To You, O Mary!

O Mother of humanity and all nations, You are aware of their pain and aspirations, You compassionately sense The battles of good versus evil, Light against darkness That stirs the world around us. Hear our plea, sent forth in the Holy Spirit, Directed to your heart, And with maternal love, And as the Handmaid of the Lord, Embrace those peoples who long for your care, And also those whom you wait upon in particular. Guard under your maternal care All of humankind Which we lovingly consecrate to you, dear Mother. May the era of peace and liberty, A time of truth, Justice, and hope, Soon dawn for all. O you, who are the first handmaid Of the unity of Christ’s Body, Assist us, help all believers, As they feel deeply The pain of Christianity’s divisions, To steadfastly pursue The path to perfect unity Of Christ’s Body Through unwavering fidelity To the Spirit of Truth and Love, Which was bestowed upon them by your Son, At the cost of His cross and death. O you, who are intimately and maternally connected to the Church, Leading the People of God Along the paths of faith, hope, and love, Embrace all who are journeying, Pilgrims in this temporal life Toward their eternal destinies, With the love your Son, the divine Redeemer, Poured into your heart on the cross. Be the Mother encompassing all our earthly journeys, Even when they seem difficult, So that we may ultimately find our place, In that great community Which your Son referred to as the fold, Offering His life as the Good Shepherd. O you, who stood with the Church At the commencement of her mission, Pray for her, that she may travel the world To continually teach every nation And proclaim the Gospel to all creation. O you, who fully experienced The power of the Holy Spirit, When you conceived in your virgin womb And gave birth to the Eternal Word, Intercede for the Church, That she may continue to renew Through water and the Holy Spirit The sons and daughters of all humanity, Without distinctions of language, Race, or culture, Granting them the “right to become children of God.” [Jn. 1:12]. O you, who have always wished to serve! You, who mother the entire family of God’s children, Obtain for the Church That, enriched by the Holy Spirit With both hierarchical and charismatic gifts, She may steadfastly advance toward the future Along the path of renewal Inspired by what the Holy Spirit communicates And expressed in the teachings of Vatican II, Embracing in this renewal Everything that is true and good, Without being misled In any way, But diligently discerning Among the signs of the times What fosters the coming of God’s Kingdom. O you, who through your unique holiness, Free from all sin since your conception, Feel with remarkable depth That “the whole creation has been groaning in travail” [Rom. 8:22], While, “subjected to futility,” “it hopes for liberation From its bondage to decay” [Rom. 8:20-21], You tirelessly aid In the “revealing of the sons of God,” For whom “creation eagerly waits” [Rom. 8:19], To experience the joy of their freedom [cf. Rom. 8:21]. O Mother of Jesus, Now glorified in heaven, both body and soul, As the image and beginning of the Church, Which is to find fulfillment in the age to come, Here on earth, Until the day of the Lord arrives [cf. 2 Pt. 3:10], Do not cease to shine before the pilgrim people of God As a sign of unwavering hope and comfort (cf. Lumen Gentium, 68). O you, who have been consecrated to the Holy Spirit more than anyone else, Help your Son’s Church To remain steadfast in this same consecration. Holy Spirit of God, You who are worshipped And glorified alongside the Father and the Son! Receive these humble words of dedication Directed to You In the heart of Mary of Nazareth, Your bride and the mother of the Redeemer, Whom the Church also calls her Mother, For from the Upper Room at Pentecost, She has imparted to her Her own maternal mission! Receive these words of the traveling Church, Spoken amid labor and joy, Fears and hopes.