Posted on 07/16/2004 5:53:02 PM PDT by AskStPhilomena
In Fatima, Portugal, on October 13, 1917, Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta saw the Holy Family. St. Joseph held the Child Jesus in his arms. Both were arrayed in red robes and stood at the left of the sun. The right hand of each was raised, blessing with the sign of the cross which both did three times over the 70,000 people gathered that day. At the right side of the sun was Our Lady in a white garment with a sky-blue mantle. The Child Jesus appeared to be about two years old.
Lucia afterwards saw the Sorrowful Mother of God and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel after which came the renowned "Miracle of the Sun," a sign given to mankind in this apocalyptic age which may be nearing the end times.
The fact that St. Joseph and the Child Jesus were blessing with a sign of the cross is very meaningful and important. This emphasizes the fact that St. Joseph has a very important place in the redemption of mankind and our individual salvation. This vision granted to the children at Fatima had as its purpose to persuade us to develop a piety towards St. Joseph in our life and give him the place that God the Father wishes us to give him. This is because St. Joseph is the lawful foster father of Jesus and as this he is a reflection of God's Fatherhood for all mankind and every parent.
Hierarchy of Persons and Authority According to the hierarchy of persons in the Holy Family, Our Lord Jesus had first place, Mary second, and St. Joseph third. But according to hierarchy of authority, St. Joseph as lawful husband and father of the family had first place, Mary second, and Jesus Christ, Child of Mary and foster son of St. Joseph, third place.
Why is hierarchy of authority so important in our Catholic families? The life of the Church Militant is warfare. This warfare is the life of every Catholic and Catholic family that wishes to go to heaven. Every army has its general, its officers, and its common soldiers. Among them must be a strong hierarchy of authority, and without it no army can hope to win in battle.
Catholic families must be united in fighting for their earthly survival in service of the salvation of all the members of that family. Enemies which threaten this earthly survival and resulting salvation are hell, a godless world, and the very sinfulness of the members of any family. If a family wants to wage effective warfare and win this life or death battle for salvation, there must be, as in the best armies, a strong hierarchy of authority. God established such hierarchy when He gave the family a father to be its head. As exemplified by the hierarchy of authority in the Holy Family, the wife follows him, and the children come after her. Only by upholding and living this hierarchy of authority can a family survive and be redeemed.
Hell wants to destroy hierarchy of authority for it is exactly this which enables the family to successfully fight and binds its members in loving and respectful harmony and concord. By announcing its deceitful motto of equality of authority between father, mother, and children, Hell destroys the family. Mothers become breadwinners (out of greed), children are sent to surrogate mothers, and fathers give up their authority to the godless State. To further destroy the family Hell propagates contraception, divorce, abortion, euthanasia, nursing homes for the elders, and equality of heirs resulting in single-generation families and destruction of family possessions.
Numerous used to be the multi-generational Catholic families of Christendom which were the foundation cells of the Catholic Church and Catholic States. Without such Catholic States, there can be no true or lasting peace nor normalcy of life. God only blesses where there is the true Faith and life in obedience to God's commandments.
Significance of the Vision Recall that in the vision by the Fatima seers, Jesus was held by St. Joseph and both offered blessing to the world by the sign of the cross. Recall that the Blessed Virgin Mary promised that true world peace would be established if Russia were consecrated to her Immaculate Heart by the Pope in union with the world's bishops. What role has St. Joseph in all this? I believe his help invaluable.
Without St. Joseph protecting her, Our Lady might not have brought Our Lord Jesus Christ to the light of day nor would she have been able to live safely with Him. Perhaps the accomplishment of Our Lord's mission might have been threatened. God prepared St. Joseph from eternity to be the holy spouse and family father who made it possible for Jesus and Mary to fulfill their missions.
The task of St. Joseph 2,000 years ago continues today. Without him there will be no consecration of Russia and no peace in the world. We must return him to his rightful place in the plan of salvation which God's Providence has given him. In the same manner, we must re-establish authority to fathers and husbands, otherwise families will not live in a holy manner nor walk the path leading to heaven.
We recognize the Sacred Heart of Jesus by its cross, wound, the crown of thorns encircling it, and its flames of charity's fire. The Heart of Our Lady is usually encircled with flowers-though at Fatima with thorns-and pierced with a sword, and even sometimes seven of them. Radiating from her Heart are flames of charity similar to those pouring from the Sacred Heart. This is the case also with the Heart of St. Joseph (see Fr. Podržaj's homemade holy card, p. 17) from which appear flames symbolizing his pure and dutiful love for the Trinity, the Holy Family, and mankind itself. The most recognizable and characteristic sign of the Heart of this Patriarch of patriarchs is the golden anchor figured within it, a symbol of the theological virtue of Hope. A cross is the symbol of Faith (Our Lord Jesus Christ), a heart is a symbol of Charity (the Virgin Mary), and an anchor for St. Joseph is the symbol of Hope, which connects Faith to Love. St. Joseph is also patron of the dying. In our last hour, hope in the mercy of God is important and decisive for all eternity. The anchor is gold in color to symbolize eternity and indestructibility.
As it is impossible to separate the three Persons of the Holy Trinity, so it is impossible to separate the three Hearts of the Holy Family-Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. We honor all three of them, recommend them, ought to consecrate ourselves to them, and follow their examples to repair for our sins and those of others.
St. Joseph, Pillar of Families May husbands and fathers of families consecrate themselves to St. Joseph under his title of "Pillar of Families," that they may know how to be pillars and heads of numerous strong and invincible Catholic families, the foundation of a healthy Catholic Church and State. No house should be without a picture or a statue of St. Joseph nor should a day pass that we don't recommend ourselves to his patronage. Along with St. Michael the Archangel, St. Joseph is co-patron of the universal Catholic Church. As he cared for the Head of the Catholic Church in His lifetime, let us go confidently now to him in these confused times asking his intercession for the Mystical Body, in favor of the Latin Mass, Catholic doctrine, and Catholic morality.
St. Joseph, the King St. Joseph was of the tribe of David, the kingly line of Israel. As the lawful husband of the Virgin Mary and foster father of Jesus Christ, the King of all kings, so St. Joseph also can be logically understood as a king of heaven and earth, angels and saints. In the Canon of the Mass he is mentioned immediately after Jesus and Mary and before the Apostles and the other saints. We can presume that in heaven the hierarchies of both persons and authority are still in full force, so St. Joseph still remains the head of the Holy Family but now, by spiritual adoption, with more children.
When Our Lord Jesus Christ from the Cross gave His mother to be the spiritual mother to everyone who receives Him as Redeemer in the Catholic Church, by this act He gave also St. Joseph to be a spiritual father to everyone who desires to become and remain a child of God. The Virgin Mary of Fatima told Jacinta that most souls go to hell because of their sins of impurity. St. Joseph is named by the Church to be a special intercessor for the preservation of holy purity, virginity, and baptismal innocence.
Let us be confident in the Heart of St. Joseph given confidently by the heavenly Father to the foster father and patron of His only-begotten Son. Let us be aware that we are never orphans on this earth despite family circumstances of yesterday or today. Let us pray that the paternal Heart of St. Joseph be acknowledged by more of our fellowmen. No one on earth can say that they are not in need of the boundlessly compassionate Hearts of Mother Mary and Father Joseph-these two Hearts which are the reflection of the infinitely loving and compassionate Sacred Heart of the Second Person of the Trinity.
Let us choose irrevocably this good father to be our Protector and to help us restore our families. Dedicate to His paternal and just Heart yourselves, your families, and countrymen.
Dedication to St. Joseph's Paternal and Just Heart
St. Joseph, on earth thou wast foster father to God's Son and lawful husband of Mother Mary. In these, God entrusted to thee the two biggest treasures of mankind. In heaven thou hast remained head of the Holy Family, the foster father of Jesus and spouse of Mary. As it is not possible to divide the three Persons of the Holy Trinity, so it is not possible to separate your three Hearts on earth for they are inseparable in heaven. Jesus and Mary receive our love and veneration only in proportion to the love and veneration with which we honor thee, St. Joseph, who art one with the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
Therefore I irrevocably consecrate myself to thy paternal Heart and choose thee for my father, teacher, protector, and guide on the path to eternity.
To thee, paternal Heart of Joseph, I dedicate all my thoughts, words, deeds, my body and soul, the health of my body and soul, my past, my present, my future, my intellect, my will, my memory, and my sentiments-in a word, all I am and all I have-that everything may be consecrated irrevocably to the united Hearts of Jesus, Mary, and thee, O St. Joseph, and by this to the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Especially do I dedicate to thy paternal Heart my baptismal innocence, my chastity, and modesty, that with thy help I will retain this angelic virtue till my death. But if I have lost or sullied it, I ask thee to obtain for me the grace to repent of my selfishness and to live purely from this moment on in my thoughts, words, and deeds. Guard me, O paternal Heart of Joseph, against secret impurity.
To thee, beloved Heart of Joseph, I dedicate my life's last hour. Be with me then with thy mighty hand to protect me against the attacks of Hell which will try to steal my hope and cause me to despair of thy foster Son's infinite mercy. Come at that time with thy Immaculate Spouse in the company of thy foster Child that I may leave this valley of tears in peace and arrive for all eternity at the happiness of heaven. Amen.
(Excerpt) Read more at sspx.ca ...
Although today is a feast of Our Lady, let's never forget to also honor her spouse, St Joseph. By honoring St Joseph we at the same time give honor to Our Lady and to her Divine Son.
Ping.
OK - I give up. How can Jesus appear as a two-year old Child? In 1917, no less? 1900+ years after the Incarnation. Would somone please explain that to me?
The same way He sheds His Blood at every Mass.
God is omnipotent.
Ping
That was an extrememly lame answer. The Lord Jesus Christ, Creator of the universe, Giver of life, at the right hand of the Father, would appear as an Infant - why?
That was an extrememly lame answer. The Lord Jesus Christ, Creator of the universe, Giver of life, at the right hand of the Father, would appear as an Infant - why?
Oh, I just love St. Joseph.
Jesus appeared to his apostles and St. Paul after he died and rose from the dead; God the father visited Abraham in the form of an angel. The Holy Spirit manifested in the form of a dove. God in his infinite wisdom, comes in the appearance He chooses. Who are we to question why?
***God in his infinite wisdom, comes in the appearance He chooses. Who are we to question why?***
1 John 4:1
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
"The Marian Apparitions: Divine Intervention or Delusion?"
http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/inquirers/marian_apparitions.aspx
VERY interesting article on this topic.
***The same way He sheds His Blood at every Mass.***
LotI, this is not true according to Hebrews...
"And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God... For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified." - Heb 13
"After" he offered his sacrifice (Past tense) he sat down at God's right hand (present state).
Please note the reference to the "repeatedly" offering a sacrifice in direct contract to Jesus' "one time" offering.
Again...
"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." - Heb 12
He endured (not endures) the cross and the shame for the joy he looked forward to (and now experiences) at God's right hand.
I always pray to the Three Hearts. Mega bumpus ad summum.
And every priest indeed standeth daily ministering and often offering the same sacrifices which can never take away sins. But this man, offering one sacrifice for sins, for ever sitteth on the right hand of God, From henceforth expecting until his enemies be made his footstool. For by one oblation he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. (Douay-Rheims Heb 10:11-14)
But this man offering one sacrifice for sins, for evermore sitteth in the right half of God the Father [for evermore sitteth on the right half of God the Father]; (Wycliffe New Testament Heb 10:12)
"offering" is also the reading of the Vulgate, but the Nova Vulgata has "having offered".
You are absolutely right. The amount of mysticism in the Roman Catholic Church amazes me. That is the danger of avoiding sola scriptura. There is no objective standard by which these ideas can be measured.
Jesus appeared to the Apostles, and to Paul, but not as a two-year old. And it was the Second Person of the Trinity that appeared to Abraham ("No man has seen the Father, except by Me," Jesus said.) And the Holy Spirit having no earthly form did in fact manifest Himself as a dove...but that does not answer the question: to what end does the King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords manifest Himself as a two-year old Child?
Of course there is.
It should be noted that though many might write concerning Catholic truth, there is this difference that those who wrote the canonical Scripture, the Evangelists and Apostles, and the like, so constantly assert it that they leave no room for doubt. That is what he means when he says "we know his witness is true." Galatians 1:9, "If anyone preach a gospel to you other than that which you have received, let him be anathema!" The reason is that only canonical Scripture is a measure of faith. Others however so wrote of the truth that they should not be believed save insofar as they say true things. (St. Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on the Gospel of John 21)
The same way he rose from the dead.
I have a suggestion... I would read up on the "Divine Infant Jesus of Prague". Just "google" a search under the title and you should get many sites that would probably be able to explain better than me.
But before you do this, I want to explain one of the many misconceptions of catholics. We do NOT worship statutes! They are simply reminders and help people remain focused. I have a statue of the Divine Infant. I know for a fact, Jesus is NOT in that statue, it simply reminds me of his infancy and allows me to venerate the divine infancy. It is no different than having a picture of my mom who I really loved and miss terrible, and who has since passed away, on my wall. I might look at her picture and say Mom, pray FOR me or ask the Lord this....
Sure Catholic go straight to Jesus, I do all the time. The church cannonizes saints for reasons, mostly because they loved Jesus to the best of their ability and the church wants them to be role models for us,i.e. the Virgin Mary. She is the best role model for mothers and wives. Jesus was never a wife. I believe God the Father wants His son in his infancy venerated, because He wants every aspect of His son honored and venerated, so I guess that may be why Christ manifests himself in the form of an infant.
If you look in the old testament, the Jews made holy wherever God revealed himself, i.e. an altar would be set up, etc. There are probably hundreds of devotions for every aspect of Christ's life, the devotion of his infancy, the devotion of his stripes, his crown of thorns, his holy face, etc. Catholics want to venerate EVERY aspect of Christ since his life was a total sacrifice.
If you still have questions, please ask and I will answer to the best of my ability. Another good site is Catholic Answers, I believe it's catholicanswers.com but I'm not exactly sure. They also have a radio show where you can call and ask questions. I myself have learned alot from them.
I am pleased with your post. So many just attack our beliefs due to ignorance, but I admire people who simply want to know just to be more informed. I take my hat off to you.
God bless you.
You must not have kids. Two year-olds are not infants. Maybe He did it to reach certain people. Maybe he did it to reach the children to whom the Blessed Virgin was appearing.
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