Morning Prayer, Friday August 21

with Mary O’Brien

Our Morning Prayer is led today by Mary O’Brien, a senior member of the Oblate Lourdes Pilgrimage team. Mary lives in Dublin.

Today is the feast of Pope St Pius X (1835 – 1914).

Mary reads from the Gospel of the day (Mt 22:34-40) where we hear Jesus answer, when questioned about which is the greatest command of all: “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second resembles it: You must love your neighbour as yourself.”

If we believe that God is in everyone about us, then as Mary reflects, when looking at the face of God in another, surely we cannot but love that other person?

Finally, Mary reminds us that today is the anniversary of the apparition at Knock, Co Mayo, in Ireland, one of the network of Marian shrines worldwide. On the evening of August 21, 1879, a heavenly apparition occurred at the gable wall of the parish church when Our Lady appeared, in the company of St Joseph, and St John the Evangelist. Unique to the apparition in Knock, was the appearance of the lamb, standing before a Cross, on a plain altar and surrounded by angels.