The Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

The Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

By REV. FR. SAMUEL FREDERICK

2 Chr. 24:17-25, Mt. 6:24-34. Today's first reading continues with the series of outrages committed by the royals who should have followed the example of king David, the faithful shepherd of Israel. Joash was led astray by the gentry in Jerusalem, he forgot the heroic loyalty of his friends who had saved his life as a child and later brought him to the throne. We sometimes behave like Joash when we forget Mary's part in the history of salvation. The trouble of this world weighs us so much that we cannot see any reason to accord Mary with the honour she deserves. In today's Gospel, Jesus challenges us: “Let tomorrow take care of itself. Today has troubles enough of its own.” It is more vital to live today than to worry about tomorrow. Life itself is more basic than sumptuous food, the body is more valuable than elegant clothing.

We need to review our priorities, “Look at the birds in the sky. They do not sow or reap, yet your Heavenly Father feeds them.” As we celebrate the Immaculate Heart of Mary a day after the celebration of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we remember the closeness of the two Hearts. The difference between the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary is that the Sacred Heart is full of love for mankind, while devotion to Mary’s Heart is focussed on the love that her heart has for Jesus, her Son, and through Him, for the Eternal Father. The Marian devotion is not an end in itself, since the love of her heart is meant as a paradigm for the way we should love God. The focus of this devotion is to unite mankind to God through Mary’s heart, through a process of consecration and reparation. We are called to consecrate ourselves to Mary’s Immaculate Heart as a way of being completely devoted to God, with Mary as our intermediary in this process of consecration.

May the Lord help us to imitate Mary in faith so that we may share the overflowing love from her Immaculate Heart and may we be drawn closer to Christ! Amen!! Remain safe and have a happy weekend!!!

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