Saturday, May 2, 2009

Prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary

My sister Annie, who lives with her husband in Lincolnville, Maine, was recently in the Washington, DC area when they traveled to Florida. She took this picture at the Botanic Gardens in DC and emailed it to me the other day with the comment that this little girl reminded her of me. She does looks like me insofar as she is intently writing in her notebook, which is something I've been doing ever since I learned to print more years ago that I can remember.

I always have a notebook with me, wherever I go, and I always have something to write in it, whether it be something as mundane as a reminder to pick up cat food for Queenie at Wal-Mart or as beautiful as the prayer by the Jesuit priest Fr. Grandmaison that follows. When I was going to Catholic University in the early 70s, I found this prayer of his at the beginning of a book he wrote on the Holy Spirit. During breaks between my classes, I used to hole up in the university library. When not studying there, I would read some of its wonderful books. And yes, I would often be writing down in my notebook some of the treasures that I found!

Photography by Ann L. Krumrein


Holy Mary, Mother of God, preserve in me the heart of a child, pure and transparent as a spring. Obtain for me a simple heart that does not brood over sorrows; a heart generous in giving itself, quick to feel compassion; a faithful, generous heart that forgets no favor and holds no grudge. Give me a humble, gentle heart, loving without asking any return; a great indomitable heart that no ingratitude can close, no indifference can weary; a heart tortured by its desire for the glory of Jesus Christ: pierced by His love with a wound that will heal only in heaven.

Rev. Leonce de Grandmaison, S.J.

No comments:

Post a Comment