Prayer of the parish community
on the first Saturday of the month,
6 Feb 2016
at the Church of the Divine Providence:
The consolation of sad Jesus,
seen by St. Francisco Marto
in the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Dr. Wojciech Kosek
in collaboration with Beata Krochmal

Please click here to download the same text in format: a/. Word,         b/. PDF

Meditations led by eight people:

B, D, G, M – women; J, P, W, Z – men.

This translation was published here on 13 Oct 2023.

To see the original Polish text ← click, please!

(Duration of meditations and songs: about 52 min.)

(Duration with recitation of the Holy Rosary: about 82 min.)

P      Dearest Jesus! Today, as we kneel with Immaculate Mary before You, present in the Blessed Sacrament, we desire, in a spirit of obedience to the Church, to adore You in the Eucharistic mystery of Your Sacrifice offered on the Cross at Golgotha. At the same time, we wish to consider in this way the poignant content of the Fifth Sorrowful Mystery of the Holy Rosary to fulfill one of the elements of the First Saturdays Devotion. In doing so, we wish to make heartfelt reparation for all the sins with which humankind offends You, especially those that hurt You most – the sin of frigidity towards You, coming in Holy Communion. (1:12)

P      Song: Be Hail, Living Host – 1st stanza (0:43)

D      We remember, O Beloved Savior, that the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments has recommended that we should zealously take the example from the spirit of Immaculate Mary in our personal Eucharistic piety in First Saturdays. [1] The congregation explained that the fulfillment of Mary’s request of 13 July 1917 should be our profound imitation of our Mother’s humble attitude as the Handmaid of the Lord in receiving You in Holy Communion: the goal of our First Saturday’s Eucharistic union is being in a loving union with You, who are offering Sacrifice on the Cross at Golgotha. (1:01)

D      Song: Be Hail, Living Host – 2nd stanza (0:43)

J      Beloved Jesus! We believe that obedience to the teaching of the Church is the only accurate way to carry out Your Holy Will. We believe that the Church, in the person of the Pope and the bishops united with him, has the gift of fully discerning private revelations so that the entire People of God are not led astray by private explanations that correspond to the personal preferences of men only. We believe that humility of heart, gaining submission to what You proclaim through the teaching of the Church’s Magisterium, will ensure unity among us all and hasten the arrival of the longed-for victory spoken of by Immaculate Mary at Fatima. (1:09)

J      Song: Be Hail, Living Host – 3rd stanza (0:43)

G      Dearest Jesus! We adore You in the mystery of salvation! We adore You in the mystery of that Sacrifice which You offered to the Father on the Cross two thousand years ago and is still available to us in every Holy Mass! We adore You in Your merciful Love, which is capable of such sacrifice for us sinners, weak people, people who are unfortunately still focused more on themselves than on God… We adore You, O Christ, in the mystery of the Love that unites You and Your Immaculate Mother, standing at Your feet at the place of execution. (0:59)

G      Song: Be Hail, Living Host – 4th stanza (0:43)

Z      Merciful Jesus! We adore You in Your Heart pierced by a soldier’s spear… We adore You in the infinity of Your self-giving for us… We adore You in Your giving of Your life to grant us life… We adore You, O Jesus, suspended on the tree of shame… We adore You, O Christ, overcoming the haughtiness of our hearts through humble submission in the face of such a difficult decision of the Father… We adore You, O Savior, capable of sacrificing everything, to convince each of us how it is the fundamental principle of life the obedience to the Father, combined with the denial of one’s preferences… (1:07)

Z      Song: Be Hail, Living Host – 5th stanza (0:43)

B      Dearest Jesus! On this first Saturday in February, as we abide in prayer in an attitude of obedience to the apparitions of Mary at Fatima, we wish to read the meaning of those events, the 100th anniversary of which is in 2017 year. Reading the officially published “Memoirs of Sister Lucia of Fatima,” [2] we find in the so-called “Fourth Memoir” [3] a remarkable note in which Lucia describes the first meeting with Our Lady and simultaneously depicts the Eucharistic dimension of that first meeting. Here is an excerpt from Our Lady’s dialogue with the shepherds: [4] (0:58)

W      “Are you willing to offer yourselves to God to bear all the sufferings He wills to send you, as an act of reparation for the sins by which He is offended, and of supplication for the conversion of sinners?” “Yes, we are willing,” was our reply. “Then, you are going to have much to suffer, but the grace of God will be your comfort.” (0:48)

M      As she pronounced these last words “…the grace of God will be your comfort”, Our Lady opened her hands for the first time, communicating to us a light so intense that, as it streamed from her hands, its rays penetrated our hearts and the innermost depths of our souls, making us see ourselves in God, Who was that light, more clearly than we see ourselves in the best of mirrors. Then, moved by an interior impulse that was also communicated to us, we fell on our knees, repeating in our hearts: “O most Holy Trinity, I adore You! My God, my God, I love You in the most Blessed Sacrament!” (0:43)

M      Song: Be Hail, Living Host – 6th stanza (0:43)

P      As she pronounced these last words “…the grace of God will be your comfort”, Our Lady opened her hands for the first time, communicating to us a light so intense that, as it streamed from her hands, its rays penetrated our hearts and the innermost depths of our souls, making us see ourselves in God, Who was that light, more clearly than we see ourselves in the best of mirrors. Then, moved by an interior impulse that was also communicated to us, we fell on our knees, repeating in our hearts: “O most Holy Trinity, I adore You! My God, my God, I love You in the most Blessed Sacrament!” (0:43)

P      Song: Be Hail, Living Host – 7th stanza (0:43)

D      As she pronounced these last words “…the grace of God will be your comfort”, Our Lady opened her hands for the first time, communicating to us a light so intense that, as it streamed from her hands, its rays penetrated our hearts and the innermost depths of our souls, making us see ourselves in God, Who was that light, more clearly than we see ourselves in the best of mirrors. Then, moved by an interior impulse that was also communicated to us, we fell on our knees, repeating in our hearts: “O most Holy Trinity, I adore You! My God, my God, I love You in the most Blessed Sacrament!” (0:43)

D      Song: Be Hail, Living Host – 8th stanza (0:43)

J      O Beloved Savior! We now desire to pray the Joyful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary. We desire to gaze at You, at Your love, in order to follow You. We desire to gaze at Mary and her submission to Your plan for the salvation of humankind. We desire to pray and be with You and Mary, with our holy Patrons and Guardian Angels. O Jesus, guide us to the fullness of loving You and Mary. Amen. (0:45)

J      Song: Come, Queen of the Holy Rosary – 1-3 stanza (1:54)

Meditations for the Joyful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary

The First Mystery:
The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

G      Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. … But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” And the angel said to her in reply, “The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. … for nothing will be impossible for God.” Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:30–38) (0:48)

Z      Each of us has his own annunciation. God sends an angel to us with a wonderful message like He sent him to Mary. This message is that God loves us and has a wonderful plan for His love for us. Sometimes, we do not understand this annunciation. How can this happen?… It is impossible… Why me? – we ask God and ourselves. Even though Mary did not understand everything, she answered God, “May it be done to me according to your word.” As we meditate on this mystery, let us ask God that, like Mary, we may always joyfully answer “Yes” to His proposals. (1:00)

The Second Mystery:
The Visitation of St. Elizabeth by the Blessed Virgin Mary

B      “During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the holy Spirit” (Luke 1:39–41) (0:31)

W      The visitation of St. Elizabeth by Mary is an excellent model for such encounters, the purpose of which is to deepen faith and draw closer to God. During this encounter, Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and began to worship God. Just as Mary came to Elizabeth and strengthened her faith, we, too, meet with people through whom we come closer to God. In this mystery, let us thank God for all those people through whom our faith has been strengthened. (0:50)

The Third Mystery:
The Nativity of Jesus in Bethlehem

M      While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” (Luke 2:6–7) (0:22)

P      As we meditate on this mystery, the image of the stable of Bethlehem stands before us. Precious peace and joy radiate from it. Although the world is still ruled by Roman legions and King Herod is already lurking for the life of the Newborn, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph feel safe in the poor stable. This situation will also be when Jesus is truly born in our hearts – when our hearts become Bethlehem’s stable. Even if there is much unrest in the world, even if we experience various problems, we will be happy with the happiness the Newborn will give us. So, let us ask that Jesus be actually born in our hearts. (1:11)

The Fourth Mystery:
the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple in Jerusalem
by the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph

D      When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord.” (Luke 2:22–23) (0:27)

J      Mary and Joseph offered God what was most precious to them – their beloved infant. They did this not only to fulfill a law prescription but also because they were convinced that everything a person has comes from God and must be referred to Him and presented to Him. It is difficult to understand this for a modern man who is often self-obsessed and relates everything to himself, putting himself at the center of the universe. Reflecting on this mystery, let us learn from Mary and Joseph that we should offer everything to the Lord God. (1:01)

The Fifth Mystery:
The Finding of Jesus in the Temple of Jerusalem
by the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph

G      Each year his parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, and when he was twelve years old, they went up according to festival custom. After they had completed its days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it.” (Luke 2:41–43) (0:27)

Z      How easy it is to lose Christ. All it takes is a moment of inattention, temptation, and sin, and Christ recedes into the background of our lives. We may even think that we are close to Jesus, that we are good Christians, and we do not notice that we have lost Him, just as Mary and Joseph did not notice that Jesus stayed in Jerusalem. Mary, who searched for her Son with an aching heart, helps us return to our Lord and Savior today. Let us ask Mary for the grace for us to walk through life always with her Son, and when we lose Him, to help us find Him. (1:00)

Meditations after praying the Holy Rosary

B      We adore You with Mary, the Angels, and the Saints, O Jesus, present in the Blessed Sacrament! We love You with Mary, the Angels, and the Saints, O Jesus, present in the Blessed Sacrament! (0:21)

B      Song: The Hidden Jesus – 1st stanza (0:53)

B      We adore You with Mary, the Angels, and the Saints, O Jesus, present in the Blessed Sacrament! We love You with Mary, the Angels, and the Saints, O Jesus, present in the Blessed Sacrament! (0:21)

B      Song: The Hidden Jesus – 2nd stanza (0:53)

B      Together with the Immaculate Mary, Angels, and Saints, we look lovingly upon You, O Jesus, hidden in the Blessed Sacrament. (0:14)

B      Song: The Hidden Jesus – 3rd stanza (0:53)

W      O Beloved Jesus! As we abide with Immaculate Mary in today’s encounter with You, we adore You, present in the Blessed Sacrament. We remember that the three apparitions of the Angel in 1916 were a great experience for the Fatima shepherds. About the second of the apparitions, Lucia wrote as follows, [5] “Suddenly, we saw the same Angel right beside us. «What are you doing?» he asked. «Pray! Pray very much! The Hearts of Jesus and Mary have designs of mercy on you. Offer prayers and sacrifices constantly to the Most High.» «How are we to make sacrifices?» I asked.” (0:59)

M      The angel, responding to Lucia’s question, explained, [6] “Make of everything you can a sacrifice, and offer it to God as an act of reparation for the sins by which He is offended, and in supplication for the conversion of sinners. You will thus draw down peace upon your country. I am its Angel Guardian, the Angel of Portugal. Above all, accept and bear with submission, the suffering which the Lord will send you.” (0:41)

P      Lucia went on to write such a poignant confession, [7] “These words were indelibly impressed upon our minds. They were like a light which made us understand who God is, how He loves us and desires to be loved, the value of sacrifice, how pleasing it is to Him and how, on account of it, He grants the grace of conversion to sinners. It was for this reason that we began, from then on, to offer to the Lord all that mortified us, without, however, seeking out other forms of mortification and penance, except that we remained for hours on end with our foreheads touching the ground, repeating the prayer the Angel had taught us.” (0:57)

D      We gaze into You, O Beloved Jesus, hidden under the species of the Most Holy Host, and we stand still with You with the most profound reverence, honored by the opportunity to be so close before Your Holy Face. At the same time, we remember the Eucharistic revelation given to three shepherd children by the Angel about a hundred years ago, in the autumn of 1916. These are the words recorded by Sister Lucia about it: [8] (0:22)

J      “A considerable time had elapsed, when one day we went to pasture our sheep on a property belonging to my parents. … As soon as we arrived there, we knelt down, with our foreheads touching the ground, and began to repeat the prayer of the Angel: «My God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love You…». I don’t know how many times we had repeated this prayer, when an extraordinary light shone upon us. We sprang up to see what was happening, and beheld the Angel. He was holding a chalice in his left hand, with the Host suspended above it, from which some drops of blood fell into the chalice. Leaving the chalice suspended in the air, the Angel knelt down beside us and made us repeat three times: (1:13)

G      «Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I adore You profoundly, and I offer You the most precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifference with which He Himself is offended. And, through the infinite merits of His most Sacred Heart, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg of You the conversion of poor sinners.» (0:44)

G      Song: Fall to Your Knees – 1-2 stanza (0:52)

Z      Then, rising, he took the chalice and the Host in his hands. He gave the Sacred Host to me, and shared the Blood from the chalice between Jacinta and Francisco, saying as he did so: «Take and drink the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, horribly outraged by ungrateful men! Make reparation for their crimes and console your God.» Once again, he prostrated on the ground and repeated with us, three times more, the same prayer «Most Holy Trinity…» and then disappeared. We remained a long time in this position, repeating the same words over and over again. When at last we stood up, we noticed that it was already dark, and therefore time to return home.” (1:05)

Z      Song: Fall to Your Knees – 3-4 stanza (0:52)

B      Beloved Savior! Kneeling with Immaculate Mary in Your presence, we repeat the words of this most poignant prayer, “Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I adore You profoundly, and I offer You the most precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifference with which He Himself is offended. And, through the infinite merits of His most Sacred Heart, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg of You the conversion of poor sinners.” (0:57)

B      Song: Jesus, Veiled in the Sacred Host – 1st stanza (0:41)

W      Beloved Savior! Kneeling in Your presence with Immaculate Mary, Saints Francisco and St. Jacinta, and Servant of God Lucia, we repeat the words of this most poignant prayer, “Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I adore You profoundly, and I offer You the most precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifference with which He Himself is offended. And, through the infinite merits of His most Sacred Heart, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg of You the conversion of poor sinners.” (1:04)

W      Song: Jesus, Veiled in the Sacred Host – 2nd stanza (0:41)

M      Beloved Savior! Kneeling in Your presence with Immaculate Mary, Saints Francisco and St. Jacinta, and Servant of God Lucia, and with our Patrons and Guardian Angels, we repeat the words of this most poignant prayer, “Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I adore You profoundly, and I offer You the most precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifference with which He Himself is offended. And, through the infinite merits of His most Sacred Heart, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg of You the conversion of poor sinners.” (1:14)

M      Song: Jesus, Veiled in the Sacred Host – 3rd stanza (0:41)

P      Beloved Savior, hidden under the species of the Most Holy Host, so intimately present with us and for us! We remember from Sister Lucia’s descriptions how impressed the shepherds were by the light that, in the following year, that is, 1917, during the apparitions of the Immaculate Mary, flowed from her hands and deeply penetrated their hearts. Francisco, who had never heard Mary in any apparition, gazed even more carefully at what Mary was showing to their eyes. It is what Lucia wrote about his precious experience: [9] (0:55)

D      “At the second Apparition on June 13th, 1917, Francisco was deeply impressed by the light which, as I related in the second account, Our Lady communicated to us at the moment when she said: «My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and the way which will lead you to God.» … He remarked sometimes: «These people are so happy just because you told them that Our Lady wants the Rosary said, and that you are to learn to read! How would they feel if they only knew what she showed to us in God, in her Immaculate Heart, in that great light! But this is a secret; it must not be spoken about. It’s better that no one should know it.» (0:49)

D      Song: Adoro Te Devote – 1st stanza (0:34)

J      Following St. Francisco Marto, we believe, O Most Holy God, that our Eucharistic union with You on First Saturdays is to console You. If it is given to us to make You not sad, we will simultaneously relieve Our Immaculate Mother Mary. Sister Lucia, reporting on the July apparition, with which Mary’s request to receive Communion in reparation is connected, recorded these words about Francisco: [10] (0:48)

G      In the third Apparition, Francisco seemed to be the one on whom the vision of hell made the least impression, though it did indeed have quite a considerable effect on him. What made the most powerful impression on him and what wholly absorbed him, was God, the Most Holy Trinity, perceived in that light which penetrated our inmost souls. Afterwards, he said: “We were on fire in that light which is God, and yet we were not burnt! What is God?… We could never put it into words. Yes, that is something indeed which we could never express! But what a pity it is that He is so sad! If only I could console Him!…” (0:52)

Z      Francisco spoke similarly before the last apparition: “«I’m longing for that day to come, so that I can see Our Lord again.» Then he thought for a moment, and added: «But listen! Will He still be so sad? I am so sorry to see Him sad like that! I offer Him all the sacrifices I can think of.»” [11] (0:31)

Z      Song: Adoro Te Devote – 2nd stanza (0:34)

B      O Jesus, You are sad, above all You! What makes You sad? Probably the atheists’ unbelief, their life away from You. However, is this the only thing? Maybe our hearts are also the cause of Your sadness… maybe also our attitude – us, the chosen ones of Your grace… Yes, it is not only the world of atheists that sins, but we are often not grateful for the miracle of union with You in Holy Communion. All these sins, but above all the ingratitude of the elect, make the Immaculate Heart of Mary, seen by St. Francisco Marto, hide You – God who is sad! Yes… yes… You are sad because so few love You genuinely… so few love You as You desire it… so few love You as Immaculate Mary loves You… (1:18)

B      Song: Adoro Te Devote – 3rd stanza (0:34)

W      W Beloved Jesus! We abide in adoration, aware that we are very close to You. We look at You, hidden under the species of the Sacred Host, placed by the priest in the golden monstrance above the tabernacle. We look with eyes of love at You, hidden under the heart of each of us. During the Holy Mass, we received You under the species of the Host like the one. We are so close – as close as possible. We love You while You are so close through Holy Communion. (0:54)

W      Song: Adoro Te Devote – 4th stanza (0:34)

M      O Dearest Jesus! We now desire to experience the time of our meeting with You in silence. We ask You to fill us with Your grace and allow us to understand how to give You the love that You desire from each of us… Speak, Lord, to our hearts… (0:29)