Catholic Meditations

The fairest rose in His garden
A small maiden in the spring of her days,
A small maiden with a heart bright as summer,
Her answer was then and always:

"Be it done to me according to your word."

A woman who watched Him grow tall,
Her Son, the Father's gift to mankind
She knew why he came and was certain
That the right way was easy to find:

"Do whatever He tells you."

She gave birth to him while heaven witnessed,
And now she stood while watching him die.
This Son, like no other before Him-
The sword piercing her heart with his sigh.

"Woman, behold your son."

The fairest rose in all of His garden
When her bloom on earth was complete
And her last breath was taken on earth
He came and lifted her up on her feet.

"And a great portent appeared in heaven,
a woman clothed with the sun,
with the moon under her feet,
and on her head a crown of twelve stars."

Susan E. Stone, 2007

Labels: Mary

No day like this, ever.

Did you sit there, Mother,
When they laid Him in your lap
And remember the angel with his words of promise,
And remember the words of Simeon with his words of warning,
And remember your Son nestled in your lap,
Small and warm and new,
Smiling in the sun?

As you brushed the blood soaked hair off His forehead,
And washed his face, one last time,
Counting every bruise, mark, wound,
Did you think of all the times of danger,
Fleeing with Him next to your breast
On the road to Egypt?
Or how the villagers in Nazareth
Tried to cast Him off a cliff,
All those other moments where his very presence
Showed that He was, indeed,
A sign of contention,
A sign of contradiction?

One last kiss,
One last giving of your yes to the Father
As you embraced fully the sword buried in your heart
As they buried your heart in the tomb
For the long midnight ahead.

Susan E. Stone, 2007

Labels: Mary, Mother of Sorrows, Passion of Christ

Theotokos, Mother of God,
You who knew the blessedness of living with Him,
Our Light, our Peace, our Salvation
Theotokos, O Mother of Sorrows,
You who knew the darkness of watching Him die
Scorned, abused, in pain and misery.

Theotokos, O Mother of Tears,
thank you for saying yes
when Simeon told you
how the sword would pierce your heart,
Theotokos, O Mother of our Hope,
thank you for saying yes
when it was time to flee to Egypt,
Theotokos, O Mother most faithful,
for saying yes, and knowing how it feels
to lose the light of your Son,
as you searched for Him, three days, finding Him in the temple.
Theotokos, O Mother acquainted with grief,
for saying yes
when seeing your son
burdened, falling, beaten, bleeding, on the way to Golgotha.
Theotokos, O Mother of Martyrs,
for saying yes
as you waited with him at the foot of the cross,
Theotokos, O Mother most bereft,
thank you for saying yes
when you held his cold and bloodstained body,
Theotokos, O Mother whose heart felt the full length of the sword,
thank you for saying yes
as you left the tomb as its stone rolled into place.

Theotokos, Mother Most Afflicted,
O Mother of my Lord, who knows the depths of sorrow,
Help me, by remembering your grief,
your Yes,
to come closer to your Son, each and every day.

O Mater Dolorosa,
Pray for us now, and the hour of our deaths, Amen.

Susan E. Stone, 2007

Labels: Mary, Mother of Sorrows, Passion of Christ

The hours pass too slowly
while you stand and watch , O Lady of Tears,
The pain and agony of death
His misery, the struggle for breath,
Giving up so slowly the death that nears
This moment so painful, so holy.

The hours pass too fast
while you stand and watch, O Lady of Tears,
Seeing the child you bore soon to be gone
Leaving you behind to live on with John
Ahead the long stretch of years
Until you breathe your last.

So much to give, O Mother of Tears,
So deep your heart, with its hopes and fears
Centered on giving God your all.
When I stumble, when I fall,
Remind me of that long hard day.
When my heart begins to stray,
Pray that I hear my Savior's call.

Susan E. Stone, 2007

Labels: Mary, Mother of Sorrows, Passion of Christ

In the vale we find ourselves, a place of shadow,
this place we live, this valley of tears,
the land where we stumble alone in the desert,
crying out in our loss and our hurt and our fears
how often we look for refuge, help and hope,
amid all the darkness of a sinful land,
bare, sere, and angry this place we live,
a burnt land of shard and rock and sand.

Whisper her name when the moment seems heavy,
Whisper her name when the darkness is deep,
Know that she hears and will be there to help you,
When the pain stabs your heart and your mind cannot sleep.
O pray for us now, Theotokos, our Mother,
O pray for us now in our grief and our tears,
Maria, O Mary, O Mother of Mercy,
Be with us now, and when our death nears.

Susan E. Stone, 2007

Labels: Help, Mary, Mother of Consolation

O sweet Virgin Mary, O Mary our mother,
You, with your yes so generous and bold,
Shaking the earth to its foundation, like only one other,
Mother Eve's fearsome no, so self-centered and cold.

With the help of the Father, your Yes opened the door,
through the workings of the Spirit, light entered the world
The richest of gifts, through one humble and poor,
Heaven reached out and its banner unfurled.

Emmanuel, God with us, came down with that Yes,
Entering this world as you welcomed him in,
His light to transform, find the lost, and to bless,
Then die on the cross to save us from sin.

O sweet Virgin Mary, O Mary our mother,
whose advice to us here always has been
"Do whatever he tells you," that, and no other,
Pray for us now, and when our lives shall end.

Susan E. Stone, 2007

Labels: Mary

Hail, Full of Grace,
O Mother of Consolation,
You who always said yes to the Father,
You who know the depths of sorrow of the human heart,
Pray for us as we call,
lost in our tears and our miseries,
lost in our darkness,
blinded by our pain,
tormented by what we have done
or what was done to us.

Lady of Tears,
In our sorrows, we turn to you, dear Lady,
You have measured the very depths of grief and loss,
There at the foot of your son's cross,
There, the dark moment you became our mother,
you, who in your mercy,
has never left anyone unaided,
but hears our prayers,
reaches out to calm our fears,
helps us in our struggle to get back to that place
where we can do whatever He tells us to,
thank you for being our mother.

Holy Mary, Mother of God,
Pray for us now and at the hour of our deaths, Amen.


Susan E. Stone, 2007

Labels: Help, Mary, Mother of Consolation, Mother of Sorrows

Dusty was the road that day,
dust and rock and winter sun
where the small young women went
large with child and tired and bent,
down the road with her husband
on the way to Bethlehem.

Others passed them by as they went,
dust and rock and winter sun,
Unknowing of the wonder there,
beneath her heart a thing so rare
going down the road with her husband
on the way to Bethlehem.

She carried an amazing thing
dust and rock and winter sun,
A mystery unfelt, unseen,
by those who passed her travelling
going down the road with her husband
on the way to Bethlehem.

She gave a yes that shook the world,
dust and rock and winter sun
yet others noticed not a thing,
how a poor girl carried the whole world's king
going down the road with her husband
on the way to Bethlehem.

Susan E Stone, 2006

Labels: Advent Nativity Epiphany, Mary

Do you walk across the shards and rubble, O Mary my mother,
Seeing the dark that man will do in the Father's name,
Listening to the grieving voices adding heat to the flame
That seems to be a never ending pyre of hate for one another,
And shed tears for all those who will not listen to your Son,
And shed tears for those who die, one by one,
Cain's endless slaughter of his brother?

Holy Mother of God, Immaculate and true
You who listen to our cries and pleas of desperation
You who work to aid in the darkest situation,
You, whose heart reaches out endlessly anew,
Forgive us for the tears we in our anger have caused,
May your prayers lead us, our anger paused,
To that place your Son will show us what to do.

Susan E. Stone, 2006

Labels: Mary, Mother of Sorrows, Need for God

In your tears, O grieving Mother,
What a world of sorrow shimmers,
While the rot of hate now simmers
As they vie with one another
To add shame to the weight he bears.

In your tears, O grieving Mother,
Echoes all the weight of sin
Pain and anguish entered in
Since Eva listened to another
And the world grew rife with tares.

In your tears, O grieving Mother,
Witness to a great God's gift
Of how he chose to heal the rift
Sacrificing for all others
Lamb of God, the cross now bears.

In your tears, O grieving Mother
I see the sorrow veil your face
As you penetrate that place
Your greatest yes to give the Father,
The pain of your son's death you bear.

Let me grieve with you, my Mother,
As you sit in sorrow deep,
God pierce my heart that I might weep
For the sins of self and brother
That lead you to such pain and care.

Susan E. Stone, 2006

Labels: Mary, Mother of Sorrows

O Mother of Sorrows, well acquainted with tears,
Who knows what a grief it is when one soul dies
because of the violence of another,
to thee we cry, O Mother of mercy,
who feels the sorrow of the loss when one life is twisted
for the gain of another,
when the word that leads a soul to sin
is spoken by another,
when one life is taken in expdiency for the comfort of another.

To Thee to we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping,
O Mater Dolorosa,
You who stood at the foot of the cross
and watched what your Son was willing to suffer
for each of these hurt and broken and cast-off lives,
lives betrayed,
lives wrecke by the wages of sin.

O Sorrowful Mother, Help of Christians,
Teach us to join our tears with yours,
here at the foot of the cross,
our heartache with yours,
our compassion and our prayers with yours,
learning as you taught, "to do whatever He tells you to,"
to say with you, "Be it done to me according to Your word,"
until we may learn to see the world as your Son would have us see it,
to see each soul as a child of the Father,
to become the tool in His hand open to the call of mercy.
and may we spread his message by our lives, ours hearts, and our lips,
for the glory of His name.

O Mother of the Word Incarnate,
Pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our deaths, Amen.

Susan E. Stone, 2006

Labels: Help, Mary, Mother of Sorrows, Passion of Christ

O Mother of Consolation,
who understands the shape of our tears,
each round drop,
like a minature world holding our grief,
sorrow,
hurt,
anger.

O Mother of Consolation,
who has drank so deeply of the well of sorrow,
listen to the aching of our hearts,
the hearts torn by sin,
ours or others,
hot pain at the sudden death
that can rain out of the sky unearned and unseen,
the loneliest grief,
shut up in a room that even in bright sunlight
seems to have no windows,
the wracking pain of a hard death,
the knowledge of wrong done that haunts
and refuses to go away,
the helplessness of watching a child die
and all the other pains and griefs and sorrows
we pour into your lap.

O Mother of Consolation,
Pray for us
when we are lost in our darkness,
blinded by our pain,
tormented by what we have done
or what was done to us,
and turn to you,
whom we know has plunged
into the very depths of grief and loss,
you, who in your mercy,
has never left anyone unaided.

Remember those especially
who are so wrapped up in their pain
and the events which overwhelm them
that they do not know who to turn to,
that they do not know who will aid them,
but cry out with their wounded hearts,
"Help me!"

O Mother of Consolation,
Ask your dear Son to forgive us
for all those times when the greed of our hearts,
the desire of our minds,
the grasping of our hands
causes that pain,
and ask Him to give us hearts like his, like yours,
filled with love even when
the darkness seems overwhelming.

O Mother of our Lord,
thank you for loving,
for being our mother,
for always saying yes to God,
for being with us in our miseries.

O Mother of Consolation,
Mother of the word incarnate,
pray for us now,
and at the hour of our deaths, Amen..

Susan E. Stone, 2006

Labels: Help, Mary, Mother of Consolation, Suffering

The grieving mother stands beside
A blood-stained cross of wood
Where hangs her one and only son,
So innocent and good,
O see the tears that touch her cheek,
Each one a shining jewel,
Witness to to the cost of sin,
So heavy, dark and cruel.

Her son was given as a gift
to heal this world of woe,
And she was warned of sorrow's sword
so many years ago.
O see the tears that touch her cheek,
Each one a shining jewel,
Witness to to the cost of sin,
So heavy, dark and cruel.

She feels the blade pass in her heart
much sharper than her fears,
But what she has, she offers up,
Her joy, her love, her tears.
O see the tears that touch her cheek,
Each one a shining jewel,
Witness to to the cost of sin,
So heavy, dark and cruel.

O grieving mother, wondrous Son,
O pain and agony,
All suffered there in willing love
To set our spirits free.
O see the tears that touch her cheek,
Each one a shining jewel
Witness to the cost of sin,
So heavy, dark and cruel.

O Mother, let me stand with you
beneath my Master's cross,
And witness what my Lord has done
Through suffering and loss.
O may my eyes well up with tears,
at what my Lord has wrought,
in grief, and joy, and endless thanks
for what his blood has bought.

Susan E. Stone, 2006

Labels: Mary, Mother of Sorrows, Passion of Christ

Mother,
O Lady in White,
who lighted on the little bush
in a cloud of light,
Our Lady of the Rosary,
knowing such things were to come,
this man,
not yet born
as you talked with the children
of penance
and sacrifice,
knowing what a dark century
it was likely to be,
and yet,
you showed us the way of hope
your son had to offer.

O Lady in White,
who showed your hand
as the assassin lay in wait,
You who drew this man's eye,
and his posture changed
slightly, enough not to die,
as he struggled to see you,
as the bullet flashed,
Totus Tuus, he had offered
out of pure love,
and climbing the peak
to be God's witness against the godlessness
of the darkness,
you were there to help him through.

Another night,
O Lady in White,
you held him close in your arms,
as the end of an era drew to a close,
this man who labored so hard for your son,
giving his all,
so tht even on the day of his death
he would instruct us how to live.

O Lady of the Rosary,
the time had come
for him to see the fruit of thy womb Jesus
in all his glory.

O Blessed Mother,
With John Paul, let us say
Thank you for saying Yes to the Father,
Thank you for your care for your children,
Thank you for aiding us in the time of our need.

Amen

Susan E. Stone, 2006

Labels: Death, Mary, Pope John Paul II

Mary, Mary, Grieving Mother

O Mary, Mary, grieving mother,
in the shadow of his cross,
How deep the sword cuts in your heart now,
O such love at such a loss.

O Mary, Mary, grieving mother,
Joining prayer and pain with him,
How deep the sword cuts in your heart now,
As the sky grows dark and dim.

O Mary, Mary, grieving mother,
Calm and resolute you pray
Though deep the sword cuts in your heart now
Your eyes on Jesus only stay.

O Mary, Mary, grieving mother,
The Father lends you strength to stand
As deep the sword cuts in your heart now,
Those with you weep and hold your hand.

O Mary, Mary, grieving mother,
Your wounded son cries out with death
As sharp the sword cuts in your heart now,
As he gives up his last breath.

O Mary, Mary, grieving mother,
Holding your poor battered Son,
Embrace the sword within your heart now -
But know the Father's will is done.

O Mary, Mary, grieving mother,
Covering his poor battered head
How deep the sword within your heart now
As you tuck him in his final bed.

O Mary, Mary, grieving mother,
Your sorrow reaches Heaven's height,
Martyred in your sword-pierced heart now -
Angels weeping at the sight.

Susan E. Stone, 2006

Labels: Mary

There are times,
moments that have no words,
but the groaning of a heart
hurt too deep to say
anything
but to cry out the pain.

There are times,
like the day
when they found him lying in the snow,
in a pool of blood,
cold,
his backpack laying next to him,
the gun near his hand.

When the word came,
how unspeakable,
the fear in the heart
of sister, mother, father
crashing into reality
as the final word was spoken.
"I'm sorry," cannot convey
the power of those words,
the kick to the gut
the sudden, massive cry
that rips apart the heart.

O Mother of sorrows,
who can we turn to
when the grief falls down like rain,
like the dust running through your fingers
as you stood there on the hill,
watching him
your life
your heart
give up his life,
you powerless to stop it.

O Mother of Sorrows,
Reach out your hand
to the sister,
rocking with grief
as the memory of her childhood
and happier days
chase the dark realization
that they will never be again,
the brother she teased,
comforted,
worried about
has slipped beyond her reach.

O Mother of Consolation,
You who know the anguish
of being powerless to stop the death of a son,
stand by the father,
grace him with your prayers,
as he struggles with the anger,
of how he could not save his boy,
his hope,
from the thing in that son's head and heart
that was broken
curled around the darkness.

O Mary, Comforter of the Afflicted,
Watch over the mother
who rocks herself in her grief,
the wailing cry
of mothers
since the death of Abel,
crying over the loss,
the missing son,
the hand that is no longer there,
lost in the midnight
where she could not find him,
caught up in a place
where she could not hold him,
her boy,
frightened,
wild,
despairing,
gone.
Touch her heart,
O Lady of Consolation,
you who know how the dark night feels
when bereft,
there is only the darkness to stare into,
only the night,
only the hole that he could fill
ripping through the heart.

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God,
when the night presses in,
for the son who despaired in his sickness,
and let the darkness in his mind take him away,
for the parents who could not save him
in spite of themselves,
for all who loved him.
Pray for them, O Mother of Sorrows
as the anger touches their heart,
and the loss of his touch
becomes an aching sore.
Bring them safely to the shelter
of your loving son's heart.

Amen.

Susan E. Stone, 2006

Labels: Death, Grief, Mary

O Lady of consolation,
Mother of sorrow,
I come to you,
like so many mothers before
grief struck,
aching,
in pain.
You know how it works,
with your experienced, motherly, heavenly eye,
as our babies grow into adults.
Watching the transformation
has been such a painful thing,
O Mother of sorrows,
as my child shot up,
like a reed, a weed,
from curious, open, clever child,
tow haired and bright eyed,
to sullen adult
who has done everything just right
to be unhappy,
sad,
miserable,
looking everywhere but where he should
to fill that gap in his heart.

Remembering my youth
so long ago,
when it was my turn to be the sullen child,
no doubt the cause of my mother's anxieties,
a burden to her heart,
I have hopes
he will choose the light.
It can be such a hard road to find, Blessed Mother,
even with you,
the angels and saints
and your Son working, praying to lead us on.
I fear,
like so many mothers before me
that he will not last long enough to reach that point
where his heart opens up,
I fear he will get caught in the snares of his own hand,
and stumble into that night forever.

My golden haired boy,
I weep for you,
not in anger
for the little wrongs you have done,
the small thefts,
the stupid decisions,
the drinking,
the lies,
but for the small child who stole my heart
so long ago,
motherless and so in need,
little boy lost
who I will never see again,
child of promise that I could not protect,
could not truly heal,
must needs let go
to find his own path,
his own way,
even as watching
pierces my heart with its own sword,
the fate of mothers.
O Mother of Sorrows,
I come to you with my burdened heart,
my fears,
my griefs,
for I know you understand.
Like David weeping for Absalom,
I kneel on the ground,
keening,
heart breaking for love,
for evil I cannot prevent,
for choices not mine to make.

O Blessed Mother,
How well you know the pain
of watching something
you were unable to stop,
and knew the taste of the grief filling your heart.
Pray for us,
O holy Mother of God,
all the mothers,
and all the fathers, too,
watching helpless and in grief
while their children suffer
from these self-inflicted wounds.

O Lord,
Hold these children in your hands,
send your angels to watch over their steps,
and in the end,
may they find their way to you.

Amen.

Susan E. Stone, 2005

Labels: Mary

To the Immaculate Heart

O Heart who knows well
how to love,
as generous as human heart
can be,
channel of God's grace
for this sad world,
ark of the covenant,
who carried within you
the one who created you,
You who offered your love,
Your generous heart
no matter the cost,
the sorrow,
the grief,
or how many swords would pass through
simply because the Lord asked it,
simply because you loved greatly,
Simply because that was you.

Mother of my Lord,
Immaculata,
Heaven's brightest rose,
Great-heart,
Full of Grace,
blessed,
Pray for us now, and at the hour of our deaths,
Amen.

Susan E. Stone, 2005

Labels: Mary

Presentation

Amazing how
such a small slip of a young woman,
glowing with the happiness
of being a joyful new mother
could contain in her arms
God
a baby nestled in swaddlings,
being presented to his true Father.

Amazing gift
from she who said yes,
giving us
over and over
the Son of her heart,
Asking each of us
to do whatever he tells us.

Susan E. Stone, 2004

Labels: Emmanuel, Mary

O Sweet Mary

O sweet Mary,
You, with your yes
as big and generous
as the heart of humankind can get,
with the help of the Father
through the workings of the Spirit
have given us
the most precious gift
human has ever given human:
Emananuel,
God with us,
Jesus,
whose very name
proclaims this truth:
God saves.

O Mary,
Mother of God,
Mother of the church,
whose advice to us
has always been
and always will be
"Do whatever he tells you,"
as Christmas fast approaches,
let us who know
why there is a reason for joy,
like you,
ponder all these things in our heart,
and with the angels,
join in the chorus of
"Gloria in excelsis Deo."

Amen

Susan E. Stone, 2004

Labels: Mary

O Mother of Sorrow,
thank you for saying yes
when the angel came
for saying yes
when Simeon told you
how the sword would pierce your heart,
for saying yet
when it was time to flee
to Egypt,
for saying yes
when seeing your son
burdened, falling, beaten, bleeding,
for saying yes
when you held his cold and bloodstained body,
for saying yes
as you left the tomb as its stone rolled into place.

O Mary, Mother of Sorrow,
Mother of Consolation,
as we enter this time of joy,
help us always remember why your son came into the world,
pray for us, O holy Mother of God,
that in gratitude and love,
we like you,
may learn always to say yes
to the call of our Lord.

Amen

Labels: Mary

O Blessed Mother,
O Lady of Consolation,
be with us
when the moments seem so dark,
and the anger builds
and we want to do
what we cannot do.
O Mary,
You too know what it is like,
to see your beloved
tortured,
beaten,
murdered
without being able to do more
than wait,
pray,
and give it all to the Father.
When our heart breaks,
intercede for us
that we too
will have the patience to wait for the Lord's time,
the grace to bear the load we are given,
and the ability to give him our resounding YES.

Amen.

Susan E. Stone

Labels: Mary

O Lady of Sorrow,
Mother of Consolation,
let me sit with you here
at the foot of the cross,
watching what your son
was so willing to give,
a gift of fathomless generosity,
drop by blood drop,
breath by breath,
minute by minute.

O Lady of Sorrow,
so often,
how I long to scream,
to rant,
to act on my anger
when given my cross,
yet help me, Mary,
to bear, like you,
the griefs,
the hurts,
the depth of pain,
as part of the sacrifice,
saying Yes to God,
and joining your Son's prayer,
Not my will, but God's.

O Mother of Sorrow,
Lady of Consolation,
bring me here to weep
when the moments are dark,
and what is real and lasting
gets confused
with the passing, temporary,
and I need to know what is true,
and what counts,
and what matters.
And what matters is this,
the look in my Savior's eyes,
as he gives all,
and asks me to give all,
good, bad, indifferent,
and waits for me
to let him transform me.

O Blessed Mother,
pray that I
will always have the strength
to meet those eyes
and say Yes.

Amen.

Susan E. Stone, 2004

Labels: Mary, Mother of Sorrows, Passion of Christ, Penitence

Sancta Maria,
ora pro nobis.
Holy Mary,
pray for us,
your children here upon the earth,
sinful, sorrowful,
so often lost and lone.
Come to us when our hearts are heavy,
when we most need our mother,
and lead us to the fruit of your womb,
Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us now and at the hour of our death, Amen.

Sancta Dei Genetrix,
ora pro nobis.
Holy Mother of God,
who was graced to know Jesus
like no other human,
whose kind and gentle advice is
Do whatever he tells you,
pray for us
now and at the hour of our death, Amen.

Mater dolorosa,
ora pro nobis.
Mother of sorrows,
You understand grief in that special way
that comes from offering up
the best and the brightest
gift of your heart,
without anger,
without curses.
Seeing your son in his sorrow and pain,
you suffered
like a woman in labor,
martyred alive
to become our mother.
Pray for us
now and at the hour of our death, Amen.

Refugium peccatorum,
ora pro nobis.
Refuge of sinners,
Thank you, o sweet Mary,
You who come looking for us,
lost in the night,
like a worried mother
seeking her lost child
In this time where the twlight grows so dim,
and so much is so confusing,
we need our mother,
take us by the hand,
and bring us to the foot of the Cross,
to Jesus your son,
where we may find the true light.
Sancta Maria,
Mater Dei,
ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc,
et in hora mortis nostrae.
Amen.

Susan E. Stone, 2004

Labels: Mary

O Mother Mary,
as Pilate tried your son,
were you in the courtyard
to hear those hateful voices
tear at your heart -
Kill Him!
Crucify Him!
This was your child
they were focusing all their hate on,
your child,
the child of promise
who you had watched grow,
saw bloom into the gift of God
to an undeserving mankind,
the healer,
the teacher,
the sign to be contradicted.

O Mother Mary,
did you see what they had done to him
as they led him out,
beaten and bloody,
crowned with a mockery of a crown,
almost unrecognisable
from the blood and from the bruising.
This was your child,
the child angels announced,
the child who loved his Father so much
he tarried behind at the temple
and almost broke your heart in fear,
the child who healed the wounded
now wounded in so many ways.

O Mother Mary,
did you at that moment pray,
like your son had, the night before,
"O my God, not my will, but yours?"

Susan E. Stone, 2004

Labels: Mary

Thoughts on Mary's Yes
(On the Feast of the Annunciation)

O Blessed Mother,
Young you were that day
when God asked so much of you,
and with a heart filled with love,
you said Yes.

O Bkessed Virgin,
You did not worry about
the hows and the whens and the wheres,
what people would say,
what they would think of you,
leaving all that in God's hands,
you merely said Yes.

O Full of Grace,
You who the Lord is with,
Blessed are you among women
for being the new Eve,
not turning your back on the desire of God,
but instead,
always, whenever he called,
no matter the pain or the joy or the sorrow,
you said Yes.

Susan E. Stone, 2004

Labels: Mary

O Mother of Sorrows,
how often I come here and kneel at your feet,
and see those sorrow-filled eyes
staring up
at the suffering and battered
face of your son,
and still,
you are able to take my hand,
and give it that little squeeze
that says, Have courage.

O Mother of Sorrows,
How often I come here,
and weep all my misery out on your shoulder,
filled with guilt and grief and remorse,
knowing full well the burden
that I have laid on your blessed Son's back,
and still you hold me close,
and comfort me.

O Mother of Sorrows,
How often I have come here,
wanting to comfort you
in your sorrow and your loss,
and found myself overcome with remorse and sadness
over what your son
chose to do that I might live,
and find myself comforted by the one I longed to aid.

O Mother of the Word Incarnate,
Thank you for despising not my petions,
but in your mercy,
hearing and answering me.


Amen.


Susan E. Stone, 2004

Labels: Mary, Mother of Sorrows, Passion of Christ, Penitence

Mary on the Way to Golgotha

How thick the crowd must have seen,
O Lady of Sorrows,
as you threaded your way
in that numbing timelessness
that comes with crisis,
each second seeming to last minutes,
your son,
your son,
his beautiful face,
swollen,
bleeding, battered,
breaking your heart.

How much you must have wanted to scream
NONONONONO!
Don't let this be today,
now,
at this moment,
ever,
even though you knew he was given to you
for just this purpose,
and the sword you felt
had been fortold long ago.

How hard it must have been
not to throw yourself at the guards,
to some how get them to stop,
to let him rest,
to give him a chance
to change his mind
and make this all a nightmare.

And yet, you merely told God
Your will be done,
and continued on,
giving all you had
until the end
and darkness fell.

Susan E. Stone, 2004

Labels: Mary, Passion of Christ

Meditation on the Fourth Station of the Cross

How long ago you heard
the words of Simeon,
your dearest son
A sign of contradition,
a sword to pass through you,
and here it is,
that moment so long ago,
dreaded,
feared,
fulfilled.

It is not a long walk
from the judgement place
to the place of execution,
but the way is filled
with the passover crowd,
and the streets are narrow.
how you have to struggle,
trying to follow,
to get close,
to see.

The procession halts for a moment,
and soon you see why,
as he lies there,
bloody,
burdened,
tasting the dust of the street.
An exasperated soldier
begins a kick to motivate him,
but for some reason,
realizes the futility of it,
and begins to yank him up.
For a moment you touch him,
try to comfort him,
feel the sword go deeper into your heart.
How deep the sword must go before it is over.

Susan E. Stone, 2004

Labels: Mary, Passion of Christ

Rosa Mystica


Like a much anticipated rose bud
seen opening in full light
gives joy to the heart of the gardener,
the sweet tones of
your yes,
let it be done to me like you say,
must have delighted the heart of our Father,
seeing the rare beauty
of his most lovely creation
in full bloom.

Mystical rose that shall never fade,
teach us all
how to say yes
when God comes calling.

Susan E. Stone, 2004

Labels: Mary

Like the fragrance of rose
wafted on the breeze
on a spring afternoon,
sweet,
gentle,
almost unperceived at first,
but growing more precious by the second,
O Maria,
Blessed Virgin,
beloved mother,
you come into my life,
when I need it most,
when I least expect it,
calling me gently home.

How could it be,
that the mother of my Lord
would deign come to me,
with the gentlest of mother's touches
to call me home
in that kindest of ways
never condemning,
ready to wipe my tears
and take me gently home?

O my Lady and my Queen,
Friend and comforter,
too often I have sent you looking for me!
Forgive me,
and thank you
for always keeping me under your mantle,
ready to lead me gently home
to your son Jesus.

Amen

Susan E. Stone, 2004

Labels: Mary

O Mother of Consolation,
hold my hand
as I walk the road
that your Son has led me.

And as the light grows clearer
and each veil of self deception
is pulled from my eyes,
and I see clearer and more certainly
the faults in me
and the perfection in him
and learn how utterly short I fall,
O Blessed Mother
let me weep in your arms
over what I have done.

O how I have driven the nails myself,
wielded the whip,
joined in the angry mob,
betrayed the One
whom I should love best of all -
but I will not despair,
for your Son has called me,
and the radiance of his love
heals my aching soul.

Pray for me, O holy Mother of God,
That I may be made worthy
of the promises of Christ,
no matter how painful the transformation.

Susan E. Stone, 2004

Labels: Mary

Thoughts on Our Lady

O Blessed Mother,
Impossible for me to imagine, really,
all those years with him who was love incarnate,
growing up straight and tall ,
a graceful sapling
turnng into a man.

I can imagine him
playing games through the streets of Nazareth,
sitting at Joseph's feet among the wood shavings,
watching you sewing.

Yet, to be with him all that time -
Did not the villagers notice
something special
about the youth
growing in their midst?

And you -
impossible to imagine
a lifetime spent
tending and caring,
loving and fixing for
God on earth -
Amazing that the glory invisible in your home
did not shatter your walls -
Indelible the brightness
it left upon your soul!

Susan E Stone, 2004

Labels: Mary

Prayer to Our Lady of Sorrows on Man's Inhumanity in the name of Freedom

She cries in the hospital
as the life ebbs from her child,
victim of a "freedom fighter"
who has brought in his wake
only pain,
anger,
sorrow,
despair.

She is too exhausted to cry,
as she and her child wait for the end,
an empty stomach
long past the point of hunger pangs,
far away from the home where she was raised,
a home now in a war zone,
the fields stripped by drought
and mines
and the blood of men
fighting in the name of freedom.

She weeps for her son,
child of a husband long dead,
brutalized and blamed
for all the evil in their village,
the hunger,
the poverty,
aids,
and every moment of bad luck
as her father and brother
call him a witch,
and she knows
they will kill him,
or drive him away in the name of their freedom.

She weeps for her child
a child deep in a coma,
that others long to kill,
in the name of the child's freedom.


O Blessed Mother,
O Lady of Sorrows,
hold these women,
and the countless victims of
man's willingness to harm
in the name of freedom
in your most loving arms,
like you held your son
in the unfathomable depths of grief
after he laid down his freedom
for the love of us.


Pray for us, O Mother of God,
that we may recognize where our true freedom lies,
at the foot of the cross.

Susan E. Stone, 2004

Labels: Mary, Mercy on Mankind

Prayer to Our Lady:

Oh Mary, Queen of Heaven, who still reaches out to her
children one by one across this wide and sin-torn world
as a mother to each of us, thank you for being there.
Thank you for the precious gift of the rosary, which is
like a life-line you throw to us in the tempetuous sea
of our sin and sorrow. Help us learn to pray we ought,
to ponder in our hearts the truth and glory of your Son
Jesus, the joy of being united to his Sorrowful and
your Immaculate hearts, and come to us who love you at
the hour of our deaths.

Susan Stone, 2003

Labels: Mary

To Our Lady of Sorrows

Blessed Mother,
when you saw your son walking down that crowed holiday
road
flanked by the Romans and marked by blood and blows and
the hatred of men,
And you saw with your own eyes
the lengths to which he would go down the road to reach
out to sinful man,
the pain he was willing to suffer,
the weight he was willing to bear
to make all things anew,
how hard was it to let him go,
to let him do the task he came to do,
to drink the bitter, bitter chalice
that was yours alone to taste.

Thank you for agreeing with your son
O Lady of Sorrows,
that the father's will be done.
O Queen of martyrs,
in that living martyrdom of witnessing
the pain and torture and death
of your perfect son,
you who plumbed the depths of sorrow
deeper than I can fathom,
thank you,
O Consoler of Afflictions
for loving enough to ease all our hurts.

Susan E. Stone, 2003

Labels: Mary, Passion of Christ

Prayer to Our Lady, Mother of Mercy

O Blessed Mother,
Mother of mercy,
We turn to you
Our mother, our hope
when times overwhelm us,
and you are there
to share our grief,
comfort us in our mourning
and guide us to the safety of your Son.

O Blessed Mother
remember today those
who stare out at an uncertain future,
those who have lost their homes,
their loved ones,
their friends,
their work.

Pray for those who work
to help in the wake of disaster,
who fight the fires,
shelter the homeless,
rescue the shaken and injured,
care for the dying
and stand watch against the darkness.

Pray for us who look on and see.
May we not look on with unseeing eye,
but with the eye that causes us
to do your Son's will,
to act mercifully,
to care,
to pray,
to do.

O Queen of Heaven,
You truly understand our suffering,
You always and ever care for each of us, your children.
Teach us to be the hands and feet
that you may work through,
that you may pour your Son's graces through,
to bring salt and light
to this sorrowful world.

Holy Mary, Mother of God,
Pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

O Mother of the Word Incarnate,
I know that you do not despise our petitions,
but in your mercy,
You hear and answer us.
Thank you.

Amen.

Susan E. Stone, 2003

Labels: Mary

Queen of the Rosary

Queen of the most holy Rosary,
by your gift of a simple string of beads
you lead those of us
who will listen to your soft words
to the love of your son
prayer by prayer,
mystery by mystery
chaplet by chaplet.

Queen of the most holy Rosary,
You lead those of us
who will listen to your soft words
to ponder all these things in our hearts,
moment by moment,
day by day
until they bloom in our lives,
roses for your garden.

O Full of Grace,
Thank you for pouring that grace
onto we your children.

By your example,
prayer,
and loving intervention,
Teach us to love your son
more and more.

Pray for us, O holy Mother of God
that we may be made worthy
of the promises of Christ.

Susan E. Stone, 2003

Labels: Mary

Prayer to Mary Immaculate, Help of Christians

Blessed Mother,
Help of Christians,
Mary most pure,
teach us to see with your eyes,
to act with that love
that comes only from loving and knowing your son,
to be your son's hands on this earth,
to be channels of God's light
in this dark world.

O Immaculata,
O Mother most kind,
pray for us now and at the hour of our deaths,
Amen.

Susan E. Stone

Labels: Mary

On the Assumption

Oh Blessed Mother,
when I think of your falling asleep
being reunited forever with your Son
assumed into Heaven
where you could become mother of us all,
I long to say,
Thank you, Mother,
for caring for us all,
for covering us with your mantle,
for looking after us when we stray,
for leading us home to your son.

Thank you Mother,
for all the sorrows, toil and care
you were willing to give
during your earthly life,
and thank you for trying so hard to reach
a hardheaded mankind
that too often chooses to go its own way.

Thank you Mother,
for helping to teach us how to be salt, light, and
leaven in this dark and sad world,
may we always be open to further your intentions,
and those of the sacred heart of your divine Son.

Amen

Susan E. Stone 2003

Labels: Mary

Assumption

Like a long, drawn-out breath,
a pausing
was that last moment
of your old life.
You,
who had seen and felt and been so much
to those around you,
a clear lamp
for the light of your beloved son.

And so it came to this moment then,
long years after your darkest day,
and brightest morning,
long days since you last kissed him goodbye,
your perfect son.

Did you not
let that last breath pass
like a goodbye kiss to those gathered around you,
dear faces all.

A moment only of darkness,
and then,
once again,
that beloved voice whispered in your ear.

"Mother, it's time. Let's go home."

Susan E. Stone © 2003

Labels: Mary

Did those who stood by you that awful day
tell you not to look,
O Lady of Sorrows,
As he was thrown to the ground,
naked, battered, bloody,
stretched out upon that dreadful crossbeam?
Did you cling to the Magdalene, O Sorrowful Mother,
as the Roman guards,
methodical and professional,
put those large square nails against his wrists,
hit hammer against nail?

Could anything prepare you
for the cries
ripped from his throat
as they finished their task?

Susan E. Stone © 2003

Labels: Mary, Mother of Sorrows, Passion of Christ

Prayer to Mary Immaculate

O Blessed Mother,
O Mary, Immaculate Heart
that watches over this troubled world
with such infinite patience,
with such steadfast love,
with such kindness and care,

O Mary,
we don't deserve such a mother as you,
but thank you for being willing to share
the love of your son
with each and every one of us.

Thank you for treating us
as your own little children -
how often have you searched and waited for us
like you did when the child Jesus
stayed behind at the Temple.

When we hurt,
thank you for covering us with your mantle,
giving us someone to hug,
a lap to cry on.

Thank you for all the times you have dried our eyes.

And thank your Son
for the great mercy of sharing you with us.

O I pray, dearest Mary, sweet mother,
that every day I can grow a little bit more like you.

Susan E. Stone © 2003

Labels: Mary

Ora Pro Nobis

I fly unto your patronage, my mother,
Ora pro nobis,
You who never leave anyone unaided,
but lay all our sighs, mourning and tears
at the feet of your Son,
Ora pro nobis.
You who try to keep us under your mantle
like your little children
wrapped safe against the wind and the rain,
Ora pro nobis.
Thank you for caring when we wander far away
and you come searching to call us home,
Ora pro nobis.
Thank you for teaching us
to cherish your Son
and show us his ways,
Ora pro nobis.
Thank you for being willing to be mother of us all,
O Mother of the Word Incarnate.

Susan E. Stone © 2003

Labels: Mary

Station Four


Let us see it then,
That moment.
One tiny momement in time.

There he is,
the central person
of a sad procession,
the heavy crossbeam across his shoulders,
tied to his arms,
his head crowned with the ugly cap of thorns,
a trickle of blood down his forehead from their touch.
His face has started to swell from the bruising
homage the soldiers paid him,
blood seeps through the back of his robe
from the kiss of their whips.

She sees him then.
Their eyes meet,
He pauses,
stopping the sad procession.

No words pass between them.
No words need to be said.

She reaches out a hand,
Then the soldiers jerk his bonds forward to catch up with the rest.


Susan E. Stone © 2003

Labels: Mary, Passion of Christ

Thank you, Mother

Blessed Mother,
how hard you work,
calling as many of us home
who will listen to your voice.

"Come, children, I love you,"
you whisper softly.
"Come, children, come meet my Son
who loves you even more."

Thank you Mother,
for not giving up on us,
for leading us
to the blessed fruit of your womb,
Jesus.

Susan E. Stone

Labels: Mary

Prayer to Our Sorrowful Mother

Immaculate Mary,
O Lady of Sorrows,
Given to us by Jesus while he suffered on the cross,
The last thing he had left to give before he gave up
his life,
Pray for us.

In our dark days,
may we remember your dark days,
and come to learn how much you care,
how much you were willing to give for Jesus,

May we learn always from your loving example.

Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Labels: Mary

A Prayer for Children

Sweet Blessed Mother,
O Mary, mother of us all,
This morning I pray
For all the babies conceived to be biosamples,
For all the children ripped from their mothers' wombs,
For all the children abandoned by their parents at
birth,
For all the children dumped by their families and left
to fend for their own in cities throughout the world,
For all the children kidnapped to be soldiers in wars
they cannot understand,
For all the children who live under the threat of
abuse, physical, mental and sexual,
For children starving because of famine or neglect,
For children killed by local authorities because they
are embarrassed by the numbers of abandoned children
haunting their streets,
For children killed by people because they belonged to
the wrong faith, wrong color or wrong ethnic or
political group,
For children accused of socery to excuse their parents'
problems, and then tortured or abandoned,
For children forced to work in unsafe conditions,
For children growing up starved of knowledge of God,
For children growing up starved of love.

Keep them under your mantle, Blessed Mother,
May we never forget how much they are loved by your Son,
And may my eyes always be open
to ways to help them.

Labels: abortion, Children, man's inhumanity, Mary