Turn to Mary always…

FRIENDS and SERVANTS of the WORD

24 MAY 2024   FRIDAY 7 ORDINARY TIME

SOLEMNITY OF MARY HELP OF CHRISTIANS

WORD of the DAY 
On the third day there was a wedding in Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding. When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.”  Jesus said to her, “Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come. “His mother said to the servers, “Do whatever he tells you.”  Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings,  each holding twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told them, “Fill the jars with water.” So, they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” So, they took it. And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine, without knowing where it came from (although the servers who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves good wine first, and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one; but you have kept the good wine until now.” Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs in Cana in Galilee and so revealed his glory, and his disciples began to believe in him.                                 (John 2:  1-11)

How shall I live this Word?   

Today as the Salesian Family, we celebrate the solemnity of Mary Help of Christians and, with the permission of those who are not part of this beautiful family, I allow myself to comment on the corresponding gospel. Mary at the wedding in Cana, is the Help of Christians par excellence; her discreet, attentive figure, realizes with her feminine intuition that wine is finished. Something very delicate in a party that lasted more than a week. She found a way to remedy the situation without being known, without wanting to draw attention; she told her Son they have no wine. Without pressure, she told the servants to do what Jesus will tell them. Two of her sentences: “they no longer have wine” and “do what He tells you to do”, anticipated the hour of Jesus; allowed the first sign to come true and she showed herself an effective and powerful help. In the Salesian Family, the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians are today called to be helpers with the Help of Christians. Don Bosco wanted us to be a living monument of his gratitude to Mary. Help us to be grateful for this immense honor and to humbly ask Mary to continue sending living stones in support of this monument of gratitude, to prolong in time Don Bosco’s gratitude and to be able to help children and young people to approach Jesus.

O Mary, most powerful Virgin, great and illustrious defender of the Church, wonderful Help of Christians; formidable as an army in battle array; You who alone have overcome every heresy in the world, in our anguish, in our combats, in our difficulties, defend us from the enemy, and at the hour of our death, receive our souls into Paradise. Amen.

The voice of our Holy Founders

“Have great trust in Mary and you will see what miracle are.” “Our Lady wants us to honor Her under the title of Mary Help of Christians. Times are so sad that we really need the Blessed Virgin to help us preserve the Christian faith.” From there began the devotion of Mary Help of Christians of which St. John Bosco was the greatest devotee and propagator. The great priest had the basilica of Mary Help of Christians built in 1868 in the Salesian city of Valdocco, near Turin. The church was built in just three years. John Bosco.

“Have great confidence in Our Lady. She will help you in everything”   “Who has ever confided in Our Lady in vain?… Have courage, Mary, courage… Tomorrow begins the novena of Mary Help of Christians…sing the praises of your Mother in the Lord’s Passion. Mary Domenica Mazzarello

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