1st Saturday

This is Our Lady of Quito, in Ecuador. It is representing her seven sorrows that were predicted by holy Simeon in the temple. It is said that in 1906, in Quito at a boarding school something miraculous happened. Some of the boys were thinking about pious things when they were in the chapel. One little boy looked at this picture at this time, and the eyes of the Virgin blinked at him. Others had the same thing happen, and many conversions were made, to make a long story shorter. I think this picture makes us think about this season even more. At the current time, I read a book called 'The Foot of the Cross', written by Fr. Faber in 1896. He is stating that the dolors (sorrows) of Mary were the greatest pains that Our Lord felt. I mean, who doesn't feel something when seeing someone cry, or feeling their pain? We would do whatever we could to alleviate it, wouldn't we? And, these two were so much more than we can ever imagine with our limited sense of knowing anything concerning God and His universe.




Since this is first Saturday, I'm going to add this sequence taken from the Cluny missal. Let us have recourse to Mary, the 'Refuge of Sinners':
Hail Mary, full of grace! dear Mother of Jesus, and hope of the world!

O gate of heaven! O temple of God! O haven of the sea, where sinners confidently seek shelter and repose.

Thou art the worthy bride of the great King, and, by thy powerful prayers, thou art kind and loving to all.

Thou art light to the blind, and a sure path to such as are lame. Thou art, by thy loving affection, both Martha and Mary to the needy.

Thou wast the flower among the thorns; the flower that, by its rich graces, bloomed to the divine Flower, thy Jesus.

Thou didst speak thy word, and then conceivest the Word; thou didst give birth to the King of kings, thou that wast a Virgin.

Thou wast ever faithful to this King, thy Child; and, using a mother's privilege, thou didst feed him at thy breast.

Now, thou art united with Him, and in reward for thy merits, thou art made the Queen of heaven and earth.

Then pray for us, O Queen, to Him that is our King, beseeching Him to pardon us poor fallen sinners.

Show us thy wonted clemency, and, having obtained us the new life of remission of our sins, bring us to the kingdom, there to reign for ever. Amen.



ACT OF REPARATION TO BE RECITED ON FIRST SATURDAYS

O most holy Virgin and our Mother, we listen with grief to the

complaints of your Immaculate Heart surrounded with the thorns

which ungrateful men place therein at every moment by their

blasphemies and ingratitude. Moved by the ardent desire of

loving you as our Mother and of promoting a true devotion to

your Immaculate Heart, we prostrate ourselves at your feet to

prove the sorrow we feel for the grievances that men cause you,

and to atone, by means of our prayers and sacrifices, for the

offenses with which men return your tender love.

Obtain for them and for us the pardon of so many sins. A word

from you will obtain grace and amendment for us all.

Hasten, O Lady, the conversion of sinners, that they may love

Jesus and cease to offend the Lord, already so much offended,

and will not fall into hell.

Turn your eyes of mercy toward us, that henceforth we may love

God with all our heart while on earth and enjoy Him forever

in heaven, Amen.

NOTE:

Confession during the week, preceding the first Friday, will suffice for the first Saturday, or conversely when Saturday is the first day of the month.  The Rosary may be recited at any convenient time of the day, and the fifteen minute meditation may be made at any time during the day on the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary.  A sermon for the occasion may be substituted for the meditation.