Presentation of Mary Novena 2020

Presentation of the Novena 2020

This year’s novena invites us to look at Mary as a model of someone who listened to the Word of God. Pope Francis in various interventions never ceases to remind us that each one of us possesses in his/her heart the seed of the Word. It is up to every baptized person to make it bear fruit by recognizing, among so many voices and so many words, that of the Lord, the only one who can make us free. He encourages us to “become accustomed to listening to the Word of God”, inviting us to carry a Bible with us at all times. He instituted the Third Sunday of Ordinary Time as the Sunday of the Word of God.

We know the place of the Word of God in the life of our foundress Marie Rivier. At this time in our history, it is good to return to the first of the beatitudes: Blessed are those who listen to the word of God and keep it.

The novena begins with the prologue of St. John: In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (Jn 1:1) and ends with Our Lady’s invitation: Do whatever he tells you (Jn 2:5).

Inspired by Mary, we will listen to the Word, aware that our personal and community relationship with God depends on the growth of our familiarity with the divine Word (Verbum Domini, 124). May Mary, Virgin of silence, a woman attentive to the Spirit, always listening to the Word, accompany us and obtain for us the blessing of the Father so that a new beginning may truly take place in the heart of every “presentine”.

In communion with my councillors, I wish you a fervent novena and a very beautiful feast of the Presentation of Mary,

Mother Maria dos Anjos Alves,

Superior General

Saturday, November 21, 2020 In communion with alll of the spiritual family of Marie Rivier

Friday, November 20, 2020 In communion with Gambia, Senegal, Burkina Faso

Sisters of the Presentation of Mary, we are, in spite of our weakness, at the service of the Word…. C 107

Virgin Mary, you are our Mother and Guardian,

pray for us: that we might commit ourselves

to the safeguarding of Creation

and to the promotion of

an integral ecology.

Word of God

Ph 2: 5-8

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross.

Commentary

“I hope that zeal will devour you like it did St. Francis Xavier, who said that as long as there is a corner of the earth where Jesus Christ is not known, zeal will devour him and consume him. Work to establish his reign in all hearts. To do this, yours must be burning with his love; it will be in the proportion that you work to come to know him and that you meditate on him.” Marie Rivier

Let us pray

Thursday, November 19, 2020 In communion with Mozambique, Cameroon, Ghana

Let the word of Christ dwell in you in all its richness! Col 3:16

Virgin Mary,

in the Upper Room you presided

at the prayer of the Apostles

as they waited for the Spirit, pray for us:

that the celebration of the 225th anniversary

of the foundation of our congregation might be

a source of spiritual renewal for all of us.

the Word of God

Is 55: 10-11

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

Commentary

I want to know among you only Jesus Christ, 1 Cor 2:2. I feel so strongly the need to form ourselves in Jesus Christ that I want to speak to you henceforth only about him. What a renewal would take place in the whole Body if we all applied ourselves to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, if we studied this great book that made all the Saints. Marie Rivier

Let us pray

Wednesday, November 18, 2020 In communion with Peru, Brazil

… My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and keep it … Lk 8:21

Virgin Mary, attentive and silent disciple,

you meditated the Word in your heart,

pray for us:

that we may have the courage to always

bear witness to the hope

that is in us.

Word of God

Mt 12: 46-50

While he was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brothers were standing outside, wanting to speak to him. Someone told him, “Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.” But to the one who had told him this, Jesus replied, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” And pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

Commentary

The best incentive for sharing the Gospel comes from contemplating it with love, lingering over its pages and reading it with the heart. If we approach it in this way, its beauty will amaze and constantly excite us. But if this is to come about, we need to recover a contemplative spirit which can help us to realize ever anew that we have been entrusted with a treasure which makes us more human and helps us to lead a new life. There is nothing more precious which we can give to others.”

Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium

Let us pray

17 November 2020 In communion with Quebec, Prince Albert, Unites States

Blessed is she who believed…. Lk 1: 45

Virgin Mary,

radiant with the presence of God,

pray for us:

that we might be witnesses of the living God,

contagious with his presence.

Word of God

Lk 1: 39-47

In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!”

Commentary

To Elizabeth’s greeting filled with amazement, Mary responds by praising the Lord: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!” Mary proclaims the marvels that God works in her lowliness, the marvels that he will work in all those who fear him, that is, in those who have a humble heart, the humble and the little ones. – Family writings –

Let us pray

Monday, November 16, 2020 in communion with Spain – Ireland – England

Blessed is she who believed…. Lk 1: 45

Virgin Mary, radiant with the presence of God,

pray for us:

that we might be witnesses of the living God,

contagious with his presence.

The Word of God

Lk 1: 39-47

Commentary

“Mary’s entry into Zechariah’s house and her greeting to Elizabeth appear as a manifestation of God, an Epiphany. Just as the Ark, the seat of God’s presence, aroused the exultation of the people of Israel (2 Sm 6:13-15; 2 Ch 5:13), so the coming of Mary fills Elizabeth and John the Baptist with joy. At Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth felt the child leaping in her womb and realized, under the action of the Spirit, that she was suddenly in the presence of the Lord.

Oremos

She makes resound before Mary, who carries the Son of God, the joyful acclamation which is thanksgiving and praise to God: Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.

Sunday, November 15, 2020 In communion with France, Portugal, Switzerland and Italy

Hear the word that the Lord speaks to you, O house of Israel. Jr 10: 1

Virgin Mary, sign of hope and consolation

for the pilgrim Church, pray for us:

that we might continue identifying and

reaching out to “the peripheries” in order to be,

like Marie Rivier,

a presence of compassion for those around us.

Word of God :

Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its fall!

Commentary

“The disciple (which comes from the Latin verb dìscere = to learn) goes to school to learn. At the school of the Word made flesh, he learns that the first service to be rendered to God – and to all – is to listen. A relationship begins by listening and not by “doing”. Then, when the Word becomes a gaze, we experience contemplation. Listening to the Lord and his words, as the prophet Jeremiah did: When I found your words, I devoured them; your words were my joy, the happiness of my heart, because I bear your name, Lord God of hosts (Jr 15:16).

Let us pray

The Father says: This is my beloved Son, in whom I find my joy: listen to him! (Mt 17:5; cf. also Lk 9:35, Mk 9:6): “Listen to Jesus” and you will become Jesus as you listen”.

To listen to God is to understand Him, to conceive Him, to let Him enter and remain in us. Human hospitality is to act in such a way that others can live with us. Christian hospitality is to act in such a way that the Other (God) and others can live in us”.

Pope Francis

Saturday, November 14, 2020 In communion with Japan – Philippines – Vietnam

I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Lk 10 : 21

Virgin Mary, model of these little ones

to whom the Father makes known

the secrets of the Kingdom, pray for us:

that at this moment in our history,

we might remain open to the Spirit,

allowing him to bring newness into our lives.

Word of God

Wisdom 9: 1-11

O God of my ancestors and Lord of mercy, who have made all things by your word, and by your wisdom have formed humankind to have dominion over the creatures you have made, and rule the world in holiness and righteousness, and pronounce judgment in uprightness of soul, give me the wisdom that sits by your throne, and do not reject me from among your servants. For I am your servant the son of your serving girl, a man who is weak and short-lived, with little understanding of judgment and laws; for even one who is perfect among human beings will be regarded as nothing without the wisdom that comes from you.You have chosen me to be king of your people and to be judge over your sons and daughters. You have given command to build a temple on your holy mountain, and an altar in the city of your habitation, a copy of the holy tent that you prepared from the beginning. With you is wisdom, she who knows your works and was present when you made the world; she understands what is pleasing in your sight and what is right according to your commandments. Send her forth from the holy heavens, and from the throne of your glory send her, that she may labor at my side, and that I may learn what is pleasing to you. For she knows and understands all things, and she will guide me wisely in my actions and guard me with her glory.

Commentary

“I feel so strongly the need that we be formed in Jesus Christ and that we practice his virtues all our lives that, from now on, I want to speak to you only about him; and this good Saviour himself leads me to this, because he wants to be loved and served by us in a special way. How I desire to come to all of you every day my dear Daughters, in the midst of your children, to say to you without ceasing: Study Jesus Christ, love Jesus Christ, imitate Jesus Christ, make him known and loved everywhere”. – Marie Rivier –

Let us pray

Friday, November 13, 2020 In communion with our novices, their formators, and all the young people in formation on this feast of St. Stanislaus Kostka.

IN THE BEGINNING was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Jn 1: 1

Virgin Mary, Woman fully attentive to the Word,

pray for us:

that we may know how to offer our lives

so that the work of God’s glory

may be realized in our world.

COMMENTARY…

“I burn with the desire to see you follow Jesus Christ and I would like to find among you this constant desire to live only for God, to seek in all your works only to please him, without seeking anything for yourself that is not his divine love”.

– Marie Rivier –