Marian Prayers for Mothers
PRAYERS FOR MOTHERS
For Expectant Mothers:
At the entrance to the Basilica of Saint Mary, above the central portico, is a niche that holds a statue of Mary, under the title of Our Lady of Lourdes. Written around her halo are the words, I Am the Immaculate Conception. Our Lady spoke these words to Saint Bernadette Soubirous when she appeared to Bernadette in Lourdes, France, in 1858. That title of Mary as the Immaculate Conception reminds us that Mary was preserved from all stain of original sin, even from the moment of her conception. As the womb of the Immaculate Virgin Mary was God’s chosen means of entering into creation, we pray for all expectant mothers, that Our Lady will intercede on their behalf that they, too, may nourish the life of their child with love, joy and humility.
O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.
For Working Mothers:
On the south side of the nave, a stained-glass window shows an image of Our Lady spinning yarn.
This scene is one of domestic work. Mary spins a spool of yarn; Saint Joseph dons his workman’s apron; Jesus foreshadows what will be His greatest work, as He carries His cross. Looking at Mary, we are reminded of her role as wife and mother, making a home for the Holy Family. We are also reminded of the words of Psalm 139: “You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb.” Mary’s greatest work was her collaboration with the Holy Spirit in bearing and raising the Son of God. Let us pray for all working mothers – women who work in traditional jobs or in the home – that Our Lady will intercede for them in their toil. Let us pray, too, that the Holy Spirit will give them the grace to fulfill their greatest work of collaborating with him to build Domestic Churches.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has looked with favor on His lowly servant.
For Widows and For Single Mothers:
Above the central aisle of the nave, near the organ loft, we see a painting of the Death of Saint Joseph. Saint Joseph is called the Patron Saint of a Happy Death, because he is believed to have died in the loving presence of Jesus and Mary. Let us pray for all women who, like Mary, have lost their husbands. May Our Lady and her Most Chaste Spouse intercede for them in carrying the cross of grief. Let us pray, too, for all women who face the difficulty of raising a child alone, that they will be strengthened in their love and supported in their need through the intercession of Mary.
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy. Hail our life, our sweetness and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve, to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn, then, most Gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O Clement, O Loving, O Sweet Virgin Mary.
For Suffering Mothers:
In the sanctuary, near the Crucifix of Our Lord, is another image of Mary, the Immaculate Conception. Her position beneath the Crucifix in the sanctuary reminds us of the suffering she endured at her Son’s Passion and Death, and her crossed hands indicate her humility in accepting all that God grants her. Mary’s Fiat did not finish at the Annunciation; it was a lifelong work, a continuous “yes” to God in all things. She received the body of her son after He was killed on the Cross in the same way that she received Him into her womb at Nazareth. Let us pray for all mothers who are suffering, especially those who are suffering the loss of a child. May Our Lady give them comfort and sustain them in faith.
Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. Be it done unto me according to thy word.
For Grandmothers:
Outside of the church, to the right of the main entrance, is a statue of the child Mary and her mother, Saint Anne. Not much is known about Saint Anne, except what has been passed on through tradition and in the private revelations of saints. And yet she who is unmentioned in the Gospels bears the incredible dignity of being the Grandmother of Jesus, the Son of God. Let us pray for all grandmothers, that through the intercession of Mary and her mother, Saint Anne, they will continue to nourish generations of their families with love, care and wisdom. Since tradition maintains that Saint Anne and her husband, Saint Joachim, could not conceive a child for many years, let us also pray for all couples who are struggling with infertility. May Saint Anne and Saint Joachim intercede for them, and may they serve as a comforting witness that faith and perseverance in prayer can bear fruit in unimaginable ways.
From this day, all generations will call me blessed. The Almighty has done great things for me, and Holy is His name.
For All Women Who Desire Motherhood
On the south side of the nave is a stained-glass image of women bringing their children to Christ. It is a traditional depiction of the Gospel of Matthew account, when Jesus says, “Let the children come to me.” Yet the image also calls to mind another passage, from the Gospel of Luke, when Jesus is told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside and they wish to see you.” And he responds, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.” Let us pray for all women, whether married or single, who desire motherhood but have not received it. May they be assured of the love of Jesus and take comfort in his words, and may their hearing and acting on the word of God bear fruit for His Kingdom.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.
MODELS OF MARY
Mary, as daughter, virgin, spouse and mother, is the model for all women. In our church we see depictions of several women in history whose own saintly lives imitated that of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque
Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque was born in 1647 in L’Hautecour, in the southeast of France. Her father died when she was just eight years old, and her family suffered greatly from poverty after his death. Margaret found solace in the Mass, and in praying before the Blessed Sacrament. When she was still very young, Margaret fell seriously ill; fearing for her life, she promised to dedicate herself to a religious vocation and was instantly cured. However, it would be several years before she entered an order. At the age of 24, she joined the Visitation Order. Throughout her life, Margaret Mary received visions of Our Lord. As a result, she was ridiculed and disbelieved by those around her, including confessors and sisters in her own community. Nevertheless, she persisted in what Jesus was asking of her in her visions: that she spread devotion to his Sacred Heart, and make reparation to him by attending Mass on First Fridays. Margaret Mary Alacoque was canonized by Pope Benedict XV in 1920, and devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is popular worldwide.
Saint Brigid of Ireland
Saint Brigid of Ireland was born in the mid-5th century in County Louth, Ireland. According to tradition, her father was a nobleman and her mother was a slave. As a young child, Brigid was sold into slavery to a Druid landowner, but she was eventually freed from slavery by the Christian king of Leinster, where she lived. Brigid was a very beautiful woman who received numerous offers of marriage, but she refused them, preferring to give herself to God. Brigid eventually founded a monastery for women, as well as one for men, in Kildare. From there, she dedicated her life to serving others in the name of Christ.
Saint Helen
Saint Helen was born in the latter half of the 3rd century, and little is known about her early life. As a young woman, she married Constantius Chlorus, who eventually became co-Regent of the Roman Empire in the West. In a move to advance his political career, Helen’s husband divorced her to marry the emperor’s stepdaughter, and Helen lived in forgotten seclusion for several years. When her son, Constantine, became the Roman Emperor, he reinstated his mother’s position of authority. Helen eventually converted to Christianity and was zealous in her faith. Between the years 326 and 328, she made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, which was still suffering the devastation of previous Roman emperors. While there, Helen ordered the destruction of Hadrian’s Temple, which had been erected over the place of Jesus’ Passion, Death and Resurrection. During excavations of the site, and assisted by a dream, Helen also discovered the True Cross. She ordered the construction of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, as well as the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.
Saint Mary Magdalene
Little is known about the historical facts of Saint Mary Magdalene’s life. She has traditionally been identified as a former prostitute, and in art she is typically depicted with a jar of ointment, since she is traditionally associated with the woman who anointed Christ with expensive spikenard. What is undisputed about her life is what is mentioned of her in the Gospels. The Gospel writers say that Jesus drove seven demons from Mary Magdalene. They write that it was to Mary Magdalene that Jesus first appeared on the morning of His Resurrection, and it was Mary Magdalene who told the other disciples that Jesus had risen. She was the first to bring the Good News to men, in a reversal of the sin of Eve, which turned man away from God. For this reason, Mary Magdalene has been called apostolorum apostola, the “Apostle to the Apostles.”
TWELVE SCRIPTURE VERSES FOR MOTHERS
Proverbs 31: 25-31
She is clothed with strength and dignity,
and laughs at the days to come.
She opens her mouth in wisdom;
kindly instruction is on her tongue.
She watches over the affairs of her household,
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband, too, praises her:
”Many are the women of proven worth,
but you have excelled them all.”
Charm is deceptive and beauty fleeting;
the woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
Acclaim her for the work of her hands,
and let her deeds praise her at the city gates.
Psalm 139: 7-14
Where can I go from your spirit?
From your presence, where can I flee?
If I ascend to the heavens, you are there;
if I lie down in Sheol, there you are
If I take the wings of dawn
and dwell beyond the sea,
Even there your hand guides me,
your right hand holds me fast.
If I say, “Surely darkness shall hide me,
and night shall be my light”—
Darkness is not dark for you,
and night shines as the day.
Darkness and light are but one.
You formed my inmost being;
you knit me in my mother’s womb.
I praise you, because I am wonderfully made;
wonderful are your works!
My very self you know.
Luke 1: 26-38
In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said, “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.”
But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?”
And the angel said to her in reply, “The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.
And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.”
Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
1 Samuel 1: 27-2:10
I prayed for this child, and the LORD granted my request. Now I, in turn, give him to the LORD; as long as he lives, he shall be dedicated to the LORD.” Then they worshiped there before the LORD.
And Hannah prayed:
“My heart exults in the LORD, my horn is exalted by my God. I have swallowed up my enemies;
I rejoice in your victory.
There is no Holy One like the LORD;
there is no Rock like our God.
Speak boastfully no longer,
Do not let arrogance issue from your mouths.
For an all-knowing God is the LORD,
a God who weighs actions.
“The bows of the mighty are broken,
while the tottering gird on strength.
The well-fed hire themselves out for bread,
while the hungry no longer have to toil.
The barren wife bears seven sons,
while the mother of many languishes.
“The LORD puts to death and gives life,
casts down to Sheol and brings up again.
The LORD makes poor and makes rich,
humbles, and also exalts.
He raises the needy from the dust;
from the ash heap lifts up the poor,
To seat them with nobles
and make a glorious throne their heritage.
“For the pillars of the earth are the LORD’s,
and he has set the world upon them.
He guards the footsteps of his faithful ones,
but the wicked shall perish in the darkness;
for not by strength does one prevail.
The LORD’s foes shall be shattered;
the Most High in heaven thunders;
the LORD judges the ends of the earth.
May he give strength to his king,
and exalt the horn of his anointed!”
Luke 1: 39-55
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.”
And 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 to his descendants forever.”
Tobit 8: 4-9
When Sarah’s parents left the bedroom and closed the door behind them, Tobiah rose from bed and said to his wife, “My sister, come, let us pray and beg our Lord to grant us mercy and protection.”
She got up, and they started to pray and beg that they might be protected. He began with these words:
“Blessed are you, O God of our ancestors;
blessed be your name forever and ever!
Let the heavens and all your creation bless you forever.
You made Adam, and you made his wife Eve
to be his helper and support;
and from these two the human race has come.
You said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone;
let us make him a helper like himself.’
Now, not with lust,
but with fidelity I take this kinswoman as my wife.
Send down your mercy on me and on her,
and grant that we may grow old together.
Bless us with children.”
They said together, “Amen, amen!”
Then they went to bed for the night.
John 16: 21-23
When a woman is in labor, she is in anguish because her hour has arrived; but when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the pain because of her joy that a child has been born into the world.
So you also are now in anguish. But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.
On that day you will not question me about anything. Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.
John 19: 26-27
When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.”
Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.
Luke 2: 33-35
The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted (and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
Luke 2: 41-51
Each year his parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover,
and when he was twelve years old, they went up according to festival custom.
After they had completed its days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Thinking that he was in the caravan, they journeyed for a day and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances, but not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him.
After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions, and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers.
When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.”
And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
But they did not understand what he said to them.
He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart.
Deuteronomy 4: 9
However, be on your guard and be very careful not to forget the things your own eyes have seen, nor let them slip from your heart as long as you live, but make them known to your children and to your children’s children.
Philippians 4: 4-9
Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice!
Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near.
Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.
Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Keep on doing what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me. Then the God of peace will be with you.