisher, but no other compensation. Opinions expressed here are my own.

"31 Days with A Heart Like Mary's" by Barb Szyszkiewicz (FranciscanMom.com)

31 Days with a Heart Like Mary’s: Day 2

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For the past few weeks, I’ve kept Father Edward Looney’s A Heart Like Mary’s tucked in my bag, and I’ve made a special effort to get to the 9 AM Mass a little early instead of sliding in at 8:59, so I can spend a few quiet moments pondering the day’s reflection.

With 31 chapters, this book is a month-long mini-retreat that you can start reading anytime. Each day’s entry contains a Scripture passage, reflection, prayer to Mary our intercessor, and an action item: a step toward living with a Marian heart.

Pray a bit of today’s prayer from A Heart Like Mary’s with me:

"31 Days with A Heart Like Mary's" by Barb Szyszkiewicz (FranciscanMom.com)
Copyright 2018 Barb Szyszkiewicz. Created in Canva with free image elements. All rights reserved.

 

Read the rest of this series.

Copyright 2018 Barb Szyszkiewicz, OFS
This post contains Amazon affiliate links. I received a review copy of this book from the publisher, but no other compensation. Opinions expressed here are my own.

"31 Days with A Heart Like Mary's" by Barb Szyszkiewicz (FranciscanMom.com)

31 Days with a Heart Like Mary’s: Day 1

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For the past few weeks, I’ve kept Father Edward Looney’s A Heart Like Mary’s tucked in my bag, and I’ve made a special effort to get to the 9 AM Mass a little early instead of sliding in at 8:59, so I can spend a few quiet moments pondering the day’s reflection.

With 31 chapters, this book is a month-long mini-retreat that you can start reading anytime. Each day’s entry contains a Scripture passage, reflection, prayer to Mary our intercessor, and an action item: a step toward living with a Marian heart.

Pray a bit of today’s prayer from A Heart Like Mary’s with me:

"31 Days with A Heart Like Mary's" by Barb Szyszkiewicz (FranciscanMom.com)
Copyright 2018 Barb Szyszkiewicz. Created in Canva with free image elements. All rights reserved.

Copyright 2018 Barb Szyszkiewicz, OFS
This post contains Amazon affiliate links. I received a review copy of this book from the publisher, but no other compensation. Opinions expressed here are my own.

"Inside, She Weeps" by Barb Szyszkiewicz (Franciscanmom.com) #MondayBlogs

Inside, She Weeps

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There is an image in the Adoration Chapel this week: an artist’s depiction of the Pietá — but unlike Michelangelo’s famous sculpture, this one portrays Mary looking straight ahead as she cradles Jesus in her arms, holding him so that His face is next to hers.

Her eyes are not downcast as she holds her crucified Son. They are wide open, staring back at the beholder, filled with emotion.

But what emotion, exactly?

Defiance? I can imagine that her inner Mama Bear comes into play here. She grasps her Son’s body and looks straight ahead, daring anyone to take Him from her.

Shock? She has just watched her only Son complete his earthly mission, culminating in a death so horrible that no one would wish it on his worst enemy, and she witnessed it all. Is she numb from the shock of it?

Grief? Surely. Those eyes, partially in shadow from the veil that covers her hair, are deep pools of grief and pain. Her heart has, indeed, been pierced.

Strength? No tears are on her face. She is hanging on, not allowing herself to give in to those other emotions, sitting straight and not crumpling to the ground, holding Jesus and not letting go.

She will have to let go soon enough. She will have to allow Joseph of Arimathea to take Jesus’ body from her for a hurried burial before the sun goes down.

But not yet. Not at this moment.

For now, she holds on — to her Son, to her composure. She looks straight ahead.

But inside, she weeps.

"Inside, She Weeps" by Barb Szyszkiewicz (Franciscanmom.com) #MondayBlogs
William-Adolphe Bouguereau [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Copyright 2017 Barb Szyszkiewicz, OFS

#WorthRevisit and Word by Word

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word by wordI’m celebrating the publication of Sarah Reinhard’s Word by Word: Slowing Down with the Hail Mary–not only because I think Sarah is a terrific writer and I’d love to get to meet her “in real life”–but also because I have a small part in that book! I’m one of 40 bloggers who was asked to contribute a chapter. And believe me, I’m humbled by the company I’m keeping among the contributors!

Word by Word is all about taking the Hail Mary and really thinking about what you say, and what you pray.

While I was looking for something else in my blog archives this morning, I came across this post in which TheKid, then in kindergarten, was having a little trouble learning that particular prayer word by word.

Little Brother’s teacher sent a note home today that he had not yet mastered the “Hail Mary.” I had never heard him “solo” on that prayer before, so I didn’t know there was a problem.

Well, she’s right. He hasn’t mastered it. But I’m having trouble helping him relearn the line that he thinks is:

“…and blessed is the food in your room, Jesus.”

Mostly because I’m trying to keep from laughing every time he says that. And I’m sure he thinks Mary is one lucky girl, because he’s well aware of the “no food in your room” rule around here.

If you’re interested in purchasing Word by Word, consider stopping in at your local Catholic bookstore first. It’s also available online, and if you use my Amazon link, Franciscanmom.com gets a small percentage of the sales.

Link up with #WorthRevisit at Reconciled to You and Theology is a Verb!

worth revisit

Explanation FAIL

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Little Brother and I attended Mass together this morning. He paid attention to the readings and even to Father’s homily, which linked the “Magnificat” from the Gospel to both the Visitation and the life of St. Teresa Benedicta (Edith Stein).

That might seem like a stretch, but the gist of it was that “My being proclaims the greatness of the Lord” was central to the Blessed Mother’s life as well as to the martyrdom of St. Teresa.

After Mass was over, Little Brother asked me what the name of today’s feast was, again. He didn’t seem to be too familiar with the concept of the Assumption–especially after listening to a Gospel that told the story of the Visitation.

I told him that when most people die, only their soul goes to Heaven. But the Blessed Mother’s soul and body went to heaven upon her death.

It’s complicated. I can’t wrap my head around this mystery either.

Apparently neither can Little Brother, who then commented: “Mary could FLY? Wow, that’s COOL! I want to fly…”

A Little Chant

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You might think that just because I play guitar in church, my favorite religious music consists of tunes like “They’ll Know We Are Christians By Our Love” and “Abba, Father.”

You’d be wrong. (Actually, I’m not a big fan of either of those tunes, and I call them “tunes” on purpose. There’s much better church music for guitar out there.)

One hymn that really sticks with me is the Salve Regina. I learned it in college; Father Campbell, the chaplain, held Night Prayer and Benediction each Sunday night. He “guilted” a few of us campus-ministry “folk groupies” into going, so that there’d be somebody there.

Father Campbell was smart. He knew that he’d only have to use the guilt trip once or twice. After that, we were hooked–we wanted to be there.

Having grown up on guitar Masses, Sunday Night Prayer was the first time I ever heard Gregorian chant. We concluded Night Prayer with the Salve Regina. It is so simple, spare but beautiful. I know all the words, and I love to pray it by singing it.

In honor of Mary’s month, here is the Salve Regina:

Thanks go to Barb at Praying for Grace, who is hosting a whole month of Marian topics on her blog.

Mary Moments Carnival–coming Monday!

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Monday is not only Memorial Day: it’s the Mary Moments Carnival over at Just Another Day of Catholic Pondering.

Now I’ve got nothing to add to a discussion just now–not an original thought in my head. But I’m sure the bloggers who’ve contributed to this Carnival have plenty to say. Make some time to stop by on Monday and check it out.

Blessed New Year!

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At Mass this morning our deacon shared the origins of the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, and encouraged us to deepen our devotion to the Blessed Mother.

I wish you all a happy, healthy and blessed New Year!