BEADS OF JOY 05-04-15
“Our Lady of Quick Help”
©2015 James Dacey, Jr. OFS
My Friends,
Today is a very curious Marian
day to learn about. I have found that she is also known as Our Lady of Prompt
Succor (Prompt Succor means Quick Help), the webpages I did find seem to
combine them a lot in their focus of prayer. I find it to be so interesting and
exciting to learn all we can about Our Lady. I hope these occasional focuses on
her are of interest to you to. I promise more will follow in this most special
Month of Mary.
May 4: OUR LADY OF QUICK
HELP
©1966 Sister Manetta Lamberty, S.C.C.
©1966 Sister Manetta Lamberty, S.C.C.
To the Quaint town of Darjeeling, nestled in the arms of the giant Himalayan
Mountains came a Russian artist to feast his eyes on God’s wonder work of
massive snowy grandeur stretching far off to the north. He overstayed his
time so that his pockets were empty. To help cover his bill at the ritzy
hotel, he gave the proprietress, a fine Irish lady, some of his possessions;
among them, a mosaic, a Russian icon of Our Lady and the child Jesus.
After the lady’s death the icon was given to her nephew, the parish priest of
Darjeeling. Not treasuring it too much, the priest gave it to a dentist
friend who placed it in his office, where it stayed unnoticed for a number of
years.
In 1943, a Jesuit scientist came
to examine the icon. “Do you know, Father,” he said to Father Grant, the
Irish lady’s nephew, “that icon is at least 300 years old? It is made of
gold and platinum, and must be highly valued.” This was an eye-opener for
the parish priest. A servant of a nearby convent was commissioned to buy
it, because the nuns wanted to present it to Father Grant. He refused to
accept it, but asked for the free use of the icon. He took the icon with
him on his tours of conversions and it met with almost immediate
popularity. Father asked one of the nuns to make a facsimile of the icon,
which she did with painstaking care and great love. Now every procession
is headed by the beautiful banner in gold, white and blue. On the
original icon there is the inscription in Russian: “Our Lady of Quick
Help, pray for us”. The right hand of Baby Jesus points to His Mother
indicating, “You want help quickly? Ask My Mother. She is the Help
of the Afflicted, the Help of Christians.
Devotion to Our Lady of Quick
Help has spread among the hill men. Although no miracles are claimed,
several remarkable favors have been granted through Mary’s intercession.
As faith and simple devotion
increase, one cannot help being reminded of other cases where Our Lady has
chosen a medium of devotion to her, a painting; a whole pageant of Lady
pictures come to mind: Via della Strade, Guadalupe, Our Lady of Good
Counsel, to name but a few. When Blessed Rudolph Aquaviva, S.J., was sent
to convert Akbar, the Great Mogul, he erected in the palace a chapel dedicated
to Our Lady. It was through her intercession he hoped he would win the
souls of Akbar and his people. Surely, our Lady can help us make
converts, too, if we pray to her.
Our Lady of Quick Help can also
make a “swift” job of converting Russia, if we pray hard enough to her for it.
PRAYERS TO OUR LADY OF PROMPT SUCCOR
Patroness of the State of Louisiana
Our Lady of Prompt Succor, You are after Jesus our only hope. O Most Holy Virgin, whose merits have raised You high above angel choirs to the very throne of the Eternal and whose foot crushed the head of the infernal serpent, You are strong against the enemies of our salvation. O Mother of God, You are our Mediatrix most kind and loving. Hasten, then to our help, and as You once saved Your beloved City from ravaging flames and our Country from an alien foe, do now have pity on our misery, and obtain for us the graces we beg of You. Deliver us from the wiles of Satan, assist us in the many trials which beset our path in this valley of tears, and be to us truly Our Lady of Prompt Succor now and especially at the hour of our death. Amen.
O Mary, mother of God, who amid
the tribulations of the world, watches over us and over the Church of Your Son,
be to us and to the Church, truly, Our Lady of Prompt Succor; make haste to
help us in all our necessities, that in this fleeting life You may be our
succor, and obtain for us (here ask the particular favor you desire). Help us to gain life everlasting through the
merits of Jesus, Your Son, Our Lord and Redeemer. Amen.
LOVE YOU GUYS !!!!
Come PRAY THE ROSARY with us every evening Monday through Friday
9pm EST… Our Lady’s Rosary Text Vigil Group http://beads-of-joy-blog.blogspot.com/2014/12/our-ladys-rosary-text-vigil-update.html
Your brother in Christ Jesus
And His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr OFS
And His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr OFS
