[Magdalen] Earliest Known Marian Prayer

[James Oppenheimer-Crawford]

There is a scene in one of Andy Greeley's novels where a person is dying
and he has a character recite a prayer with the phrase something like "to
whom no one ever called to in vain." I kind of like that, especially in
light of the impending death.

Mother Mary has served well as that other hand of the just and impartial
God of wrath we used to think we were supposed to respect and venerate.
She simply shows the reality of the eternal merciful loving Creator who
can't stop loving us no matter how much the theologians try to gainsay Her.

James W. Oppenheimer-Crawford
*“A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved,
except in memory. LLAP**”  -- *Leonard Nimoy

On Mon, Jul 18, 2016 at 6:51 AM, Ann Markle <ann.markle at aya.yale.edu> wrote:

> I agree with Roger, Allan.  I suspect the meaning of the word has shifted a
> bit.  I was taught in seminary that "hate" actually meant something more
> akin to "not prefer," or "be more indifferent to" (as in Jesus' quotes to
> hate your family --- simply meant not prefer them to other things, such as
> love of God).
>
> Ann
>
> The Rev. Ann Markle
> Buffalo, NY
> ann.markle at aya.yale.edu
>
> On Mon, Jul 18, 2016 at 4:02 AM, Allan Carr <allanc25 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > The more I think about it, the more I have problems with the request "do
> > not despise our petitions in time of trouble."
> >
> > "Despise is a pretty strong word. I   can't imagine Mary having that
> > emotion for petitions "in time of trouble."
> >
> >
> > > On Jul 17, 2016, at 7:23 AM, Jay Weigel <jay.weigel at gmail.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > I don't know how old this discovery is. A friend (who, incidentally,
> was
> > > brought up Lutheran and is now a pagan but is interested in devotion to
> > all
> > > female deities and quasi-deities) shared this on Facebook. I think it
> is
> > a
> > > most beautiful prayer. It certainly shows that devotion to the Blessed
> > > Mother goes back a LONG way!
> > >
> > > Beneath thy compassion, we take refuge, O Mother of God:  do not
> despise
> > > our petitions in time of trouble,  but rescue us from dangers,  only
> pure
> > > one, only blessed one.
> > >
> > >
> >
> http://aleteia.org/2016/07/08/let-us-pray-the-earliest-known-marian-prayer/
> >
>