Cristy Li

Blessed are You O Virgin Mary, Without Dying You Won the Martyr’s Crown Beneath the Cross of the Lord -Image Courtesy: Archbishop Jose Gomez

Standing near the Cross of Jesus were His Mother and His Mother’s Sister, Mary the wife of Clopas and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw His Mother and the Disciple who He loved standing beside her He said to His Mother, “Woman, here is your Son.” Then He said to the Disciple, “Here is your Mother” and from that hour the Disciple took her into his home. John 19:25-27

Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His steadfast love endures forever.

Let Israel say, His steadfast love endures forever.

The right hand of the Lord is exalted, the right hand of the Lord does valiantly. I shall not die but I shall live and recount the deeds of the Lord.

You are my God and I will give thanks to You. You are my God, I will extol you.

O give thanks to the Lord for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever. Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 28-29

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“Mary is Taken Up to Heaven, a Chorus of Angels Exults.”
Image Courtesy: St. Paul Street Evangelization

While He (Jesus) was speaking, a Woman from the crowd called out and said, ‘Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed.’

Jesus replied, “Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and observe it.” Luke 11:27-28

Mary Visits Elizabeth

During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth – When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb and Elizabeth filled with the Holy Spirit cried out in a loud voice and said: “Most blessed are you among Women and blessed is the fruit of your womb and how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”

The Canticle of Mary

Mary said, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.

For He has looked upon His handmaid’s lowliness, behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed.

The Mighty One has done great things for me and holy is His name.

His mercy is from age-to-age to those who fear Him.

He has shown might with His arm, dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart.

He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly.

The hungry He has filled with good things, the rich He has sent away empty.

He has helped Israel His servant, remembering His mercy according to His promise to our fathers, to Abraham and ti his descendants forever.” Luke 1:39-55

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For this reason we too give thanks to God unceasingly that, in receiving the Word of God from hearing us you received not a human word but as it truly is the Word of God which is now at work in you who believe.  1 Thessalonians 2:13

Song of Thanksgiving

I give You thanks O Lord, though You have been angry with me, Your anger has abated and You have consoled me.

God indeed is my salvation, I am confident and unafraid. For the Lord is my strength and my might and He has been my salvation.

With joy you will draw water from the fountains of salvation and you will say on that day:

Give thanks to the Lord, acclaim His name. Among the nations make known His deeds, proclaim how exalted is His name.

Sing praise to the Lord for He has done glorious things, let this be known throughout all the earth.

Shout with exultation, City of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel. Isaiah 12:1-6

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‘Rabbi (Jesus) You are the Son of God, You are the King of Israel.’ John 1:49 Image Courtesy: Daily Rabbi

This Word came to Jeremiah from the Lord: Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Write down on a scroll all the Words I have spoken to you. For indeed, the days are coming–of the Lord, when I will restore the fortunes of My people Israel and Judah…I will bring them back to the land which I gave to their ancestors and they shall take possession of it.

These are the Words of the Lord spoke to Israel and to Judea.

For thus says the Lord. Incurable is your wound, grievous your injury. There is none to plead your case, no remedy for your running sore, no healing for you. All your lovers have forgotten you, they do not seek you out. I struck you as an enemy would strike, punishing you cruelly. Why cry out over your wound? There is no relief for your pain because of your great guilt, your numerous sins, I have done this to you.

Yet all who devour you shall be devoured, all your enemies shall go into exile. All who plunder you shall become plunder, all who pillage you I will hand over to be pillaged.

For I will restore your health, I will heal your injuries– ‘The outcast’ they have called you, ‘whom no one looks for.’

Thus says the Lord: See, I will restore the fortunes of Jacob tents on his dwellings I will have compassion. A city shall be rebuilt upon its own ruins, a citadel restored where it should be.

From them will come praise, the sound of people rejoicing. I will increase them, they will not decrease, I will glorify them, they will not be insignificant. His children shall be as old, his assembly shall stand firm in My presence. I will punish all his oppressors. His leader shall be one of his own and his ruler shall emerge from his ranks. He shall approach Me when I summon him. Why else would he dare approach me? — You shall be My people and I will be your God. Jeremiah 30:1-4, 12-22

The nations shall fear Your name, Lord, all the kings of the earth, Your glory – Once the Lord has rebuilt Zion and appeared in glory. Heeding the plea of the lowly, not scorning their prayer.

Let this be written for the next generation, for a people not yet born, that they may praise the Lord.

The Lord looked down from the holy heights, viewed the earth from heaven – To attend to the groaning of the prisoners, to release those doomed to die.

Then the Lord’s name will be declared on Zion, His praise in Jerusalem. When peoples and kingdoms gather to serve the Lord. Psalm 102:16-23

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