(Eurasian cookoo)
| 11 Who is my mother?
Mary tries to take
Jesus home while
he is preaching
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Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. He destined us in love to be his sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace which he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace which he lavished upon us. For he has made known to us in all wisdom and insight the mystery of his will, according to his purpose which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians 1:3-10
And his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside they sent to him and called him. And a crowd was sitting about him; and they said to him, "Your mother and your brothers are outside, asking for you." And he replied, "Who are my mother and my brothers?" And looking around on those who sat about him, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother, and sister, and mother." Mark 3:31-35
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| Dandelion (bitter herb) |
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Salve regina (opposite column)
Our father …
O God, who wonderfully created, and yet more wonderfully restored, the dignity of human nature: Grant that we may share the divine life of him who humbled himself to share our humanity, your Son Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen. (BCP collect for the second Sunday after Christmas)
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| Lamentation at the Foot of the Cross, Giotto, 1304-6 |
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Salve regina
Mary, we hail thee, Mother and queen compassionate: Mary, our comfort, life, and hope, we hail thee. To thee we exiles, children of Eve, lift our crying. To thee we are sighing, as mournful and weeping, we pass through this vale of sorrow. Turn thou, therefore, O our intercessor, those thine eyes of pity and loving-kindness upon us sinners. Hereafter, when our earthly exile shall be ended show us Jesus the blessed fruit of thy womb, O gentle, O tender, O gracious Virgin Mary.
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
- traditional 11th century
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Continue to next meditation
Mary at the Foot of the Cross
NOTES: Bird: Eurasian cookoo flying away from sparrow’s nest having deposited a very large egg among small eggs. Plant: dandelion (bitter herbs) cyclamen – red spot at center represents Mary’s bleeding heart. Symbol: snake, “I dread the Virgin’s foot!”
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