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August 25 Optional Memorial |
Blessed Mary of Jesus Crucified was born of the Baouardy family, Catholics of the Greek Melchite Rite, at Abellin in Galilee in 1846. In 1867 she entered the Discalced Carmelites at Pau in France and was sent with the founding group to the Carmel of Mangalore in India where, in 1870, she made her profession. She returned to France in 1872. In 1875 she went to the Holy Land where she built a monastery in Bethlehem and began planning for another at Nazareth. Noted for her supernatural gifts, especially for humility, for her devotion to the Holy Spirit, and her great love for the Church and the Pope, she died at Bethlehem in 1878. From the Common of Virgins, or of Holy Women (Religious), except the following:
Office of Readings
The Second Reading
Cat. 16, 1, 12:16 (PG 33, 936, 939-942). From the Catechesis of St Cyril of Jerusalem, Bishop
To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good
The Holy Spirit , although he is one and of one nature and indivisible, apportions his grace as he wills to each one. When the dry tree is watered it brings forth shoots. So too the soul in sin: when through penance it is made worthy of the grace of the Holy Spirit, it bears the fruit of justice. Though the Spirit is one in nature, yet by the will of God and in the name of Christ he brings about multiple effects of virtue.
He uses the tongue of one man for wisdom, he illumines the soul of another by prophecy, to another he imparts the power of driving out devils, to another the gift of interpreting the sacred scriptures; he strengthens the self-control of one man, teaches another the nature of almsgiving, another to fast and mortify himself, another to despise the things of the body; he prepares another man for martyrdom. He acts differently in different men while himself remaining unchanged, as it is written: 'To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit forthe common good.'
His approach is gentle, his presence fragrant, his yoke very light; rays of light and knowledge shine forth before him as he comes. He comes with the heart of a true protector; he comes to save, to heal, to teach, to admonish, to strengthen, to console, to enlighten the mind, first of the man who receives him, then through him the minds of others also.
As a man previously in darkness, suddenly seeing the sun, receives his sight and sees clearly what he did not see before, so the man deemed worthy of the Holy Spirit is enlightened in soul and sees beyond the power of human sight what he did not know before. Although his body remains on the earth, his soul already contemplates heaven as in a mirror.
Responsory
R. We contemplate your beauty, O Virgin of Christ:
-- you have received from the Lord a gleaming crown.
Nothing could bring you to surrender virginity; nothing could separate you from the love of the Son of God.
-- You have received from the Lord a gleaming crown.
Prayer
God, Father of mercy and all consolation,
you raised Blessed Mary, the humble daughter of the Holy
Land, to contemplation of the mysteries of your Son
and made her a witness to the love and joy of the Holy
Spirit.
Grant us, through her intercession,
so to share in the sufferings of Christ
that we may rejoice in the revelation of your glory.
We as this through our Lord
