OCTOBER DEVOTION: UNDERSTANDING THE MARIAN TITLES IN THE LITANY OF LORETO (PART 2) – DAY 3: “MORNING STAR” (STELLA MATUTINA)

DAY 3 PRAYER INTENTION: Today, pray for all those who are seeking the fruit of the womb, and have trustingly cried out to God day and night for this sole intention; May they be visited by Our Lady of the Incarnation, and may they soon be blessed with children, 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 3: REFLECTION

MORNING STAR (STELLA MATUTINA)

According to theologians, of all the titles in her litany, there is no title more descriptive of Mary’s loving office to men than “Morning Star” (Latin, Stella Matutina) which comes immediately after “Gate of Heaven.” Thus, today, being the third day of our devotion to Mary in this month of October, we shall contemplate this radiant title and clarify the context at which it is to be understood because Jesus also identified Himself with this glorious title – “Bright Morning Star” as seen in the book of Revelation (Rev. 22:16). As a result, the fundamentalists have always reacted repulsively against this Marian title, accusing us of giving the glory attributed to Christ to another creature. In all its complications, some sets of fundamentalists have claimed that attributing this title to the Blessed Virgin Mary indicates that she is Lucifer since Lucifer means “Morning Star.” Now, how are we to understand this title in relation to the Blessed Virgin Mary?

Undoubtedly, Jesus refers to Himself in the text of Revelation 22.16 as the “Radiant Morning Star.” Jesus Christ is also described as the ‘Morning Star’ in 2 Peter 1:19 (Greek, Phosphoros). This clearly points out the ‘star’ symbolism as reflected in the Old Testament on the “celestial” or heavenly nature of the coming Messiah (cf. Num. 24:17; Mal. 4:2). This expression could signify the resurrection and also the Second Coming of the righteous Messiah. Just as the “morning star” breaks forth from the darkness of night, so the Lord’s people will break out of the darkness of the grave. With regards to the meaning of this title in Latin (“Lucifer”), which was also attributed to the devil before his fall as reflected in Isaiah (Is. 14:12), it must be understood that Angels are also called “morning stars” (Job 38:6-7): “They sang for joy when God created the world.” Satan was created as the most beautiful of all God’s angelic beings (cf. Ezekiel 28:12-15). Since Satan was the most beautiful and powerful of all the angels before he sinned, it was appropriate to refer to him as a morning star. Nevertheless, the passage in Isaiah that allegorically refers to satan as a morning star or shining one is all about his fall from his position of beauty and importance. He had an exalted position but he no longer holds it. Hence, after the fall, he lost that glory and became known as the devil, satan, etc.

Having clarified the foregoing, we can also talk of our Lady as the “Morning Star” because she announces the rising sun, the light from above who came to visit us: Jesus of Nazareth (cf. Lk 1:78). She is the New Dawn that prays for the “day of the Lord,” because from her the Saviour was born. How can we understand this better? The order in which the morning star appears in the sky before the sun explains this reality. Just as the morning star announces the coming of the day, appearing in the sky and reflecting the light of the sun, Mary appeared on the horizon of salvation history before Christ and shows us the way to Him. She reflects the light of the Creator and Redeemer and exalts His glory. From her humble assent welcoming Jesus into her life to her faithful witness at the foot of the cross, she is a model for all believers. Her birth meant that the “Sun of Justice” would soon rise. Mary is always the announcement of the Light to come. According to Tertullian, “Adam came first and then Eve followed after she was formed from his side. So, in God’s poetic redemptive plan to reverse this and its effects, it should be only right that the new Adam comes from the new Eve. With this same rationale, it should be a woman who should usher in the man who would bring salvation.” Therefore, the coming of Mary prepares to light up the world by declaring that the day of salvation has come. It precedes the coming of Jesus who is to bring the light of redemption upon us. As a result, St. John Cardinal Newman expresses: “It is Mary’s prerogative to be the Morning Star, which heralds in the sun. She does not shine for herself, or from herself, but she is the reflection of our Redeemer, and she glorifies Him.”

Having said this, it is important to note that the most common “Star” figure, which all the spiritual writers have used is “Star of the Sea” (Stella Maris); the guide to man who is sailing on the “sea of life.” St. Bernard, as many others, interpreted Miriam (Hebrew word for “Mary”) as meaning “Star of the Sea,” and thus explains it: “Because without loss of its own integrity, a star sends forth its rays—and so Mary brought forth Jesus. She is, therefore, that noble star risen out of Jacob, whose ray illuminates the whole earth, whose splendour both shines above and pierces the nether darkness, enlightening the earth and giving heat rather to souls than to bodies, nourishing virtues, expelling vices. Mary is the excellent, bright and wonderful Star lifted up necessarily above this great and wide ocean, shining with merits, illuminating with example. Behold the Star!” Little wonder, the Church interprets the verse in the Song of songs 6:10 (“Who is She that cometh forth as the morning rising, fair as the moon, bright as the sun…?”) as descriptive of Mary.

Dear friends in Christ, invoking our Blessed Mother as the “Morning Star” should serve as a reminder that God did not abandon us even after the fall. He didn’t disown us in repugnance even if original sin disfigured us so much that it seemed that we no longer look like beings created in his image and likeness. Instead, He planned our salvation and in that plan, the role of Mary was a crucial part. It was divinely preordained so that Mary had to enter into this world first so that she could bring Christ into it too. In conclusion, we unite our hearts with the “Dogmatic Constitution of the Church” (Lumen Gentium), which says: “In the interim just as the Mother of Jesus, glorified in body and soul in heaven, is the image and beginning of the Church as it is to be perfected in the world to come, so too does she shine forth on earth, until the day of the Lord shall come, as a sign of sure hope and solace to the people of God during its sojourn on earth.”(LG 68). Hence, let us continually invoke the intercession of the powerful woman that lights up the earth at dawn and shines forever in heaven.

Let Us Pray

O God, you willed that the Blessed Virgin should indicate to humanity, the first advent of your beloved Son as the “Morning Star,” shining brightly on our souls, grant we pray, that through her merits and intercessions, we may keep watch and stand ready for the second coming of Christ, and be found worthy of His Kingdom, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Oh “Morning Star” (Stella Matutina), 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 3! Click here for Day 4 – “Health of the Sick”