3 March 2013 3rd Sunday of Lent Agony of Jesus in the Garden of Olives “Being in an agony, his sweat became as drops of blood trickling down upon the ground.” (Lk 22:44) Jesus, choosing to submit to all humiliations and sorrows, suffered them before his physical exhaustion. An interior struggle between feeling and the will aggravated the agony. A great proof of love and a lesson for us! The bloody sweat makes us realize the torment in the soul of Jesus during his agony of nearly two hours. It shows his great suffering. He could have avoided this humiliating agony, but desired it for our sake. The humble petitions of Jesus brought an angel who strengthened his body, fortified his soul, praised his resignation; and showed him all that his passion should do for his Father’s glory and for the happiness of men. What Jesus as man had asked for, was denied him; but his prayer obtained a wonderful consolation. In trouble and anguished, recourse to God is always fruitful. If a heavy cross burdens us, the angel of divine consolation will shed the unction of grace in our heart. Our soul strengthened and invigorated, the cross becomes light. We will bear it with sweet resignation and sensible joy with a fresh increase of merit. Ref: Cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp89-91 Unity of Christians, a Task For All Many voices -- those of Catholics, of Orthodox, of Protestants unanimously rise to our Father who is in heaven, in concordant and fervent prayer ... This unity is all the more urgent ‘in our time’ so that the Church may more effectively perform her mission, and testify full fidelity to the Lord and proclaim the Gospel. All Christians ought to strive and collaborate for recovery of unity, all Christians who wish to be consistent in their vocation and mission. Let us pray to the ‘Theotokos’, the Mother of God, who brought Christ, true God and true Man, the Prince of Peace, Him who, together with His Spirit, realizes the Kingdom of God in us. Ref: Cf Pope John Paul II, “Prayers and Devotions”, 1994, p63 THE SEVEN SUNDAYS DEVOTION TO ST. JOSEPH Honors the seven joys and seven sorrows of St Joseph. Ref: “Handbook of Prayers”, Fr Charles Belmonte and Fr James Socias (Eds), 1988, pp321-3 “What must Joseph have been, how grace must have worked through him, that he should be able to fulfill this task of the human upbringing of the Son of God. “For Jesus must have resembled Joseph: in his way of working, in the features of his character, in his way of speaking. Jesus’ realism, his eye for detail, the way he sat at table and broke bread, his preference for using everyday situations to give doctrine -- all this reflects his childhood and the influence of Joseph. “It’s not possible to ignore this sublime mystery: Jesus who is man, who speaks with the accent of a particular district of Israel, who resembles a carpenter called Joseph, is the Son of God.” Ref: St Josemaria Escrivà, “In Joseph’s Workshop” in “Christ is passing by”, 40 5. The fifth sorrow and joy of St Joseph His sorrow when he had to flee to Egypt with the Child Jesus and Mary; his joy in being always with Jesus and Mary. “So Joseph got up and, taking the child and his mother with him, left that night for Egypt, where he stayed until Herod was dead.” (Mt 2:14-5) “Joseph entrusted himself unreservedly to the care of God, but he always reflected on events and so was able to reach the level of understanding of the works of God which is true wisdom. In this way he learned little by little that supernatural plans have a logic which at times upsets human plans.” Ref: St Josemaria Escrivá, “In Joseph’s Workshop”, 42 Lourdes: The fourteenth apparition ‘Wednesday.’ Bernadette, with her mother and faithful aunt Bernarde, left for the grotto at seven in the morning. She had to cross a mass of about three-thousand people to reach her usual place. Despite her prolonged prayers, Bernadette was not awarded with an apparition. Crying, she anxiously thought of reasons for “Aquero’s” not appearing. Finally, she returned home and went to school. That afternoon, her uncle advised her to go back to the grotto. On arrival, she found the Lady awaiting her. As soon as she fell into ecstasy, as we read in her memoirs: “... when I was inside the grotto, after reciting the rosary, I asked on behalf of our parish priest, to tell me her name.” The answer she got was a tender smile. When Peyramale was informed, he was skeptical. While he couldn’t deny that the visions had reawakened religious fervor in Lourdes, the affair was dangerous. Bernadette should stop meeting with a stranger. If she really wanted a chapel built, she would just have to identify herself and give some sort of sign, for example, make the rose arbor in the grotto bloom. That would certainly be tangible proof of her powers. Ref: Cf G Menotti, “Lourdes”, p12 • Our Lady of Longport, in Valois. This abbey, of the Cistercian order, was founded in the year 1131, by Josselin, Bishop of Soissons.—(Gallia Christiana, t. iv.) “Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar (http://www.bethlehemobserver.com) • Our Lady of Longpont/Longport. Valois, France. 1131. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm) • Our Lady of Angels. Toulouse, France. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm) • Our Lady of Angels of Toulouse, France. (http://www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html) • Our Lady of Longport, Valois, France (1131). (http://www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html) • Our Lady of Longpont (Valois, France). (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html)