Jesus Christ told his apostles in figurative language: “You are all the salt of the earth; but if the salt lose its savour, it is good for nothing any more.” (Mt 5:13) If we desire to learn if we are this ‘salt of the earth’ in the sense our Lord spoke, we should consider the proper qualities of salt. It preserves food from corruption and makes what was insipid pleasant to the taste.
This is what we must do for souls committed to our care such as our children and spouses. We should by our diligence and zeal labor to preserve them from corruption of sin, and induce them to render themselves pleasing to God by the practice of virtue. It is true that this is the work of grace; but grace seldom acts without our cooperation.
What have we done, what are we habitually doing, to merit the assistance of grace?
Ref: Cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp432-3
Salt for All Souls
In the final analysis, the mission that the Church received at the end of the gospel according to St Matthew, is that of continuing the work of Christ. It is the task of teaching men and women the truths about God and the need to conform to those truths, helping them unceasingly with the grace of the sacraments. It is a mission that will last until the end of time, and Christ has assured his Church he will always be with her.
When Sacred Scripture says God is ‘with’ someone, it means the person concerned will be successful in his undertakings. Hence, with the help and encouragement of her divine Founder, the Church is absolutely certain she will unfailingly fulfill her mission until consummation of the world.
All of us, the faithful in the Church, share in the God-given mission of spreading Christ’s doctrine and co-redeeming with him. The Second Vatican Council reminded us that the Christian vocation, by its very nature, is a vocation to the apostolate as well.
It entails a great honor and a grave responsibility for every Christian. But in this task, we must begin with people whom God has placed beside us: family members, friends, classmates, colleagues, acquaintances, etc.
Ref: Fr M Guzman, “Encounters with Christ”, 1990, p173
Friendship with the Holy Spirit
The indwelling of the most Blessed Trinity in our soul pertains to the three persons -- the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. However, it is attributed in a particular way to the Third Person. During this period, the liturgy invites us to give more attention to our friendship with the Holy Spirit.
“The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all I have said to you.” (Jn 14:26) Our Lord promised repeatedly (cf Jn 14:15-7, 15:36, 16:7-14; Mt 10:20) as if he wished to stress its enormous importance for the entire Church, the world, for each person who would follow him. It is not limited to when we receive the Sacraments; but a stable, permanent Gift.
“The Holy Spirit dwells in the hearts (of the faithful) as in a temple”, (Second Vatican Council, “Lumen Gentium”, 9) the “Sweet Guest of the soul” (“Sequence, Mass of Pentecost Sunday”). As the Christian grows more in good deeds, the more he purifies himself, the happier the Holy Spirit is to dwell in him; and to give new graces for his holiness and apostolate.
The Holy Spirit is present in the soul of the Christian in grace so as to make him more and more like Christ, to urge and to help him fulfil the will of God. The “Spirit also helps us in our weakness”, and “intercedes” before the Father “with sighs too deep for words” (cf Rom 8:26).
He fulfils his mission of guiding, protecting, giving new life to the Church. As Pope Paul VI says, Christ promised two elements for continuation of his work on earth and fulfilled: “the apostolate, and the Spirit. The apostolate takes an external and objective form; it constitutes, so to speak, the material body of the Church. ... gives it its visible and social structure. Whereas the Holy Spirit, the second element, is active internally, within each person, and also in the community as a whole, raising up, giving new life, sanctifying.” (“Opening address”, 3rd Session of the Second Vatican Council, 14 September 1964)
Let us ask Our Lady to help us appreciate this most blessed reality; our life will then be very different. Why should we feel alone when the Holy Spirit is with us? We must never feel anxious or insecure, even for a single day of our lives; the Paraclete is ever attentive to us and to everything we do.
Why go chasing madly after an apparent happiness, when there is no greater happiness than friendship with this sweet Guest who dwells within us? How different our conversation or behaviour would be if we were only conscious of the fact that we are temples of God, temples of the Holy Spirit.
Let us turn to Mary, our Mother: ‘Hail Mary, temple and tabernacle of the most Blessed Trinity, help us.’
Ref: Cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 3:475-6
The Holy Spirit as Christ’s supreme gift
At the Last Supper the apostles received the promise of the Spirit; later in the Cenacle, with Christ gone but Mary present, they receive him as Christ’s supreme gift. Indeed, what is His Spirit if not the Consoler and Giver of Life to men? The Holy Spirit continues to pour forth His grace on and in the Church day by day.
All ages and mankind belong to the Spirit and to the Church whose triumphs are not always externally visible, but are always there, full of surprises and marvels.
Mary, the Mother of Christ and our own sweet Mother, was with the apostles in the Cenacle at Pentecost. Let us ever remain close to her daily through the rosary. Our prayers, united to hers, will effect once more the ancient event of Pentecost. It will be like the rising of a new day, the dawn of new activity for the Church.
Ref: Rev Joseph A Viano, SSP, “Two Months with Mary”, 1984, p70
Novena To Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Memorial: July 16 (www.ewtn.com/faith/carmel.htm)
Second Day
Most Holy Mary, Our Mother, in your great love for us you gave us the Holy Scapular of Mount Carmel, having heard the prayers of your chosen son Saint Simon Stock. Help us now to wear it faithfully and with devotion. May it be a sign to us of our desire to grow in holiness.
(‘Pause and mention petitions.’)
Say: ‘Our Father’, ‘Hail, Mary’ and ‘Glory Be ...’
‘Our Lady of Mount Carmel, pray for us.’
• Dedication of Our Lady of Coutances, France by Geoffry de Mowbray, in 1056. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com)
• Our Lady of Coutances (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html)
• “Notre Dame de Coutances”. France. 1056. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)
• Our Lady of Aberdeen, Scotland, under the title Our Lady of Good Succor. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)
• Prodigies of Our Lady. Miracles of Our Lady. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm); (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html)
• Our Lady of Help (Holland). (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html)
• Our Lady of Itali. Argentina. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm); (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html); (http://www/mariedenazareth.com)
• Our Lady of the Atonement, Graymoor, New York (1948). (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.htm); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html)
• Our Lady of the Atonement. Apostolic Vicariate of the Mountain Province. (“ORDO 1988, Philippines”, p119)
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