8 October 2011: No greater love than this ...

Our Lord wishes us to love one another as he has loved us: supernatural, universal, active, compassionate, generous, and heroic. Above all, supernatural, based upon faith, which enables us to discern and love in our brother a living image of God, a member of the mystical body of Christ.
Even Christ himself says he sees as done to himself whatever we do to another. A supernatural charity is also universal. ‘All’ our brothers are children of God, brothers of Christ.
Let us not fall into the mistake of so many who flatter themselves that they have charity when what they have is but its shadow. Such people are often cold and indifferent except to those whose position or influence makes them desirable acquaintances, or to whom they may be attracted.
In this there is not even a shadow of real charity, nothing but selfishness. Beware of such a delusion. Strive to make more progress in true charity, ie, supernatural, and will make us embrace in Christ all our brothers equally. Unless, indeed, it makes us prefer those whom we naturally dislike.
The charity of Christ was not a mere sentiment; but was seen in action. His public life was a continuous series of acts of tender charity. Is our charity like this, attentive to the needs and sufferings of others? Or rendered grudgingly, the result of humble petitions? When somebody is in difficulty, are we content with merely expressing our regret?
If our faith were more lively, we would have a more perfect charity: anticipating our brother’s wants, remembering we do it to our Lord in the person of this brother.
The love of Jesus responded not only to our bodily needs, but still more the wants of the soul. It was always self-sacrificing. “Greater love than this no man has that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (Jn 15:13)
Here is the pattern and measure for our charity: generous, ready to make heroic sacrifices for the temporal and, above all, the spiritual good of others. We should at least support, encourage, and, by our good example, edify them; frequently commend them to God.
Ref: Cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp625-7

In the Holy Rosary, Mary Prays for Us and with Us
We join with her in this prayer as did the apostles after Christ’s ascension. “Together they devoted themselves to constant prayer. With them were some women and also Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.” (Acts 1:14)
Through that prayer they prepared themselves to receive the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. Mary, who had obtained the Holy Spirit in lofty plenitude on the day of the Annunciation, prayed with them. That specific fulness of the Holy Spirit determined a particular plenitude of prayer in her. Through that singular fulness, Mary prays for us -- and prays with us. She presides at our prayer maternally. The Church thus continually prepares herself to receive the Holy Spirit, as on the day of Pentecost.
The first centenary of Pope Leo XIII’s encyclical “Supremi apostolatus” occurs this year [1983]. With that encyclical, that great pontiff decreed that the month of October should be particularly dedicated to devotion to the Virgin of the Rosary.
He vigorously stressed in that document what extraordinary effectiveness this prayer has, when recited with a pure and devout mind, so as to obtain from the heavenly Father, in Christ, and through the intercession of the Mother of God, protection against the greatest evils which may threaten Christianity and mankind itself; thence to attain to the supreme goods of justice and peace among individuals and peoples.
With that historic gesture, Leo XIII set himself by the side of numerous pontiffs who had preceded him -- among them St Pius V -- and left an assignment to those who were to follow him in promoting the practice of the Rosary. For this reason I, too would say to you all: make the Rosary “the gentle chain linking you to heaven” through Mary.
Ref: Cf “Prayers and Devotions from Pope John Paul II”, pp355-6

Meditations on the Litany of Loreto
‘Mother most amiable’ -- Richard of St Laurence says, ‘that Mary was amiable in the eyes of God himself’. Mary was so beautiful in the eyes of God, enamored of her beauty and called her: “One is my dove; my perfect one is but one.” (Cant 6:8) ‘It is certain’, as Father Suarez says, ‘that God loved Mary more than all the other saints together; and with reason; for she alone loved God more than all men and all angels have ever loved him’.
O most beautiful Mary, O most amiable Mary, thou hast gained the heart of God; take also my poor heart, and make me a saint. I love thee; in thee is my confidence.
‘Most amiable Mother, pray for us.’
Ref: “The Glories of Mary.” In “Documentation Service”, V:320

John Paul II’s Favorite Prayer
The Rosary is my favorite prayer. A marvellous prayer! ... in its simplicity and in its depth. In this prayer we repeat many times the words that the Virgin Mary heard from the Archangel, and from her kinswoman Elizabeth. The whole Church joins in these words. It can be said that the Rosary is, in a certain way, a prayer-commentary on the last chapter of the Constitution “Lumen Gentium” of Vatican II, a chapter which deals with the wonderful presence of the Mother of God in the mystery of Christ and the Church.
In fact, against the background of the words “Ave, Maria” there pass before the eyes of the soul the main episodes in the life of Jesus Christ. They are composed altogether of the joyful, sorrowful and glorious mysteries, and they put us in living communion with Jesus through, we could say, his Mother’s heart.
At the same time our heart can enclose in these decades of the Rosary all the facts that make up the life of the individual, the family, the nation, the Church and mankind. Personal matters and those of one’s neighbor, and particularly of those who are dearest to us. Thus the simple prayer of the Rosary beats the rhythm of human life.
Ref: Pope John Paul II, “Angelus address”, 29 October 1978. In “Documentation Service”, V:313

• Our Lady of Gifts, at Avignon. The tradition which attributes the foundation of this church to St Martha, reports that it was consecrated by our Lord himself. Afterwards, having been demolished by the Saracens, it was repaired by the Emperor Charlemagne. — Triple Couronne, ii. 40. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com)
• Our Lady of Gifts. Avignon, France. "If someone wishes to be faithful, Let him come to the Mother of gifts.” (St Louis de Montfort). (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)
• Church of Our Lady of Gifts. Avignon, France. (First Century), founded by St Martha. (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html)
• Our Lady of Gifts (Avignon, France). (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html)
• Our Lady of Gifts (Ireland, early 16th Century). (http://www/mariedenazareth.com)
• Our Lady of Begoña. Navarra, Spain. (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html)
• Our Lady of Begoña. Navarra, Spain. Painting. Brought to the New World. Celebrated in Almaciga, Tenerife, Canary Islands, on April 27. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)
• Our Lady of Good Remedy. In 1198, St John de Matha (February 8) founded the Trinitarian order. The Trinitarians’ mission was to purchase Christian slaves in Moorish slave markets, and set them free. The group honors Mary as their patroness, and freed as many as 140,000 slaves for the next seven centuries. ... Chapel in St Michel de Frigolet, France. Roman shrine in honor of liberation from the Nazis in 1944. Origin of White Scapular. A special icon for Filipinos. Trinitarian women in Ohio. Prison ministers in Madagascar. Papal address to Trinitarians, July 15, 2001. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)
• Devotion to “Nuestra Señora de los Remedios”, famous for miraculously curing women’s and children’s illnesses, dates back to 14th century Mexico. The present-day image is a replica of an original that came to the Philippines from Spain in 1624. It was destroyed with the entire church during World War II. (“A MARIAN PILGRIMAGE”, A Guide to Marian Churches in Metro Manila, 2000, p12. SINAG-TALA PUBLISHERS, INC.)

[NB: Due to back-to-back typhoons that broke telephone lines, we are resuming today the posts missed for one week. Sincere apologies for this inconvenience.]