30 October 2012 Parable of the prodigal son “A certain man”, said Jesus, “had two sons. The younger said, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that is coming to me’. So the father divided up the property. Some days later this younger son collected all his belongings and went off to a distant land.” (cf Lk 15:11-3) The elder son stayed with his father. Who was this father, and who were the two sons to whom our Lord refers? The father is God, and the two sons, says St Jerome, represent the two classes -- 1) those who remain faithful to God and only desire to live happily under his law; and 2) those who are unfaithful, who want to enjoy unlimited liberty. The prodigal represents the latter; and his misfortunes ought, as our Lord thought, to instruct and inspire us with a great fear of abusing our liberty. Have we always belonged to this first class? Has there been a period in our life when, abusing our liberty, we were living in habitual sin, far from God and heaven, in constant risk of going into eternal misery? God has preserved us from this misfortune. He has done more: he has opened our eyes and called us to a state of life where we have many means of repairing our losses and ingratitude. The young man, in possession of a large fortune, entirely independent, and in a country where he was not known, felt extremely happy. Now he would enjoy himself without limit; satisfy every desire of his heart. Such were his delusions. But what happened? “... squandered his money on dissolute living. After he had spent everything, a great famine broke out in that country. He in dire need, went and hired himself out to one of the propertied class, who sent him to his farm to feed the pigs. He longed to fill his belly with the pods the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.” (cf Lk 15:14-6) Jesus shows us the picture of a man who thinks he has found happiness by forsaking God’s law and lead a sensual life. We may also see a man forsaking his first fervor and trying to find in creatures, in the satisfaction he gives to his senses, a remedy for the disgust that he feels. But what happens? Shortly, after wasting an immense treasure of grace and merit, he feels in his heart a void nothing can satisfy. Sensual and impure thoughts fill his mind, an image of the swine in the parable. He is restless; the fate of whoever seeks happiness far from God. The hunger and nakedness which the prodigal had to endure aggravate the memory of his former life. His disgrace was greater than those who had formerly been his servants. “How many of my father’s servants abound with bread, but here I am starving!” (Lk 15:17) ‘Behold’, cries St Peter Chrysologus, ‘the fate reserved for a man who no longer wishes to have God for his Father.’ Like ‘the beasts of the field’, says the Psalmist. Do we sometimes feel humbled in seeing that the faithful in the world find abundant and delicious sustenance in prayer and communion; but we, perhaps, find in them nothing which pleases and strengthens us? Let it not be said that we are dying of hunger in the midst of abundance! Ref: Cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp680-82 The Rosary The sensitive Catholic should have devotion to Mary the Blessed Mother. Our tradition calls for a lifelong devotion to Mary, for special devotion on Saturdays, for observance of Marian devotion during each May and October. On these days one can easily honor Mary by reciting the “Memorare” prayer (“Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary ...” [see 17 September]), the “Litany of Loreto”, or just a “Hail, Mary”. But most easily you can honor Mary through the versatile Rosary prayer. Throughout life, let your use of the Rosary be tailored to the amount of time and mental peace that you possess. If you have plenty of time, recite the fifteen decades. If you are busy, recite five decades a day. If you are very busy, recite a “short rosary” each day. Say ten consecutive times on each decade only a part of the “Hail, Mary”, divided as: 1) “Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you.” 2) “Blessed are you among women.” 3) “Blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.” 4) “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners.” 5) “Pray now and at the hour of our death. Amen.” And if you are very, very busy, simply carry a rosary on your person. Even that is a way of honoring Mary. Ref: “The Vatican II Weekday Missal”, 1975, p1433 The Rosary and Fathers of Family May fathers and mothers of families set an example for their children in this matter especially when, at sunset, they gather after the day’s work within the domestic walls, and recite the holy rosary with their children before the image of the Virgin with one voice, with one and the same faith and with one heart. This is a beautiful and salutary custom, from which there cannot help but be derived a serene tranquility and a great abundance of heavenly gifts for the household. That is the reason why, when we grant an audience to newlyweds and address paternal words to them, we give them a rosary and earnestly recommend that they use it. We even go so far as exhort them, citing our own example, not to let even one day pass by without saying the rosary, no matter how burdened they may be with many cares and labors. For these reasons, we have thought it opportune to earnestly recommend this devotional practice to you and through you, to the faithful. There is no doubt in our mind ... you will reap abundant fruits from it. Ref: Pius XI, “Ingravescentibus malis”, 29 September 1837, “The Glories of Mary”. In “Documentation Service”, V:317 Virgin most faithful 51 “When the apostles fled, and the enraged mob made themselves hoarse shouting angrily at Jesus, the Holy Virgin Mary followed close behind her Son through the streets of Jerusalem. She did not draw back when the crowd cried out, nor did she leave our Redeemer alone when each person, anonymous in that crowd, was in his cowardice emboldened to ill-treat Christ. “Call upon her with all your strength: ‘Virgin most faithful!’, and ask her that those of us who call ourselves God’s friends may truly be so at all times.” Ref: Cf St Josemaria Escrivá, “Furrow” • Our Lady of Mondevi, at Vic, in Piedmont, where there is a picture which a tile maker had painted on a brick pillar, which he had erected for that purpose. This pillar has been enclosed in a church, where the miracles which are wrought attract a great concourse of people. — History of Mondevi, c. 2. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com) • Our Lady of Mondevi (Vic in Piedmont, France). (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html) • Our Lady of Mondevi, Piedmont (1540). (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html) • Our Lady of Mondevi (1540, Piedmont, Italy). (http://www/mariedenazareth.com) • “Madonna della Mondevi”. Piedmont, Italy. 1540. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)