The Shrine in Ittre, Belgium was the site of a Eucharistic Miracle in 1405. On 3 May 1411 the auxiliary bishop consecrated the then chapel in honor of the Precious Blood, Our Lady and St John Baptist. A Papal Bull (10 October 1413) confirmed the authenticity of the Miracle. The Shrine is popular for pilgrimages. (Bob and Penny Lord, “Eucharistic Miracles”, I:137, 143)
Ss Philip and James, Apostles
Philip introduced Bartholomew to Christ who declared to Philip, “Whoever has seen me, has seen the Father ... I am in the Father and the Father is in me.” (cf Jn 14:8-10)
James (the Less, to distinguish him from the other James) was our Lord’s cousin. He wrote one epistle of the New Testament. Thrown from the Temple terrace, he was then stoned to death.
Ref: Fr James Socias, ‘et al’ (Eds), “Daily Roman Missal”, 1989, p1521
Jesus appears on the shore of Lake Tiberias
“Together with Simon Peter were Thomas, Nathanael, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples. Simon Peter said to them, ‘I am going fishing’. They say to him, ‘We will go with you’. ... and boarded the ship.” (Jn 21:2-3) They were united in feelings and wishes!
They labored all night; caught nothing. It was God’s will that when our Lord was absent, their labors were fruitless. “At daybreak, Jesus stood on the shore. The apostles did not recognize him. Jesus asked, ‘Children have you any fish?’ They answered, ‘No’.” (cf Jn 21:4-5)
Jesus knew they had nothing. They were hungry, fatigued and exhausted. He had decided to supply their wants by a miracle but he chose to question them. In this way, he draws from their own lips and kindles in their hearts, an earnest desire for assistance.
This incident teaches us that our labors for eternal life will be futile if God is not in our souls by sanctifying grace; and when we are not united to him by purity of intention and a spirit of prayer. Truly pitiful are those who labor and gain nothing, or very little, for eternity.
Who are these unfortunate ones? Those who: 1) knowingly are in the state of mortal sin, deprived of sanctifying grace; and 2) in a state of grace but lose all or partly the merit of their good works due to a bad intention, or ‘they have no good intention at all’.
Ref: Cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp239-41
` ` ` MAY DEVOTIONS ` ` `
Mary and the Blessed Trinity
“Through Our Lord’s Incarnation in her immaculate womb, Mary, the Daughter of God the Father, is also the Spouse of God the Holy Spirit and the Mother of God the Son.” (St Josemaria Escrivá, “Friends of God”, 274)
Let us offer our Mother today: “A ‘Hail, Mary’ each time the clock strikes another hour.”
Ref: Fr Charles Belmonte and Fr James Socias (Eds), “Handbook of Prayers”, 1988, p305
A Red Rose
Men and women who are sinners, I a greater sinner than you, wish to give you this rose: a crimson one, because the Precious Blood of Our Lord has fallen upon it. Please God that it will bring true fragrance into your lives. Above all may it save you from the danger you are in.
Every day unbelievers and unrepentant sinners cry: “Let us crown ourselves with roses.” [Wis 2:8] But we cry: ‘Let us crown ourselves with roses of the Most Holy Rosary.’ How different it is! Their roses are pleasures of the flesh, worldly honors and passing riches which wilt and decay in no time.
Ours, the ‘Our Father’ and ‘Hail, Mary’, which we have devoutly repeated and to which we have added good penitential acts, will never wilt or die; remaining as exquisite thousands of years from now as today.
On the contrary, sinners’ roses only look like roses. In fact, they are cruel thorns which prick them during life by giving them pangs of conscience. At death they pierce them with bitter regret and, still worse, in eternity, they turn to burning shafts of anger and despair.
But if our roses have thorns, they are the thorns of Jesus Christ Who changes them into roses. If our roses prick us, it is only for a short time -- and only in order to cure the illness of sin and to save our souls. So, by all means we should eagerly crown ourselves with these roses from heaven; and recite the entire Rosary every day, ie, three parts [now four] of five decades each.
These are like three [four] little wreaths or crowns of flowers. There are two reasons for doing this: First of all to honor the three crowns of Jesus and Mary -- Jesus’ crown of grace at the time of His incarnation, His crown of thorns during His passion and His crown of glory in heaven; and of course the three-fold crown which the Most Blessed Trinity gave Mary in heaven.
Secondly, we should do this so that we may receive three crowns from Jesus and Mary-- a crown of merit during our lifetime; a crown of peace at our death; and a crown of glory in heaven.
If you say faithfully the Rosary until death, I assure you, despite the gravity of your sins you will receive a “never fading crown of glory” [1 Pet 5:4].
Even if you are on the brink of damnation, even if you have one foot in hell, even if you have sold your soul to the devil as sorcerers do, and even if you are a heretic as obstinate as a devil, sooner or later you will be converted. You will amend your life and save your soul if you say the Holy Rosary devoutly every day until death for the purpose of knowing the truth; and obtaining contrition and pardon for your sins.
Ref: St Louis de Montfort, “The Secret of the Rosary”, 1954, pp11-2
• Apparition of Our Lady to the Blessed Mary Razzi, of the order of St Dominic in the year 1597. — Balingham on the Calendar. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com)
• Our Lady of Jasna Gora (Poland)
(http://www.divinewill.org/feastofourlady.htm; MaryLinks Calendar.htm) Most famous of all the ‘Black Madonna’ paintings attributed to St Luke. Our Lady, the Polish National Madonna, was credited with repulsing Turkish invasion (~1453). Our Lady of Jasna Gora was an immense source of inspiration and strength for Solidarity members, especially including Lech Walesa, in the worker and peasant struggle against exploitation by the atheist Communist ruling elite. (MaryLinks Calendar.htm)
• Our Lady of Jasna Góra. Poland. The most famous of all the "Black Madonna" paintings, attributed to St. Luke. The Polish national Madonna. Mary is credited with turning back a Turkish invasion around 1453. Mentioned early in the great Polish epic poem "Pan Tadeusz". (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)
• Our Lady of “Jasna Gora” was an immense source of inspiration and strength for Solidarity members, especially including Lech Walesa, in worker and peasant struggle against hegemonic neo-colonial exploitation by atheist Communist ruling elite. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)
• Our Lady of “Jasna Gora”, Poland. (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html)
• Our Lady of Kiev. Ukraine. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)
• Our Lady of Kiev (Russia). (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html)
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