My dear parishioners,
Peace! On the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, 7 October, 2019, Pope Francis established the feast of Our Lady of Loreto, to be observed each year on the 10th of December. At the same time Pope Francis proclaimed a Lauretan Jubilee Holy Year to run from 8 December, 2019 through 10 December, 2020. There are fifty-one invocations in the Litany of Loreto. The following is a reflection on the thirty-ninth invocation: Help of Christians, pray for us.
What does it mean to say that Saint Mary, the Blessed Virgin Mother of God is the “Help of Christians”? Psalm 121:2 teaches us that our help is from the Lord, who made Heaven and Earth. Because the Lord has come to us through Saint Mary, the Blessed Virgin Mother of God, she is our help no less (cf. Matthew 1:18-24; Luke 2:1-6). Our Lady surely helped the young couple at the wedding feast in Cana (cf. John 2:1-11).
The ancient prayer Sub Tuum, dating back to the third century invokes the help, protection, aid (praesidium) of Our Lady. Saint John Chrysostom (+410) is said to have used the Greek term boetheia (the helper) in reference to Our Lady. During the Battle of Lepanto (7 October, 1571) the faithful sought the help of Our Lady while under threat of invading forces of the Ottoman Turks. Pope Clement VIII (+1605) approved and published the Litany of Loreto including the invocation Auxilium Christianorum (Help of Christians) in 1601. Pope Pius VII (+1823) instituted in 1815 a commemoration of Our Lady, Help of Christians to be observed on 24 May, following his liberation from three years imprisonment by Napoleon Bonaparte (+1821). Saint John Bosco (+1888) who founded the Salesians had many prophetic dreams, including one with Our Lady, Help of Christians (Auxilium Christianorum) in 1862 which has the Pope guiding the Barque of Peter into safe harbor between two pillars, one with the Sacred Host and the other with Our Lady. The mother Church of the Salesians in Turin, Italy is dedicated to Our Lady, Help of Christians. Saint John Henry Newman (+1890) reminds us that Saint Dominic attributed the institution of the Holy Rosary to Our Lady’s help (Meditations and Devotions). The Beatles hit Help! (1965) does not expressly mention Our Lady, but in our youth and in our age Saint Mary is around to help us get our feet on the ground, even as we long to join her in Heaven.
What sort of help do we need from Our Lady? She can intercede for us to follow her Son more closely! She can intercede for us in our spiritual combat against sin, Satan, and the glamour of evil. She can intercede for us to be hopeful in times of despair and fear. In small things and large we should seek out Our Lady’s help. She can help us at home and at work. Saint Mary can help us to pray, be and do good.
Father John Arthur Orr