Nov 30 Thu
Today we begin the novena to the Immaculate Conception. Each of us should strive to grow in love for our Lady by showing her special signs of affection during these days, and spreading devotion to her among our friends.
Mary is the Mother of God and the Mother of each of us. Thus, we go to her confidently. For our Lady always heeds our prayers.
John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, brought Mary into his home, and into his life. This is an invitation to all Christians to bring Mary into their lives. Mary certainly wants you to invoke her as your mother. Tell her, “Show me that you are my Mother."
Invoke the Blessed Virgin, asking her to be always our Mother, and to give us, along with her Son's grace, clear, sound doctrine for our minds, and love and purity for our hearts, so that we can reach God ourselves and lead many souls to him."
Now, from heaven, our Mother continues to fulfill her mission, to help in the birth and development of divine life in each of us.
During this Novena, each day we should offer some small gift to our Lady as a sign of our filial devotion.
It may be the effort that we make to fulfill our duties better, a mortification, some small act of Marian piety, a very definite apostolic target, or something else, small things that will make our Mother smile.
St. Josemaría tells us, “Every year, during the month of May, the rector of an old seminary used to go to the rooms, knocking on the doors one by one, after the seminarians had already retired for the evening. When they opened the door, the rector would give them a rose to offer to our Lady. But whenever a seminarian had failed to be a good son of our heavenly mother, either by breaking one of the rules or neglecting his study, the rector would knock on his door and say, ‘Today, you cannot offer our Lady a rose.’"
Each day of this novena we too want to offer our Lady a flower. At the moment of the evening examination of conscience we hope to be able to say, 'Here you have my gift for today, Mother.' And then from her heavenly throne she will smile upon us, for in those efforts of ours she will see the reality of our love and dedication. Today, the anthurium, heart shaped, reminds us of having a heart for the plans of God.
Mary accepted, and gave herself fully to her vocation as a mother. She did not do her own will, but His Will: “Be it done unto me according to your word.” Today, I should ask myself:
1. Am I open to the plans of God in my life, as Our Lady was?
2. Do I pray about it, every day, as she did?
3. Do I open my soul to God in the sacrament confession?
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