Friday, May 23, 2008

The Sign of the Cross reminds us of the Holy Trinity

4 June 2008

'In the name of the Father, ...'
In saying these words when we make the sign of the cross, add, mentally, 'who created me in his image, and for heaven'. These words are a meditation in themselves: 'who created me', out of nothing, by his almighty power. Still more by his love in electing me instead of so many others who would have served him better.
'In his image' -- how beautiful and precious, then, must my soul be in the sight of the angels? The living portrait of God, and like another God upon earth -- 'I have said, you are gods'. And for heaven -- to be happy there forever, body and soul, full of glory and wonderful joy.
Such are some of the thoughts which may occupy our mind when, in making the sign of the cross, we add the words, 'Who created me in his image for heaven'. These thoughts will excite suitable affections.

Formation of the Trinitarian Dogma
From the beginning, the revealed truth of the Holy Trinity has been at the very root of the Chruch's living faith, principally through Baptism. It finds expression in the rule of baptismal faith, formulated in the preaching catechesis and prayer of the Church. Such formulations are already found in the apostolic writings such as this salutation taken up in the Eucharistic liturgy: 'The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.'
During the first centuries the Church sought to clarify its Trinitarian faith, to deepen its own understanding and to defend it against errors that were deforming it. This clarification was done by the early councils, aided by the theological work of the Church Fathers and sustained by the Christian people's sense of the faith.
The Church uses (1) the term 'substance' (rendered also at times by 'essence' or 'nature') to designate the divine being in its unity; (2) the term 'person' or 'hypostasis' to designate the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in the real distinction among them; and (3) the term 'relation' to designate the fact that their distinction lies in the relationship of each to the others.

The Sign of the Cross
This is the ritual gesture used principally at Baptism, Confirmation and the Eucharist reflecting the conjunction of the paschal mystery invoking the Trinity. As early as the third century, Tertullian (~230) attests to tracing of the sign of the cross on the forehead as a personal gesture of piety to sanctify the deeds of daily life.
From their earliest development, initiation rites attest to tracing the sign of the cross on the forehead. At present, this form is used in the rites of becoming a catechumnen and of welcome of children to be initiated.
It developed as a Mass gesture later, in the form of placing the right hand on forehead, breast, then both shoulders [left then right], to accompany the celebrant's speaking the formula invoking the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It is now used in two places in the 'Order of the Mass': before the greeting after the entrance procession and at the end of the liturgy to accompany the final blessing. This form is customarily used when one begins or ends prayers of personal devotion.

The sacred humanity of Christ
We read the Gospel eager to know our Lord just as his disciples knew him. To observe his reactions, behaviour; to see him full of compassion at the sight of so many people in need; to see him tired after a long day's journey; impressed by the faith of a mother or of a centurion; and patient with the defects of his most faithful followers.
We also contemplate his habitual closeness and the trusting way he turns to his Father, in his nights of prayer and ceaseless love for all. To love him more, to know his most blessed humanity, to follow him closely, we must read the New Testament; meditate on it slowly, with love and piety.
The Second Vatican Council 'forcefully and specifically exhorts all the Christian faithful to frequently read sacred SCripture. Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ, said Saint Jerome. Therefore, let them go gladly to the sacred text itself, whether in the sacred liturgy, which is full of his divine words, or in devout reading.'

Our Lady
Saint Josemaria Escriva advised: 'Talk to the Three Persons, to God the Father, to God the Son, to God the Holy Spirit. And so to reach the blessed Trinity, go through Mary.' We have received our divine filiation by means of Christ, the incarnate Word, and we behave as children because of our identification with him. Mary leads us by the hand to imitate her Son: "Our Lady, Holy Mary, will make of you 'alter Christus, ipse Christus', another Christ, Christ himself.
"Our Lady: Who could be a better teacher of God's love than this Queen, this Lady, this Mother? Isn't hers the closest bond with the Trinity: Daughter of God the Father, Mother of God the Son, Spouse of the Holy Spirit? And yet she is our Mother!"
Devotion to Mary, expressing as it does mutual affection between mother and child, overflows with personal intimacy. That is why the affirmation that Mary becomes mother to each disciple enlightens the meaning of the apostle John's response: "From that hour the disciple took her to his home." (cf Jn 19:27)

Reference: John Bautista de Mayo, "To Jesus Daily Through Mary", a compilation of spiritual readings, 2005, Vol II, pp258-60.
(Imprimatur by Most Rev Honesto F Ongtioco, DD, Bishop of Cubao, Quezon City, Philippines)

Our Lady Help of Christians

24 May 2008

Mary, Help of Christians
Devotion to Mary under this title dates back to 1624 in Southern Germany. In 1683, Emperor Leopold of Austria was said to have fled to her shrine in Passau when the Turks invaded his country. There, he beseeched her put an end to the 30 Years War with the aspiration, "Mary, help!" Another story is the Blessed Virgin appeared to Saint John Bosco in Turin, Italy, where she asked to hafve a church built to her under this title.

Mary, Help of Christians, cares for us
As Mary cared for her first-born, Jesus, so she cares for each one of us, as her other children, too.
As Mary listened to the teachings of Christ, so she cares for the purity of His doctrine against the attacks of the enemies of truth.
As Mary cared for the infant Church, so she cared and defended the Chruch throughout the centuries. She protects it now and will continue to protect it until the end of the world.
It is impossible to ennumerate the numerous times Mary has come to the aid of her children. Her graces and favors are infinite. The history of the Church gives faithful testimony to Mary's continual protection and assistance against many heresies through the centuries. She revived faith, reinforced hope, increased prayer, and inspired scholars to wield the pen in defense of the truth.
Naturalism, rationalism, modernism, materialism, and Communism, almost suffocated every religious sentiment, but through Mary's work all passed and will pass. 'You have overcome heresy in the whole world!'
Mary protected nations from destruction and saved their Christian faith. Who saved Europe in 1683 from the Turks? The victory of Lepanto in 1571 where the Christian fleet destroyed the Turks was obtained through the recitation of Mary's Rosary.
'Mary is the help of individuals' -- She constantly watches over each one of us, obtains for us graces to avoid falls, to gain strength in tribulations, to overcome the difficulties of life. She aids us in all our necessities.
1) In temporal needs -- The Gospel shows Mary's intervention in these needs. A splendid example is at the marriage feast of Cana in Galilee. Saints and Founders could tell us how many times Mary provided the material and financial needs of their congregations.
2) Spiritual needs -- Mary is even more solicitous about what concerns our eternal salvation. She welcomes sinners and obtains for them the grace of converison. She protects us in temptations; sustains us in good will. Mary desires our spiritual progress and is anxious for us to receive a greater share of the fruits of the Redemption. Thus she sustains us in our efforts to attain sanctity. She obtains for us perseverance and will assist us at the hour of our death.

The love of Mary
Saint Anselm states: 'Mary's love towards God surpassed the love and sweetness of all other creatures.' Mary's love was always constant. Her heart was like the altar upon which a fire burns night and day. Mary did not love God like other Saints with frequent acts of charity: she loved Him with a sole continual act.
Whoever really loves God cannot help but love his neighbor. Mary loved God more than all the Saints, thus immensely more than all the Saints does she love men, and helps them in every need.
Saint Gregory Nazianzen says that 'there is no more effective way for us to obtain Mary's love than by strong charity to our neighbor'.

NB: Feast day also of Our Lady of 'Bon Secours' (Montreal, Canada) and 'Madonna della Strada' (Our Lady of the Way / 'Santa Maria ng Landas'), the first patroness of the Society of Jesus. Her first shrine was a tiny chapel erected in Rome in the 15th entury. This was to become the first oratory and, later the first church of the Jesuit order.

Reference: John Bautista de Mayo, "To Jesus Daily Through Mary", a compilation of spiritual readings, 2005, Vol II, pp214-6.
(Imprimatur by Most Rev Honesto F Ongtioco, DD, Bishop of Cubao, Quezon City, Philippines)

Saturday, May 10, 2008

May Devotions: 13 - 15 May

Our Lady of Fatima: The first apparition (4)
On 13 May 1917, around midday, Our Lady appeared to Lucia, Jacinta and Francisco, who were pasturing their sheep in a hollow, known locally as the 'Cova da Iria'. (5) The Blessed Virgin asked the children to return there on the thirteenth of each month for the next six months.
Her message to them speaks of penance for sins; about saying the Rosary, and consecration of the world to her Immaculate Heart. Each time the beautiful Lady appeared to the children she asked them to say the Rosary every day.
She also taught them a prayer to say often in which they would offer God the events of their lives, especially many small mortifications: "O Jesus, this is for love of you, for the conversion of sinners and in reparati0on for the offences made to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
"Mary came to awaken men's consciences, illuminate the authentic meaning of life, call men to conversion from sin and to spiritual fervor. To inflame souls with the love for God and with charity towards their neighbor. Mary came to help because many, unfortunately, do not wish to accept the invitation of the Son of God to return to their Father's house.
"From her sanctuary at Fatima Mary renews even today her maternal and urgent petition: conversion to Truth and Grace; return to the life of the sacraments, especially Penance and the Eucharist; devotion to her Immaculate Heart, accompanied by a spirit of penance." (6)
"The message of Fatima is, in its basic meaning, a call to conversion and repentance, as in the Gospel ... The Lady seems to have read with special insight the 'signs of the times', the signs of our age. The call to repentance is a motherly one; at the same time strong and decisive." (7)
In the Gospel the words 'repent' and 'penance' (cf Mk 1:15) appear repeatedly. Jesus begins his mission asking for penance: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Mt 4:17). 'Penance' signifies conversion of the sinner, and stands for internal and external actions aimed at making reparation for sins committed. (8)
Mary reminds us that without penance man does not receive the Kingdom of her Son; without penance man is in the kingdom of sin. In Our Lord's own words, without penance "all likewise perish". (Lk 13:3)

May Devotion: 13 May
Mary's hidden life with Jesus (10)
"I like to go back to my imagination to the years Jesus spent close to his Mother, almost the whole of his life on earth. ... as a little child, cared for by Mary who kisses him and plays with him. ... growing up before the loving eyes of his Mother and Joseph ... What tenderness and care Mary and the Holy Patriarch must have shown towards Jesus, during his childhood, silently leaning so much from him. Their souls would become more and more like the soul of that Son, who was both man and God. This is why his Mother, and after her, Saint Joseph, understand better than anyone the feelings of the heart of Christ, and the two of them are thus the best way, ... the only way, to reach the Saviour." (11)

Let us offer our Mother: The effort of doing our ordinary work well, on time, with competence and finesse.

References:
(4) F Fernandez, In Conversation with God, 6:221-4
(5) C Barthas, The Virgin of Fatima, Madrid, 1963
(6) John Paul II, Angelus, 26 Jul 1987
(7) cf Ibid, Homily at Fatima, 13 May 1982
(8) cf L Bouyer, Penitence in Dictionary of Theology, Barcelona, 1983
(10) Belmonte and Socias (Eds), Handbook of Prayers, p308
(11) St Josemaria Escriva, Friends of God, 281

NB: Copied from TO JESUS DAILY THROUGH MARY, a compilation of spiritual readings by John Bautista de Mayo, Vol 2 (Apr-May-Jun), 2005, p183. Imprimatur: Most Rev Honesto F Ongtioco, DD, Bishop of Cubao, Quezon City

May Devotion: 14 May

Mary loses and finds the Child Jesus (6)
"The Mother of God, who looked for her son so anxiously when he was lost through no fault of her own, and experienced such great joy in finding him, will help us retrace our steps and put right whatever may be necessary when, because of our carelessness or our sins, we have been unable to recognize Christ. With her help we will know the happiness of holding him in our arms once more, and telling him we will never lose him again." (7)

Let us offer our Mother: A good, sincere and sorrowful confession of our sins and failures in the sacrament of Penance.

References:
(6) Belmonte and Socias (Eds), Handbook of Prayers, pp308-9
(7) St Josemaria Escriva, Friends of God, 278

NB: Copied from TO JESUS DAILY THROUGH MARY, a compilation of spiritual readings by John Bautista de Mayo, Vol 2 (Apr-May-Jun), 2005, p185. Imprimatur: Most Rev Honesto F Ongtioco, DD, Bishop of Cubao, Quezon City

May Devotion: 15 May

Mary in Cana (9)
"In the Gospel Saint John recorded how our Lady at the wedding of Cana turned to the waiters and said: 'Do whatever he tells you.' That's it! Getting people to face Jesus and ask him: 'Lord, what do you want me to do?'" (10)

Let us offer our Mother: Prompt obedience when we are asked to do some errand or act of service.

References:
(6) Belmonte and Socias (Eds), Handbook of Prayers, pp309
(7) St Josemaria Escriva, Christ is passing by, 149

NB: Copied from TO JESUS DAILY THROUGH MARY, a compilation of spiritual readings by John Bautista de Mayo, Vol 2 (Apr-May-Jun), 2005, p189. Imprimatur: Most Rev Honesto F Ongtioco, DD, Bishop of Cubao, Quezon City