Today's Minute Meditations encourages stillness and peace of mind. 🙏
August 5, 2024
Hello John,
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Today's Saint of the Day highlights the historical significance of St. Mary Major Basilica in Rome. This ancient church, with its richly woven legends and deep ties to the early Christian faith, stands as a testament to the enduring devotion to Mother Mary. St. Mary Major's profound history and spiritual significance continue to inspire countless believers around the world.
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With prayers and blessings,Â
Fr. Dan Kroger, OFM Franciscan Media CEO and St. Anthony Messenger Publisher
First raised at the order of Pope Liberius in the mid-fourth century, the Liberian basilica was rebuilt by Pope Sixtus III shortly after the Council of Ephesus affirmed Mary’s title as Mother of God in 431. Rededicated at that time to the Mother of God, St. Mary Major is the largest church in the world honoring God through Mary. Standing atop one of Rome’s seven hills, the Esquiline, it has survived many restorations without losing its character as an early Roman basilica. Its interior retains three naves divided by colonnades in the style of Constantine’s era. Fifth-century mosaics on its walls testify to its antiquity.
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St. Mary Major is one of the four Roman basilicas known as patriarchal churches in memory of the first centers of the Church. St. John Lateran represents Rome, the See of Peter; St. Paul Outside the Walls, the See of Alexandria, allegedly the see presided over by Mark; St. Peter’s, the See of Constantinople; and St. Mary’s, the See of Antioch, where Mary is supposed to have spent most of her later life.
One legend, unreported before the year 1000, gives another name to this feast: Our Lady of the Snows. According to that story, a wealthy Roman couple pledged their fortune to the Mother of God. In affirmation, she produced a miraculous summer snowfall and told them to build a church on the site. The legend was long celebrated by releasing a shower of white rose petals from the basilica’s dome every August 5.
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Reflection
Theological debate over Christ’s nature as God and man reached fever pitch in Constantinople in the early fifth century. The chaplain of Bishop Nestorius began preaching against the title Theotokos, “Mother of God,” insisting that the Virgin was mother only of the human Jesus. Nestorius agreed, decreeing that Mary would henceforth be named “Mother of Christ” in his see. The people of Constantinople virtually revolted against their bishop’s refutation of a cherished belief. When the Council of Ephesus refuted Nestorius, believers took to the streets, enthusiastically chanting, “Theotokos! Theotokos!”
Discover this updated classic!
Murray Bodo’s heartfelt and honest reflections through the changing seasons of life help unlock the dynamism of prayer, awakening our hearts to sing and be lifted in flight by God’s grace.Â
Our lives are a forgetting and a remembering. A rhythm that follows us relentlessly till death. We are alive, doing things, and we try to forget the fears and anxieties about the future which paralyze us in the present and make us dead and inactive. We are people who hope and believe, and so we try to remember the good that God has done for us. We recall God’s faithfulness and care, and we become men and women of the future who dare to act because we forget our failures and remember God’s action in our every thought and deed.
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We stay sane because our eyes are on God who loves us and proves it when we dare to live for God. If we remember to remember God, we find our lives are meaningful and free.
As athletes from around the world gather to compete in this year’s Summer Olympics, we’re reminded that much of our lives is driven by competition: for jobs, resources, even in our relationships. What a relief it is to turn to prayer amid the rat race and “keeping up with the Joneses.” However, the temptation can sometimes be to treat prayer as a competition, of sorts, by thinking that if we just “pray harder” or “pray better,” we’ll somehow be closer to God or a better person of faith. Even in the spiritual exercise that is prayer, we need God’s help to let go so that we can truly immerse ourselves in God’s healing presence.
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Pray
God, I spend so much time comparing myself to others, Speculating over their various perceived faults or superpowers. Help me to put a stop to that toxic way of thinking, And remind me in your gentle way that life’s not about winners and losers, Or who “deserves” to be awarded and who doesn’t. May I find the grace to detach from my ego And begin to walk the path of prayer with sincerity and newfound hope. Amen.
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Act
Prayer, though not a sport, does take practice. Fortunately, there are many “coaches” and “trainers” in our Catholic tradition who can help. From St. Augustine (“Late have I loved you, Beauty so ancient and so new”) to Padre Pio, who reminded us to “Pray, hope, and don’t worry,” we are a Google search away from guidance from the masters of the form.
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Today's Pause+Pray was written by Daniel Imwalle. Learn more here!
Day One: St. Clare's Revolution
As Sister Margaret Carney explains, Clare of Assisi was a pioneer, a revolutionary, and a born leader.
