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READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: http://www.oneyearbibleonline.com/may.asp?version=63
May 9, 2008THE TRIB TIMES WILL RETURN NEXT WEEK, GOD WILLING (James 4:15).
POPE JOHN PAUL II:
"In contemplating Mary's powerful intercession as she waits for the
Holy Spirit, Christians of every age have frequently had recourse to
her intercession on the long and tiring journey to salvation, in order
to receive the gifts of the Paraclete in greater abundance".
Praying with Mary our Mother for the Spirit (Acts 1:14)
And
so after Jesus was taken up from them into heaven, the Apostles,
leaving Mount Olivet still somewhat confused but yet hopeful, returned
to Jerusalem, and went to the upper room, where they now waited
patiently together with Mary for the coming of the Holy Spirit, and
they all joined in continuous prayer for the gift of the Spirit during
the ensuing nine days till the morning of Pentecost (Acts 1:2,9,11-14).
They
must have recalled to mind Jesus' own example of constant and effective
prayer, which had intrigued the disciple who then asked him to teach
them to pray (Lk 11:1-2). They must have remembered Jesus' own teaching
on prayer, as he elaborated on both what they should pray for and how
they should pray, ending with the assurance: "How much more will the
heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" (Lk
11:9-13). They would thus not easily forget Jesus' promise to them at
the last supper: "Whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give
it to you, for the Father himself loves you" (Jn 15:16; 16:23-24,26-27).
Furthermore,
the Apostles had Mary to inspire them, both by her testimony (Lk
1:46-55), and her example (Lk 8:21; 11:28). For it was in having opened
herself in prayer, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be
done to me according to your word" (1:38), that the promise made by the
angel, "the Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most
High will overshadow you," was fulfilled (1:35).
Consequently,
because the Father's greatest gift to his children is the Holy Spirit,
whom he is always ready to give immediately, freely and joyfully, so,
firstly, the main object, in a way the only object, of our prayer
should be to be given and to receive the Holy Spirit; and, secondly,
all that we, as his children, need to do is to ask for it from the
Father with expectant faith, confident that we will receive (Lk
11:9-12).
ZENIT.ORG: On Mary's Maternal Presence at Pentecost
Letter of Pope Paul VI: The Holy Spirit and Mary
Iconography via the National Library of the Netherlands: http://www.kb.nl/manuscripts/highlights/index.html
Ladder of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 5- "On painstaking and true repentance"
37. We must carefully consider whether our conscience has ceased to accuse us, not as a result of purity, but because it is immersed in evil. A sign of deliverance from our falls is the continual reckoning of ourselves as debtors.This month's archive can be found at: http://www.catholicprophecy.info/news2.html.