Our Lady of Guadalupe

Date: June, 13

The Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary is celebrated on the Saturday after the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi).

The Immaculate Heart of Mary signifies, first of all, the great purity and love of the heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary for God. This purity is manifested in her “Yes” to the Father at the Incarnation, Her love for, and cooperation with, the Incarnate Son in His redemptive mission, and her docility to the Holy Spirit, enabling her to remain free of the stain of personal sin throughout her life. Mary’s Immaculate Heart, therefore, points us to her profound interior life, where she experienced both joys and sorrows, yet remained faithful, as we, too, are called to do.

The Immaculate Heart of Blessed Virgin Mary is typically rendered in Catholic artwork as a bright red anatomical human heart that is pierced with a sword.
– The heart is pierced with a sword.  Although this depiction only shows one, traditionally it was pierced with seven swords representing the Seven Sorrows of her life.

What are the seven sorrows of Mary?

1. The prophecy of Simeon (Luke 2:25-35)
2. The flight into Egypt (Matthew 2:13-15)
3. Loss of the Child Jesus for three days (Luke 2:41-50) 
4. Mary meets Jesus on His way to Calvary (Luke 23:27-31; John 19:17)
5. Crucifixion and Death of Jesus (John 19:25-30)
6. The body of Jesus taken from the Cross (Psalm 130; Luke 23:50-54; John 19:31-37)
7. The burial of Jesus (Isaiah 53:8; Luke 23:50-56; John 19:38-42; Mark 15:40-47)

– The heart is surrounded by roses.  Roses are known as the “queen of flowers” and symbolize Mary as the Queen of Heaven. Roses also depict hidden suffering in their thorny stems and are a connection to Jesus’ crown of thorns. 
– Atop the heart are lilies.  The lily represents Mary’s purity as the Virgin Mother of God.

• “Never be afraid of loving the Blessed Virgin too much. You can never love her more than Jesus did.”– Saint Maximilian Kolbe

PRAYER: 

Immaculate Heart of Mary, I love you and give praise and thanks to God for the unfathomable graces that were instilled within your heart at the moment of your conception and remain with you today and forever. Please pour down upon me and upon the whole world the loving mercy of Your Son, so that I can more fully become your child and a child of God. Please pray for me and for the whole world so that one day your Immaculate Heart will triumph and all people will come to know and love your divine Son. Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You!