Mary’s Desire for Virginity
And Mary said to the angel,
How shall this be, since I have no husband?
– Luke 1:34
Prayer
We fly to your patronage, O holy Mother of God;
Despise not our prayers in our necessities, But ever deliver us from all dangers, O glorious and blessed Virgin.
Reflection
Long before the Angel Gabriel brought Mary the
message that God had chosen her to be the mother
of his Son, she had resolved to give herself entirely
and exclusively – in the gift of perpetual virginity. 16 17
Mary knew that God had entered into a Covenant –
a family bond – with the People of Israel on Mount
Sinai. Although the Lord had remained faithful to
the Covenant promises, Israel had not. By repeatedly
breaking the Commandments of God, Israel had
shown herself to be an adulterous spouse. Mary,
painfully aware of the history of her people as told by
the Prophets, yearned to make reparation for the sins
of her people by loving God as his faithful bride.
Here is Pope John Paul II’s description of Mary’s
desire to remain a virgin throughout her life:
Mary herself wanted to be the personal image of
that absolutely faithful bride, totally devoted to the
divine Bridegroom, and therefore she became the
beginning of the new Israel in her spousal heart....
She confirms and strengthens a consecration
already in effect, which becomes the abiding
condition of her life. She in fact replies to the Angel
of the Annunciation: “How will this come about,
since I am a virgin?” (Lk. 1:34); as if to say: I am
a virgin devoted to God, and I do not intend to
leave my spouse, because I do not think that God
wills it – He who is so jealous of Israel, so severe
with anyone who betrays him, so persistent in his
merciful call to reconciliation! Mary is well aware
of her people’s infidelity, and she wants personally
to be a bride who is faithful to her most beloved
divine Spouse.
God sent the Angel Gabriel to the town of Nazareth
to tell Mary that he had accepted her desire to belong
exclusively to him and, in fact, was the source of that
desire. Mary’s longing for a life of virginity was, in
fact, a response to God’s faithful love. The Angel tells
Mary that she would conceive God’s son as a virgin
through the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit. She is
to be simultaneously a virgin, bride, and mother. Her
freely chosen virginity allowed Mary to belong totally
to Christ as his mother and totally to each of us as our
loving mother. The Blessed Virgin Mary witnesses that
the beautiful value of virginity is always for the sake of
spousal love and motherhood!
Prayer
Almighty and Ever-Living God, Mary gave herself to
you unreservedly through the gift of her virginity. As
she loved Jesus with an undivided heart, she continues
to love and serve all of her children on earth. Through
her example, instill in all the members of your Church a
deeper appreciation of the value of virginity. Help all to
understand that virginity is the perfect gift that spouses
give to each other on their wedding day. Inspire many
young men and women to embrace a life of consecrated
celibacy or virginity in the priesthood and consecrated
life. Teach us all the meaning of your Son’s words:
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God
(Mt. 5:8). We ask this through Christ, Our Lord. Amen.
Do as many
of the following acts as you are able:
1.) Attend Mass and receive Holy
Communion each day of the Novena.
Through the Eucharist, thank God for the
many blessings He has given to our Nation.
Express all your gratitude to Him for the
blessings He has given you. Thank Him
especially for the people He has placed in
your life to love.
2.) Receive the Sacrament of Penance.
As you prepare for confession, forgive
anyone who has ever hurt you. Let go
of any grudges you may be holding. We
want to be fully reconciled with God and
all the people God has placed in our lives
through this heartfelt confession of our sins.
Invite family members and friends to go to
confession, too
3.) Read the Scripture and Pray the Rosary
each day.
4.) Make a donation or do something
practical to help the poor.
5.) Encourage as many people as possible to
make the Novena.
http://www.religiousliberties.org/novena/
And Mary said to the angel,
How shall this be, since I have no husband?
– Luke 1:34
Prayer
We fly to your patronage, O holy Mother of God;
Despise not our prayers in our necessities, But ever deliver us from all dangers, O glorious and blessed Virgin.
Reflection
Long before the Angel Gabriel brought Mary the
message that God had chosen her to be the mother
of his Son, she had resolved to give herself entirely
and exclusively – in the gift of perpetual virginity. 16 17
Mary knew that God had entered into a Covenant –
a family bond – with the People of Israel on Mount
Sinai. Although the Lord had remained faithful to
the Covenant promises, Israel had not. By repeatedly
breaking the Commandments of God, Israel had
shown herself to be an adulterous spouse. Mary,
painfully aware of the history of her people as told by
the Prophets, yearned to make reparation for the sins
of her people by loving God as his faithful bride.
Here is Pope John Paul II’s description of Mary’s
desire to remain a virgin throughout her life:
Mary herself wanted to be the personal image of
that absolutely faithful bride, totally devoted to the
divine Bridegroom, and therefore she became the
beginning of the new Israel in her spousal heart....
She confirms and strengthens a consecration
already in effect, which becomes the abiding
condition of her life. She in fact replies to the Angel
of the Annunciation: “How will this come about,
since I am a virgin?” (Lk. 1:34); as if to say: I am
a virgin devoted to God, and I do not intend to
leave my spouse, because I do not think that God
wills it – He who is so jealous of Israel, so severe
with anyone who betrays him, so persistent in his
merciful call to reconciliation! Mary is well aware
of her people’s infidelity, and she wants personally
to be a bride who is faithful to her most beloved
divine Spouse.
God sent the Angel Gabriel to the town of Nazareth
to tell Mary that he had accepted her desire to belong
exclusively to him and, in fact, was the source of that
desire. Mary’s longing for a life of virginity was, in
fact, a response to God’s faithful love. The Angel tells
Mary that she would conceive God’s son as a virgin
through the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit. She is
to be simultaneously a virgin, bride, and mother. Her
freely chosen virginity allowed Mary to belong totally
to Christ as his mother and totally to each of us as our
loving mother. The Blessed Virgin Mary witnesses that
the beautiful value of virginity is always for the sake of
spousal love and motherhood!
Prayer
Almighty and Ever-Living God, Mary gave herself to
you unreservedly through the gift of her virginity. As
she loved Jesus with an undivided heart, she continues
to love and serve all of her children on earth. Through
her example, instill in all the members of your Church a
deeper appreciation of the value of virginity. Help all to
understand that virginity is the perfect gift that spouses
give to each other on their wedding day. Inspire many
young men and women to embrace a life of consecrated
celibacy or virginity in the priesthood and consecrated
life. Teach us all the meaning of your Son’s words:
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God
(Mt. 5:8). We ask this through Christ, Our Lord. Amen.
Do as many
of the following acts as you are able:
1.) Attend Mass and receive Holy
Communion each day of the Novena.
Through the Eucharist, thank God for the
many blessings He has given to our Nation.
Express all your gratitude to Him for the
blessings He has given you. Thank Him
especially for the people He has placed in
your life to love.
2.) Receive the Sacrament of Penance.
As you prepare for confession, forgive
anyone who has ever hurt you. Let go
of any grudges you may be holding. We
want to be fully reconciled with God and
all the people God has placed in our lives
through this heartfelt confession of our sins.
Invite family members and friends to go to
confession, too
3.) Read the Scripture and Pray the Rosary
each day.
4.) Make a donation or do something
practical to help the poor.
5.) Encourage as many people as possible to
make the Novena.
http://www.religiousliberties.org/novena/
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