Monday, December 31, 2012

1 January 2013 Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God Mary is the Mother of Jesus Christ, who is true God and true man. Being the mother of God, Mary is endowed by God with special privileges -- free from all sins, she was assumed into heaven body and soul. (Fr James Socias, ‘et al’ [Editors], “Daily Roman Missal”, 1989, p1449) The oldest Marian feast native to Rome. (“Our Sunday Visitor’s Catholic Encyclopedia”, 1991, p639) Mother of God and Our Mother Today we thank and praise God the Father because “The Holy Spirit came upon her and she conceived your only-begotten Son. ... she brought forth Our Lord Jesus Christ, forever the light of the world”. (cf “Preface”, Maternity of the Virgin Mary) From our hearts we sing “Hail, Holy Mother, you gave birth to the King;” (“Entrance Antiphon of the Mass”) “she who has conceived has at the same time the joy of motherhood and the glory of virginity” (cf “Divine Office”, Lauds, Antiphon 3). Mary is Our Lady, full of grace and virtue (Lk 1:28) “she whom all generations shall call blessed” (cf “Divine Office”, Lauds, Antiphon, 48). The Church teaches that Mary is highest and closest to God, because of her divine motherhood. “She, after her son, by the grace of God, was exalted over all angels and men.” (Second Vatican Council, “Lumen Gentium”, 63) “Through you, O Virgin Mary, have been fulfilled all the oracles of the prophets who announced Christ -- being a virgin you conceived the Son of God and, remaining a virgin, you gave birth to him.” (“Magnificat”, Antiphon of 27 December) Jesus became man, like us, taking our human nature in the most pure womb of the Virgin Mary. As far as he is God, Jesus is generated by God the Father from all eternity; but as man, he was born of Mary. “I am exceedingly astounded, that there should be anyone who has any doubt as to whether the Blessed Virgin should be called the Mother of God. If Our Lord Jesus Christ is God, why should the Blessed Virgin, who gave him birth, not be called the Mother of God? That is the faith that Our Lord’s disciples transmitted to us. And what the holy fathers have taught us.” (cf St Cyril of Alexandria, “Letter” 1, 27:30) Thus was it defined by the Council of Ephesus. (H Daniel-Rops, “History of the Church of Christ”, 1959, 2:145) “The greatest praise we can give to the Blessed Virgin is to address her loud and clear by the name that expresses her highest dignity -- Mother of God.” (St Josemaria Escrivá, “Friends of God”, 274) On this solemnity of Our Lady we begin the New Year. There could not be a better start to the year, and of all the days of our life, than being very close to Mary. ‘Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and forever. Amen.’ Ref: Cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 1:283-9 Getting to know our Lady In a very natural way we start wanting to speak to the Mother of God, who is also our mother. We want to treat her as someone who is alive. She is body and soul in the presence of God the Father, her Son, and the Holy Spirit. For death has not triumphed over her. If we want to understand Mary’s role in the Christian’s life and to feel attracted to her, to be in her company, we need not go into the theological theory, although it is an inexhaustible mystery that she is the Mother of God. The catholic faith sees Mary as a sign of God’s special love. God calls us his friends; his grace acts in us, winning us from sin, enabling us to reflect in some way the features of Christ, even though we are still wretched dirt. We are not stranded people who God has promised to save. His salvation is already at work in us. ... Mary tells us about this warmth and security. That’s why her name goes straight to our heart. ... Ref: St Josemaria Escrivá, “Christ is passing by”, 142 Mary, Mother of the Church Pope Paul VI solemnly proclaimed ‘Mary, Mother of the Church’ at the end of the third session, Second Vatican Council. When we invoke this title, we re-emphasize that Mary belongs to the Church, just as any mother is truly a part of her family where she has a place of special honor. Mary is the greatest, loveliest, and most powerful mother. The words of Jesus on the cross, "Behold your Mother" (Jn 19:27) summarize all that Mary should be to us. St Louis de Montfort said, ‘He has not God for his Father, who has not Mary for his Mother’. Ref: Rev Joseph A Viano, SSP, “Two Months with Mary”, 1984, p11 Our confidence in Mary Mary became our spiritual Mother on two occasions. First, when she merited to conceive in her virginal womb the Son of God. St Bernardine of Siena emphasizes, ‘when at the Annunciation the most blessed Virgin gave the consent, she from that moment asked our salvation of God and as a most loving mother, she bore us in her womb’. The second occasion was when she offered to the Eternal Father the life of her beloved Son on Mount Calvary, with so bitter sorrow and suffering. So that St Augustine declares that, ‘as she then cooperated by her love in the birth of the faithful to the life of grace, she became the spiritual Mother of all who are members of the one head, Christ Jesus’. Oh, blessed are they who live under the protection of so loving and powerful mother! ‘And who’, says Cardinal Bellarmine, ‘would ever dare to snatch these children from the bosom of Mary, when they have taken refuge there? What power of hell, or what temptation, can overcome them, if they place their confidence in the patronage of this great Mother, the Mother of God, and of them?’ St Anselm encourages us, saying: ‘O happy confidence! O safe refuge! The Mother of God is my Mother. How firm, then, should be our confidence, since our salvation depends on the judgment of a good Brother and a tender Mother.’ Ref: Cf St Alphonsus Liguori, “The Blessed Virgin Mary”, pp19-25 · “O Lord, I thank You for having created the Blessed Virgin Mother, for having made her so beautiful and for having given her to us as our Mother.” -- St Leonard of Port Maurice (In Rev Joseph A Viano, SSP, op cit, p10 · “Mary alone by her dignity transcends heaven and earth ... She is at once the Handmaid and Mother of God, a Virgin and yet a Mother.’” -- St John Chrysostom (In Rev Joseph A Viano, SSP, op cit, p11) • Octave of the Nativity. Holy Day of Obligation for Catholics. A "totum duplex" (feast of 2nd class). (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm) • Dedication of Our Lady of the Annunciation, at Florence, by Cardinal William d’Estonville, in the year 1452. There is preserved in this church, a picture of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin, which was found miraculous finished when the painter, who had sketched it, prepared to put the finishing strokes to it. (Bethlehem Observer Historical Calendar) • Commemoration of the Divine Maternity (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html) • Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html); (http://mariedenazareth.com. ) • Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. Oldest Marian feast. Homily of John Paul II. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)

Sunday, December 30, 2012

31 December 2012 A day for stock-taking Today is a good opportunity for begging pardon for our omissions and lack of love that caused them. A good occasion of thanksgiving for all the good things God has given us. The Church reminds us that we are pilgrims and she herself “being present in the world is, nevertheless, herself a pilgrim”. (Second Vatican Council, “Sacrosanctum concilium”, 2) She stands before her God as “a wayfarer among the persecutions of the world and consolations from God.” (Second Vatican Council, “Lumen Gentium”, 8) Our life, too is a path full of tribulations and of God’s consolation. We have a life in time which we are now living, and another life outside time to which we are bound. Our time now is an important part of the inheritance that God has left us. Time separates the present and that moment when we stand before God. The time at our disposal is short but long enough to tell God that we love him and to complete the work he has given us. St Paul warns: “Be careful how you live, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of the time” (Eph 5:15-6), for soon “night comes, when no one can work” (Jn 9:4). Each year that passes is a call to holiness in our daily life; a warning that we are much nearer to the definitive moment of our meeting with God at death. “Let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up. So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all ...” (Gal 6:9-10) On examining our conscience we will easily find that during this past year we have at times lacked charity, been too easy-going in our professional work, grown used to a certain spiritual mediocrity, and given little in the way of alms. We have been a prey to selfishness and vanity. We neglected mortification in our meals. We have ignored the grace offered to us by the Holy Spirit. Our character has been intemperate, ill-humored and stubborn. We have allowed distractions in our norms of piety. We have numerous reasons for ending the year asking God’s forgiveness, making many acts of contrition. “Every day we must ask forgiveness for every day we have caused offence.” (St Augustine, “Sermon 256”) Today, we can ask ourselves if God is pleased with our behavior during the past year. Was it a time well spent or of wasted opportunities at work, our apostolate, in family life? How often did we drop the Cross at the first sign of difficulty? Let us resolve to convert our defeats into victories, each time turning to God and starting over again. Finally, let us ask Our Lady for the grace to live during this new year as if it were the last that God will give us. Ref: Cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 1:277-82 ‘Holy Mary our hope, seat of wisdom. Pray for us.’ Mary’s Immaculate Heart will triumph A great battle is on today in the Church. On one side Satan with a great number of emissaries, all enemies of the Church; on the other side, Mary of the Immaculate Heart and us, the People of God. The aims of this war: the devil wants the destruction of the Church and of its members; Mary wants a general return to God through the practice of a more Christian life, based on love, and the conversion of Russia. The victory is undoubtedly ours, through the consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Are we ready to enlist in the army of Mary and fight unto victory? We are at the point in the history of the Church where Mary is to crush the head of Satan. This will be brought about through the reign of her Immaculate Heart. The devil is trying everything to destroy anything that is good through immorality, destruction of families, pornography, dishonesty, crimes, dissension in parishes and religious communities. He is even instigating false apparitions to draw the people’s attention away from the true apparitions of the Blessed Virgin. We must do our best to counteract the devil’s actions. If we have devotion to our Mother Mary she will bring about the interest of God in the lives of all. The consecration of each one of us to Her and our prayers will give her the power of the Holy Spirit to pierce the darkness that envelops the world and give us a tremendous victory over the devil. Ref: Rev Joseph A Viano, SSP, “Two Months with Mary”, 1984, p26 The Last Day of the Year “Children, it is ‘the final hour’ (1 Jn 2:18).” How topical these words are! How they fit in well with what we are all living today, December 31! The last day of the year ... let us live it so as to participate in the Eucharistic liturgy, the Sacrifice of Christ ... so as to ‘express God in the fullest way that our hearts and our consciences feel; and to make manifest our thanksgiving and request for forgiveness’. “It is truly right and just, and dutiful ... ‘to give thanks’ to You!” To You. Exactly to You, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. To thank You for all the abundance of the mystery of the Birth of God, in whose light the old year is passing and the new one is coming to birth. How eloquent it is, that the day which humanly tells us above all of “passing”, with the precise content of the Church’s liturgy, should also testify to Birth: God’s birth in a human body. And at the same time, of man’s birth from God: “Any who did accept Him he empowered to become children of God.” (Jn 1:12) Together with this thanksgiving, let all the words of penance become the content of our participation in the Holy Mass today, beginning with the initial ‘Confiteor’ through the ‘Kyrie Eleison’ to the ‘Agnus Dei’, “Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” Then to our “Lord, I am not worthy ...” Let us put everything which our consciences live into these words, what weighs upon them, what God alone knows how to judge and remit. And let us not avoid standing here before God, with consciousness of guilt, the attitude of the publican in the Gospel. Let us take up such an attitude. It actually corresponds to man’s inner truth. It brings liberation. It, exactly it, links up with hope. Ref: Cf “Prayers and Devotions from Pope John Paul II”, 1984, 43-4 • About a hundred years before the birth of our Saviour, the image of Our Lady of Chartres, which the Druids had consecrated to the Blessed Virgin, who was to be a mother, raised to life the son of Geoffry, king or prince of Monthery, who, having fallen into a well, had been found dead; out of gratitude for this favor, he made several presents to this image, as the history of this miracle attests, which is represented in the stained glass of the great church. — Sebastien Rouillard, Parthen., c. iii. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com). (See July 13, August 6 and 17, October 17). (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm) • Image of Our Lady of Chartres brings back to life the son of King Geoffry (100 B.C.) (/www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html) • Restoration to life of the son of Geoffrey, King of Monthery by Our Lady of Chartres. 100. (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html)[ (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html) • Our Lady of the Closing of the Year. (http://mariedenazareth.com)

Saturday, December 29, 2012

30 December 2012 Feast: The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph Sunday in the Octave of Christmas (Fr James Socias, ‘et al’ [Eds], “Daily Roman Missal”, 1989, p100) “Do not be afraid, Mary.” Jesus Christ is always our safeguard against the difficulties and temptations before us. We win every battle with him on our side. Do not be afraid. The history of the Incarnation opens with these words: “Do not be afraid, Mary” (Lk 1:30). And the angel of the Lord says to St Joseph: “Do not be afraid, Joseph, son of David” (Mt 1:20). And to the shepherds, the angel repeats: “Do not be afraid” (Lk 2:10). This advice in God’s coming into the world marks a style proper to the presence of Jesus. The evening of the day when Jesus had narrated the parables about the kingdom of heaven, he and his disciples were crossing the sea of Galilee. Our Lord, very tired after hours of preaching, was asleep. Soon, a great storm arose, the waves swamping the boat. The veterans of the sea sensed danger. Despite their vast experience and power, they failed to avert the danger. Overcome with fear, their only recourse was to turn to our Lord. They went and woke him up, saying, “Save us Lord; we are perishing”. And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O men of little faith?” (Mt 8:25-6) How little too is our faith when we doubt if the storms in life will abate! Often we get discouraged by sickness, work, money problems, opposition. Fear is a basic instinct of life, the consequence of ignorance or of selfishness; or of needless anxiety. Fear arises when our security in life is founded on very weak premises. We forget an essential truth: Jesus Christ is our constant security. When we are confused and unpleasant times seem to overwhelm us, Jesus does not forget us. “He never fails his friends.” (St Theresa, “Life”, 2, 4) He is never late. We resolve to go to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament whenever the contradictions, difficulties or trials of life upset our happiness and peace of mind. Let us go close to Mary, to her son whom we contemplate in the stable. She will teach us in these days full of the peace of Christmas; how to conduct ourselves like children of God even in the most difficult circumstances. Ref: Cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 1:269-75 “Why are you afraid ...?” The remarkable miracle about the calming of the storm left a deep impression on Jesus’ disciples, as can be seen from the fact that the first three evangelists all report it. Christian Tradition has applied this miracle in various ways to the life of the Church and the experience of the individual soul. From earliest times Christian art and literature have seen the boat as representing the Church, which also has to make its way around hazards that threaten to capsize it. Indeed, very early, Christians were persecuted in various ways by Jews of their time, and were misunderstood by the public opinion of a pagan society -- which also began to persecute them. Jesus’ sleeping through the storm has been applied to the fact that sometimes God seems not to come to the Church’s rescue during persecution. Following the example of the Apostles in the boat, Christians should seek Jesus’ help, borrowing their words, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing”. “He rose and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm” -- but first rebuking us for being men of little faith. Quite often Gospel accounts serve as examples to us: they epitomise the future history of the Church and of the individual Christian soul. Ref: “The Navarre Bible, The Gospel of St Matthew”, 1988, pp88-9 Mary comforts us in all of our afflictions ‘Mary is the comforter of all humanity.’ -- The great Woman, promised by God, who was to crush the infernal enemy’s head; the new Eve who was to repair the ruin caused by the first Eve and cure poor humanity. Guilty, miserable and suffering, man turned to her uplifting tear-filled eyes and oppressed heart. ‘Mary is the comforter of the Church.’ -- She conversed with the Apostles and the early faithful; she saw her own Son in them. She prayed for all who suffered; she was the Consolatrix of the Church. ‘Mary is the comforter of the individual faithful.’ -- The history of thousands of Shrines and millions of ‘ex voto’ offerings reveals this to us. How many tears are wiped away, how many spiritual and even temporal wounds are medicated, treated and healed! Innumerable souls have stretched out their beseeching hands to Mary in these Shrines. They have trustingly invoked her in their sorrows, in their dangers; and have been heard. Many great Saints in deep anguish, in many interior afflictions, in physical and material needs experienced the help and comfort of Mary! She sees our afflictions. Mary feels them in her most sensitive heart. Mary is an all-powerful intercessor before her Adorable Son. Mary wants to console everyone. According to St Anselm, “She is the solace of the afflicted”. Ref: Rev Joseph A Viano, SSP, “Two Months with Mary”, 1984, p31 ‘Comforter of the afflicted. Pray for us.’ God’s Presence in Time Before the Crib, with adoring souls, let us reflect first of all on time that passes, flows on inexorably and bears our brief existences away with it. With his divine words, Jesus relieves us of the anxiety of senseless vacuity and tells us that, on the gigantic and mysterious curve of time, all human history is simply a return to the Father’s house. As we think particularly of this troubled year, let us remember, the Christmas message affirms with absolute certainty that ‘God is always present’, even in the contradictions of human history. By creating man intelligent and free, He willed this history spangled with sublime peaks and tragic abysses, and He does not abandon mankind. The Nativity is the guarantee we are loved by the Most High, His Omnipotence is interwoven with His Providence in a way almost always obscure and unfathomable to us. ... As Cardinal Newman said: “God’s hand is always upon those who belong to Him, and leads them by unknown paths. The most they can do is to believe what they cannot yet manage to see but will see later on, and, remaining firm in their faith, work with God in that direction.” Ref: Cf “Prayers and Devotions from Pope John Paul II”, 1984, p42 • St Mary’s of Boulogne, in Picardy. This church was founded by the hermits of St. Augustine in the year 1159; it was pillaged by Henry VIII, King of England, in the year 1544, secularized and made a cathedral in the year 1559, according to Locrius. — Gallia Christiana, t. iv. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com); (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html) • Our Lady of Bologna, Italy (1193). (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html); (http://mariedenazareth.com) • “Madonna della Bologna” (Boulougne). Picardy, Italy. 1193. Order of Gaudenti of Our Lady of Bologna. ... (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm) • Feast of the Holy Family -- Moveable feast: Sunday after Dec 25 [30 Dec 2012] “Do not be afraid, Mary.” Jesus Christ is always our safeguard against the difficulties and temptations before us. We win every battle with him on our side. Do not be afraid. The history of the Incarnation opens with these words: “Do not be afraid, Mary” (Lk 1:30). And the angel of the Lord says to St Joseph: “Do not be afraid, Joseph, son of David” (Mt 1:20). And to the shepherds, the angel repeats: “Do not be afraid” (Lk 2:10). This advice in God’s coming into the world marks a style proper to the presence of Jesus. The evening of the day when Jesus had narrated the parables about the kingdom of heaven, he and his disciples were crossing the sea of Galilee. Our Lord, very tired after hours of preaching, was asleep. Soon, a great storm arose, the waves swamping the boat. The veterans of the sea sensed danger. Despite their vast experience and power, they failed to avert the danger. Overcome with fear, their only recourse was to turn to our Lord. They went and woke him up, saying, “Save us Lord; we are perishing”. And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O men of little faith?” (Mt 8:25-6) How little too is our faith when we doubt if the storms in life will abate! Often we get discouraged by sickness, work, money problems, opposition. Fear is a basic instinct of life, the consequence of ignorance or of selfishness; or of needless anxiety. Fear arises when our security in life is founded on very weak premises. We forget an essential truth: Jesus Christ is our constant security. When we are confused and unpleasant times seem to overwhelm us, Jesus does not forget us. “He never fails his friends.” (St Theresa, “Life”, 2, 4) He is never late. We resolve to go to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament whenever the contradictions, difficulties or trials of life upset our happiness and peace of mind. Let us go close to Mary, to her son whom we contemplate in the stable. She will teach us in these days full of the peace of Christmas, how to conduct ourselves like children of God even in the most difficult circumstances. Ref: Cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 1:269-75 “Why are you afraid ...?” The remarkable miracle about the calming of the storm left a deep impression on Jesus’ disciples, as can be seen from the fact that the first three evangelists all report it. Christian Tradition has applied this miracle in various ways to the life of the Church and the experience of the individual soul. From earliest times Christian art and literature have seen the boat as representing the Church, which also has to make its way around hazards that threaten to capsize it. Indeed, very early, Christians were persecuted in various ways by Jews of their time, and were misunderstood by the public opinion of a pagan society -- which also began to persecute them. Jesus’ sleeping through the storm has been applied to the fact that sometimes God seems not to come to the Church’s rescue during persecution. Following the example of the Apostles in the boat, Christians should seek Jesus’ help, borrowing their words, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing”. “He rose and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm” -- but first rebuking us for being men of little faith. Quite often Gospel accounts serve as examples to us: they epitomise the future history of the Church and of the individual Christian soul. Ref: “The Navarre Bible, The Gospel of St Matthew”, 1988, pp88-9 Mary comforts us in all of our afflictions ‘Mary is the comforter of all humanity.’ -- The great Woman, promised by God, who was to crush the infernal enemy’s head; the new Eve who was to repair the ruin caused by the first Eve and cure poor humanity. Guilty, miserable and suffering, man turned to her uplifting tear-filled eyes and oppressed heart. ‘Mary is the comforter of the Church.’ -- She conversed with the Apostles and the early faithful; she saw her own Son in them. She prayed for all who suffered; she was the Consolatrix of the Church. ‘Mary is the comforter of the individual faithful.’ -- The history of thousands of Shrines and millions of ‘ex voto’ offerings reveals this to us. How many tears are wiped away, how many spiritual and even temporal wounds are medicated, treated and healed! Innumerable souls have stretched out their beseeching hands to Mary in these Shrines. They have trustingly invoked her in their sorrows, in their dangers; and have been heard. Many great Saints in deep anguish, in many interior afflictions, in physical and material needs experienced the help and comfort of Mary! She sees our afflictions. Mary feels them in her most sensitive heart. Mary is an all-powerful intercessor before her Adorable Son. Mary wants to console everyone. According to St Anselm, “She is the solace of the afflicted”. Ref: Rev Joseph A Viano, SSP, “Two Months with Mary”, 1984, p31 ‘Comforter of the afflicted. Pray for us.’ God’s Presence in Time Before the Crib, with adoring souls, let us reflect first of all on time that passes, flows on inexorably and bears our brief existences away with it. With his divine words, Jesus relieves us of the anxiety of senseless vacuity and tells us that, on the gigantic and mysterious curve of time, all human history is simply a return to the Father’s house. As we think particularly of this troubled year, let us remember, the Christmas message affirms with absolute certainty that ‘God is always present’, even in the contradictions of human history. By creating man intelligent and free, He willed this history spangled with sublime peaks and tragic abysses, and He does not abandon mankind. The Nativity is the guarantee that we are loved by the Most High, His Omnipotence is interwoven with His Providence in a way almost always obscure and unfathomable to us. ... As Cardinal Newman said: “God’s hand is always upon those who belong to Him, and leads them by unknown paths. The most they can do is to believe what they cannot yet manage to see but will see later on, and, remaining firm in their faith, work with God in that direction.” Ref: Cf “Prayers and Devotions from Pope John Paul II”, 1984, p42 • St Mary’s of Boulogne, in Picardy. This church was founded by the hermits of St. Augustine in the year 1159; it was pillaged by Henry VIII, King of England, in the year 1544, secularized and made a cathedral in the year 1559, according to Locrius. — Gallia Christiana, t. iv. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com); (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html) • Our Lady of Bologna, Italy (1193). (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html); (http://mariedenazareth.com) • “Madonna della Bologna” (Boulougne). Picardy, Italy. 1193. Order of Gaudenti of Our Lady of Bologna. ... (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm) • Feast of the Holy Family -- Moveable feast: Sunday after Dec 25 [30 Dec 2012]

Friday, December 28, 2012

29 December 2012 Return of the shepherds and their zeal The shepherds, having adored their Saviour and laid their simple offerings at His feet, “returned glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them” (Lk 2:16). Such was the effect of that divine love the shepherds had acquired at the manger. Jesus was in their hearts and on their lips. They wanted to make Him known and loved by all the world; they eagerly spoke of Him to all whom they met, begging them also to go and adore their Messiah. Love had made them into apostles. If Jesus is in our hearts, He will also be often on our lips. He has told us, “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks”. (Mt 12:34) Animated by His love, and with zeal for His glory, we will endeavor to make Him loved and served as much as we can by all the world. We shall be watchful and ingenious in seizing on every occasion to attain this great end. “And all who heard wondered.” (Lk 2:18) Men, certainly the Jews of Bethlehem, are indifferent to their story -- the Messiah born in a stable, the appearance, words, and songs of angels! They would have run to the stable to adore their Saviour, competed for the honor of lodging Him, of having Him with them. But they did nothing! “But Mary kept all these words, pondering them in her heart.” (Lk 2:19) Her conduct is a singular contrast to that of the Jews. She meditated on them all day. This treasure of precious teaching was passed on later to the disciples and Apostles. St Luke is believed to have learned from her details about the Incarnation, adoration of the shepherds; the visitation and purification. Our dear Mother teaches us how we ought to profit by our meditations, recalling to mind throughout the day the good thoughts and inspirations; reviving in our hearts the affections which proceeded from them. Ref: Cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp821-3 The duty of Christians in human society The Child we have been contemplating in the crib during the past few days is the Redeemer of everyone. He has come to give us eternal life, which we can anticipate in this life; to be fully possessed after death. He became man to call sinners (cf Lk 5:32), to save what was lost (cf Lk 19:10), to make divine life known to all (cf Mk 10:45). Our Lord will be content with us if we strive for a more just world wherever we may be. Justice and peace in the world must be centered on God; if not, man reverts to his original state of slavery, open to oppression by his fellow creatures. (SCDF, “Instruction on Christian freedom and liberation”, 39, 22 March 1986) By our apostolate to make our places more Christian, they also turn more human where Christ can be more easily known and loved. Sincerely living the virtue of justice will lead us to pray for leaders of government, business, social services, etc whose expertise will help solve the major social and human problems. “Even if we achieve a reasonable distribution of wealth and a harmonious organisation of society, there will still be the sufferings of illness, misunderstanding, loneliness, death of loved ones, experience of our own limitations.” (cf St Josemaria Escrivá, “Christ is passing by”, 168) Justice is enriched and complemented by mercy. Strict justice “can lead to denial and an extinction of itself if no allowance is made for love to form human life” (John Paul II, Encyclical, “Dives in misericordia”, 12); and result “in a system of oppression of the weaker by the stronger or in an arena of permanent struggle of the one against the other” (John Paul II, Encyclical, “Dives in misericordia”, 14). Justice and mercy mutually sustain and fortify each other. “Justice alone is never enough to solve the great problems of mankind. When justice alone is done, don’t be surprised if people are hurt. The dignity of man, who is a son of God, requires much more.” (St Josemaria Escrivá, “Friends of God”, 172) Charity without justice would simply be an attempt to numb one’s conscience. Ref: Cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 1:261-7 ‘Mother of good counsel. Pray for us.’ Rectitude of intention ‘God can read men’s hearts.’ We should strive to correct our intention many times each day. We must reject temptation to vanity and vain-glory which might cheapen our total dedication to God’s service. All our actions should be oriented to the greater glory of God. If we are completely dedicated to serving God we will ignore the idle criticism of what we do. We want to please God more than anyone else. Our Mother Mary will teach us how to live entirely for God’s glory. “Don’t ever lose the supernatural point of view. Correct your intention as the course of a ship is corrected on the high seas -- by looking at the star, by looking at Mary. Then you will always be sure of reaching harbor.” (St Josemaria Escrivá, “The Forge”, 749) Ref: Cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 5:411-2 The Apostolate of the Believing Laity It will be necessary to confirm once again, that the growth of affirmation of the laity’s Christian identity does not diminish or limit its possibilities. Rather does it define, nourish and add power to this presence and to this specific and original task entrusted by the Church to her sons and daughters in the various fields of personal, professional and social activity. The Gospel itself urges us to share every one of man’s situations and conditions, with a passionate love for everything to do with his condition of being a creature of God’s, “made in the divine image” (Gen 1:27); and sharing in the divine descent through the grace of Christ. The Second Vatican Council rightly emphasized that the Catholic laity is to impregnate and transform the entire texture of human society with the values of the Gospel, with the announcement of a Christian anthropology, deriving from these values. No human activity is extraneous to responsible evangelizing task of the laity: life testimony and evangelizing effort for the Christian families; vast world of work; field of politics, culture, of intellectuals, scientists, educators and artists. Ref: Cf “Prayers and Devotions from Pope John Paul II”, pp313-4 • Our Lady of Spire, in Germany. St Bernard entering this church on the 29th of December 1146, was honorably received there by the canons, who conducted him to the choir, singing the “Salva Regina.” At the close of the antiphon, St Bernard saluted the image of the Blessed Virgin in these terms: “O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria!” and it is said that she answered: “Salve Bernarde!” The words of this saint to the image are seen engraved in a circle on the pavement of the church, on the same spot where he pronounced them, and have since been added to the “Salve Regina” which was composed in the year 1040, by Herman, surnamed Contractus, a Benedictine monk. — Angelus Manrique, annals of the Cistercians, year 1146, c. 10, etc. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com) • Our Lady of Spire, Germany (1146). (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html); (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html); (http://mariedenazareth.com) • “Unsere Dame von Spire”. Germany. 1146. ... (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)

Thursday, December 27, 2012

28 December 2012 Holy Innocents, martyrs The Church celebrates the memory of the small children in the neighborhood of Bethlehem whom Herod ordered put to death while seeking to kill Jesus. These innocent victims bear witness to Christ to a world which would not receive Him. (Fr James Socias, ‘et al’ [Eds], “Daily Roman Missal”, 1989, 1989, p1722 The shepherds go to Bethlehem The shepherds eagerly ‘came with haste’ despite the darkness and their fatigue. Why such decisive will? 1) A lively faith on hearing the angel’s words. 2) An ardent desire to see and adore the Messiah and Saviour. 3) They hoped to receive blessings and favours. Upon reaching the place, they “found Mary and Joseph, and the Infant lying in the manger” (Lk 2:16). Their bodily eyes saw only an ordinary infant; but their eyes of faith saw beneath a veil of weakness, the infinite majesty of God their Saviour. What joy in adoring the Divine Child; and what special graces they received! Ref: Cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp820-21 The sanctification of suffering To explain suffering is not easy especially that of the innocent. Today’s feast shows us the apparently useless and unjust suffering of some children who died for a Person and Truth whom they didn’t even know. Suffering is often a cause of scandal. Many people see it like a great wall which prevents them from seeing God and his infinite love for men. Why does Almighty God allow such apparently useless suffering? Indeed suffering is a mystery. Yet, through faith, the Christian can discover in the darkness of his own or other people’s suffering, the loving and provident hand of his Father God. Then he begins to understand the words of St Paul: “We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him.” (Rom 5:28) “There is anguish for us, twenty centuries later, in thinking of the slain babies and their parents. For the babies the agony was soon over; in the next world they would come to know whom they had died for to save, and for all eternity would have that glory. “For the parents, the pain would have lasted longer; but at death they, too must have found there was a special sense in which God was in their debt, as he had never been indebted to any. They and their children were the only ones who ever agonized ... to save God’s life ...” (Frank J Sheed, “To Know Christ Jesus”, pp45-6) Let us contemplate Mary at the foot of her Son’s Cross and ask her to teach us to sanctify pain, uniting it to that of her Son Jesus. Let us ask the Holy Innocents to help us to love mortification and voluntary sacrifice, to offer up our own pain and to have great compassion for all who suffer. Ref: Cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 1:253-9 ‘Queen of martyrs. Pray for us.’ Mary talks to us Good children listen to their mothers; so, if you love me, listen to what I want to say to you: 1) ‘Love God above all things’, observe His commandments, do not offend Him by sinning. And if you fall into sin because of your weakness, remember that I can help you. 2) ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’, because you are all my children; I embrace all of you, and my only wish is to see you in the embrace of God, saved in heaven. 3) ‘Remember to pray.’ In prayer you get all the strength you need to face the dangers of life, overcome the temptations of the enemy of your souls, the devil; acquire the virtues, perform many good deeds. 4) ‘Consecrate yourselves to my Immaculate Heart’, and I will always watch over you, comfort you, and help you in all your needs. Ref: Rev Joseph A Viano, SSP, “Two Months with Mary”, 1984, p39 · “Lady, full and overflowing with grace, all creation receives new life from your abundance. Virgin, blessed above all creatures, through your blessing all creation is blessed, not only creation from its Creator, but the Creator himself has been blessed by creation!” -- St Anselm of Aosta (In Rev Joseph A Viano, SSP, “Two Months with Mary”, 1984, p39) Christmas Raises Man Up “‘For a child is born to us’, a son is given to us; upon his shoulders dominion rests.” What happened on the night of Bethlehem cannot really be contained within a framework like that of a news report. Although this description is outlined in the readings of today’s liturgy in a very detailed way, it still does not tell all. To learn all about it, we must enter into development of events in light of the words of the prophet Isaiah, quoted at the beginning. What power is on the shoulders of this Child, who did not have even a simple roof over his head at the moment of his entry into the world? A manger for animals as his first crib? We ask ourselves this “power” during the night of Bethlehem, the power which this Newborn bears with Him into the world. Well, together with that angel who announced the birth of the Savior to the shepherds, was “a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, saying, Glory to God in high heaven and peace on earth ‘to those upon whom His favor rests’.” We find an answer to our question in that announcement at Bethlehem. What power rested on the shoulders of Christ on that night? A ‘unique power’ which only He possesses. He alone has the power to penetrate the soul of every human with the peace of the ‘Divine Pleasure’. He alone has power to cause men to become children of God. He alone is able to raise the history of man to the heights of the glory of God. Ref: Cf “Prayers and Devotions from Pope John Paul II”, 1984, p40 • Our Lady of Pontoise, seven leagues from Paris. This image, which stands in the front of the church of the suburb of this town, towards Rouen, is celebrated for the. miracles which are wrought there. — Archives of the church. (Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com; www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm) • Our Lady of Pontoise. Near Paris, France. 12th Century. (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html); (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html) • Our Lady of Pontoise (France, 1484). (http://mariedenazareth.com)

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

27 December 2012 St John, Apostle and Evangelist Called from mending the nets to follow Jesus; became the beloved disciple. St John wrote the fourth Gospel, three Epistles and the Apocalypse. His passages on the pre-existence of the Word, who by his Incarnation became the light of the world and life of our souls, are among the finest of the New Testament. Thus he is regarded as the evangelist of the divinity of Christ and of fraternal love. St James, St Peter and he witnessed the Transfiguration. At the Last Supper, he leans on the Master’s breast. At the foot of the cross, Jesus entrusts his Mother to his care. John’s pure life kept him very close to Jesus and Mary. Ref: Fr James Socias, ‘et al’ (Eds), “Daily Roman Missal”, 1989, p1720 St John the Evangelist Before our eyes, above all, lies that scene so graphically described by the evangelist John. We are on Mt Calvary, a cross is there, and Jesus is nailed to it. Nearby is the mother of Jesus, surrounded by a number of women. The beloved disciple, John, is there too. The Dying Man speaks, with the troubled breath of the last agony: “Woman, there is your son.” Then, addressing the disciple, “There is your mother”. The intention is clear: Jesus wills to entrust the mother to the care of the beloved disciple. Is that all? The ancient Fathers of the Church discerned a more profound theological significance behind that apparently so simple occurrence. Origen identified the apostle John with every Christian. Since him, more and more recourse has been made to this text to justify “the universal motherhood of Mary”. This conviction has a precise basis in the revealed fact. How can we fail to think, as we read this passage, of the mysterious words which Jesus uttered during the marriage feast at Cana? When Mary made her request to Him, He answered, addressing her as “woman” -- as above -- and postponed the beginning of His collaboration with her for man’s sake to the moment of the Passion, His “hour”, in fact, as He was accustomed to call it. Ref: Cf “Prayers and Devotions from Pope John Paul II”, 1984, p39 The disciple whom Jesus loved St John was a native of Bethsaida, a Galilean town on the northern shore of the Sea of Tiberias. His parents are Zebedee and Salome. His brother was St James the Greater. They were a well-to-do family of fisherfolk who, when they first met our Lord, put themselves completely and resolutely at his disposal. John and James, answering Jesus’ call, left their father in the boat with the hired hands, and followed him. Their mother also followed Jesus, helping him with her possessions in Galilee and Jerusalem, accompanying him up to Calvary. The youngest of the Apostles, John was not yet twenty years old when he responded to Our Lord’s call with an exclusive love for Him. His whole life centered on his Lord and Master, his fidelity brought meaning to his life. Ever faithful, he was at Calvary when all other disciples had fled. Our Lord’s supreme confidence in the beloved disciple was expressed from the Cross when he entrusted to him His greatest love on earth, His most holy Mother. If the most outstanding event in John’s life was when Jesus called to leave all things and follow him, on Calvary he received a more refined intimate charge -- to care for the Mother of God. We can imagine Our Lady’s enormous influence on the soul of the young Apostle. If we recall those periods in our life when we turned to the Mother of God and were specially close to her, we can appreciate this relationship better. In addition to Sacred Scripture, Tradition relates some details which confirm St John’s great care to preserve the purity of doctrine and his fidelity to the commandment of fraternal love. (“The Navarre Bible”, note on “St John”, 24) St Jerome tells that when John was a very old man he repeatedly told the disciples who came to seek him, “Little children, love one another”. They asked him why he always went on repeating the same thing. St John answered, “It is the Lord’s commandment and, if that is kept, it is enough”. (St Jerome, “Commentary on Galatians”, 3:6) Ref: Cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 1:245-51 The Apostle of charity His older years were lived chiefly in Jerusalem and Ephesus. He founded many churches in Asia Minor. In Rome, tradition relates that Emperor Domitian had him cast into a caldron of boiling oil. Unhurt, he was exiled to the island of Patmos for a year. He lived to an extreme old age, outliving all his fellow apostles; and died (~100 AD) at Ephesus. A stately church erected over his tomb was afterwards converted into a Muslim mosque. St John is called the ‘Apostle of charity’, a virtue he had learned from his Divine Master, and which he constantly inculcated by word and example. Ref: Rev Hugo Hoever, SOCist, PhD, “Lives of the Saints”, p523 ‘Queen of apostles. Pray for us.’ Marian ‘Te Deum’ “We praise you, O Mother of God, we proclaim you Virgin and Mother! “The entire world venerates you as Spouse of the Eternal Father! “And to you all Angels, Archangels, Cherubims and Seraphims sing unceasingly; Holy, Holy, Holy is the Mother of God, Mary ever Virgin! “Heaven and earth are filled with the majesty of your Son! “You are honored as Queen by the whole heavenly court! “You are invoked and praised as Mother of God by the entire world and by the holy Church. “You are the gate of Heaven, the ladder to the Kingdom of Heaven and blessed glory! “You are Spouse and Mother of the eternal King, the temple and sanctuary of the Holy Spirit; the altar of the Blessed Trinity. “You are the Mediatrix between Jesus Christ and men, the Advocate of the poor! “You are, after Jesus, our only hope, Mistress of the world, Queen of Heaven! “We bow to you and salute each day, O Mother of Love! “Sweet and good Mary, in you we place all our hope, defend us for all eternity! Amen.” Ref: Rev Joseph A Viano, SSP, “Two Months with Mary”, 1984, p16 · “If you do not want a refusal, entrust to Mary’s care everything that you want to offer to God.” -- St Bernard (In Rev Joseph A Viano, SSP, “Two Months with Mary”, 1984, p17) • Institution of the order of Knights of Our Lady, in the year 1370, by Louis II, Duke of Bourbon. — Andrew Favin, lib. viii., “Histoire de Navarre”, and “Theatre, d’Honneur, lib. iii”. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com) • Institution of the Knights of Our Lady (1370). (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html) • Institution of the Order of the Knights of Our Lady / “Militia Sanctae Mariae”. 1370. Knights were principally opponents of usury (understood as exploitive or excessive interest, rather than interest per se). New ultra-traditionalist Order of same name founded 1945 in France. ... (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm) • Institution of the Order of the Knights of Our Lady 1370. (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html) • Mary Mother of Saint John. (http://mariedenazareth.com) • Our Lady of the Knights. (http://mariedenazareth.com)

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

26 December 2012 Feast of St Stephen, first martyr Stoned outside Jerusalem, he died praying for his executioners. One of the first seven deacons who helped the apostles. The Church draws an analogy between the disciple and the Master, emphasizing the imitation of Christ up to complete gift of self. (Fr James Socias, ‘et al’ [Eds], “Daily Roman Missal”, 1989, p1718) St Stephen Today also, Christmas goes on exerting its salutary and bracing influence. I wish to venerate St Stephen together with you, as the Church honors him, the first Christian martyr on the day after the solemnity of the Nativity. “Yesterday we celebrated the birth in time of our eternal King. Today we celebrate the glorious passion of one of his soldiers. Yesterday indeed, our King, vested in the noble robe of his flesh, came out from his royal dwelling in the womb of the Virgin and deigned to visit the world. Today, one of his soldiers leaves the tent of his body and ascends in triumph to heaven.” These moving words are those of St Fulgentius of the ancient Church. They keep their meaning intact because they give not only the core of a relationship of liturgical continuity between the feast of the Nativity and that of the protomartyr; but also and above all a relationship of intrinsic linking in the order of sanctity and grace. Christ, King of history and Redeemer of man, puts himself at the center of that itinerary toward perfection to which he calls every human being. We venerate St Stephen and imitate his example as the testifier for Christ which he showed himself to be, with his spirited words, his concern in service to the poor, his constancy during his trial and, above all, with his heroic death. While we do so, we see that his figure is lit up and rendered giantlike in the light of his Lord and Master, whom he willed to follow in the supreme sacrifice. A valuable lesson comes from that for us. As we look at Stephen in the light of the Nativity, we ought to take up his example and teaching. We are called to live as children of God; we, too shall be crowned as was Stephen above, in the homeland, if we are faithful. Ref: Cf “Prayers and Devotions from Pope John Paul II”, 1984, p38 St Stephen’s heroic charity ‘The gates of heaven opened for Stephen, the first of the martyrs; in heaven he wears the crown of victory.’ The holy deacon’s preaching soon raised a persecution against him. The doctors and princes of the nation dragged him before the Sanhedrin. False witnesses accused him as a blasphemer. Stephen knew instantly his dilemma: conceal the truth or risk his life in its defence. He did not waver. Courageously proving before his judges the divinity of Jesus Christ, he reproached them for firmly resisting the Holy Spirit and putting the Messiah to death. Martyrdom, probably, will never be our lot. We shall find comfort, however, from the spirit that the daily struggle to live presence of God in the middle of the world can be the lot of martyrs. Drained of blood, and about to die, the saint in imitation of his Divine Master begged pardon for his murderers. “He cried in a loud voice, ‘Lord, lay not this sin against them’. Having said this, he died.” (Acts 7:60) Thus did the first martyr fulfil the precept that Jesus Christ has given to us all -- “Pray for them that persecute you; do good to them that hate you.” (Lk 6:27) Ref: Cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp815-7 ‘Virgin most faithful. Pray for us.’ Reacting to persecution Nowadays, even in countries with a great Christian tradition, numerous obstacles are placed to discourage parents who wish to educate their children in a truly Christian way. Or, simply by being Christians, are discriminated against in their professional progress. It is not unusual for a Christian even in a so-called ‘free’ society to experience an obviously hostile atmosphere. There may be a hidden persecution whereby Christian values are ridiculed in a sarcastic manner; or pressure of opinion is put to bear to frighten the ‘weaker brethren’ into conformity. “In former times, Christians were incited to renounce Christ; now they are taught to deny Christ. Then they were forced, now they are taught; then violence was used, now it is deception; then one heard the shouts of the enemy; now when he prowls around, gentle and insinuating, it is difficult to recognize him. ...” (St Augustine, “Commentaries on the Psalms”, 39:1) Our Lord also warned us not to be embarassed when we are misjudged, not by unbelievers, but by own brothers in the Faith. Usually, for envy or lack of rectitude of intention, these misguided brethren might even think that they were “offering service to God” (Jn 16:2). Such circumstances mean that Our Lord is calling us in a special way to be united with him through prayer. These times demand great courage and patience; without our ever returning evil for evil. Also, contradictions and obstacles can make our interior life strong and consistent; our soul purer, more humble. Mary, our Mother is especially close to us in all difficulties. Today we entrust ourselves particularly to the first martyr who gave his life for Christ so that we may be strong in any form of tribulation. Ref: Cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 1:239-41, 243 Struggle 156 “Sanctity has the flexibility of supple muscles. Whoever wishes to be a saint should know how to behave so that while he does something that involves a mortification for him, he omits doing something else -- as long as this does not offend God -- which he would also find difficult, and thank the Lord for this comfort. If we Christians were to act otherwise we would run the risk of becoming stiff and lifeless, like a rag doll. “Sanctity is not rigid like cardboard; it knows how to smile, to give way to others and to hope. It is life -- supernatural life.” Ref: Cf St Josemaria Escrivá, “The Forge” • Institution of the confraternity of the Conception of Our Lady, at the Great Augustinian Convent, at Paris, in the year 1443, where there have been ample indulgences granted since, by Pope Innocent III. — Du Brenil, “Antiquites, lib. ii”. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com) • Institution of the Confraternity of the Conception of Our Lady. 1443. Military Order of the Conception of Our Lady founded by Duke of Mantua with the approval of Pope Urban VII, 1623, but never advanced beyond initial stages. ... (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm) • Institution of the Confraternity of the Conception of Our Lady 1443. (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html) • Our Lady of Acheropita, Rossano, Italy (1140). (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html); (http://mariedenazareth.com)

Monday, December 24, 2012

25 December 2012 CHRISTMAS DAY Today as in Bethlehem, many people still do not want to receive Christ Our Lady knew that Jesus was about to be born. She set out on that journey with her thoughts centered on the Child. In her condition, she must have been very tired when they arrived in Bethlehem. They could not find anywhere to stay. “There was no place for them in the inn” (cf Lk 2:7), says St Luke briefly. Perhaps Joseph judged that the crowded inn was not suitable for Our Lady in those circumstances. St Joseph must have knocked on many doors. We can imagine the scene: Joseph explaining repeatedly with growing anxiety “... that they had come from ...”, Mary a few feet away seeing Joseph and hearing the refusals. They did not let Christ in. They shut the doors on him. Mary feels sorry for Joseph and for those people. How cold the world is towards its God! Perhaps, it was Our Lady who suggested to Joseph that they could stay provisionally in one of those caves outside town which served as stables. She probably encouraged Joseph, telling him not to worry, that they would manage. He would feel comforted by Mary’s words and her smile. So they made their lodging there with their meager belongings: the swaddling clothes, some items that she prepared with that joy only mothers can experience when they prepare for their first child. The greatest event of humanity’s history occured in utmost simplicity. “While they were there, the time came for her to be delivered. Mary lovingly wrapped Jesus in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger.” (cf Lk 2:6) The Virgin had a more perfect faith than any other before her or since. All her gestures were an expression of her faith and tenderness. She would have kissed his feet because he was her Lord, his cheek because he was her Son. She would have remained quietly contemplating him for a very long time. Later Mary placed the Child in Joseph’s arms. Joseph well knows that this is the Son of the Most-High, whom he must care for, protect and teach a trade. His whole life centers around this defenceless Child. Jesus, newly born, does not speak; but he is the eternal Word of the Father. It has been said, the manger is a Chair of learning. Today we should “learn the lessons which Jesus teaches us, even when he is just a newly born child, from the very moment he opens his eyes on this blessed land of men.” (St Leo the Great, “Sermon on the Birth of Our Lord”, 1:3) We make a resolution to live the virtues of detachment and humility. We look at Mary and we see her filled with joy. She knows a new era has begun for humanity -- that of the Messiah, her Son. We ask her never to let us lose the joy of being beside Jesus. “Today our Saviour is born. There can be no room for sadness when Life has just been born; that Life which overcomes all fear of death and fills us with the joy of the pledge of eternity ... For the Son, in the fulness of time assumed our human nature in order to reconcile the human race with its Creator.” (St Josemaria Escrivá, “Christ is passing by”, 14) Hence, springs the joy of these feast-days, like a river overflowing its banks. Ref: Cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 1:221-7 The Infant Jesus lying in the manger of Bethlehem ‘Jesus is born for us; come let us adore Him!’ Such is the Church’s invitation this night to all the faithful. What a sight of undefinable love meets our eyes! God, Creator of the world, became a little infant, stripped of all the splendor of His divinity, that He might remove all fear from us and draw all hearts to him. Jesus ‘being rich’ with all the treasures of the world, ‘became poor for our sakes’ -- unto extreme indigence. Thus, by coming into the world He fulfilled the prophecy of Isaias: “a man of sorrows”. Jesus endured extreme poverty without complaining. He embraced it by choice, and from love. Why? To teach us to despise the delightful possessions of life, the greatest obstacles to salvation. “Learn of me” -- of voluntary abasement and loneliness to which I am reduced without any sign of impatience “for I am meek and humble of heart” (Mt 11:29). What a mystery! What a depth of debasement! The Omnipotent, the Infinite Wisdom is a little infant in the eyes and appraisal of men, despised by the world, laid on a little hay in a cave between two animals, as if unworthy to be among the children of men. To what an excess of humiliation a God-man has reduced Himself! To teach us humility; to patiently bear wounding remarks and contempt, whatever the cause. What gratitude we ought to show Him! Ref: Cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp812-4 ‘Mother of our Saviour. Pray for us.’ Mary and the Second Vatican Council “The Council presents Our Lady to us not as an isolated figure, but as a most marvellous, beautiful and holy creature, precisely because of the divine mysteries which surround her, giving meaning to her existence, bathing her in light ... Mary is distinguished by her high office and her great dignity of Mother of God made man, and is, therefore, the dearly beloved daughter of the Father and the temple of the Holy Spirit. Through this gift of grace she far excels in dignity all other creatures, those terrestrial and those celestial.” -- Pope Paul VI, 1967 Rev Valentino Del Mazza, SDB, in his book “Our Lady Among Us” said: “Vatican Council II (1962-’65) gave the most authentic and dynamic presentation of Catholic devotion to Mary. Never before did the Christian people have such a rich and fruitful treatise on Mary as we enjoy today in the entire chapter 8 of “Lumen Gentium”. “This most Holy Synod ... admonished all the sons of the Church that the cult, especially the liturgical cult, of the Blessed Virgin be generously fostered, and the practices and exercises of piety ... be religiously observed.” (“The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, in the Mystery of Christ and the Church”, chapter 8, “Lumen Gentium”) Ref: In Rev Joseph A Viano, SSP, “Two Months with Mary”, 1984, p13 • On this day, at the hour of midnight, the Blessed Virgin brought forth the Saviour of the world, in the stable of Bethlehem, where a fountain sprang up miraculously on the same day. — (Baronius, “Apparat. ad Anna”. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com); (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm) • Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ. (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html); (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html); (http://mariedenazareth.com)

Sunday, December 23, 2012

24 December 2012 Novena for Christmas: Day 9 What we ought to be Our mind is always busy, often of idle thoughts. Let us try to avoid this today and focus on the coming great feast. Think of the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Let us accompany in spirit Mary and Joseph during their three days travel, share in their fatigue and difficulties. Look at Our Lady, and admire her calm serenity in enduring all the incidents, even the affronts she receives at Bethlehem where they refuse her hospitality. Jesus in her womb made up for everything. Let us entertain today the proper feelings, as Christmas draws near: 1) admiration at the thought of a God made man, a little infant, for us; 2) desire His spiritual birth in our hearts; 3) fear lest we fail to give Him worthy hospitality. Our laborious life spares few free moments. This day must be an exception so that we might meditate on the great events we are about to celebrate. Unfortunately, the eves of great feasts are days of great labor. Let us convert this apparent distraction into a spirit of penance through pious affections for Our Lady who had to bear hard trials on this day. Refused accommodation, she was obliged to bring into the world her Divine Son in a stable at midnight. We shall prepare for the Infant Jesus a proper hospitality in our hearts. Ref: Cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, p810 Waiting for Jesus Jesus is the 'Dawn' who gives light to our existence. If we want everything we do to have any meaning, it must be done with reference to him. In a very extraordinary way Our Lady’s life centers around Jesus especially so on the eve of her son’s birth. What was the spirit of recollection like within her soul? She was always recollected. That is how we must learn to be. We, whose thoughts are so dissipated and distracted by trivial things! Only one thing is really important in our lives: Jesus, and what refers to him. Mary is always at prayer. She does everything with reference to her Son: when she talks to Jesus she prays “for prayer is to ‘talk to God’.” She prays each time she looks at Him. ‘That is prayer too, to look with faith at Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, truly present in the tabernacle.’ She prays when she asks him for something or whenever she smiles at him ‘so often!’ Or when she thinks about him. Her life was determined by Jesus, and her thoughts were set permanently on him. Our Lady encourages us, on this eve of her Son’s birth, never to neglect prayer which is conversation with Our Lord. Without prayer we are lost; with it we are strong and are able to carry out our tasks. We have to come closer to Our Lord through mental prayer: those moments which we dedicate to talking to him quietly about our concerns, thanking him, asking for his help. Simply being with Him! Through vocal prayer, too; perhaps, sometimes through prayers we learned as children. Prayer always enriches us -- even in that silent dialogue before the tabernacle in which we do not use any words. It is enough to watch and to feel ourselves watched. “From the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” (Mt 12:34) If our heart is empty, what can our lips say? Nobody in this world has known how to talk to Jesus as his Mother did and, next to her, St Joseph who must have spent long hours gazing on him, talking to him, simply being in his company and adoring Him. “So, if anyone cannot find a teacher to teach him how to pray, let him take this glorious saint as his teacher and he will not stray from the path.” (St Theresa of Avila, “Life”, 4:7) As we finish our prayer, we contemplate Joseph very close to Mary. Ref: Cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 1:213-9 ‘Virgin most prudent. Pray for us.’ Jesus lies in a manger amid utter poverty Everything at Bethlehem that night spoke a language that the whole world could understand. In this mysterious event we bow in adoration before this crib. We look into the eyes of the divine Infant as they look into the distance, as if he sees all the peoples of the earth passing before Him, one after the other. He recognizes and identifies them all; and greets each one with a smile: Jews, Romans, Greeks, Indians, Chinese, the peoples of Africa, [Filipinos, too] and of every region of the universe, of every age in history. It matters not if the regions be far distant, solitary, remote, secret, and unexplored; past, present, or future. We commend to the newborn Jesus all the babies born during the preceding twenty-four hours everywhere. All, whether baptized or not, belong by right to Him, to this Babe in Bethlehem. Ref: Cf Rev Joseph A Viano, SSP, “Two Months with Mary”, 1984, p60 Into Enemy Territory The fighting was fierce just before Christmas during World War I. A German soldier emerged from his trench. He tried to advance, but was hit by gunfire and got severely wounded. Crawling back to safety, he got caught in barbed wire. His screams turned to moans. An American climbed out of his trench and inched his way to the injured man. The two opposing commanders saw what was happening and ordered their troops to cease fire. In the eerie silence the American comforted, as he freed, the wounded German, then carried him to the waiting arms of his comrades. The guns remained silent till he returned to his trench. Inspiring! Even more dramatic is how Jesus crossed into ‘enemy territory’ to rescue us from spiritual death. We deserved to die, but He unselfishly accepted the humiliation, pain, and death of the cross to pay the price for our sin. “When we were still powerless, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” (Rom 5:6) Ref: Cf D C Egner, “Our Daily Bread”, Volume 6, 24 December • Celebration of the virginal marriage of Our Lady and St. Joseph, kept as a festival for a long time at Sens and in several churches of France.—(Saussey, Martyrologium Gallicum) “Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar (www.bethlehemobserver.com) • Vigil of the Nativity. ["Celebration of the virginal marriage of Our Lady and St Joseph, kept as a festival for a long time at Sens and several churches of France. (Saussey, “Martyrologium Gallicum”)"] (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm) • Marriage of Mary and St Joseph. By festival chronology, Mary was betrothed to Joseph in January. By Jewish law, they were husband and wife, though couples typically held a public marriage ceremony later. Mary became pregnant with Jesus on March 25. Shortly thereafter, when she tells Joseph, he is called "Joseph her husband". (Mt 1:19). Paintings of the ceremony, ABC Gallery website's Virgin Mary page: Fra Angelico Annunciation. The Wedding of the Virgin. Giotto The Marriage Procession of the Virgin. Marriage of the Virgin; “El Greco” Marriage of the Virgin; Pietro Perugino Marriage of the Virgin; Nicolas Poussin. The Marriage of the Virgin. ... Fulton Sheen on the marriage. John Paul II on St Joseph. ... (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm) • Nuptials of Our Lady with St. Joseph (Sens, France). (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html); (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (http://mariedenazareth.com) • Our Lady of the Pilgrims. (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html)

Saturday, December 22, 2012

23 December 2012 Novena for Christmas: Day 8 Christian detachment and poverty If we are to follow Jesus we must be detached from everything. Attachment to material things closes our hearts to Christ, to love; and to any chance of knowing the essence of our lives. “... whoever does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.” (cf Lk 14:33) The birth of Jesus and his whole life, invite us to examine our regard for earthly goods. The Only-Begotten of the Father, the Redeemer of the world, was born in a cave, not in a palace; in Bethlehem, an unknown village, not a great city. His cradle, a manger. The Holy Family’s hasty flight to Egypt was an exile to a foreign land. Joseph’s craftsman’s hands, their meager means of livelihood. Jesus suffered hunger (cf Mt 4:2); he did not even have the two coins of paltry value for the temple tax (cf Mt 17:23-6). He said, “the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head” (Mt 8:20). His death was the great sign of supreme detachment. “The best examples of poverty are mothers and fathers of large poor families who spend their lives for their children through their effort and constancy often without complaining; bring up their family, creating a cheerful home; everyone learns to love, serve and work.” (cf “Conversations with Monsignor Escrivá”, 111) The poverty that God asks does not concern squalor or apathy which are devoid of virtue. To learn to live detachment from things in the world, our Model is Jesus Christ, who “for your sake became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich” (cf 2 Cor 8:9). The poor to whom Our Lord promises the kingdom of Heaven (Mt 5:3) are not just those who happen to suffer need, but those who, whether or not they have possessions, are detached from, and not imprisoned by, these material objects. Effective detachment from things demands sacrifice. Separation from what we do not find hard is not detachment. Real detachment will often show in generous almsgiving, in knowing how to do without anything superfluous, in fighting against a disordered tendency to well-being and comfort; in avoiding indulgence of unnecessary whims, in renunciation of luxury or spending of money out of vanity, etc. Such spiritual poverty must be lived always. As St Paul said, “I know how to do without, to abound. I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and want.” (Phil 4:12). Man can direct his love towards God through material means; or money as his goal and its effects: luxury, unrestrained comfort, ambition, greed. These two ends are irreconciliable. “No one can serve two masters.” (Mt 6:24) Love for riches leaves out love of God. God’s word is stifled in the heart of a rich man like “the seeds that fell upon thorns” (Mt 13:7). Thus, it is not surprising to hear Our Lord teach “... it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God” (Mt 19:24). Throughout “history the use of temporal things has been tarnished by serious defects”. Nowadays “not a few deviate into a kind of idolatry of the temporal and become the slaves rather than its masters.” (cf Second Vatican Council, “Apostolicam actuositatem”, 7) Sincerely striving to live detached from material things, with hearts open to our Lord, invites his coming on Christmas. Then the incident in the inn will not be repeated. Ref: Cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 1:205-11 The Most Redeemed of All Blessed be God the Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, who filled You, Virgin of Nazareth, ‘with every spiritual blessing’ in Christ. In Him You were conceived Immaculate! Preselected to be His Mother, you were redeemed in Him and through Him more than any other human being! Preserved from the inheritance of original sin, You were conceived and came into the world on a state of sanctifying grace. ‘Full of Grace!’ We venerate this mystery of the faith. Together with all the Church, we venerate the Redemption which was actuated in You. That most singular participation in the Redemption of the world and of man, was reserved only for you, solely for you. Hail O Mary, ‘Alma Redemptoris Mater’, dear Mother of the Redeemer. You who are ‘the first among the redeemed’, help us, men and women of the twentieth century moving toward its end and, at the same time, are people of the second millennium after Christ. Help us find once more our part in the mystery of the Redemption. Help us to understand more profoundly the divine dimension and, at the same time, the human dimension of that mystery. Help us to draw fully on its infinite resources. Help us, redeemed by the most precious blood of Christ. All this we ask of You, O Clement, O pious, sweet Virgin Mary. Amen. Ref: Cf “Prayers and Devotions from Pope John Paul II”, pp19-20 Walking Toward God Once, at the beginning of his story, man, male and female, heard the voice of temptation: “You will be like God knowing good and evil.” (Gen 3:5) Man yielded to that temptation. He continues to follow it constantly. Against man’s perennial temptation, we must set the Advent of Christ; to be born of God and incessantly be reborn of him. The progress of culture and sciences unrolls vast vistas to us. This arouses rightful joy and leads to development of a civilization of production and consumption, together with development of a civilization of menace and violence. If, amidst such prospects, I have some particular proposal to put to you this Advent, it is: ‘Do not give up living, being born from God constantly, and being reborn from God!’ The Advent of Christ throbs in man’s nostalgia for the truth, the good and the beautiful; for justice, for love and peace. ‘Christ’s Coming throbs in the Church’s sacraments’, which enable us to be born and reborn from God. Long live Christmas, regenerated in Christ in the Sacrament of Reconciliation! Long live Christmas, absorbing the deepest content of the mystery of God. Towards Him, after all, all man’s advent opens! ‘O Root of Jesse, ... come to free us’, now do not linger! Ref: Cf “Prayers and Devotions from Pope John Paul II”, p29 • Our Lady of the Ardilliers, at Saumur, in Anjou. Its name is illustrious throughout France as well, on account of the crowds of people who were attracted there, as from a fountain which cured many maladies. This represents Our Lady of Pity holding in her arms her lifeless Son, whose head is supported by an angel. — Locrius, “Mariae Augustae, lib. iv., c. GO”. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com; www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm) • Our Lady of “D’ Ardilliers Saumur” in Anjou, France. (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html); (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html) • Our Lady of Ardilliers (Anjou, France, 1454). (http://mariedenazareth.com); (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html) • The Espousals of the Virgin Mary. (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html)

Friday, December 21, 2012

22 December 2012 Novena for Christmas: Day 7 The humility of the Blessed Virgin “... My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my saviour; for he has looked with favor on his lowly handmaid. Yes, from now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Almighty has done great things for me. Holy is his name, and his mercy reaches from age to age for those who fear him. He has shown the power of his arm, routed the proud of heart, pulled down princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly. The hungry he filled with good things, and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, mindful of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.” (cf Lk 1:46-55) Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then returned home. (Lk 1:56) In the ‘Magnificat’ is to be found the deepest meaning of true humility. “Mary is not seen amidst the palms of Jerusalem, nor at the hour of the great miracles (except the first one at Cana). But she doesn’t flee from the degradation of Golgotha: there she stands by the Cross of Jesus, His Mother.” (cf St Josemaria Escrivá, “The Way”, 507) The virtue of humility is truth (St Theresa of Avila, “Sixth Mansion”, 106), of what we are and are worth before God and our fellow men. It is also an emptying of ourselves to allow God’s grace to work in us. “The rejection of appearances and of superficiality; expression of the depth of the human spirit; a condition for its greatness.” (John Paul II, “Angelus”, 4 March 1979) Humility should never be confused with timidity, faint-heartedness or mediocrity. It is not opposed to awareness of our talents, nor to their full use with rectitude of intention. Humility broadens one’s outlook and recognises that all the good in us, of nature or of grace, belongs to God alone “for of his fulness we have all received” (1 Cor 1:4). God is all that is great in us; of ourselves we are defective, weak. Before God we are as “debtors who do not know how to discharge our debts” (cf Mt 18:23-5). “Thus we go to Mary as the Mediatrix of all graces, to the Mother of mercy and tenderness to whom no one has ever had recourse in vain: abandon yourself full of confidence in her maternal womb; ask her to obtain for you this virtue which she prized so dearly. Don’t worry about not being heard. Mary will ask it for you from that God who exalts the humble and crushes the proud; and, since Mary is all-powerful with her Son, you will most certainly be heard.” (cf J Pecci [Leo XIII], “Practice of humility”, 56) Humility is at the root of all the virtues. Without humility everything else is “like a huge heap of hay which the first gust of wind scatters far and wide. The devil ignores devotions not founded on humility. He can get rid of them anytime.” (St Jean Vianney, [The Curé d’Ars], “Sermon on humility”) A humble person easily makes friends, regardless of status or age-groups. Humility makes charity consistent: “the dwelling place of charity is humility”. (St Augustine, “On Virginity”, 51) Forgeting about self leads to interest in other people and concern for them. Many sins against charity result from faults of vanity, pride, selfishness; the desire to stand out. Humility and charity “are the mother virtues; the others follow as chickens do the mother hen.” (St Francis de Sales, “Letters”) Humility disposes us to patience with our defects and those of others. We will learn from Jesus and Mary on how to get along with, and to understand, everyone -- defects and all. If we try to see others as Our Lord does, it will be easy to accept them as he does. Let us ask our holy Mother to obtain for us the virtue of humility which we badly need. “No creature ever surrendered herself to the plans of God more humbly ... The humility of the handmaid of the Lord is the reason we invoke her as cause of our joy ... Mary becomes the Mother of the Divine Word, and is filled with joy. May the joy of our good Mother, spread to all of us, so that we may continually greet her, our Holy Mother Mary, and become more like Christ, her son.” (St Josemaria Escrivá, “Friends of God”, 109) Ref: Cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 1:199-204 The Most Charitable Heart of Mary ‘Love’ is probably the most abused word in the English language. It is correct to express our love for God and our souls, people and God’s creation, what is holy, good and beautiful. But it is wrong to say that we love animals, money; that we love to ‘eat, drink and be merry’. We only ‘like’ all these things. ‘Charity’ is the theological virtue by which we love God above all things for His own sake, and our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God. The most noble and meritorious virtue, it is a gift infused in us by God at Baptism together with faith and hope. Our love of God and neighbor indicates the object of charity: God and His infinite perfections and our neighbor, a creature of God like us, whom He created in His image. St Augustine says, “Charity has two arms: with one it embraces God, with the other, our neighbor”. The Blessed Virgin Mary loves and enjoys God. She loves and wants to help us children of God, all that is holy, good and beautiful. Mary’s charity was the greatest whether for God or to her neighbor. Her deep love of God surpassed that of the greatest Saints at the end of their lives. St Bernardine adds, it excelled that of all the Angels. Mary’s love was always constant. She did not love God like other Saints with frequent acts of charity. Mary loved God with one continuing act of charity. Ref: Cf Rev Joseph A Viano, SSP, “Two Months with Mary”, p33 Victory 608 “Mary’s humble song of joy, the ‘Magnificat’, recalls to our minds the infinite generosity of the Lord towards those who become like children, towards those who abase themselves and are sincerely aware that they are nothing.” 615 “I have come to see that every ‘Hail, Mary’, every greeting to Our Lady, is a new beat of a heart in love.” 621 “The ‘Holy Rosary’: the joys, sorrows, and glories of the life of Our Lady weave a crown of praises, repeated ceaselessly by the Angels and the Saints in heaven -- and by those who love our Mother here on earth. “Practise this holy devotion every day, and spread it.” Ref: St Josemaria Escrivá, “The Forge” • Our Lady of Chartres in Beauce. This church, built in the time of the apostles, after being several times demolished, was rebuilt in its present form by St. Fulbert, fifty-fifth bishop of Chartres.— (Sebastien Rouillard, “Parthen, c. 5”). (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com) • Our Lady, Chartres “Mother of Youth”. Beauce, France. 1935. (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html); (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (http://mariedenazareth.com); (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html) • “Notre Dame de Chartres”, Mother of Youth. Beauce, France. 1935. See July 13, August 6 and 17, October 17, December 31. ... (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)

Thursday, December 20, 2012

21 December 2012 Novena for Christmas: Day 6 When did our Savior appear on earth? Four-thousand years after He was promised to our first parents after forty centuries of preparation, waiting, and desires for Him from the just men of the Old Testament. Why did He delay His coming for so long a time? The Fathers answer, “If the satisfaction and restoration had closely followed the offence, man would never have learned the full extent of the moral degradation caused by sin, nor the impossiblity of raising himself out of it; thus, the greatness of the benefit of the redemption”. It is God’s will that we should have a deep conviction of our misery and helplessness before He visits us and bestows His gifts, that we may appreciate them better, be more grateful, and derive greater profits from them. Thus also does God deign to condescend to our weakness. He helps us to believe, by multiplying when necessary, motives for our faith just as He helps us to practise virtue and to obey Him in difficult matters by multiplying the succors of His grace. The Savior of the world appeared on earth on the fortieth year of the reign of the Emperor Augustus, when nearly all the people of the known world submitted to the Roman empire and ruled by the same laws. The whole world was at peace. This immense extent of the Roman empire, the fourth of the monarchies foretold by Daniel, was visibly arranged by Providence to facilitate propagation of the Gospel, which was to form out of all nations one family in Jesus Christ. If we follow with the eyes of faith the events which the course of ages displays on the world’s stage, we shall see in our own days the working of Divine Providence, which so wonderfully causes everything to carry out His eternal designs and salvation of His elect. Let us take care not to reason about public events as the result of chance, of prudence or imprudence on the part of statesmen. But we, better enlightened, should reason as men of faith. Let us see and bless the hand of God in everything which happens, and behold Him directing the course of events towards ends often far from our thoughts. In this way we shall please God, edify others, and do good to ourselves. We shall grow in faith, hope and love of God. Ref: Cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp804-5 Mary’s generosity and a spirit of service In Mary we confirm the truth that generosity is a virtue of great souls, who find their reward in the act of giving. A generous person knows how to be loving and understanding; and how to give material help without demanding love or help in return. He gives and forgets. He has understood that “it is better to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). To love is “essentially to give oneself to others. Far from being an instinctive inclination, love is a conscious decision to draw close to other people. To be able to love truly, it is important to be detached from everything especially, the self, to give gratuitously. This detachment from self is source of a balanced personality; the secret of happiness.” (John Paul II, “Address”, 1 June 1980) Throughout her life on earth Our Lady showed limitless generosity. Among the few episodes of the Gospel about her, two speak directly of her concern for the needs of others. She generously gave of her time to serve her cousin St Elizabeth until the birth of her son, John. (Lk 1:31) She was solicitous for the young couple and their guests at the wedding in Cana at Galilee. Such attitudes were natural to Mary. Her neighbors in Nazareth would have much to tell about her innumerable little services to them in their daily lives. Of Our Lady, too, she “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38). It ought to be possible to say the same about each one of us. Today let us ask the Blessed Virgin to teach us to be generous, first of all with God and then with people we live or work with, and those we meet in all circumstances of our lives. She will show us how to give ourselves in serving our fellowmen in the ordinary course of each day. Ref: Cf Francis Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 1:191-6 ‘Singular vessel of devotion. Pray for us.’ Devotion to the Most Blessed Mary We love Mary, therefore, we are devoted to her. What are the other reasons for this devotion? 1) God has a special love for Mary, because she is the most beautiful creature, both in the natural and supernatural order. “God loves the Virgin alone more than all the other Saints together”, wrote Father Suarez. [cf Pius IX, “Ineffabilis Deus”. In “Documentation Service”, 1989, p392] 2) We are devoted to Mary because of her ‘dignity’ as the Mother of God, and because of her ‘sanctity’. 3) We are devoted to Mary because ‘the Church honored her’ through all the centuries; because all the Saints honored and prayed to her. 4) We love Mary because ‘she loves us’ and she showered us with so many graces and benefits, materially and supernaturally speaking. 5) Being devoted to Mary means ‘being predestined’ to heaven. Whoever avoids Mary encounters death; whoever finds Mary finds life. Ref: Cf Rev Joseph A Viano, SSP, “Two Months with Mary”, 1984, p36 · “Whoever is enamoured of Mary attaches his soul to a steadfast anchor that will draw him to the port of happiness.” -- St John Damascene (Rev Joseph A Viano, SSP, “Two Months with Mary”, 1984, p36) Victory 647 “Offer your prayer, your atonement, and your action for this end: -- that all of us Christians may share one will, one heart, one spirit. This is, so that we may all go to Jesus, closely united to the Pope, through Mary.” 661 “If you look for Mary you will necessarily find Jesus; and you will learn, in greater and greater depth, what there is in the heart of God.” 670 “Jesus says: ‘He who hears you hears me’. Do you still think it is your words that convince people? Don’t forget either that the Holy Spirit can carry out his plans with the most useless instrument.” Ref: St Josemaria Escrivá, “The Forge” • Foundation of St. Acheul, near Amiens, under the title of Our Lady, by St. Firmin, first bishop of that city. — Archives of St. Acheul. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com) • Our Lady of St. Acheul, Amiens, France, founded by St. Firmin, Bishop (4th Century). (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html); (http://mariedenazareth.com); (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html) • “Notre Dame de Saint-Acheul”. Amiens, France. Cathedral. ["Foundation of St Acheul, near Amiens, under the title of Our Lady by St. Firmin, first bishop of that city. (Archives of St Acheul.)"] (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

20 December 2012 Novena for Christmas: Day 5 “Ave, Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum ...” “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you.” God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a city of Galilee, to a virgin betrothed to a man Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. He said to her, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!” (Lk 1:28) Greatly troubled, the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God” (Lk 1:30). “Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, ... shall call his name Jesus. He will be great, ‘will be called the Son of the Most high; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom, there will be no end’.” (Lk 1:31-3) Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no husband?” (Lk 1:34) The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow you; therefore, the Holy One to be born shall be called the Son of God. Behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible.” Mary answered, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to your word” (Lk 1:35-8). And the angel left. Election of the Blessed Virgin One man alone has the power of choosing his mother: the Man God, Jesus, our Saviour. Eternal according to His divine nature, he chose from all eternity, Mary who was to be the Mother of His human nature. His choice is the daughter of Joachim and Anne, of the royal blood of David, and of the priestly line of Aaron. This divine preference made Mary the most excellent and happiest of all creatures. Let us rejoice in the Incarnate Word’s election of the Blessed Virgin. Even more since, by this Word’s gift, Mary has become our own Mother. However, always remember, as children of that holy and perfect Mother, we must strive for sanctity and perfection. “God does not leave His works incomplete. He always proportions His graces and privileges to the dignity to which he pleases to call His creature, so it may worthily fulfill its obligation”. (St Thomas) Calling the Virgin Mary to the greatest dignity a human creature can be raised, He gave her extraordinary and exceptional graces -- 1) preserved from original sin; 2) confirmed in grace, her soul was never tarnished by the least actual sin; 3) the joys of maternity with the glory of virginity; 4) endowed with plenitude of gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit from the instant of her existence; and 5) the use of reason from her conception, thus always loving her God and increasing her merits. From birth, Our Lady’s life was a continual preparation for the Incarnation. She had great control over all her senses and the acts of her heart, although exempt from disorderly passions. She retired from the world; kept solitude, silence, and recollection by continual prayer and meditation; and ardently desired to see the Saviour of the world. God of love and mercy, help us to follow the example of Mary, ever ready to do your will. Ref: Cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, p801 ‘Mother of the Word Incarnate. Pray for us.’ Pope Paul VI, A Great Mariologist “Devotion to the Mother of the Lord becomes for the faithful an opportunity for growing in divine grace ... For it is impossible to honor her who is ‘full of grace’ without thereby honoring in oneself the state of grace, friendship with God, communion with Him and indwelling of the Holy Spirit ... Mary shows forth the victory of hope over anguish, fellowship over solitude, peace over anxiety, joy and beauty over boredom and disgust, eternal vision over earthly ones, life over death. “Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary is an indication of the Church’s genuine piety. This devotion fits into the only worship that is rightly called ‘Christian’ because it takes its origin and effectiveness from Christ, finds its complete expression in Christ, and leads through Christ in the Spirit to the Father. “The Blessed Virgin’s exemplary holiness encourages the faithful to ‘raise their eyes to Mary as a model of the virtues’. ... faith and docile acceptance of the Word of God; generous obedience; genuine humility; solicitous charity; profound wisdom; worship of God.” Ref: Pope Paul VI, Apostolic Exhortation, “Marialis Cultus”, 2 February 1974. In Rev Joseph A Viano, SSP, “Two Months with Mary”, 20 ADVENT: A Call to Be at Peace with God What does Advent mean? Advent is discovery of a great aspiration of men and women and peoples toward the house of the Lord. The Lord is ‘the God of peace’, He is the God of the Alliance with mankind. When, during the night at Bethlehem, poor shepherds will set off to walk to the stable where shall be accomplished the first coming of the Son of Man, the song of the angels will lead them, “Peace on earth to those on whom His favor rests” (Lk 2:14). This vision of the divine peace belongs to all the Messianic expectation in the old Alliance. “One nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again.” (Is 2:4-5). Advent brings the ‘invitation to the peace of God’ for all mankind. It is necessary for us to construct this peace and continually reconstruct it in ourselves and with others; in families, in relations with neighbors, in workplaces, in the life of the whole of society. To serve such peace with manifold dimensions, there is need to listen to these words of the prophet as well: “Come, let us climb the Lord’s mountain ... that He may instruct us in His ways, for from Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” (Is 2:3) Ref: Cf “Prayers and Devotions from Pope John Paul II”, 1984, 18-9 • The Abbey of Our Lady of Moleme, of the order of St. Benedict, in the diocese of Langres, [France], was founded on this day, in the year 1075, by St. Robert, who was its abbot. — “Gallia Christiana, t. iv.” (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com); (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm) • Our Lady of Molêm, France (1075). (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html); (http://mariedenazareth.com); (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html)

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

19 December 2012 Novena for Christmas: Day 4 Becoming like children before God “They were bringing children to him that he might touch them; and the disciples rebuked them.” (Mk 10:13) Jesus must have created around himself an atmosphere of goodness and attractive simplicity. The mothers feel glad to see Jesus blessing their children. He is happy to be with these little ones. “Let the children come to me and do not hinder them; for of such belongs the kingdom of God. I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it. ... he took them in his arms, blessed them, laying his hands upon them.” (cf Mk 10:14-6) We must approach Bethlehem with the disposition of children: simply, ie, without prejudice and with our souls wide-open to grace. Our Lord says as he places a little one in their midst: “unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 18:3). Jesus is not recommending childishness, but innocence and simplicity. He sees in children traits and attitudes that are essential in anyone desirous to enter the kingdom of faith. A child has not even the slightest feeling of self-sufficiency. A child constantly needs its parents, and knows it. Like a child, a person fundamentally in need, is what a Christian should be before his Father God, a being in total need. A child lives fully in the present only. The adult is predisposed to look restlessly to the future, ignoring the present which ought to be lived fully. A few days before the Passion “the chief priests and scribes ... heard the children crying out ‘Hosanna to the Son of David’; they became angry and said to him, ‘Do you hear what these are saying?’ Jesus said, ‘Yes; have you never read, “Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings you have prepared praise for yourself”?” (Mt 21:15-6) Let us learn to be children in the eyes of God. “We learn all this through ... Mary our mother; devotion to her teaches us to be authentic sons: to love truly without limit; to be simple without the complications which come from selfishly thinking about ourselves; to be happy, knowing nothing can destroy our hope. The beginning of the way, at the end of which you will find yourself completely carried away by love for Jesus, is a trusting love for Mary.” (St Josemaria Escrivá, “Christ is passing by”, 143) Ref: Cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 1:177-83 Divine filiation: direction in our lives “You are my son, today I have begotten you.” These words from the second Psalm (v. 7) refer above all to Christ, but are applicable to us. They can orient our entire day and life, however many our weaknesses, if we are committed to follow Jesus in circumstances proper to each of us. To be and behave as childen of God, St Josemaria Escrivá emphasized, is not just one facet of our life. It defines who we are and determines how we are to relate to each event. Far from being just a particular virtue, just an aspect of Christian living, divine filiation is the fundamental status of a graced Christian. It pervades every virtue. Above and overall, we are children of God, in each circumstance, in every situation. This ironclad conviction ought to fill our living and doing. “We are children of God all day long”, wrote St Josemaria, “even though we do set aside special moments for considering it, so that we can fill ourselves with the awareness of our divine filiation, which is the essence of true piety.” (“Conversations with Monsignor Escrivá de Balaguer”, no. 102) If we often consider the truth that “I’m God’s child”, we will resolutely find support in our Father God, on whom everything depends, especially when visited by troubles and adversities. We will more readily return to our Father’s house, like the prodigal son. Prayer will become the trusting conversation of a child with his father, who understands and heeds his needy children. We will talk to God about what occupies our life: “everything that is on our mind and in our heart: our joys, sorrows, hopes, annoyances, successes, failures, even the most trivial happenings in our day. We will discover that our heavenly Father is interested in everything about us.” (St Josemaria Escrivá, “Friends of God”, 245) When we live as God’s children, we see even the smallest activities of a routine day in the light of faith. It becomes customary for us to think and act in keeping with Christ’s will. In the first place, we try to see all those we deal with as brothers and sisters, for we are all children of the same Father. Appreciating and respecting them will germinate the same desire filling Christ’s heart: their holiness. Fraternal love will spur us above all to draw them ever more to God by their becoming more fully his children. Ours will reflect Christ’s apostolic zeal for all. A child is also heir, “entitled” to his father’s goods: “heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ” (Rom 8:17). The second Psalm, a hymn to Christ’s realm and divine filiation, continues: “Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possessions.” A foretaste of the promised heritage is ours already in this life: ‘gaudium cum pace’, the joy of knowing that we are God’s children is born of the union with God -- not owing to our merits or health or success or easy sailing. It is grounded in knowing that God loves, embraces, and pardons us always ... and has readied for us a place in heaven next to him for all eternity. This joy vanishes when we push aside the instinct of divine filiation and close our eyes to God’s will, ever wise and loving, behind the trials and strains that each day brings. Far be it for God to will our loss of joy. Like earthly parents (although much more so), he wants to see us happy always. Despite hardships, with this serene, cheerful attitude toward life (St Josemaria Escrivá liked to call it “gaudium cum pace” [joy with peace] (“Roman Missal”, preparation for Mass: ‘formula intentionis’.), a Christian spreads much goodness on all sides. True joy is a powerful magnet. Ref: Francis Fernandez-Carvajal and Peter Beteta, “Children of God”, 1997, p21-3 • In the year 657, St. Ildefonsus, Archbishop of Toledo, was saying matins; Our Lady, it is said, appeared to him, accompanied by a great number of the blessed, and holding in her hand the book which he had composed in her honor, she thanked him for it, and out of gratitude gave him a white chasuble. This celestial present is still preserved at Oviedo, Alphonsus the Chaste, King of Castile, having solemnly transferred it to the Church of St. Savior, which he had built. — “Baronius, ad ann”. 657, n. 42. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com) • “Nuestra Señora de Toledo”. Spain. 657. “La Orden del Sto Sepulcro y el arte mudéjar”: “Nuestra Señora de Toledo”. “Toledo Catedral de Sta María” declared part of common heritage of mankind. ... (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm) • Our Lady of Toledo, Spain (657). (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html); (http://mariedenazareth.com) • Our Lady of Etalem (Bavaria, Germany). (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html) • “Unsere Dame von Etalem”. Bavaria, Germany. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm) • Our Lady of Marseilles. (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html)