OCTOBER DEVOTION: UNDERSTANDING THE MARIAN TITLES IN THE LITANY OF LORETO (PART 2) – DAY 2: “GATE OF HEAVEN” (IANUA CAELI)

DAY 2 PRAYER INTENTION: Today, pray for all those who are sick, and most importantly, the terminally ill, looking up to God for healing. May they be visited, comforted, and healed by Our Lady, Health of the Sick, to the greater glory of God (Also add your own intention…)

Now, say the 20 decades of the Rosary…

At the end of the 20 decades, say the following Prayers:

Hail Holy Queen

Hail, holy Queen, mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our exile show us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!
Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray

O God, whose only begotten Son, by His life, death, and resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal salvation. Grant, we beseech Thee, that while meditating on these mysteries of the most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us! Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us! St. Joseph, pray for us!

Litany of Loreto

Lord have mercy.
Christ have mercy.
Lord have mercy.
Christ hear us.
Christ graciously hear us.

God, the Father of heaven,
have mercy on us (Repeat after each invocation)

God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
God the Holy Spirit,
Holy Trinity, one God,

Holy Mary,
pray for us (Repeat after each invocation)
Holy Mother of God,
Holy Virgin of virgins,
Mother of Christ,
Mother of the Church,
Mother of Mercy,
Mother of divine grace,
Mother of Hope,
Mother most pure,
Mother most chaste,
Mother inviolate,
Mother undefiled,
Mother most amiable,
Mother admirable,
Mother of good counsel,
Mother of our Creator,
Mother of our Saviour,
Virgin most prudent,
Virgin most venerable,
Virgin most renowned,
Virgin most powerful,
Virgin most merciful,
Virgin most faithful,
Mirror of justice,
Seat of wisdom,
Cause of our joy,
Spiritual vessel,
Vessel of honour,
Singular vessel of devotion,
Mystical rose,
Tower of David,
Tower if ivory,
House of gold,
Ark of the covenant,
Gate of heaven,
Morning star,
Health of the sick,
Refuge of sinners,
Solace of Migrants,
Comfort of the afflicted,
Help of Christians,
Queen of Angels,
Queen of Patriarchs,
Queen of Prophets,
Queen of Apostles,
Queen of Martyrs,
Queen of Confessors,
Queen of Virgins,
Queen of all Saints,
Queen conceived without original sin,
Queen assumed into heaven,
Queen of the most Holy Rosary,
Queen of families,
Queen of peace.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
spare us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
graciously hear us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.

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

Let us pray
Grant, we beseech thee, O Lord God, that we, your servants, may enjoy perpetual health of mind and body;
and by the glorious intercession of the Blessed Mary, ever Virgin, may be delivered from present sorrow, and obtain eternal joy. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Memorare

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me.

Prayer to Saint Joseph after the Rosary

To you, O Blessed Joseph, we come in our trials, and having asked the help of your most holy spouse, we confidently ask your patronage also. Through that sacred bond of charity which united you to the Immaculate Virgin Mother of God and through the fatherly love with which you embraced the Child Jesus, we humbly beg you to look graciously upon the beloved inheritance which Jesus Christ purchased by his blood, and to aid us in our necessities with your power and strength.

O most provident guardian of the Holy Family, defend the chosen children of Jesus Christ. Most beloved father, dispel the evil of falsehood and sin. Our most mighty protector, graciously assist us from heaven in our struggle with the powers of darkness. And just as you once saved the Child Jesus from mortal danger, so now defend God’s Holy Church from the snares of her enemies and from all adversity. Shield each one of us by your constant protection, so that, supported by your example and your help, we may be able to live a virtuous life, die a holy death, and obtain eternal happiness in heaven. Amen.

Prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

DAY 2: REFLECTION

“GATE OF HEAVEN” (IANUA CAELI)

It is quite interesting to open up the second phase of our reflections on the Marian titles in the litany (today, being the second day of our devotion) with an amazing title: “Gate of Heaven” (Latin, Ianua Caeli), a reflection of our future hope to reach Christ our Lord, through the Blessed Virgin Mary our channel – the gate of heaven. Recall that, Jesus already says: “I am the gate. Anyone who enters through me will be safe: such a one will go in and out and will find pasture”(Jn 10:9). Therefore, why do we invoke the Blessed Virgin Mary as the heaven’s Gate since Jesus already says that He’s the Gate, and in what context must it be understood?

First, a gate is an entrance through which we have access to another space. Through Mary, the Saviour entered the history of mankind. In other words, through her, our Lord Jesus Christ came to make heaven accessible to us by his redemptive death and resurrection. Thus, if she hadn’t been born, heaven would not have been opened for us. This is true because when the “gate of heaven” was shut by the sin of Adam, an initiative of a woman (Eve) tempted by the devil, God proclaimed the advent of another woman (the New Eve), through whose initiative (response to the will of God), the “gate of heaven” would be opened by the righteousness and salvific work of the Second Adam (Our Lord Jesus Christ).

If we contemplate the Blessed Virgin Mary as the gate/door to salvation; how then could we understand Christ’s own words: “I am the gate. Anyone who enters through me will be safe: such a one will go in and out and will find pasture.”(Jn 10:9)? Here, Jesus’ words are clearly understood in the context at which salvation could be obtained through him. However, if we want to access this Jesus, then, we have to go through Mary. Just as we go to the tree to obtain its fruits, so also, we go to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the “tree,” in order to access the “Blessed Fruit of her womb.” Therefore, united with Jesus and Mary, we live this mystery of hope.

In consonance, a good understanding of the second part of the “Hail Mary” prayer we make is pertinent in clarifying this beautiful Marian title. In that prayer, we say: “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and at the hour of our death. Amen.” Here, Mary is contemplated as one who comes to the aid of man at the hour of death with her prayers in order that the gates of heaven might be opened for them; the same way she stood at the foot of the cross, praying at the hour of Jesus’ death in order that the “gate of heaven” might be opened for humanity.

Undoubtedly, devotion to Mary is a gateway to enter the Heart of Jesus. Mary is like a road sign indicating the direction, she is not the point of arrival, she is not heaven, hence, she is the gate. It is interesting to note that in the temple of Jerusalem there was a tabernacle where the Ark of the Covenant was kept, within which was the tablets of the law given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai. In that tabernacle was a big door. Thus, if Mary is the New Testament tabernacle where Jesus (the New Covenant) dwelled, therefore, she must be the gate through which He came forth and through which he could be accessed. Little wonder, the prophet Ezekiel speaks of the East gate through which the Lord could pass through (cf. Ezek. 44:2-3). It follows, then, that invoking the Blessed Virgin Mary as the “Gate of Heaven” is to affirm that through her we are led to intimacy with our Lord Jesus Christ, and thus access salvation.

Dear friends in Christ, we too must be “gates of heaven” for our fellowmen. We must not keep our gates closed to anyone. The Christian must have the gate/door of his/her heart always open to welcome and accommodate others, aiding and supporting them in their needs (both spiritual and temporal) capable of helping them access salvation. We should bear in mind that whoever welcomes and helps the poor, consoles the afflicted and supports those in the street of bitterness, becomes a door/gate of accessing God. Above all, whoever opens his “gate” to others on earth will have the heavenly gate opened to him. May our devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary enable us to always have an open and welcoming heart capable of leading others to the heavenly home. Amen

Let us pray

Lord our God, your beloved Son passed through the “gate” of the Blessed Virgin Mary into humanity. Grant, we pray, that invoking her as the “Gate of heaven” by a true and filial devotion to her, we may come to imitate her virtues by opening the doors of our hearts to our fellowmen, and above all obtain access to our heavenly homeland and reign with you forever. Amen.

Oh “Gate of heaven” (Ianua Caeli), pray for us that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen.

Blessing
Through the intercession of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, may Almighty God bless + you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

👏🏼👏🏼 Great job reflecting on Day 2! Click here for Day 3 – “Morning Star” 👏🏼👏🏼