Mar 25, The Day of Unborn Children
(Credit note : Taken from the online broadcast of The Divine Office Of The Liturgy of The Hours for 03/25/15)
Dear Community,
This March 25th feast day, represents the symbolic interval of a full-term pregnancy, reminding us of the reality and dignity of human life from day one at the moment of conception.
“A great prayer for life is urgently needed, a prayer which will rise up throughout the world. Through special initiatives and in daily prayer, may an impassioned plea rise to God, the Creator and lover of life, from every Christian community, from every group and association, from every family and from the heart of every believer.” – Pope Saint John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae, no. 100
The International Day of the Unborn Child is celebrated today, in conjunction with the Solemnity of the Annunciation. First officially celebrated in Argentina in 1999 under the Pontificate of Saint Pope John Paul II, this day is a day of remembrance for those unborn children who have lost their lives to the violence of abortion and a celebration of the value and dignity of every human person from the moment of conception.
Today, Pope Francis addressing the pilgrims in Saint Peter’s Square: “On March 25, the Solemnity of the Annunciation, the Day of Life is celebrated in many countries. For this reason, twenty years ago, Saint John Paul II on this date signed the Encyclical Evangelium vitae. To celebrate this anniversary, many members of the Movement for Life are in the Square today. In Evangelium vitae the family occupies a central place, insofar as it is the womb of human life. The words of my venerable Predecessor remind us that the human couple was blessed by God from the beginning to form a community of love and life, to which He entrusted the mission of procreation.”
For the Holy Father the spirit of the Annunciation is a spirit of humility. “There was the humility of Mary, who ‘did not understand well’ but ‘[entrusted] her soul to the will of God.’ And Joseph who “was humble, as he ‘lowered himself’ to take on the ‘great responsibility’ of the bride who was with child.”
We, at DivineOffice.org pray today for all men and women of the world, so they may find the humility of heart, the joy of being imitators of Mary and Joseph, and the faith in God that will sustain them through the great responsibility, great joy, that is a new human life.
In the spirit of the great Solemnity of Annunciation, let us pray:
Now, let us say it together:
Jesus, Mary and Joseph,
In you we contemplate
The splendour of true love,
We turn to you with confidence.
Holy Family of Nazareth,
Make our families, also,
Places of communion and cenacles of prayer,
Authentic schools of the Gospel,
And little domestic Churches.
Holy Family of Nazareth
May our families never more experience
Violence, isolation, and division:
May anyone who was wounded or scandalized
Rapidly experience consolation and healing.
Holy Family of Nazareth,
May the upcoming Synod of Bishops
Re-awaken in all an awareness
Of the sacred character and inviolability of the family,
Its beauty in the project of God.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph,
Hear and answer our prayer. Amen.
A prayer for the Synod on the Family, recited today by Pope Francis.
Prayer community: DivineOffice.org
Shocking stories from within the pro-life News
Molotov Cocktail Thrown at Pro-Life Activists Outside Austin Planned Parenthood
In the true definition of being saved while still on earth 40 Days for Life Prayer Campaign has now and most recently saved 10,000 babies from Abortion – Legions of an army that have not fallen to the sword
Stunning photos of baby Nathan, miscarried at 14 weeks, prove the humanity of the unborn
Dramatic Ultrasound Photos Show Unborn Baby Grimacing in Womb When Mother Smokes
CBS drama features honest abortion debate with powerful pro-life arguments
Liberal Democrats AND Republicans stall human trafficking bill due objections of banning abortions AT 20 WEEKS as hold outs insist aborting a baby should be able to take place all the way up to the last day of the ninth month – By the way …this is NOT taking place in the legislature of a third world country but in the formerly western Christian territories of the United States
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A model of what every family’s Domestic Church Shrine should look somewhat similar to, and /or a Holy icon corner of the home for the family to retreat to
Reflection on today’s Gospel Readings by Pope Leo the Great on understanding our relationship to Holy humanity and Divinity
Second reading
From a letter by Saint Leo the Great, pope
The mystery of man’s reconciliation with God
Lowliness is assured by majesty, weakness by power, mortality by eternity. To pay the debt of our sinful state, a nature that was incapable of suffering was joined to one that could suffer. Thus, in keeping with the healing that we needed, one and the same mediator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ, was able to die in one nature, and unable to die in the other.
He who is true God was therefore born in the complete and perfect nature of a true man, whole in his own nature, whole in ours. By our nature we mean what the Creator had fashioned in us from the beginning, and took to himself in order to restore it.
For in the Savior there was no trace of what the deceiver introduced and man, being misled, allowed to enter. It does not follow that because he submitted to sharing in our human weakness he therefore shared in our sins.
He took the nature of a servant without stain of sin, enlarging our humanity without diminishing his divinity. He emptied himself; though invisible he made himself visible, though Creator and Lord of all things he chose to be one of us mortal men. Yet this was the condescension of compassion, not the loss of omnipotence. So he who in the nature of God had created man, became in the nature of a servant, man himself.
Thus the Son of God enters this lowly world. He comes down from the throne of heaven, yet does not separate himself from the Father’s glory. He is born in a new condition, by a new birth.
He was born in a new condition, for, invisible in his own nature, he became visible in ours. Beyond our grasp, he chose to come within our grasp. Existing before time began, he began to exist at a moment in time. Lord of the universe, he hid his infinite glory and took the nature of a servant. Incapable of suffering as God, he did not refuse to be a man, capable of suffering. Immortal, he chose to be subject to the laws of death.
He who is true God is also true man. There is no falsehood in this unity as long as the lowliness of man and the pre-eminence of God coexist in mutual relationship.
As God does not change by his condescension, so man is not swallowed up by being exalted. Each nature exercises its own activity, in communion with the other. The Word does what is proper to the Word, the flesh fulfils what is proper to the flesh.
One nature is resplendent with miracles, the other falls victim to injuries. As the Word does not lose equality with the Father’s glory, so the flesh does not leave behind the nature of our race.
One and the same person — this must be said over and over again — is truly the Son of God and truly the son of man. He is God in virtue of the fact that in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He is man in virtue of the fact that the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.
RESPONSORY See Luke 1:31, 42
Receive, O Virgin Mary, the word which the Lord has made known to you by the message of the angel: You will conceive and give birth to a son, both God and man,
– and you will be called blessed among women.
A virgin, you will indeed bear a son; ever chaste and holy, you will be the mother of our Savior.
– And you will be called blessed among women.
TE DEUM
You are God: we praise you;
You are the Lord: we acclaim you;
You are the eternal Father:
All creation worships you.
To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,
Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
The glorious company of apostles praise you.
The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.
Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you:
Father, of majesty unbounded,
your true and only Son, worthy of all worship,
and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.
You, Christ, are the King of glory,
the eternal Son of the Father.
When you became man to set us free
you did not spurn the Virgin’s womb.
You overcame the sting of death,
and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
You are seated at God’s right hand in glory.
We believe that you will come, and be our judge.
Come then, Lord, and help your people,
bought with the price of your own blood,
and bring us with your saints
to glory everlasting.
Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance.
– Govern and uphold them now and always.
Day by day we bless you.
– We praise your name for ever.
Keep us today, Lord, from all sin.
– Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.
Lord, show us your love and mercy,
– for we have put our trust in you.
In you, Lord, is our hope:
– And we shall never hope in vain.
CONCLUDING PRAYER
O God,
who willed that your Word should take on
the reality of human flesh in the womb of the Virgin Mary,
grant, we pray, that we, who confess our Redeemer to be God and man,
may merit to become partakers even in his divine nature.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
– Amen.
ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community)
Let us praise the Lord.
– And give him thanks.
Laudetur Jesu Christus Et Maria Immaculata