Posted on 09/17/2007 8:38:30 AM PDT by Salvation
|
Monday of the Twenty-fourth Week
in Ordinary Time
|
|
Reading 1
1 Tm 2:1-8
Beloved:
First of all, I ask that supplications, prayers,
petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone,
for kings and for all in authority,
that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life
in all devotion and dignity.
This is good and pleasing to God our savior,
who wills everyone to be saved
and to come to knowledge of the truth.
For there is one God.
There is also one mediator between God and men,
the man Christ Jesus,
who gave himself as ransom for all.
This was the testimony at the proper time.
For this I was appointed preacher and Apostle
(I am speaking the truth, I am not lying),
teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
It is my wish, then, that in every place the men should pray,
lifting up holy hands, without anger or argument.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 28:2, 7, 8-9
R. (6) Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard my prayer.
Hear the sound of my pleading, when I cry to you,
lifting up my hands toward your holy shrine.
R. Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard my prayer.
The LORD is my strength and my shield.
In him my heart trusts, and I find help;
then my heart exults, and with my song I give him thanks.
R. Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard my prayer.
The LORD is the strength of his people,
the saving refuge of his anointed.
Save your people, and bless your inheritance;
feed them, and carry them forever!
R. Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard my prayer.
Gospel
Lk 7:1-10
When Jesus had finished all his words to the people,
he entered Capernaum.
A centurion there had a slave who was ill and about to die,
and he was valuable to him.
When he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to him,
asking him to come and save the life of his slave.
They approached Jesus and strongly urged him to come, saying,
“He deserves to have you do this for him,
for he loves our nation and he built the synagogue for us.”
And Jesus went with them,
but when he was only a short distance from the house,
the centurion sent friends to tell him,
“Lord, do not trouble yourself,
for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof.
Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to you;
but say the word and let my servant be healed.
For I too am a person subject to authority,
with soldiers subject to me.
And I say to one, Go, and he goes;
and to another, Come here, and he comes;
and to my slave, Do this, and he does it.”
When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him
and, turning, said to the crowd following him,
“I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.”
When the messengers returned to the house,
they found the slave in good health.
Please notify me via FReepmail if you would like to be added to or taken off the Alleluia Ping List.
Since the 16th century Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. Due to her feast day on September 15, the month of September has traditionally been set aside to honor Our Lady of Sorrows. All the sorrows of Mary (the prophecy of Simeon, the three days' loss, etc.) are merged in the supreme suffering at the Passion. In the Passion, Mary suffered a martyrdom of the heart because of Our Lord's torments and the greatness of her love for Him. "She it was," says Pope Pius XII, "who immune from all sin, personal or inherited, and ever more closely united with her Son, offered Him on Golgotha to the Eternal Father together with the holocaust of her maternal rights and motherly love. As a new Eve, she made this offering for all the children of Adam contaminated through his unhappy fall. Thus she, who was the mother of our Head according to the flesh, became by a new title of sorrow and glory the spiritual mother of all His members."
INVOCATIONS
Mary most sorrowful, Mother of Christians, pray for us.
Virgin most sorrowful, pray for us.
TO THE QUEEN OF MARTYRS
Mary, most holy Virgin and Queen of Martyrs, accept the sincere homage of my filial affection. Into thy heart, pierced by so many swords, do thou welcome my poor soul. Receive it as the companion of thy sorrows at the foot of the Cross, on which Jesus died for the redemption of the world. With thee, O sorrowful Virgin, I will gladly suffer all the trials, contradictions, and infirmities which it shall please our Lord to send me. I offer them all to thee in memory of thy sorrows, so that every thought of my mind, and every beat of my heart may be an act of compassion and of love for thee. And do thou, sweet Mother, have pity on me, reconcile me to thy divine Son Jesus, keep me in His grace, and assist me in my last agony, so that I may be able to meet thee in heaven and sing thy glories. Amen.
TO THE MOTHER OF SORROWS
Most holy Virgin. and Mother, whose soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow in the Passion of thy divine Son, and who in His glorious Resurrection wast filled with never-ending joy at His triumph; obtain for us who call upon thee, so to be partakers in the adversities of Holy Church and the sorrows of the Sovereign Pontiff, as to be found worthy to rejoice with them in the consolations for which we pray, in the charity and peace of the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
IN HONOR OF THE SORROWS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
O most holy and afflicted Virgin! Queen of Martyrs! thou who didst stand motionless beneath the Cross, witnessing the agony of thy expiring Son--through the unceasing sufferings of thy life of sorrow, and the bliss which now more than amply repays thee for thy past trials, look down with a mother's tenderness and pity on me, who kneel before thee to venerate thy dolors, and place my requests, with filial confidence, in the sanctuary of thy wounded heart; present them, I beseech thee, on my behalf, to Jesus Christ, through the merits of His own most sacred death and passion, together with thy sufferings at the foot of the cross, and through the united efficacy of both obtain the grant of my present petition. To whom shall I resort in my wants and miseries if not to thee, O Mother of Mercy, who, having so deeply drunk of the chalice of thy Son, canst compassionate the woes of those who still sigh in the land of exile? Offer for me to my Savior one drop of the Blood which flowed from His sacred veins, one of the tears which trickled from His divine eyes, one of the sighs which rent His adorable Heart. O refuge of the universe and hope of the whole world, do not reject my humble prayer, but graciously obtain the grant of my petition.
TO OUR LADY OF SORROWS
O most holy Virgin, Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ: by the overwhelming grief you experienced when you witnessed the martyrdom, the crucifixion, and the death of your divine Son, look upon me with eyes of compassion, and awaken in my heart a tender commiseration for those sufferings, as well as a sincere detestation of my sins, in order that, being disengaged from all undue affection for the passing joys of this earth, I may sigh after the eternal Jerusalem, and that henceforward all my thoughts and all my actions may be directed towards this one most desirable object. Honor, glory, and love to our divine Lord Jesus, and to the holy and immaculate Mother of God. Amen. --Saint Bonaventure
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
| Lord, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us. God, the Father of heaven, God the Son, Redeemer of the world, . God the Holy Ghost, Holy Mary, Mother of God, Holy Virgin of virgins, Mother of the Crucified, Sorrowful Mother, Mournful Mother, Sighing Mother, Afflicted Mother, Foresaken Mother, . Desolate Mother, Mother most sad, Mother set around with anguish, Mother overwhelmed by grief, Mother transfixed by a sword, Mother crucified in thy heart, Mother bereaved of thy Son, Sighing Dove, Mother of Dolors, Fount of tears, Sea of bitterness, Field of tribulation, Mass of suffering, Mirror of patience, Rock of constancy, Remedy in perplexity, Joy of the afflicted, Ark of the desolate, Refuge of the abandoned,. Shiled of the oppressed, Conqueror of the incredulous, Solace of the wretched, Medicine of the sick, Help of the faint, Strength of the weak, Protectress of those who fight, Haven of the shipwrecked, Calmer of tempests, Companion of the sorrowful, Retreat of those who groan, Terror of the treacherous, Standard-bearer of the Martyrs, Treasure of the Faithful, Light of Confessors, Pearl of Virgins, . Comfort of Widows, . Joy of all Saints, Queen of thy Servants, Holy Mary, who alone art unexampled, Pray for us, most Sorrowful Virgin, |
Christ, have mercy on us. Christ, graciously hear us. |
| Let us pray, --- O God, in whose Passion, according to the prophecy of Simeon, a sword of grief pierced through the most sweet soul of Thy glorious Blessed Virgin Mother Mary: grant that we, who celebrate the memory of her Seven Sorrows, may obtain the happy effect of Thy Passion, Who lives and reigns world without end, Amen. |
|
| The Seven Sorrows of Our Lady 1. The Prophecy of Simeon 2. The Flight into Egypt . 3. The Loss of Jesus in the Temple 4. Mary meets Jesus Carrying the Cross 5. The Crucifixion 6. Mary Receives the Dead Body of Her Son 7. The Burial of Her Son and Closing of the Tomb. |
|
| Consecration to Our Lady of Sorrows Most holy Virgin and Queen of Martyrs, Mary, would that I could be in Heaven, there to contemplate the honors rendered to thee by the Most Holy Trinity and by the whole Heavenly Court! But since I am still a pilgrim in this vale of tears, receive from me, thy unworthy servant and a poor sinner, the most sincere homage and the most perfect act of vassalage a human creature can offer thee. In thy Immaculate Heart, pierced with so many swords of sorrow, I place today my poor soul forever; receive me as a partaker in thy dolors, and never suffer that I should depart from that Cross on which thy only begotten Son expired for me. With thee, O Mary, I will endure all the sufferings, contradictions, infirmities, with which it will please thy Divine Son to visit me in this life. All of them I offer to thee, in memory of the Dolors which thou didst suffer during thy life, that every thought of my mind, every beating of my heart may henceforward be an act of compassion to thy Sorrows, and of complacency for the glory thou now enjoyest in Heaven. Since then, O Dear Mother, I now compassionate thy Dolors, and rejoice in seeing thee glorified, do thou also have compassion on me, and reconcile me to thy Son Jesus, that I may become thy true and loyal son (daughter); come on my last day and assist me in my last agony, even as thou wert present at the Agony of thy Divine Son Jesus, that from this painful exile I may go to Heaven, there to be made partaker of thy glory. Amen. |
|
Homilies on Our Lady of Sorrows
Starkenburg:Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Sorrows Shrine
ST. ALPHONSUS LIGUORI, OF THE DOLOURS OF MARY, The Glories [Sorrows] of Mary
Our Lady of Sorrows: Sorrowful Mother
to At the Cross Her Station Keeping
The Rosary of the Seven Sorrows consists of 7 groups of 7 beads, with 3 additional beads and a Crucifix. Say each of the sorrow below followed by 7 Hail Mary's. The 7 groups of 7 Hail Mary's are recited in remembrance of
the 7 Sorrows of Mary:
1. The prophecy of Simeon.
2. The flight into Egypt.
3. The loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple.
4. Mary meets Jesus carrying His cross.
5. The Crucifixion
6. Mary received the Body of Jesus from the cross
7. The Body of Jesus is placed in a tomb.
3 Hail Mary's are added in remembrance of the tears Mary shed because of the suffering of her Divine Son. These are said to obtain true sorrow for our sins.
The concluding prayer follows:
V/. Pray for us, O most sorrowful Virgin.
R/. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray:
Lord Jesus, we now implore, both for the present and for the hour of our death, the intercession of the most Blessed Virgin Mary, Thy Mother, whose holy soul was pierced at the time of Thy passion by a sword of grief. Grant us this favor, O Saviour of the world, Who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.
The Blessed Virgin Mary grants 7 special graces to the souls who honor her daily by saying 7 Hail Mary's
and meditating on her tears and dolors. This devotion was passed on by St. Bridget of Sweden.
Here are the 7 special graces:
1. I will grant peace to their families.
2. They will be enlightened about the divine mysteries.
3. I will console them in their pains, and I will accompany them in their work.
4. I will give them as much as they ask for as long as it does not oppose the adorable will of my divine Son or the sanctification of their souls.
5. I will defend them in their spiritual battles with the infernal enemy, and I will protect them at every instant of their lives.
6. I will visibly help them at the moment of their death; they will see the face of their mother.
7. I have obtained (this grace) from my divine Son, that those who propagate this devotion to my tears and dolors, will be taken directly from this earthly life to eternal happiness since all their sins will be forgiven and my Son and I will be their eternal consolation and joy.
The Chaplet to Our Lady of Sorrows
(Jesus said, "The Chaplet is to be a Devotion for the Time of Darkness, and is being given
as a spiritual weapon against the Seven deadly sins.")
First Sorrow of Mary, the Prophecy of Simeon:
"This was My Mother's 'Agony in the Garden' in which She said yes to the coming pain that acceptance of the Divine Will of God would bring."
PRAYER: "I pray for the gift of surrender to the will of God to overcome the temptation to envy."
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be and the following Litany:
Litany
Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows, pray for us.
Our Lady of Perpetual Help, pray for us.
Mother of the Sorrowful Heart, pray for us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.
Maria, Rosa Mystica, pray for us.
House of God, pray for us.
Queen of Peace, pray for us.
Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us.
Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us.
Our Lady of the Roses, pray for us.
Queen of Mercy, pray for us.
Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, pray for us.
Second Sorrow of Mary, The Flight Into Egypt:
"The hatred and fear which led to the slaughter of the innocents was on of the most painful aspects of this sorrow. My Mother and I continue to weep today over the slaughter of innocents in the womb caused by the hatred and fear which still fills the hearts of mankind."
PRAYER: "I pray for the gift of respect for life to overcome the temptation to anger."
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be, and the Litany
Third Sorrow of Mary, The Loss of Jesus in the Temple:
"My Mother did not look in the Temple for Me, and so lost Me for three days (like My three days in the tomb). My Priests are failing today to look for Me in the 'Temple,' in obedience to My Pope and to the authority I have placed in My Church. My Church is in its THREE DAYS OF DARKNESS and has much to suffer for its disobedience. Offer the pain in My Mother's Hearts that My priests might return to MY TEMPLE and find me again." (There was an interior Knowledge that Jesus was Not saying this was true of all His priests, but rather He was mourning over those priests who were doing this, plus asking for prayer for them.)
PRAYER: "I pray for the gift of obedience to overcome the temptation to Pride."
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be, and the Litany
Fourth Sorrow of Mary, Mary Meets Jesus on the Road to Calvary:
"My priests will no longer accept the pain of the WAY OF THE CROSS. They no longer walk with Me as My Mother did. They especially refuse the pain and sacrifice of their vow of celibacy. Sexual sins are destroying My Church." (Again, as above, Jesus was not saying this was true of all priests, but was grieving over those who were doing this.)
PRAYER: "I pray for the gift of chastity to overcome the temptation to lust."
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be, and the Litany
Fifth Sorrow of Mary,Jesus is Nailed to the Cross:
"Offer your pain as Mary did, in union with My Cross. All pain, united to My Pasion, has power to redeem. My Church, more than ever, has need of sacrificial offerings."
PRAYER: "I pray for the gift of sacrifice to overcome the temptation to gluttony."
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be, and the Litany
Sixth Sorrow of Mary, Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross and Laid in His Mother's Arms:
"My priests and My people are no longer willing to hold My broken body. They will not minister to the brokenness they see around them. They will not help Me bring salvation to those in need. They will not let Me put in their hearts the gift I would give them of a thirst for souls. Pray that they will return to a willingness to do penance and offer sacrifices for their brothers and sisters in need, who still constitute My broken body."
PRAYER: "I pray for the gift of compassion to overcome the temptation to sloth.
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be, and the Litany
Seventh Sorrow of Mary, Jesus is Laid in the Tomb:
"My Church, My chosen ones, must lay all attachments in the TOMB, especially the attachment to their own way, their will, their plans. They must die and accept the death of al lthey would hold dear to allow God's Will and His Plan to replace their own."
PRAYER: "I pray for the gift of detachment to overcome the temptation to greed."
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be, and the Litany
Prayer To Our Lady of Sorrows
I compassionate thee, O most sorrowful Mother! Thy heart was pierced with a sword of grief when Simeon foretold to thee in the Temple the ignominious death and the desolation of thy divine and most dear Son, which thou west destined one day to witness. By the great anguish of thy suffering heart, O gracious Queen of the universe, impress upon my mind, in life and in death, the sacred Passion of Jesus and shine own sorrows. Amen.
~~ by Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori
Father, as Your Son was raised on the cross, His Mother Mary stood by Him, sharing His suffering. May she, who is also our spiritual Mother and Patroness in heaven, help us to find renewed strength at the cross of Christ and so to come to share in His rising to new life, where He lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, forever and ever. Amen.
Most holy and afflicted Virgin, Queen of Martyrs, you stood beneath the cross, witnessing the agony of your dying Son. Look with a mother's tenderness and pity on me, who kneel before you. I venerate your sorrows and I place my requests with filial confidence in the sanctuary of your wounded heart.
Present them, I beseech you, on my behalf to Jesus Christ, through the merits of His own most sacred passion and death, together with your sufferings at the foot of the cross. Through the united efficacy of both, obtain the granting of my petition. To whom shall I have recourse in my wants and miseries if not to you, Mother of Mercy? You have drunk so deeply of the chalice of your Son, you can compassionate our sorrows.
Holy Mary, your soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow at the sight of the passion of your divine Son. Intercede for me and obtain for me from Jesus (mention your petition) if it be for His honor and glory and for my good. Amen.
Lenten Prayer to the Sorrowful Mother
Remember, O Virgin Mother of God, when you stand in the sight of the Lord, to speak good things for us and to turn away His indignation from us.
Holy Mother, pierce me through,
In my heart each wound renew,
Of my Savior crucified.
Let me to my latest breath,
In my body bear the death,
Of that dying Son of thine.
Be to me, O Virgin, nigh
Lest in flames I burn and die.
In that awful judgment day.
Christ, when Thou shall call me hence,
Be Thy Mother my defense.
Be Thy Cross my victory.
While my body here decays,
May my soul Thy goodness praise,
Safe in paradise with Thee. Amen.
V. Pray for us, O most sorrowful Virgin,
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray: Let intercession be made for us, we beseech You, O Lord Jesus Christ, now and at the hour of our death, before the throne of Your mercy, by the Blessed Virgin Mary, Your Mother, whose most holy soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow, in the hour of Your bitter Passion. Through You, Jesus Christ, Savior of the world, Who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, world without end. Amen.
Our Lady of a happy Death, pray for us.
Saint Joseph, pray for us.
Most holy Mother of Sorrows, by that soul-piercing martyrdom that you experienced at the foot of the Cross during the three hours of agony of your Son, Jesus, assist me in my time of need. I am a a child of sorrows and when I am faced with my agony, intercede on my behalf so that I may be found worthy to pass from my deathbed to the blessed paradise of the Kingdom of God. Amen.
V. From a sudden and unprovided death,
R. Deliver me, O Lord.
V. From the snares of the devil,
R. Deliver me, O Lord.
V. From everlasting death,
R. Deliver me, O Lord.
The Sorrowful Hail Mary
Hail Mary, full of sorrows, the Crucified is with thee; thou art pitiable amongst women, and pitiable is the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of the Crucified, implore for us, the crucifiers of thy Son, tears of contrition, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
~~approved by Pope Pius IX in 1847
Stabat Mater
At the cross her station keeping, stood the mournful Mother weeping, close to Jesus to the last.
Through her heart, His sorrow sharing, all His bitter anguish bearing, now at length the sword had passed.
Oh, how sad and sore distressed was that Mother highly blest, of the sole begotten One!
Christ above in torment hangs; she beneath beholds the pangs of her dying, glorious Son.
Is there one who would not weep, 'whelmed in miseries so deep Christ's dear Mother to behold?
Can the human heart refrain from partaking in her pain, in that Mother's pain untold?
Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled, she beheld her tender Child all with bloody scourges rent;
For the sins of His own nation saw Him hang in desolation, till His Spirit forth He sent.
O thou Mother, fount of love! Touch my spirit from above, make my heart with thine accord;
Make me feel as thou hast felt; make my soul to glow and melt with the love of Christ, my Lord.
Holy Mother! Pierce me through, in my heart each wound renew of my Saviour Crucified;
Let me share with thee His pain, Who for all my sins was slain, Who for me in torments died.
Let me mingle tears with thee, mourning Him Who mourned for me, all the days that I may live.
By the Cross with thee to stay, there with thee to weep and pray, is all I ask of thee to give.
Virgin of all virgins blest! Listen to my fond request: Let me share thy grief divine;
Let me to my latest breath, in my body bear the death of that dying Son of thine.
Be to me, O Virgin, nigh, lest in flames I burn and die, in His awful Judgment Day.
Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence, be Thy Mother my defense, be Thy Cross my victory;
While my body here decays, may my soul Thy goodness praise, safe in paradise with Thee. Amen.
~(Cf Raccolta, No. 378)
Offering
Eternal Father, we offer Thee the Blood, the Passion, and the Death of Jesus Christ, the sorrows of Mary most holy, and of St. Joseph, in satisfaction for our sins, in aid of the holy souls in Purgatory, for the needs of holy Mother Church, and for the conversion of sinners.
Virgin most sorrowful, pray for us!
Prayer Before an Image of the Mother of Sorrows
O most compassionate Mother, what bitterness filled thy heart when thou didst embrace the lacerated Body of thy Son with thy virginal arms, press Him lovingly to thy maternal heart, and cover Him with tenderest kisses. I remind thee of this inexpressible bitterness, in virtue of which I beseech thee to obtain for me forgiveness of my sins.
O Mary, pray for me, a poor sinner, to thy Jesus Whom thou didst hold in thy arms. Take the wounded Body of thy Son into thy maternal arms, and offer Him in this condition to the Heavenly Father for me. Offer His pierced Heart, His Passion and Death, and all thy own immeasurable sorrows to obtain grace and mercy for me, particularly (mention the favor you desire here). Amen.
Holy Mother, pierce me though; in my heart each wound renew of my Saviour Crucified.
O Mary, our hope, have pity on us!
A Precious Offering
O Mary, Mother of Sorrows, I beseech thee, by the inexpressible tortures thou didst endure at the death of thy Son, offer to the Eternal Father, in my stead, thy beloved Son all covered with Blood and Wounds, for the grace of (mention your intention). Amen.
~ St. John Vianney, the Curé of Ars
Prayer to Our Lady, Comforter of the Afflicted
Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of God and our most compassionate Mother, we present ourselves in thy sight in all humility, and with full confidence we implore thee for thy maternal patronage.
Thou hast been proclaimed by Holy Church the Comforter of the Afflicted, and to thee constant recourse is had by the sorrowful in their afflictions, the sick in their maladies, the dying in their agony, the poor in their straitened circumstances, those who stand in all manner of need in both public and private calamities; and from thee they all receive consolation and strength.
Our dearest Mother, turn upon us also, wretched sinners that we are, thy merciful eyes, and graciously accept our humble and confident prayers. Aid us in all our spiritual and temporal necessities; deliver us from all evil, and especially from sin, which is the greatest evil, and from all danger of falling into it; obtain for us from thy Son Jesus every blessing of which thou seest we stand in need, both in soul and in body, and especially the greatest blessing of all, which is Divine grace. Comfort our spirits, troubled and afflicted in the midst of the many dangers that threaten us and in the countless miseries and misfortunes that beset us on every side. This we ask through that immense joy which filled thy pure soul in the glorious Resurrection of thy Divine Son.
Obtain tranquility for Holy Church, help and comfort for her visible Head, the Roman Pontiff, peace for Christian princes, refreshment in their pains for the Holy Souls in Purgatory; for sinners, the forgiveness of their sins, and for the just, perseverance in well-doing. Receive us all, our most tender Mother, under thy loving and mighty protection, that we may be enabled to live virtuously, die holily and attain to everlasting happiness in heaven. Amen.
~~ (Rac., No. 419)
Prayer to the Mother of Sorrow
O Mother of Sorrows, by the anguish and love with which thou didst stand at the cross of Jesus, stand by me in my last agony. To thy maternal heart I commend the last three hours of my life. Offer these hours to the Eternal Father in union with the agony of our dearest Lord in atonement for my sins. Offer to the Eternal Father the most Precious Blood of Jesus, mingled with your tears on Calvary, that I may obtain the grace of receiving Holy Communion with the most perfect love and contrition before my death, and that I may breathe forth my soul in the adorable Presence of Jesus.
Dearest Mother, when the moment of my death has at length come, present me as your child to Jesus. Ask Him to forgive me for having offended Him for I know not what I did. Beg Him to receive me into His kingdom of glory to be united with Him forever. Amen.
Prayer to Our Lady of Sorrows, by St. Bridget
O Blessed Virgin Mary, Immaculate Mother of God, who didst endure a martyrdom of love and grief beholding the sufferings and sorrows of Jesus! Thou didst cooperate in the benefit of my redemption by thine innumerable afflictions and by offering to the Eternal Father His only begotten Son as a holocaust and victim of propitiation for my sins. I thank thee for the unspeakable love which led thee to deprive thyself of the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus, true God and true Man, to save me, a sinner. Oh, make use of the unfailing intercession of thy sorrows with the Father and the Son, that I may steadfastly amend my life and never again crucify my loving Redeemer by new sins, and that, persevering till death in His grace. I may obtain eternal life through the merits of His Cross and Passion. Amen.
Mother of love, of sorrow and of mercy, pray for us.
PRAYER TO THE MOTHER OF SORROWS
Ah, my Blessed Mother, it is not one sword only with which I have pierced thy heart, but I have done so with as many as are the sins which I have committed. Ah, Lady, it is not to thee, who art innocent, that sufferings are due, but to me, who am guilty of so many crimes. But since thou hast been pleased tosuffer so much for me, ah, by thy merits, obtain me great sorrow for my sins, and patience under the trials of this life, which will always be light in comparison with my demerits; for I have often deserved Hell. Amen.
PRAYER TO OUR SORROWFUL MOTHER
O Mother of Sorrows, thou, who beneath the Cross of Jesus were given to us as our Mother, look down with pity on us, thy children, who weep and mourn in this valley of tears. By that sword of sorrow which pierced thy Heart when thou looked upon the Face of thy dead Son, obtain for us that comfort we so sorely need in our sufferings.
Thou were given to us our Mother in the hour of thy greatest grief that thou might be mindful of our frailty and the evils that press upon us. Without thy aid, O Sorrowful Mother, we cannot gain the victory in this struggle against flesh and blood. Therefore, we seek thy help, O Queen of Sorrows, lest we fall prey to the wiles of the enemy. We are orphans in need of the guiding hand of our Mother amid the dangers that threaten our destruction. Thou whose grief was boundless as the sea, grant us by the memory of those sorrows the strength to be victorious.
Intercede further, O Mother of Sorrows, for us and all who are near and dear to us, that we may ever do the Will of thy Son, and may direct all our actions to His honor, and to the furtherance of devotion to thy sorrows. Amen.
Virgin Most Sorrowful, pray for us.
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be....
Mary, most holy Virgin and Queen of Martyrs, accept the sincere homage of my filial affection. Into thy Heart, pierced by so many swords, do thou welcome my poor soul. Receive it as the companion of thy sorrows at the foot of the Cross, on which Jesus died for the redemption of the world. With thee, O sorrowful Virgin, I will gladly suffer all the trials, contradictions, and infirmities which it shall please Our Lord to send me. I offer them all to thee in memory of thy sorrows, so that: every thought of my mind and every beat of my heart may be an act of compassion and of love for thee. And do thou, sweet Mother, have pity on me, reconcile me to thy Divine Son, Jesus; keep me in His grace and assist me in my last agony, so that I may be able to meet thee in Heaven and sing thy glories.
Most holy Virgin and Mother, whose soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow in the Passion of thy Divine Son, and who in His glorious Resurrection wast filled with never ending joy at His triumph, obtain for us who call upon thee, so to be partakers in the adversities of Holy Church and the Sorrows of the Sovereign Pontiff, as to be found worthy to rejoice with them in the consolations for which we pray, in the charity and peace of the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
Litany of the Seven Sorrows
Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of Heaven, Have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, Have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, Pray for us.
Holy Mother of God, Pray for us.
Holy Virgin of virgins, Pray for us.
Mother crucified, Pray for us.
Mother sorrowful, Pray for us.
Mother tearful, Pray for us.
Mother afflicted, Pray for us.
Mother forsaken, Pray for us.
Mother desolate, Pray for us.
Mother bereft of thy Child, Pray for us.
Mother transfixed with the sword, Pray for us.
Mother consumed with grief, Pray for us.
Mother filled with anguish, Pray for us.
Mother crucified in heart, Pray for us.
Mother most sad, Pray for us.
Fountain of tears, Pray for us.
Abyss of suffering, Pray for us.
Mirror of patience, Pray for us.
Rock of constancy, Pray for us.
Anchor of confidence, Pray for us.
Refuge of the forsaken, Pray for us.
Shield of the oppressed, Pray for us.
Subduer of the unbelieving, Pray for us.
Comfort of the afflicted, Pray for us.
Medicine of the sick, Pray for us.
Strength of the weak, Pray for us.
Harbor of the wrecked, Pray for us.
Allayer of tempests, Pray for us.
Resource of mourners, Pray for us.
Terror of the treacherous, Pray for us.
Treasure of the faithful, Pray for us.
Eye of the Prophets, Pray for us.
Staff of the Apostles, Pray for us.
Crown of Martyrs, Pray for us.
Light of confessors, Pray for us.
Pearl of virgins, Pray for us.
Consolation of widows, Pray for us.
Joy of all Saints, Pray for us.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us.
Look down upon us, deliver us, and save us from all trouble, in the power of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Let us pray: Imprint, O Lady, thy wounds upon my heart, that I may read therein sorrow and love--- sorrow to endure every sorrow for thee, love to despise every love for thee. Amen.
Pray 1 Apostles Creed, 1 Hail Holy Queen, and 3 Hail Mary's,
in honor of the Most Holy Heart of Mary.
~~ originally written in Latin by Pope Pius VII in 1809
Daily Recommendation:
Pray 1 Hail Mary for each of the 7 Sorrows Our Lady experienced. This is easy and can be done anywhere, anytime, without having to have your prayerbook with you. You just have to memorize the 7 Sorrows, and you're set! This will at least show Our Lady that you acknowledge her sorrows, and remember them in appreciation. I'm sure she will be happy with you, and shower you with her special blessings.
From: 1 Timothy 2:1-8
God Desires the Salvation of All
Men at Prayer, Women at Prayer
*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:
1. St Paul here establishes regulations for the public prayer of all
the faithful; it is up to Timothy, as head of the church of Ephesus, to
specify these in detail, and to preside over them. He refers to four
types of prayer; however, since the first three are almost synonymous,
he is probably just stressing the key importance of prayer in the
Christian life. St Augustine uses this text to explain the various
parts of the Mass: “We take as ‘supplications’ those prayers which are
said in celebrating the Mysteries before beginning to bless (the bread
and wine) that lie on the table of the Lord. We understand ‘prayers’
as meaning those prayers that are said when (the offering) is blessed,
consecrated and broken for distribution, and almost the whole Church
closes this prayer with the Lord’s prayer [...]. ‘Intercessions’ are
made when the blessing is being laid on the people [...]. When this
rite is completed and all have received this great Sacrament, the whole
ceremony is brought to an end by ‘thanksgiving’—which is also the word
which concludes this passage of the Apostle’s” (”Letter 149”, 2, 16).
St Paul orders that prayers be said for all, not just for friends and
benefactors and not just for Christians. The Church helps people keep
this command by the Prayers of the Faithful or at Mass when “the people
exercise their priestly function by praying for all mankind” and “pray for
Holy Church, for those in authority, for those oppressed by various needs,
for all mankind, and for the salvation of the entire world” (”General
Instruction on the Roman Missal”, 45).
2. This desire to lead “a quiet and peaceful life” does not in any way
imply a relaxation of the demands St Paul makes in other letters. He
specifically says that prayers have to be said “for kings and all who
are in high positions” because they are responsible for ensuring that
civil law is in line with the natural law,=A0 and when it is citizens are
able to practise religious and civil virtues (to be “godly and respectful”).
Rulers have a heavy responsibility and therefore deserve to be prayed
for regularly.
St Paul’s instruction to pray for kings and others is particularly
interesting if one bears in mind that when he was writing this letter,
Nero was on the throne—the emperor who instigated a bloody persecution
of Christians. St Clement of Rome, one of the first successors of St
Peter at the see of Rome, has left us touching evidence of intercession
for civil authority: “Make us to be obedient to your own almighty and
glorious name and to all who have rule and governance over us on earth
[...]. Grant unto them, O Lord, health and peace, harmony and security,
that they may exercise without offense the dominion you have accorded
them [...]. Vouchsafe so to direct their counsels as may be good and
pleasing in your sight, that in peace and mildness they might put to
godly use the authority you have given them, and so find mercy with
you” (”Letter to the Corinthians”, 1, 60-61).
If one bears in mind the injustices and brutality of the world in which
Christians lived when St Paul wrote this letter, the tone of his teaching
shows that Christianity has nothing to do with fomenting political or
social unrest. The message of Jesus seeks, rather, to change men’s
consciences so that they for their part can change society from
within by working in an upright and noble way. The Church, through
its ordinary magisterium, teaches that “the political and economic
running of society is not a direct part of (the Church’s) mission (cf.
“Gaudium Et Spes”, 42). But the Lord Jesus has entrusted to her the
word of truth which is capable of enlightening consciences. Divine
love, which is her life, impels her to a true solidarity with everyone
who suffers. If her members remain faithful to this mission, the Holy
Spirit, the source of freedom, will dwell in them, and they will bring
forth fruits of justice and peace in their families and in the places
where they work and live” (SCDF, “Libertatis Conscientia”, 61).
3-4. God’s desire that all should be saved is a subject which appears
frequently in the Pastoral Epistles (cf. 1 Tim 4:10; Tit 3:4), and so
he is often given the title of “Savior” (cf. note on 1 Tim 1:1-2).
Here it is given special emphasis: pray for all men (v. 1),
particularly those in high positions (v. 2), that all may be saved
(v. 6).
Since God wants all men to be saved, no one is predestined to be
damned (cf. Council of Trent, “De Iustificatione”). “He came on earth
because “omnes homines vult salvos fieri”, he wants to redeem the
whole world. While you are at your work, shoulder to shoulder with
so many others, never forget that there is no soul that does not
matter to Christ!” ([St] J. Escriva, “The Forge”, 865).
God desires man to be free as intensely as he desires his salvation;
by making man free he has made it possible for man to cooperate
in attaining his last end. “God, who created you without you,” St
Augustine reminds us, “will not save you without you” (”Sermon”,
169, 13).
In order to attain salvation, the Apostle lists as a requirement that
one must “come to the knowledge of the truth”. “The truth” is firstly
Jesus (cf. Jn 14:6; 1 Jn 5:20); knowledge of the truth is the same as
knowing the Christian message, the Gospel (cf. Gal 2:5, 14). The
human mind needs to come into play if one is to be saved; for, although
affections, emotions and good will are also involved, it would be wrong
to give them so much importance that the content of the truths of faith
is played down. As the original Greek word suggests, this “knowledge”
is not just an intellectual grasp of truth: it is something which should
have an impact on one’s everyday life; knowledge of the faith involves
practice of the faith.
“The Church’s essential mission, following that of Christ, is a mission
of evangelization and salvation. She draws her zeal from the divine
love. Evangelization is the proclamation of salvation, which is a gift
of God. Through the word of God and the Sacraments, man is freed
in the first place from the power of sin and the power of the Evil One
which oppress him; and he is brought into a communion of love with
God. Following her Lord who ‘came into the world to save sinners’ (1
Tim 1:15), the Church desires the salvation of everyone. In this mission,
the Church teaches the way which man must follow in this world in order
to enter the Kingdom of God” (SCDF, “Libertatis Conscientia”, 63).
5. Verses 5 and 6 compress a series of statements into the rhythmic
format of a liturgical hymn, a kind of summarized confession of faith
containing the truths one needs to believe in order to be saved (cf.
v. 4).
“One mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus”: the
Apostle lays stress on Christ’s humanity, not to deny his divinity (which
he explicitly asserts elsewhere: cf. Tit 2: 13) but because it is as man
particularly that Christ is mediator; for if the function of a mediator
is to join or put two sides in touch, in this particular case it is only
as man that he is as it were “distant both from God by nature and
from man by dignity of both grace and glory [...], and that he can
unite men to God, communicating his precepts and gifts to them, and
offering satisfaction and prayers to God for them” (”Summa Theologiae”,
III, q. 26, a. 2). Christ is the perfect and only mediator between God
and men, because being true God and true man he has offered a
sacrifice of infinite value (his life) to reconcile men to God.
The fact that Jesus is the only mediator does not prevent those who
have reached heaven from obtaining graces and helping to build up
the Church’s holiness (cf. “Lumen Gentium”, 49). Angels and saints,
particularly the Blessed Virgin, can be described as mediators by
virtue of their union with Christ: “Mary’s function as mother of men
in no way obscures or diminishes this unique mediation of Christ, but
rather shows its power. But the Blessed Virgin’s salutary influence on
men originates not in any inner necessity but in the disposition of
God. It flows forth from the superabundance of the merits of Christ”
(”Lumen Gentium”, 60).
6. “Ransom”: in the Old Testament God is said to ransom or redeem
his people particularly when he sets them free from slavery in Egypt
and makes them his own property (cf. Ex 6:6-7; 19:5-6; etc.). The
liberation which God will bring about in the messianic times is also
described as redemption (cf. Is 35:9) and implies, above all,
liberation from sin: “he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities”
(Ps. 130:8). The same idea occurs in this verse: Jesus “gave himself”
in sacrifice to make expiation for our sins, to set us free from sin
and restore to us our lost dignity. “Unceasingly contemplating the
whole of Christ’s mystery, the Church knows with all the certainty
of faith that the Redemption that took place through the Cross has
definitively restored his dignity to man and given back meaning to
his life in the world, a meaning that was lost to a considerable extent
because of sin” (John Paul II, “Redemptor Hominis”, 10).
“At the proper time”: God’s plan for man’s salvation is eternal, it did
not start at a particular time; however, it unfolds gradually in God’s
good time (see the note on Eph 1:10).
8. The raising of the hands at prayer is a custom found among both
Jews (cf. Ex 9:29; Is 1:15; etc.) and pagans; it was also adopted by
the early Christians, as can be seen from murals in the Roman
catacombs.
External stances adopted during prayer should reflect one’s inner
attitude: “we extend our arms”, Tertullian explains, “in imitation of
the Lord on the Cross; and praying we confess Christ” (”De Oratione”,
14). St Thomas Aquinas, referring to liturgical rites, comments that
“what we do externally when we pray helps to move us internally.
Genuflections and other gestures of that type are not pleasing to God
in themselves; they please him because they are signs of respect
whereby man humbles himself interiorly; similarly, the raising of the
hands signifies the lifting of the heart” (”Commentary on 1 Tim, ad
loc.”).
Everyone should pray regularly (vv. 1-2) and be sure to have the right
dispositions; men need to make sure that they do not approach prayer
with their thoughts full of earthly ambition; and women need to be sure
vanity does not creep in. “Holy hands” refers to the need to pray with
a calm conscience, free from anger and spite. We already have our
Lord’s teaching that “if you are offering your gift at the altar, and
there remember that your brother has something against you, leave
your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your
brother, and then come and offer your gift” (Mt 5:23-24).
*********************************************************************************************
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: Luke 7:1-10
The Centurion’s Faith
*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:
1-10. “They besought Him earnestly” (verse 4). Here is an example of
the effectiveness of the prayer of petition, which induces Almighty God
to work a miracle. In this connection St. Bernard explains what we
should ask God for: “As I see it, the petitions of the heart consists in
three things [...]. The first two have to do with the present, that is,
with
things for the body and for the soul; the third is the blessedness of eter-
nal life. Do not be surprised that He says that we should ask God for
things for the body: all things come from Him, physical as well as spiri-
tual things [...]. However, we should pray more often and more fervently
for things our souls need, that is, for God’s grace and for virtues” (”Fifth
Lenten Sermon”, 8f). To obtain His grace—of whatever kind—God Himself
expects us to ask Him assiduously, confidently, humbly and persistently.
What stands out here is the centurion’s humility: he did not belong to
the chosen people, he was a pagan; but he makes his request through
friends, with deep humility. Humility is the route to faith, whether to
receive faith for the first time or to revive it. Speaking of his own
conver-
sion experience, St. Augustine says that because he was not humble,
he could not understand how Jesus, who was such a humble person,
could be God, nor how God could teach anyone by lowering Himself to
the point of taking on our human condition. This was precisely why the
Word, eternal Truth, became man—to demolish our pride, to encourage
our love, to subdue all things and thereby be able to raise us up (cf.
“Confessions”, VII, 18, 24).
6-7. Such is the faith and humility of the centurion that the Church, in
its eucharistic liturgy, gives us his very words to express our own senti-
ments just before receiving Holy Communion; we too should strive to
have this interior disposition when Jesus enters our roof, our soul.
*********************************************************************************************
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 | 1 Timothy 2:1 - 8 © |
|---|---|
| My advice is that, first of all, there should be prayers offered for everyone – petitions, intercessions and thanksgiving – and especially for kings and others in authority, so that we may be able to live religious and reverent lives in peace and quiet. To do this is right, and will please God our saviour: he wants everyone to be saved and reach full knowledge of the truth. For there is only one God, and there is only one mediator between God and mankind, himself a man, Christ Jesus, who sacrificed himself as a ransom for them all. He is the evidence of this, sent at the appointed time, and I have been named a herald and apostle of it and – I am telling the truth and no lie – a teacher of the faith and the truth to the pagans. In every place, then, I want the men to lift their hands up reverently in prayer, with no anger or argument. |
|
| Psalm or canticle: Psalm 27 |
| Gospel | Luke 7:1 - 10 © |
|---|---|
| When Jesus had come to the end of all he wanted the people to hear, he went into Capernaum. A centurion there had a servant, a favourite of his, who was sick and near death. Having heard about Jesus he sent some Jewish elders to him to ask him to come and heal his servant. When they came to Jesus they pleaded earnestly with him. ‘He deserves this of you’ they said ‘because he is friendly towards our people; in fact, he is the one who built the synagogue.’ So Jesus went with them, and was not very far from the house when the centurion sent word to him by some friends: ‘Sir,’ he said ‘do not put yourself to trouble; because I am not worthy to have you under my roof; and for this same reason I did not presume to come to you myself; but give the word and let my servant be cured. For I am under authority myself, and have soldiers under me; and I say to one man: Go, and he goes; to another: Come here, and he comes; to my servant: Do this, and he does it.’ When Jesus heard these words he was astonished at him and, turning round, said to the crowd following him, ‘I tell you, not even in Israel have I found faith like this’. And when the messengers got back to the house they found the servant in perfect health. | |
O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
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. Alleluia.
A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.
| Psalm 72 (73) |
|---|
| Why should the just suffer? |
| How good God is to the upright, to those who are pure of heart! But as for me, my feet nearly stumbled, my steps were on the point of going astray, as I envied the boasters and sinners, envied their comfort and peace. For them there are no burdens, their bellies are full and sleek. They do not labour, like ordinary men; they do not suffer, like mortals. They wear their pride like a necklace, their violence covers them like a robe. Wickedness oozes from their very being, the thoughts of their hearts break forth: they deride, they utter abominations, and from their heights they proclaim injustice. They have set their mouth in the heavens, and their tongue traverses the earth. Thus they sit in their lofty positions, and the flood-waters cannot reach them. They ask, “How can God know? Does the Most High have any understanding?” Behold, then, the wicked, always prosperous: their riches growing for ever. 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. |
| Psalm 72 (73) |
|---|
| I said, “It was pointless to purify my heart, to wash my hands in innocence – for still I suffered all through the day, still I was punished every morning”. If I had said, “I will speak like them”, I would have betrayed the race of your children. I pondered and tried to understand: my eyes laboured to see – until I entered God’s holy place and heard how they would end. For indeed you have put them on a slippery surface and have thrown them down in ruin. How they are laid waste! How suddenly they fall and perish in terror! You spurn the sight of them, Lord, as a dream is abandoned when the sleeper awakes. 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. |
| Psalm 72 (73) |
|---|
| My heart was sore, my being was troubled – I was a fool, I knew nothing; I was like a dumb beast before you. But still I stay with you: you hold my right hand. You lead me according to your counsel, until you raise me up in glory. For who else is for me, in heaven? On earth, I want nothing when I am with you. My flesh and heart are failing, but it is God that I love: God is my portion for ever. Behold, those who abandon you will perish: you have condemned all who go whoring away from you. But for myself, I take joy in clinging to God, in putting my trust in the Lord, my God, to proclaim your works at the gates of the daughters of Sion. 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. |
| Reading | Ezekiel 2:8 - 3:21 © |
|---|---|
| The voice said, ‘You, son of man, listen to the words I say; do not be a rebel like that rebellious set. Open your mouth and eat what I am about to give you.’ I looked. A hand was there, stretching out to me and holding a scroll. He unrolled it in front of me; it was written on back and front; on it was written ‘lamentations, wailings, meanings’. He said, ‘Son of man, eat what is given to you; eat this scroll, then go and speak to the House of Israel’. I opened my mouth; he gave me the scroll to eat and said, ‘Son of man, feed and be satisfied by the scroll I am giving you’. I ate it, and it tasted sweet as honey. Then he said, ‘Son of man, go to the House of Israel and tell them what I have said. You are not being sent to a nation that speaks a difficult foreign language; you are being sent to the House of Israel. Not to big nations that speak difficult foreign languages, and whose words you would not understand– if I sent you to them, they would listen to you; but the House of Israel will not listen to you because it will not listen to me. The whole House of Israel is stubborn and obstinate. But now, I will make you as defiant as they are, and as obstinate as they are; I am going to make your resolution as hard as a diamond and diamond is harder than flint. So do not be afraid of them, do not be overawed by them for they are a set of rebels.’ Then he said, ‘Son of man, remember everything I say to you, listen closely, and go to your exiled countrymen and talk to them. Tell them, “The Lord says this”, whether they listen or not.’ After seven days the word of the Lord was addressed to me as follows, ‘Son of man, I have appointed you as sentry to the House of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from me, warn them in my Name. If I say to a wicked man, “You are to die”, and you do not warn him; if you do not speak and warn him to renounce his evil ways and so live, then he shall die for his sin, but I will hold you responsible for his death. If, however, you do warn a wicked man and he does not renounce his wickedness and his evil ways, then he shall die for his sin, but you yourself will have saved your life. When the upright man renounces his integrity to do evil and I set a trap for him, he too shall die; since you failed to warn him, he shall die for his sin and the integrity he practised will no longer be remembered; but I will hold you responsible for his death. If, however, you warn the upright man not to sin and he abstains from sinning, he shall live, thanks to your warning, and you too will have saved your life.’ |
|
| Reading | St Augustine's sermon On Pastors |
|---|---|
| The shepherds who feed themselves | |
| Let us consider the unflattering words of God which Scripture addresses to shepherds who feed themselves and not the sheep. You consume their milk and cover yourselves with their wool; you kill the fatlings, but my sheep you do not pasture. You have failed to strengthen what was weak, to heal what was sick, and to bind up what was injured. You did not call back what went astray, nor seek out what was lost. What was strong you have destroyed, and my sheep have been scattered because there is no shepherd. This is spoken to the shepherds who feed themselves and not the sheep; it speaks of their concern and their neglect. What is their concern? You consume their milk and cover yourselves with their wool. And so the Apostle asks: Who plants a vineyard and does not eat from its fruit? Who pastures a flock and does not drink from the milk of the flock? Thus we learn that the milk of the flock is whatever temporal support and sustenance God’s people give to those who are placed over them. It is of this that the Apostle was speaking in the passage just quoted. Although he chose to support himself by the labour of his own hands and not to ask for milk from the sheep, the Apostle did say that he had the right to receive the milk, for the Lord had established that they who preach the Gospel should live from the Gospel. Paul also says that others of his fellow apostles made use of this right, a right granted them, and not unlawfully usurped. But Paul went further by not taking what was rightfully his. He forgave the debt, whereas the others did not demand what was not due them. Therefore Paul went further. Perhaps his action was foreshadowed by the Good Samaritan who, when he brought the sick man to the inn, said: If you spend any more, I will repay you on my way back. What more can I say concerning those shepherds who do not need the milk of the flock? They are more merciful; or rather, they carry out a more abundant ministry of mercy. They are able to do so, and they do it. Let them receive praise, but do not condemn the others. The Apostle himself did not seek what was given. However, he wanted the sheep to be fruitful, not sterile and unable to give milk. |
|
| Concluding Prayer |
|---|
| O God, creator and ruler, look down lovingly upon us. Grant that we may serve you wholeheartedly so as to receive the blessings of your goodwill. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen. |
It's a beautiful day in Pittsburgh PA, the sun is shining, temp. 72 degrees, my two parakeets are chirping to the sparrows outside the window. May everyone have a good day.
So addressing the translation thread.
You know have:
NAB
RSV (Navarre)
Jerusalem
!!!!
St. Robert Bellarmine,
Bishop & Doctor of the Church
Optional Memorial
September 17th
Collect:
God our Father,
you gave Robert Bellarmine wisdom and goodness
to defend the faith of your Church.
By his prayers
may we always rejoice in the profession of our faith.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
First Reading:Wisdom 7:7-10, 15-16
Therefore I prayed, and understanding was given me; I called upon God, and the spirit of wisdom came to me.
I preferred her to scepters and thrones, and I accounted wealth as nothing in comparison with her.
Neither did I liken to her any priceless gem, because all gold is but a little sand in her sight, and silver will be accounted as clay before her.
I loved her more than health and beauty, and I chose to have her rather than light,
because her radiance never ceases.
May God grant that I speak with judgment and have thought worthy of what I have received, for he is the guide even of wisdom and the corrector of the wise.
For both we and our words are in his hand, as are all understanding and skill in crafts.
Gospel: Matthew 7:21-29
"Not every one who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.'
"Every one then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock; and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And every one who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand; and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell; and great was the fall of it."
And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.
|
September 17, 2007
 St. Robert Bellarmine
(1542-1621)
When Robert Bellarmine was ordained in 1570, the study of Church history and the Fathers of the Church was in a sad state of neglect. A promising scholar from his youth in Tuscany, he devoted his energy to these two subjects, as well as to Scripture, in order to systematize Church doctrine against the attacks of the Protestant Reformers. He was the first Jesuit to become a professor at Louvain.
His most famous work is his three-volume Disputations on the Controversies of the Christian faith. Particularly noteworthy are the sections on the temporal power of the pope and the role of the laity. He incurred the anger of both England and France by showing the divine-right-of-kings theory untenable. He developed the theory of the indirect power of the pope in temporal affairs; although he was defending the pope against the Scottish philosopher Barclay, he also incurred the ire of Pope Sixtus V. Bellarmine was made a cardinal by Pope Clement VIII on the grounds that "he had not his equal for learning." While he occupied apartments in the Vatican, Bellarmine relaxed none of his former austerities. He limited his household expenses to what was barely essential, eating only the food available to the poor. He was known to have ransomed a soldier who had deserted from the army and he used the hangings of his rooms to clothe poor people, remarking, "The walls won't catch cold." Among many activities, he became theologian to Pope Clement VIII, preparing two catechisms which have had great influence in the Church. The last major controversy of Bellarmine's life came in 1616 when he had to admonish his friend Galileo, whom he admired. Bellarmine delivered the admonition on behalf of the Holy Office, which had decided that the heliocentric theory of Copernicus was contrary to Scripture. The admonition amounted to a caution against putting forward—other than as a hypothesis—theories not yet fully proved. It was an example of the fact that saints are not infallible. Bellarmine died on September 17, 1621. The process for his canonization was begun in 1627 but was delayed for political reasons, stemming from his writings, until 1930. In 1931 Pius XI declared him a Doctor of the Church. Quote:
|
||||
|
|
| Monday, September 17, 2007 The Sacred Stigmata of Saint Francis of Assisi (Feast) |
||
|
Collect: God our Father, you gave Robert Bellarmine wisdom and goodness to defend the faith of your Church. By his prayers may we always rejoice in the profession of our faith. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Optional Memorial of St. Robert Bellarmine, bishop and doctor
Old Calendar: Impression of the Stigmata of St. Francis
St. Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621) was born in Montepulciano, Italy, and died in Rome. The son of noble parents, he entered the Society of Jesus, finishing his theological studies at Louvain, Belgium. His services to the Church were outstanding and many. He occupied the chair of controversial theology in Rome. He defended the Holy See against anti-clericals. He wrote books against the prevailing heresies of the day. His catechism, translated into many languages, spread the knowledge of Christian doctrine to all parts of the world. He was the Counsellor of Popes and spiritual director of St. Aloysius Gonzaga. He helped St. Francis de Sales obtain approval of the Visitation Order. As a religious he was a model of purity, humility and obedience; as a bishop and Cardinal, an example of great love for his flock.
Before the reform of the General Roman Calendar St. Robert Bellarmine's feast was celebrated on May 13. Today was the feast of the Impression of the Stigmata on St. Francis. Two years before his death St. Francis retired to Mt. Alverno where he began a forty days' fast in honor of St. Michael the Archangel. There, while in a state of continual prayer and unceasing watching, he saw in a vision a seraph with burning, dazzling wings whose feet and hands were nailed to a cross; at the same time five wounds, like those of our Lord, appeared on Francis' feet, hands and side; from the wound in his side blood flowed. These stigmata were so fully verified subsequently that the Franciscans since the fourteenth century have celebrated a feast in honor of the event.
He was born at Montepulciano in Tuscany on October 4, 1542, the feast of the Poverello of Assisi toward whom he always cherished a special devotion. The day on which he died, September 17, is now the feast in honor of the stigmata of St. Francis. In 1560 Robert Bellarmine entered the Society of Jesus. He easily ranks among its greatest men, illustrious for learning as well as for piety, humility, and simplicity of heart. If it were possible to summarize his life in a single sentence, one that would resolve all the varied activities and accomplishments of his long career, a verse from the psalm might serve: "If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand be forgotten." His most important work was controversial in nature but the impact of his presentation "resembled the final chord in a mighty cantata, a chord that resounded through all the vice and scandal resulting from the internal corruption of the Church of that day, and that chord heralded Mother Church as one, holy, and Catholic" (E. Birminghaus).
Bellarmine also acted as confessor to the youthful Aloysius and John Berchmans. It might be asked why three hundred years passed before the beatification and canonization of Bellarmine. Long ago Bishop Hefele pointed to the reason when he wrote: "Bellarmine deserves the highest degree of respect from Catholics, even though he has not been canonized. Those who labored to besmirch him have only erected a monument of shame for themselves!" Finally in 1923, he was beatified; canonization followed in 1930, and on September 17, 1931, Pope Pius XI declared him a doctor of the Church.
Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch.
Patron: canon lawyers; canonists; catechists; catechumens; archdiocese of Cincinnati, Ohio.
Symbols: red hat of cardinal; book denoting doctor of the Church; pictured in the red garments of a Cardinal.
Things to Do:
 |
|
|
St Robert Bellarmine, 1542-1621. Doctor of Church State Relations, Feast Sept 17th. |
O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
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. Alleluia.
A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.
| Psalm 89 (90) |
|---|
| Let the Lord's glory shine upon us |
| Lord, you have been our refuge from generation to generation. Before the mountains were born, before earth and heaven were conceived, from all time to all time, you are God. You turn men into dust, you say to them “go back, children of men”. A thousand years in your sight are like yesterday, that has passed; like a short watch in the night. When you take them away, they will be nothing but a dream; like the grass that sprouts in the morning: in the morning it grows and flowers, in the evening it withers and dries. For we are made weak by your anger, thrown into confusion by your wrath. You have gazed upon our transgressions; the light of your face illuminates our secrets. All our days vanish in your anger, we use up our years in a single breath. Seventy years are what we have, or eighty for the stronger ones; and most of that is labour and sadness – quickly they pass, and we are gone. Who can comprehend the power of your wrath? Who can behold the violence of your anger? Teach us to reckon our days like this, so that our hearts may be led at last to wisdom. Turn to us, Lord, how long must we wait? Let your servants call on you and be answered. Fill us with your kindness in the morning, and we shall rejoice and be glad all the days of our life. Give us joy for as long as you afflicted us, for all the years when we suffered. Let your servants see your great works, and let their children see your glory. Let the glory of the Lord God be upon us: make firm the work of your hands. Make firm the work of your hands. 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. |
| Canticle | Isaiah 42 |
|---|---|
| God, the victor and saviour | |
| Sing a new song to the Lord: sing his praise from the ends of the earth. Praise him, who go down to the sea; and all that are in the sea, islands and their inhabitants. Let the desert rejoice, and the cities of the desert, the villages where the people of Kedar live. Let those who dwell in Petra rejoice, and cry out from the mountain-tops. Let them give glory to the Lord, and proclaim his praise among the islands. The Lord will go forth like a warrior, like a man of war he will stir up zeal; he will shout and cry out; he will prevail against his foes. “I have always been silent, I have kept silence and waited; but now I shall cry out like a woman in labour, I shall groan and tremble. I shall lay waste the mountains and hills, I shall wither their grass, I shall turn rivers into deserts, I shall dry up the marshes. I shall lead the blind along a way they do not know; in paths unknown to them I shall make them walk. I shall make the darkness that is around them into light. I shall make crooked things straight”. 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. |
|
| Psalm 134 (135) |
|---|
| Praise the Lord, the wonder-worker |
| Praise the name of the Lord: praise it, servants of the Lord, you who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God. Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing to his name, for it brings happiness. For the Lord chose Jacob for his own, he chose Israel for his possession. I know how great is the Lord, how great is our God above all gods. The Lord accomplishes all that he wills, in the heavens and on the earth, in the sea and the depths of the oceans. He brings in clouds from the ends of the earth, makes lightning for the rain-clouds, from his storehouse he calls forth the winds. He struck down the first-born of Egypt, of man and of beast alike. He sent signs and wonders among them, to Pharaoh and all his servants. He shattered nation after nation, killed powerful kings: Sihon, king of the Amorites, Og, the king of Bashan, all the kingdoms of Canaan. He gave their lands as a birthright, as a birthright for Israel his people. 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. |
| Short reading | Judith 8:25 - 27 © |
|---|---|
| Let us give thanks to the Lord our God who, as he tested our ancestors, is now testing us. Remember how he treated Abraham, all the ordeals of Isaac and all that happened to Jacob. For as these ordeals were intended by him to search their hearts, so now this is not vengeance that God exacts against us, but a warning inflicted by the Lord on those who are near his heart. | |
| Canticle | Benedictus |
|---|---|
| The Messiah and his forerunner | |
| Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to his people and brought about their redemption. He has raised up the sign of salvation in the house of his servant David, as he promised through the mouth of the holy ones, his prophets through the ages: to rescue us from our enemies and all who hate us, to take pity on our fathers, to remember his holy covenant and the oath he swore to Abraham our father, that he would give himself to us, that we could serve him without fear – freed from the hands of our enemies – in uprightness and holiness before him, for all of our days. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High: for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his path, to let his people know their salvation, so that their sins may be forgiven. Through the bottomless mercy of our God, one born on high will visit us to give light to those who walk in darkness, who live in the shadow of death; to lead our feet in the path of peace. 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. |
|
|
||||
| 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 that trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. |
| O God, you have made us guardians and cultivators of the earth, you have sent the sun to shine on us and help us. Grant that today we may work for your glory and for the good of our neighbour. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen. |
| May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life. |
| A M E N |
|
Christ Is My Life!
Luke 7: 11-17 Introductory Prayer: Lord, I believe that my life is in your hands from the moment of my creation until my last day. Lord, I hope in you, because you have created me for a purpose. Lord, I love you, for the great love that you have for me. Save me and those whom I love, for eternal life! Petition:Lord, may I always live and die for you! 1. “Do Not Weep” There are many ‘reasons’ to despair. So many difficulties in life have no human solution. Especially when it comes to life and death, I find myself so powerless to help others. Yet the love I bear in my heart suffers for others’ loss. Jesus, however, offers a different perspective: “Do not weep.” His infinite power frees us from tragic human limitations. Furthermore, “We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). Jesus calls me, above all, to hope against hope. He acts, he intercedes, as Redeemer. “Do not weep,” bears the weight of a command. As apocalyptic as suffering and death might appear, ultimately Jesus reveals a life-giving love: “He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain” (Revelation 21:4). The widow of Nain is about to receive a grace inconceivable to her present sorrow. I, too, should hope in Christ’s kindness towards me and my loved-ones. 2. “Young Man, I Tell You, Arise!” Jesus does not console me by simply removing my emotion, or by having me imagine that things are different than they really are. If I lose someone who is dear to me, I am truly sad. Instead, Christ comes to restore what was lost. He in fact acts to remove the cause of pain and sorrow: “for I, the LORD, am your healer” (Exodus 15:26). When Jesus tells the widow of Nain, “Do not weep,” he does not accuse her of being an overly-emotional woman who takes things too seriously. Quite the contrary, Jesus is very compassionate towards her because of the loss of her son. The Redeemer does not come to crush her motherly heart; instead, the Savior restores the love of her heart to life as he speaks to her son: “Young man, I tell you, arise!” Therefore with all my heart and soul I ought to be obedient to hope. My life is in God’s hands. The lives of my loved ones are in God’s hands. If I live, I live for Christ; if I die, I die for Christ (Cf. Romans 14:8). My life for Christ! Christ is my life. 3. “God Has Visited His People” Even at his birth, the Son of God who took on our human nature was named “Emmanuel”: “God-with-us.” Our Savior associates himself with us, not only in life and grace, but also taking our sins upon himself and giving his very life in order to redeem us. “God has visited his people” even referring to sinners: those who suffer death as an ultimate consequence of original and personal sin. Conversation with Christ: Lord Jesus, I entrust my entire life and the lives of my loved ones to your care. Allow me to grow in your love so that I may live until my last day with your grace which leads to eternal life. Let me hope in your resurrection as I offer you my everyday burdens. Resolution: In a conversation today, I will speak to someone about life as a journey meant to lead us and prepare us for heaven. |
Imitation of Christ: 1, 7, Avoiding False Hope and Pride [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 8, Shunning Over- Familiarity [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 9, Obedience and Subjection [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 10, Avoiding Idle Talk [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 11, Acquiring Peace and Zeal for Perfection [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 12, The Value of Adversity [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 13, Resisting Temptation [Devotional]
I’ll read any translation of the Bible as long as the words of Jesus are in red. (smile)
| Lk 7:1-10 | ||
|---|---|---|
| # | Douay-Rheims | Vulgate |
| 1 | And when he had finished all his words in the hearing of the people, he entered into Capharnaum. | cum autem implesset omnia verba sua in aures plebis intravit Capharnaum |
| 2 | And the servant of a certain centurion who was dear to him, being sick, was ready to die. | centurionis autem cuiusdam servus male habens erat moriturus qui illi erat pretiosus |
| 3 | And when he had heard of Jesus, he sent unto him the ancients of the Jews, desiring him to come and heal his servant. | et cum audisset de Iesu misit ad eum seniores Iudaeorum rogans eum ut veniret et salvaret servum eius |
| 4 | And when they came to Jesus, they besought him earnestly, saying to him: He is worthy that thou shouldest do this for him. | at illi cum venissent ad Iesum rogabant eum sollicite dicentes ei quia dignus est ut hoc illi praestes |
| 5 | For he loveth our nation: and he hath built us a synagogue. | diligit enim gentem nostram et synagogam ipse aedificavit nobis |
| 6 | And Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent his friends to him, saying: Lord, trouble not thyself; for I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my roof. | Iesus autem ibat cum illis et cum iam non longe esset a domo misit ad eum centurio amicos dicens Domine noli vexari non enim dignus sum ut sub tectum meum intres |
| 7 | For which cause neither did I think myself worthy to come to thee: but say the word, and my servant shall be healed. | propter quod et me ipsum non sum dignum arbitratus ut venirem ad te sed dic verbo et sanabitur puer meus |
| 8 | For I also am a man subject to authority, having under me soldiers: and I say to one, Go, and he goeth: and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doth it. | nam et ego homo sum sub potestate constitutus habens sub me milites et dico huic vade et vadit et alio veni et venit et servo meo fac hoc et facit |
| 9 | Which Jesus hearing, marvelled: and turning about to the multitude that followed him, he said: Amen I say to you, I have not found so great faith, not even in Israel. | quo audito Iesus miratus est et conversus sequentibus se turbis dixit amen dico vobis nec in Israhel tantam fidem inveni |
| 10 | And they who were sent, being returned to the house, found the servant whole who had been sick. | et reversi qui missi fuerant domum invenerunt servum qui languerat sanum |
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
