OUR MOTHER
OF PERPETUAL HELP
INTRODUCTION
As you know this year we Redemptorists are celebrating
the 150th anniversary of our promoting the image - the ikon - of
Mary under the title of Our Mother of Perpetual Help.
So here are a few thoughts about this picture of Our
Mother of Perpetual Help.
HISTORY
Scholars say the image can be traced back to the island
of Crete - before 1500. It was stolen from there and brought to Rome. A plaque
indicated that it was venerated at a St. Mathew's Church in Rome in 1499.
It remained there till 1798 when it was taken down from a
wall - because the French were in the city fighting. In fact, St. Matthew’s [San Mateo's] Church was demolished.
Augustinians - who were in charge of that church - placed the ikon in the church of St. Eusebius.
Then it was take to Santa Maria in Posterula Church.
There are a lot of churches in Rome - all of which have
an image of Mary - and this was just one
image of Mary.
Fast forward to 1855 when the Redemptorsts bought some
property on Via Merulana - including the land where Saint Mathew’s was. They
built their headquarters there along with a church dedicated to St. Alphonsus
their founder.
A pope and others pushed to have the icon of our Mother
of Perpetual Help put in that spot once again - where St. Mathew’s had been.
Then in 1866 Pope Pius IX asked Redemptorists to “make
her known” throughout the world. We have certainly done that. People have
become quite aware of this image of Mary.
So this past year we have been celebrating 150 years since that
happened.
The image here at St. Mary’s in Annapolis is one of the
first copies brought to the United States - 1868.
A THOUGHT FOR
THE DAY: 4 PRAYERS - 4 HUMAN MESSAGES
I like to say there are 4 human communications we all
make on a regular basis: Sorry, Thanks, Help and Wow.
We say those 4 words and make those sentiments to each other - and we also say these 4
sentiments in prayer.
I like to say that they go together. We can’t pray these
thoughts - if we can’t make these thoughts to each other.
Take the word “Sorry!” for starters.
We all say things like, “Sorry I hurt you.” “Sorry I
scratched your car.” “Sorry I forgot to
call.” “Sorry I was late.”
Take the word, “Help!”
The movie, My
Cousin Vinny was on TV the other night. I’ve seen it at least 10 times now. Every time I see it, I notice how the movie is
very connected. Things that happen in the beginning - will show up near the
end.
For example: In an
early scene in the movie, Mona Lisa da Vito and Vinny are in a motel room. The
sink is leaking and Vinny complains that she was the last to use it. She should
have made sure it wasn’t dripping. Well, we find out that Mona Lisa knows all
about sinks and wrenches - and that this sink is broken. It leaks. That’s telling us she is quite mechanical.
Another example: she keeps asking Vinny, “Can I help?”
And he finds it very difficult as a man to ask for or to
accept help. That’s a key plot in this movie.
Take the theme of thanks. Vinny also finds it very difficult
to say “Thanks!”
And lastly take the theme of being able to say, “Wow!” I’m
not sure just what word to use here for this sentiment. It’s the fourth of these human
skills - being able to go, “Wow!” It’s the ability to be amazed - to see the
greatness of another.
These are 4 prayers as well: Sorry, Help, Thanks, and
Wow.
In this homily l want to stress the “Help!” message. It’s
one of the 4 basic human sentiments for daily communication with God as well.
In the title of of OLPH, we have one of those 4 sentiments: Help.
Why do people pray? Why do people go to Mary?
One key answer us we all need to ask for “Help!”
Hopefully we have the other 3 as well.
In the classic spiritual book, The Cloud of Unknowing,
the author says that we all know the “Help” prayer. When the building is on fire we scream out
the window just one word, “Help!”
We don’t give speeches. We say one word: “Help!”
I grew up in OLPH church in Brooklyn. I was not only an
altar boy but I was also a candle boy. I noticed thousands and thousands of
people asking Mary for help in prayer and in lighting a candle. Help
CONCLUSION
So we celebrate 150 years of telling people the “help”
message.
Notice it’s Part 2
of the Hail Mary.
Part 1 is buttering up the other - praising the other -
then comes the request for help.
