Friday, February 10, 2006

“Meryem anà”: Fr Andrea Santoro’s prayer to Mary

Fr. Santoro wrote a prayer to Mary in his lifetime. I'll repost it here with a link to the story.
(link)

Mary, Woman of Jerusalem
Where you offered yourself with Jesus at the foot of the Cross
Mary, Woman of the Last Supper
Where you gathered the breath of the Holy Spirit,
Mary, Woman of Ephesus,
Where you came with John, ‘Your son’
Sent in mission by the Spirit: Pray for us.

Mary, Mother of the sheep outside the fold,
Mother of those who do not know your Son,
Mother of those who know not what they do: Pray for us.
Mary, Mother of lifeless souls,
Mother of lightless minds,
Mother of hopeless hearts,
Mother of sons, who killed your Son,
Mother of sinners, Mother of the thief who did not repent,
Mother of the son who did not come back: Pray for us.

Mary, Mother of those who did not follow Him,
Mother of those who repudiated Him,
Mother of those who went back,
Mother of those who were not called: Pray for us.

Mary, Mother of those who like John
Seek the lost children of God,
Mother of those who those who descend in hell
To announce life to the dead: Pray for us.

Mary, Mother, come and live with me:

Come to the house where I am asked to live,
Come to the land where I am asked to go,
Come among the men I am asked to love,
Come to the divisions that I am asked to heal,
Come into the hearts that I am asked to visit.
Come to my home and be my mother,
Come Mary; give me your heart as mother.

“Meryem anà” “Mary, Mother” of all peoples: Pray for us.

Father Andrea Santoro

It is, in my opinion a beautiful prayer. We are One Body in Christ, and Mary is His mother, so she is our mother as well. What touched me about the prayer was the part:

Mary, Mother of the sheep outside the fold,
Mother of those who do not know your son,
Mother of those who know not what they do: Pray for us.

He might as well have written, for the men who will kill me, Pray.

In the end I give this prayer,

Come Mary, be our mother. Bring unity to us, through the Holy Name and power of your Son Jesus Christ.





No comments: