Saturday, December 16, 2006

Saturday - Day of Our Lady

QUEEN OF PEACE, PRAY FOR US!

Queen of peace, pray for us!
The last invocation of Loreto Litany was added during the First World War. It was very long war and to many at that time, the war with no end nor perspective for peace between nations engaged in bloody battles. In all this misery, on November 16th, Pope Benedict XV made announcement about his intention to add this particular invocation to the Litany to beg Our Lady for her intercession to end world conflict. The invocation, by the way, is very approppriate one for in this way Church reminds the faithful: "Let us turn in trust to the Mother of God for she is our only hope, the sweet Queen of Peace!" This is a beautiful invocation to the graceful and full of compassion heart of our Lady, our Queen and Mother. This devotion is deeply rooted in faith, for our Immaculate Lady gave us Him Who is foretold by the prophet as "Prince of peace" (Is 9:5), as the One who "shall speak peace to the Gentiles (Zach. 9:10), who's coming was announced by the angels with words "peace to men of good will" (Luke 2:14). He Himself said to us these sweet words: "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you" (Jn 14:27). The Apostle says about Him: "he is our peace" (Eph 2:14). Mary is the Queen of Peace, for through Lord Jesus she made peace between sinful world and heavenly God. For she herself is full of peace, she is Mother of all goodness as St Francis of Assisi said.
Let us go to our Queen of peace, if there is no peace in our hearts, nor in our families. Let us go to her if we desire to learn how to be peacemakers, how to become worthy of heavenly peace. For she, the mediatrix of peace, says:"Incline your ear and come to me: hear and your soul shall live"Is 55:3.