V nedeľu 29. marca na poludnie vykonajú spoločne katolíci v Anglicku opätovné zverenie svojej krajiny Panne Márii. Naplnenie tohto už roky chystaného a anglickými kresťanmi očakávaného plánu posúrila práve ťažká situácia nákazy koronavírusu, ktorá ohrozuje i obyvateľov Britských ostrovov.
Pôvodný obrad zasvätenia sa mal konať v katedrálach anglických biskupstiev, no kvôli opatreniam v súvislosti Covidu-19 bude napoludnie vysielaná internetovým prenosom (streaming) svätá omša z mariánskej svätyne vo Walsinghame. Po svätej omši a modlitbe Anjel Pána budú vyzvaní všetci katolíci v Anglicku vysloviť pri „akte zverenia“ svoje „áno“ Panne Márii.
Vo walsinghamskej svätyni je vystavená nová ikona Matky Božej, ktorú požehnal pápež František 12. februára 2020 pri generálnej audiencii v Ríme. Hlava rímskych katolíkov v Anglicku a arcibiskup Westminsteru, kardinál Vincent Nichols pri tejto príležitosti povzbudil veriacich k spoluúčasti na tomto obnovení zverenia slovami: „Sme Máriiným venom! Prosím obohaťte toto jej veno obetovaním toho najlepšieho, čo jej môžete dať.“
Vôbec prvé zverenie Anglicka Matke Božej vykonal v roku 1381 ešte len 14-ročný kráľ Richard II. s prosbou o uchránenie krajiny pred hroziacim sedliackym povstaním. Anglickí biskupi v posledných storočiach akt zverenia Panne Márii viackrát zopakovali, počnúc rokom 1893, keď tak urobili na žiadosť pápeža Leva XIII.
Pripomeňme, že miestne cirkvi v Írsku, Španielsku a Portugalsku zverili svoje krajiny kvôli koronavírusu pod ochranu Panny Márie v stredu 25. marca, na sviatok Zvestovania Pána. V tento deň sa kresťania celého sveta spojili v modlitbe Otčenáš za ukončenie pandémie na výzvu pápeža Františka. Samotné mesto Rím Svätý Otec zveril Matke Božej – „Uzdraveniu nemocných“ v stredu 11. marca.
link: https://www.walsingham.org.uk/live-stream/
THE ANGELUS PROMISE
The Angelus is a spiritual exercise created to assist us to embrace the massage of Our Lady. We are invited now to ‘share in the joy of the Annunciation’ by following Mary’s obedience to God’s call, through her faith-filled “yes”. Through our own faith filled ‘yes’ this day many the Lord work wonders in our life.
V: The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.
R: And she conceived by the Holy Spirit.
As God once chose Mary to become the Mother of His Son, through the message of an angel, so he chooses me this day, and invites me through the ministry of the Church to seek and do his will at this moment in my life.
V: ‘Hail Mary, full of grace the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
R: Holy Mary mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
V: Behold the handmaid of the Lord.
R: Be it unto me according to thy word.
Mary’s response to her invitation ‘let it be done to me according to your word’ opened her heart to God’s grace and all things became possible. Let my ‘yes’ this day take away my fear as, like Mary, I embrace God’s will, and ‘ponder these things in my heart.’
V: ‘Hail Mary, full of grace the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
R: Holy Mary mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
V: And the Word was made flesh.
R: And dwelt among us.
At a moment in history, Mary’s faith filled ‘yes’ to God conceived him, first in her heart, which then led to the birth of Our Saviour. Through accepting him this day in my heart, enable me to recognise my role in bringing Christ to my sisters and brothers this day.
V: Hail Mary, full of grace the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
R: Holy Mary mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
V: Pray for us most holy Mother of God
R: That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray: O Holy Mother of God, pray for us, and assist us as we dedicate ourselves this day. Your ‘yes’ at the Annunciation brought our Saviour Christ into the world, and you invite us to contemplate the great mystery of the Incarnation, sharing your joy in announcing that ‘the Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us’. May our yes, this day, open our hearts to serve our brothers and sisters in this your dowry, that they too may share our joy in the Good News that God walks among us. We make our prayers through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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THE ACT OF ENTRUSTMENT OF ENGLAND TO MARY
Based on ‘the prayer of Erasmus 1532, Dedication of England to the Mother of God 1893, Prayer for England, Cardinal Griffiths Act of Consecration 1948, Act of Consecration St. John Paul II 1982.
Prayer: O Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God and our most gentle Queen and Mother, look down in mercy upon England thy ‘dowry’ and upon us all who greatly hope and trust in thee.
Response: We your faithful people offer you this country in which we live. Once it was yours, all its children were your children and you were honoured throughout England as its Protectress and its Queen. Again do we consecrate it as your dowry and entrust it to your maternal care.
Prayer: By thee it was that Jesus our Saviour and our hope was given unto the world; and He has given thee to us that we might hope still more.
Response: To you we entrust the Church, which invokes you as Mother. On earth you preceded her in the pilgrimage of faith. Comfort her in her difficulties and trials. Make her always the sign and instrument of intimate union with God and of the unity of the whole human race. To you, Mother of the human family, and of the nations, we confidently entrust the whole of humanity with its hopes and fears. Let it not lack the light of true wisdom. guide it to seek freedom and justice for all. direct its steps in the ways of peace and enable all to meet Christ, the way, the truth and the life.
Prayer: Plead for us thy children, whom thou didst receive and accept at the foot of the cross, O sorrowful Mother.
Response: Pray, O Holy Mother, for the conversion of heart of the people of England, restoration of the sick, consolation for the troubled, repentance of sinners, peace to the departed. Queen of peace, pray for us and give to the world the peace for which all peoples are longing, peace in the truth, justice and charity of Christ. Give peace to the nations and to the souls of all, that in peace, the Kingdom of God may prevail.
Prayer: Intercede for our separated brethren, that with us in the one true fold they may be united to the supreme Shepherd, the Vicar of thy Son.
Response: May our prayers bring back this country to the fullness of its ancient faith. May your intercession lead us to a close union with your divine Son. We offer you all the people of this land, especially those who know you so little or not at all. May all in our country know Christ, the light of the world and its only Saviour.
Prayer: Pray for us all, dear Mother, that by faith fruitful in good works we may all deserve to see and praise God, together with thee, in our heavenly home.
Response: May we who follow your Son be fruitful in the good works of building a culture of life in our world where all human life is treasured and the gift of God’s creation is respected and cared for, so that all may share the fruits of God’s generous love.
V: Pray for us O Holy Mother of God
R: That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
O blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God and our most gentle Queen and Mother, look down in mercy upon England thy “Dowry” and upon us all who greatly hope and trust in thee. By thee it was that Jesus our Saviour and our hope was given unto the world; and He has given thee to us that we might hope still more. Plead for us thy children, whom thou didst receive and accept at the foot of the Cross, O sorrowful Mother. Intercede for our separated brethren, that with us in the one true fold they may be united to the supreme Shepherd, the Vicar of thy Son. Pray for us all, dear Mother, that by faith fruitful in good works we may all deserve to see and praise God, together with thee, in our heavenly home. Amen.
