Posted on 08/03/2015 10:18:21 PM PDT by Salvation
Some Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said,
Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders?
They do not wash their hands when they eat a meal.
He summoned the crowd and said to them, Hear and understand.
It is not what enters ones mouth that defiles the man;
but what comes out of the mouth is what defiles one.
Then his disciples approached and said to him,
Do you know that the Pharisees took offense
when they heard what you said?
He said in reply, Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted
will be uprooted.
Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind.
If a blind man leads a blind man,
both will fall into a pit.
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Memorial: St John Vianney, Priest
From: Numbers 12:1-13
The Complaint of Miriam and Aaron Against Moses
[9] And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them, and he departed; [10]
and when the cloud removed from over the tent, behold, Miriam was leprous, as
white as snow. And Aaron turned towards Miriam, and behold, she was leprous.
[11] And Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord, do not punish us because we have
done foolishly and have sinned. [12] Let her not be as one dead, of whom the
flesh is half consumed when he comes out of his mother’s womb.”
Moses Intercedes
*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:
12.1-16. Aaron and Miriam’s complaints about Moses begin with the subject of
his marriage to a foreigner. (The Hebrew text says “Cushite”, which means “from
Ethiopia”, but if we look at Habakkuk 3:7, which links Cushan to the Midianites,
perhaps we can read this passage as referring to Zipporoah: cf. Ex 2:16-21.) But
their complaints are really aimed at something much deeper—Moses’ unique au-
thority as intermediary between God and his people. He is not the only prophet,
they say; however, unlike Moses, they have not the humility to see that prophecy
is a charism, a gift to be exercised on behalf of the people; rather, they see it as
a privilege from which they can gain advantage. This negative feature of Aaron,
along with what Exodus 32 has to tell about him, seems to suggest that his
place in folk memory is less positive than might appear at first sight.
The passage really shows what a unique personality Moses was in history of Is-
rael. He was the one who most put his trust in the Lord (perhaps that is the mea-
ning of the Hebrew “anaw”, here translated as “meek”: v.3). Such was his trust
that he became the most long-suffering of men; and brought God to his defense.
The severity of Miriam’s punishment and swiftness of her cure at Moses’ interces-
sion, serve to show how great Moses is. What really makes him great is the fact
that God speaks directly to him and not through visions or dreams as in the case
of the prophets. So, Moses is greater than the prophets. According to the Hebrew
text, Moses saw the “form” of the Lord (v. 8); the Greek translation (presumably
because of the spiritual nature of God and his transcendence) says that Moses
saw “the glory of the Lord”. Similarly St John will say that no one has ever seen
God” (Jn 1:18), in order then to go on and stress that only Jesus Christ, the Son
of God and himself true God, could reveal to us all the truth about God.
However; God’s spirituality and transcendence does not mean we cannot enter
into direct conversation with him through prayer. “Moses’ prayer is characteristic
of contemplative prayer by which God’s servant remains faithful to his mission.
Moses converses with God often and at length, climbing the mountain to hear
and entreat him and coming down to the people to repeat the words of his God
for their guidance. Moses ‘is entrusted with all my house. With him I speak face
to face, clearly, not in riddles’ for ‘Moses was very humble, more so than every-
one else on the face of the earth’ (Num 12:3, 7-8)’ “ (”Catechism of the Catholic
Church”, 2576).
*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States. We encourage readers to purchase
The Navarre Bible for personal study. See Scepter Publishers for details.
Please pray for this ministry and support it through this PayPal link. For other
options (check, money order, etc.) please contact the Listowner directly.
“Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.” — St Jerome
*********************************************************************************************
Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam (To the Greater Glory of God)
For: Tuesday, August 4, 2015
18th Week in Ordinary Time
Memorial: St John Vianney, Priest
From: Numbers 12:1-13
The Complaint of Miriam and Aaron Against Moses
[9] And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them, and he departed; [10]
and when the cloud removed from over the tent, behold, Miriam was leprous, as
white as snow. And Aaron turned towards Miriam, and behold, she was leprous.
[11] And Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord, do not punish us because we have
done foolishly and have sinned. [12] Let her not be as one dead, of whom the
flesh is half consumed when he comes out of his mother’s womb.”
Moses Intercedes
*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:
12.1-16. Aaron and Miriam’s complaints about Moses begin with the subject of
his marriage to a foreigner. (The Hebrew text says “Cushite”, which means “from
Ethiopia”, but if we look at Habakkuk 3:7, which links Cushan to the Midianites,
perhaps we can read this passage as referring to Zipporoah: cf. Ex 2:16-21.) But
their complaints are really aimed at something much deeper—Moses’ unique au-
thority as intermediary between God and his people. He is not the only prophet,
they say; however, unlike Moses, they have not the humility to see that prophecy
is a charism, a gift to be exercised on behalf of the people; rather, they see it as
a privilege from which they can gain advantage. This negative feature of Aaron,
along with what Exodus 32 has to tell about him, seems to suggest that his
place in folk memory is less positive than might appear at first sight.
The passage really shows what a unique personality Moses was in history of Is-
rael. He was the one who most put his trust in the Lord (perhaps that is the mea-
ning of the Hebrew “anaw”, here translated as “meek”: v.3). Such was his trust
that he became the most long-suffering of men; and brought God to his defense.
The severity of Miriam’s punishment and swiftness of her cure at Moses’ interces-
sion, serve to show how great Moses is. What really makes him great is the fact
that God speaks directly to him and not through visions or dreams as in the case
of the prophets. So, Moses is greater than the prophets. According to the Hebrew
text, Moses saw the “form” of the Lord (v. 8); the Greek translation (presumably
because of the spiritual nature of God and his transcendence) says that Moses
saw “the glory of the Lord”. Similarly St John will say that no one has ever seen
God” (Jn 1:18), in order then to go on and stress that only Jesus Christ, the Son
of God and himself true God, could reveal to us all the truth about God.
However; God’s spirituality and transcendence does not mean we cannot enter
into direct conversation with him through prayer. “Moses’ prayer is characteristic
of contemplative prayer by which God’s servant remains faithful to his mission.
Moses converses with God often and at length, climbing the mountain to hear
and entreat him and coming down to the people to repeat the words of his God
for their guidance. Moses ‘is entrusted with all my house. With him I speak face
to face, clearly, not in riddles’ for ‘Moses was very humble, more so than every-
one else on the face of the earth’ (Num 12:3, 7-8)’ “ (”Catechism of the Catholic
Church”, 2576).
*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.
From: Matthew 14:22-36
Jesus Walks on the Water
[28] And Peter answered Him, “Lord, if it is you, bid me come to You on the wa-
ter.” [29] He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water
and came to Jesus; [30] but when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning
to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” [31] Jesus immediately reached out his
hand and caught him, saying to him, “O man of little faith, why did you doubt?”
[32] And when they got into boat, the wind ceased. [33] And those in the boat
worshipped Him, saying, “Truly You are the son of God.”
[34] And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. [35] And
when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent round to all the region and
brought to Him all that were sick, [36] and besought Him that they might only
touch the fringe of His garment; and as many as touched it were made well.
*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:
22-23. It has been a very full day, like so many others. First, Jesus works many
cures (14:14) and then performs the remarkable miracle of the multiplication of
the loaves and the fish, a symbol of the future Eucharist. The crowd who have
been following Him were avid for food, teaching and consolation. Jesus “had
compassion on them” (14:14), curing their sick and giving them the comfort of
His teaching and the nourishment of food. He continues to do the same, down
the centuries, tending to our needs and comforting us with His word and with the
nourishment of His own body. Jesus must have been very moved, realizing the
vivifying effect the Blessed Sacrament would have on the lives of Christians—a
sacrament which is a mystery of life and faith and love. It is understandable that
He should feel the need to spend some hours in private to speak to His Father.
Jesus’ private prayer, in an interlude between one demanding activity and another,
teaches us that every Christian needs to take time out for recollection, to speak
to His Father, God. On Jesus’ frequent personal prayer see, for example, Mark
1:35; 6:47; Luke 5:16; 16:12. See the notes on Matthew 6:5-6 and Matthew
7:7-11.
24-33: This remarkable episode of Jesus walking on the sea must have made a
deep impression on the Apostles. It was one of their outstanding memories of the
life they shared with the Master. It is reported not only by St. Matthew, but also
by St. Mark (6:45-52), who would have heard about it from St. Peter, and by St.
John (6:14-21).
Storms are very frequent on Lake Gennesaret; they cause huge waves and are
very dangerous to fishing boats. During His prayer on the hill, Jesus is still mind-
ful of His disciples; He sees them trying to cope with the wind and the waves
and comes to their rescue once He has finished praying.
This episode has applications to Christian life. The Church, like the Apostles’
boat, also gets into difficulties, and Jesus who watches over His Church comes
to its rescue also, after allowing it to wrestle with obstacles and be strengthened
in the process. He gives us encouragement: “Take heart, it is I; have no fear”
(14:27); and we show our faith and fidelity by striving to keep an even keel, and
by calling on His aid when we feel ourselves weakening: “Lord, save me” (14:30),
words of St. Peter which every soul uses when he has recourse to Jesus, his
Savior. Then our Lord does save us, and we urgently confess our faith: “Truly
you are the Son of God” (14:33).
29-31. St. John Chrysostom (”Hom. on St. Matthew”, 50) comments that in this
episode Jesus taught Peter to realize, from his own experience, that all his
strength comes from our Lord and that he could not rely on his own resources,
on his own weaknesses and wretchedness. Chrysostom goes as far as to say
that “if we fail to play our part, God ceases to help us.” Hence the reproach, ‘O
man of little faith” (14:31). When Peter began to be afraid and to doubt, he star-
ted to sink, until again, full of faith, he called out, “Lord, save me.”
If at any time we, like Peter, should begin to weaken, we too should try to bring
our faith into play and call on Jesus to save us.
34-36. Learning from the faith of these people on the shore of Lake Gennesaret,
every Christian should approach the adorable humanity of the Savior. Christ —
God and Man — is accessible to us in the sacrament of the Eucharist.
“When you approach the Tabernacle remember that He has been awaiting you
for twenty centuries” (St. J. Escriva, “The Way”, 537).
*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.
First reading | Numbers 12:1-13 © |
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Psalm |
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Psalm 50:3-7,12-13 © |
Gospel Acclamation | Jn8:12 |
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Or | Jn1:49 |
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Gospel |
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Matthew 14:22-36 © |
We thank you, God our Father, for those who have responded to your call to priestly ministry.
Accept this prayer we offer on their behalf: Fill your priests with the sure knowledge of your love.
Open their hearts to the power and consolation of the Holy Spirit.
Lead them to new depths of union with your Son.
Increase in them profound faith in the Sacraments they celebrate as they nourish, strengthen and heal us.
Lord Jesus Christ, grant that these, your priests, may inspire us to strive for holiness by the power of their example, as men of prayer who ponder your word and follow your will.
O Mary, Mother of Christ and our mother, guard with your maternal care these chosen ones, so dear to the Heart of your Son.
Intercede for our priests, that offering the Sacrifice of your Son, they may be conformed more each day to the image of your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Saint John Vianney, universal patron of priests, pray for us and our priests
This icon shows Jesus Christ, our eternal high priest.
The gold pelican over His heart represents self-sacrifice.
The border contains an altar and grapevines, representing the Mass, and icons of Melchizedek and St. Jean-Baptiste Vianney.
Melchizedek: king of righteousness (left icon) was priest and king of Jerusalem. He blessed Abraham and has been considered an ideal priest-king.
St. Jean-Baptiste Vianney is the patron saint of parish priests.
1. Sign of the Cross: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
2. The Apostles Creed: I BELIEVE in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from there He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
3. The Lord's Prayer: OUR Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
4. (3) Hail Mary: HAIL Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and in the hour of our death. Amen. (Three times)
5. Glory Be: GLORY be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
6. Fatima Prayer: Oh, my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of your mercy.
Announce each mystery, then say 1 Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, 1 Glory Be and 1 Fatima prayer. Repeat the process with each mystery.
End with the Hail Holy Queen:
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve! To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears! Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us; and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus!
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Final step -- The Sign of the Cross
The Mysteries of the Rosary By tradition, Catholics meditate on these Mysteries during prayers of the Rosary. The biblical references follow each of the Mysteries below.
The Sorrowful Mysteries
(Tuesdays and Fridays)
1. The Agony in the Garden (Matthew 26:36-46, Luke 22:39-46) [Spiritual fruit - God's will be done]
2. The Scourging at the Pillar (Matthew 27:26, Mark 15:15, John 19:1) [Spiritual fruit - Mortification of the senses]
3. The Crowning with Thorns (Matthew 27:27-30, Mark 15:16-20, John 19:2) [Spiritual fruit - Reign of Christ in our heart]
4. The Carrying of the Cross (Matthew 27:31-32, Mark 15:21, Luke 23:26-32, John 19:17) [Spiritual fruit - Patient bearing of trials]
5. The Crucifixion (Matthew 27:33-56, Mark 15:22-39, Luke 23:33-49, John 19:17-37) [Spiritual fruit - Pardoning of Injuries]
St. Michael the Archangel
~ PRAYER ~
St. Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle
Be our protection against the wickedness
and snares of the devil;
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host,
by the power of God,
Cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits
who prowl through the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen
+
PLEASE JOIN US - Evening Prayer
Someone has said that if people really understood the full extent of the power we have available through prayer, we might be speechless.
Did you know that during WWII there was an advisor to Churchill who organized a group of people who dropped what they were doing every day at a prescribed hour for one minute to collectively pray for the safety of England, its people and peace?
There is now a group of people organizing the same thing here in America. If you would like to participate: Every evening at 9:00 PM Eastern Time (8:00 PM Central) (7:00 PM Mountain) (6:00 PM Pacific), stop whatever you are doing and spend one minute praying for the safety of the United States, our troops, our citizens, and for a return to a Godly nation. If you know anyone else who would like to participate, please pass this along. Our prayers are the most powerful asset we have. Please forward this to your praying friends.
August Devotion -- The Immaculate Heart [of Mary]
Since the 16th century Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. The month of August is traditionally dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The physical heart of Mary is venerated (and not adored as the Sacred Heart of Jesus is) because it is united to her person: and as the seat of her love (especially for her divine Son), virtue, and inner life. Such devotion is an incentive to a similar love and virtue.
This devotion has received new emphasis in this century from the visions given to Lucy Dos Santos, oldest of the visionaries of Fatima, in her convent in Tuy, in Spain, in 1925 and 1926. In the visions Our Lady asked for the practice of the Five First Saturdays to help make amends for the offenses given to her heart by the blasphemies and ingratitude of men. The practice parallels the devotion of the Nine First Fridays in honor of the Sacred Heart.
On October 31, 1942, Pope Pius XII made a solemn Act of Consecration of the Church and the whole world to the Immaculate Heart. Let us remember this devotion year-round, but particularly through the month of August.
INVOCATIONS
O heart most pure of the Blessed Virgin Mary, obtain for me from Jesus a pure and humble heart.
Sweet heart of Mary, be my salvation.
ACT OF CONSECRATION
Queen of the most holy Rosary, help of Christians, refuge of the human race, victorious in all the battles of God, we prostrate ourselves in supplication before thy throne, in the sure hope of obtaining mercy and of receiving grace and timely aid in our present calamities, not through any merits of our own, on which we do not rely, but only through the immense goodness of thy mother's heart. In thee and in thy Immaculate Heart, at this grave hour of human history, do we put our trust; to thee we consecrate ourselves, not only with all of Holy Church, which is the mystical body of thy Son Jesus, and which is suffering in so many of her members, being subjected to manifold tribulations and persecutions, but also with the whole world, torn by discords, agitated with hatred, the victim of its own iniquities. Be thou moved by the sight of such material and moral degradation, such sorrows, such anguish, so many tormented souls in danger of eternal loss! Do thou, O Mother of mercy, obtain for us from God a Christ-like reconciliation of the nations, as well as those graces which can convert the souls of men in an instant, those graces which prepare the way and make certain the long desired coming of peace on earth. O Queen of peace, pray for us, and grant peace unto the world in the truth, the justice, and the charity of Christ.
Above all, give us peace in our hearts, so that the kingdom of God may spread its borders in the tranquillity of order. Accord thy protection to unbelievers and to all those who lie within the shadow of death; cause the Sun of Truth to rise upon them; may they be enabled to join with us in repeating before the Savior of the world: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will."
Give peace to the nations that are separated from us by error or discord, and in a special manner to those peoples who profess a singular devotion toward thee; bring them back to Christ's one fold, under the one true Shepherd. Obtain full freedom for the holy Church of God; defend her from her enemies; check the ever-increasing torrent of immorality; arouse in the faithful a love of purity, a practical Christian life, and an apostolic zeal, so that the multitude of those who serve God may increase in merit and in number.
Finally, even as the Church and all mankind were once consecrated to the Heart of thy Son Jesus, because He was for all those who put their hope in Him an inexhaustible source of victory and salvation, so in like manner do we consecrate ourselves forever to thee also and to thy Immaculate Heart, O Mother of us and Queen of the world; may thy love and patronage hasten the day when the kingdom of God shall be victorious and all the nations, at peace with God .and with one another, shall call thee blessed and intone with thee, from the rising of the sun to its going down, the everlasting "Magnificat" of glory, of love, of gratitude to the Heart of Jesus, in which alone we can find truth, life, and peace. Pope Pius XII
IN HONOR OF THE IMMACULATE HEART
O heart of Mary, mother of God, and our mother; heart most worthy of love, in which the adorable Trinity is ever well-pleased, worthy of the veneration and love of all the angels and of all men; heart most like to the Heart of Jesus, of which thou art the perfect image; heart, full of goodness, ever compassionate toward our miseries; deign to melt our icy hearts and grant that they may be wholly changed into the likeness of the Heart of Jesus, our divine Savior. Pour into them the love of thy virtues, enkindle in them that divine fire with which thou thyself dost ever burn. In thee let Holy Church find a safe shelter; protect her and be her dearest refuge, her tower of strength, impregnable against every assault of her enemies. Be thou the way which leads to Jesus, and the channel, through which we receive all the graces needful for our salvation. Be our refuge in time of trouble, our solace in the midst of trial, our strength against temptation, our haven in persecution, our present help in every danger, and especially) at the hour of death, when all hell shall let loose against u its legions to snatch away our souls, at that dread moment; that hour so full of fear, whereon our eternity depends. An,; then most tender virgin, make us to feel the sweetness of thy motherly heart, and the might of thine intercession with Jesus, and open to us a safe refuge in that very fountain of mercy, whence we may come to praise Him with thee in paradise, world without end. Amen.
Prayer Source: Prayer Book, The by Reverend John P. O'Connell, M.A., S.T.D. and Jex Martin, M.A., The Catholic Press, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, 1954
Sacred Heart Of Jesus |
Immaculate Heart of Mary |
Blessed be the Most Loving Heart and Sweet Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ and the most glorious Virgin Mary, His Mother, in eternity and forever. Amen. ....Only the Heart of Christ who knows the depths of his Father's love could reveal to us the abyss of his mercy in so simple and beautiful a way ----From the Catechism. P:1439 From the depth of my nothingness, I prostrate myself before Thee, O Most Sacred, Divine and Adorable Heart of Jesus, to pay Thee all the homage of love, praise and adoration in my power. The prayer of the Church venerates and honors the Heart of Jesus just as it invokes his most holy name. It adores the incarnate Word and his Heart which, out of love for men, he allowed to be pierced by our sins. Christian prayer loves to follow the way of the cross in the Savior's steps.-- >From the Catechism. P: 2669 |
||
Novena Prayer to Sacred Heart of Jesus Prayer to the Wounded Heart of Jesus Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart |
Novena Prayer to the Immaculate Heart of Mary A Solemn Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary The Daily Offering to the Immaculate Heart of Mary |
The first is that we ought to love and honor whatever God loves and honors, and that by which He is loved and glorified. Now, after the adorable Heart of Jesus there has never been either in heaven or on earth, nor ever will be, a heart which has been so loved and honored by God, or which has given Him so much glory as that of Mary, the Mother of Jesus. Never has there been, nor will there ever be a more exalted throne of divine love. In that Heart divine love possesses its fullest empire, for it ever reigns without hindrance or interruption, and with it reign likewise all the laws of God, all the Gospel maxims and every Christian virtue.
This incomparable Heart of the Mother of our Redeemer is a glorious heaven, a Paradise of delights for the Most Holy Trinity. According to St. Paul, the hearts of the faithful are the dwelling place of our Lord Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ Himself assures us that the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost take up Their abode in the hearts of those who love God. Who, therefore, can doubt that the Most Holy Trinity has always made His home and established the reign of His glory in an admirable and ineffable manner in the virginal Heart of her who is the Daughter of the Father, the Mother of the Son, the Spouse of the Holy Ghost, who herself loves God more than all other creatures together?
How much then are we not obliged to love this exalted and most lovable Heart?
St. John Eudes
Today: Immaculate Heart of Mary [DEVOTIONAL]
The Immaculate Heart of Mary [Devotional] Catholic/Orthodox Caucus
Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
Saturdays and the Immaculate Heart of Mary [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
The Brown Scapular (Catholic Caucus)
The History of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Catholic Caucus)
Homilies preached by Father Robert Altier on the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Marian Associations Unite to Celebrate Immaculate Heart
Solemnity Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary
FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY, AUGUST 22ND
Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
The night of faith
If we are sometimes assailed by inevitable trials, let us remember that it is Jesus who has commanded us to get into the boat and that he wishes to go before us to the other side. Because it is impossible for those who have not undergone the trial of waves and contrary winds to get to that shore. And so when we see ourselves surrounded by numerous and painful difficulties, tired out from sailing in the midst of them with the poverty of our means, let us think that our boat is now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves that want to see us make shipwreck of our faith (1Tm 1,19) or some other virtue. And if we see the breath of the Evil One set against what we are undertaking, let us say to ourselves that, at that moment, the wind is contrary.
So when, amidst these sufferings, we have held firm through the long hours of the dark night that reigns in times of trial, when we have struggled our best by taking care to avoid shipwreck of our faith
then let us be sure that towards the middle of the night, when night is far spent and day is at hand (cf. Rom 13,12), the Son of God will come close by us, walking on the waves, to calm for us the sea.
St. John of the Cross
|
The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary:
Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word.
And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us.
Amen. "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you" (Lk 1:28) "Blessed are you among women, |
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