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From: Isaiah 45:6b-8, 18, 21b-25

Cyrus’ Mission (Continuation)

[6c] [Thus says the LORD:]
I am the Lord, and there is no other.
[7] I form light and create darkness,
I make weal and create woe,
I am the Lord, who do all these things.
[8] “Shower, O heavens, from above,
and let the skies rain down righteousness;
let the earth open, that salvation may sprout forth,
and let it cause righteousness to spring up also;
I the Lord have created it.

The Lord Rules Over All (Continuation)

[18] For thus says the Lord,
who created the heavens
(he is God!),
who formed the earth and made it
(he established it;
he did not create it a chaos,
he formed it to be inhabited!):
“I am the Lord, and there is no other.

[21b] “Who told this long ago?
Who declared it of old?
Was it not I, the Lord?
And there is no other god besides me,
a righteous God and a saviour;
there is none besides me.

[22] “Turn to me and be saved,
all the ends of the earth!
For I am God, and there is no other.

[23] “By myself I have sworn,
from my mouth has gone forth in righteousness
a word that shall not return:
‘To me every knee shall bow,
every tongue shall swear.’

[24] “Only in the Lord, it shall be said of me,
are righteousness and strength;
to him shall come and be ashamed,
all who were incensed against him.
[25] In the Lord all the offspring of Israel
shall triumph and glory.

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

45:6-7. When these verses were written they may have been designed to coun-
ter dualism (very prevalent among the Persians and their neighbors), which held
that two counterposed principles existed — good and evil; hence the emphasis on
the fact that the Lord is the only God, the creator of all things of light and of dark-
ness. That would explain why God is described as the maker of “weal” and “woe”,
whereas because God is infinite goodness he cannot properly be called the au-
thor of evil. However, because Christian readers could find the statement (in v. 2)
disconcerting, exegetes have commented on it. Origen, quite early on, gave this
explanation: “Evil, in the absolute sense of the word, was not created by God
[...]. If we speak of evil in a loose sense, meaning physical and natural evils, then
we can say that God created it in order to convert men by their suffering. What is
strange about this teaching? We refer to the punishments meted out by parents
and teachers, and even the prescriptions and operations carried out by doctors
and surgeons, as evils and sufferings, without blaming or condemning them. And
that is how we should read the verse: ‘I form light and create darkness, I make
weal and woe’ (Is 45:7)” (”Contra Celsum”, 6, 55-56). And St Gregory the Great
comments: “I make weal and woe: the peace of God is offered to us precisely in
the moment when created things, which are good in themselves, though not al-
ways desired or sought with rectitude of heart, become the source of suffering
and disgrace. Our union with God is broken by sin; it is fitting, therefore, that we
return to him along the path of suffering. When any created thing, which is good
in itself, causes us to suffer, it is an instrument for our conversion, so that we will
return humbly to the source of peace” (”Moralia In Job”, 3, 9, 15).

45:8. The terms translated as “righteousness” and “salvation” correspond to
three Hebrew abstract nouns. The first and third (”righteousness”) mean the
same thing. The New Vulgate translates them as “iustitia” and “salvatio”. But
the Vulgate of St Jerome interpreted the first two as adjectives — “righteous” and
“saving”, reading them as having more direct reference to the Messiah, the “Just
(One)”, the “saviour” and giving rise to a text that is used in the Advent liturgy:
“Rorate coeli desuper, et nubes pluant iustum; aperiatur terra et germinet Salva-
torem, et iustitia oriantur simul” (”Let the clouds rain down the Just One, and the
earth bring forth a saviour...”). A sermon attributed to St Augustine sees these
words as finding fulfillment in the birth of Christ: “Today this prophecy is fulfilled:
‘Shower, O heavens, from above, and let the skies rain down righteousness; let
the earth open, that salvation may sprout forth.’ The Creator became a creature,
so that the one who was lost would be found. This is what we read in the psalms:
‘Before I was brought low, I sinned. Man sinned and became a criminal; God was
made man so that the criminal could be set free. Man fell, but God descended
[from heaven]; man fell into misery, but God came down in his mercy; man fell
through his pride, God came with his grace” (”Sermones”, 128). And St Proclus
of Constantinople, reading these words as a figure of the virginal birth of Jesus,
says: “The skies rain down righteousness: the sin of Eve has been undone and
destroyed by the purity of the Virgin and by the One who was born of her, God
and man. On this day, man is set free from the prison of sin and the burden of
darkness that weighed him down is lifted from him” (”De Navitate Domini”, 1).

45:14-25. Repeatedly the point is made that the Lord is the only God, there is no
other (cf. vv. 14-15, 18, 21, 22). Only God can save. And so, all the nations are
invited to acknowledge his sovereignty and worship him on Zion (vv. 22-24). Al-
though at the start of the passage the language has resonances of war (implica-
tions of plunder and taking strong men prisoner: vv. 14-17), this is only a graphic
way of speaking, In fact, the passage has to do with liberation from idolatry and
with allowing oneself be captivated by the truth of that God who is hidden but
who is the only God and true Saviour.

The words “Truly, though art a God who hidest thyself’ (v. 15) is a prophetic re-
flection on the nature of God, a being who is unfathomable, a mystery to the
mind of man, who ordinarily acts through persons and events in history, without
letting himself be seen. This idea, which has profound and universal philosophi-
cal and theological implications, is very much in line with the historical circum-
stances — the election of Cyrus as the person God uses to advance his plans.
This whole chapter is imbued with a universalist outlook, very different from the
attitudes of the people before.

The Fathers saw in Cyrus a figure of Christ. God acted in a hidden way through
Cyrus to bring about the the Godhead hidden in Jesus. The Septuagint translates
“Truly, thou art a God who hidest thyself’ as “Thou art God and we did not know
it” which some Fathers read as a reference to the divinity of Christ: “The Son of
God has always been present, though he hid who he was. When he was revealed
in his glory after the resurrection, the people confessed: ‘You are God, and we did
not know it’. And when the one who is seen according to the Law as a mere An-
gel and the captain of the Lord’s host is recognized finally as the Son of God, the
people give thanks, saying: ‘You are God, and we did not know it’. What is meant
by this is that He is the one who appeared to the patriarchs, the one who was
made man and was not recognized by men” (Ambrosiaster, “Ad Romanos”, 2,
22).

Verse 23b is reminiscent of Philippians 2:10-11, which attributes to Jesus Christ
qualities that the Old Testament applied only to God.

*********************************************************************************************
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 7:18b-23

The Mission of John the Baptist

[18b] The disciples of John (the Baptist) told him of all these things. [19] And
John, calling to him two of his disciples, sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are
You He who is to come, or shall we look for another?” [20] And when the men
had come to Him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, saying, ‘Are
You He who is to come, or shall we look for another?’” [21] In that hour He cured
many of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many that were blind He
bestowed sight. [22] And He answered them, “Go and tell John what you have
seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed,
and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to
them. [23] And blessed is he who takes no offense at Me.”

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

18-23. “It was not out of ignorance that John enquired about Christ’s coming in
the flesh, for he had already clearly professed his belief, saying, ‘I have seen and
have borne witness that this is the Son of God’ (John 1:34). That is why he does
not ask, ‘Are You He who has come?’ but rather, ‘Are You He who is to come?’
thus asking about the future, not about the past. Nor should we think that the
Baptist did not know about Christ’s future passion, for it was John who said, ‘Be-
hold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world’ (John 1:29), thus
foretelling His future immolation, which other prophets had already foretold, parti-
cularly Isaiah (chapter 53) [...]. It can also be replied, with St. John Chrysostom,
that John made this enquiry not from doubt or ignorance, but because he wished
his disciples to be satisfied on this point by Christ. Therefore, Christ gave His re-
ply to instruct these disciples, by pointing to the evidence of His miracles (verse
22)” (St. Thomas Aquinas, “Summa Theologiae”, II-II, q. 2, a. 7 ad 2).

22. In His reply to these disciples of John the Baptist, Jesus points to the mira-
cles He has worked, which show that he has investigated the Kingdom of God;
He is, therefore, the promised Messiah. Along with miracles, one of the signs of
the coming of the Kingdom is the preaching of salvation to the poor. On the mea-
ning of “the poor”, see the notes on Matthew 5:3; Luke 6:20 and 6:24.

Following the Lord’s example, the Church has always taken special care of
those in need. In our own time the Popes have stressed time and again the du-
ties of Christians in regard to poverty caused by man’s injustice to man: “Selfish-
ness and domination are permanent temptations for men. Likewise an ever finer
discernment is needed, in order to strike at the roots of newly arising situations
of injustice and to establish progressively a justice which will be less and less
imperfect [...]. The Church directs her attention to these new ‘poor’ — the handi-
capped, the maladjusted, the old, various groups on the fringe of society — in or-
der to recognize them, help them, defend their place and dignity in a society har-
dened by competition and the attraction of success” (Paul VI, “Octogesima Ad-
veniens”, 15).

23. These words refer to the same thing Simeon prophesied about when he re-
ferred to Christ as a sign that is spoken against, a sign of contradiction (cf. Luke
2:34). People who reject our Lord, who are scandalized by Him, will not reach
Heaven.

*********************************************************************************************
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.

I kept thinking of Mother Teresa when I read this...thinking of the Dark Night, God who hides himself, our need for Him no matter what...

Very beautiful scripture readings

Yes, very inspiring.

Mass Readings

First reading	Isaiah 45:6-8,18,21-25 ©

Apart from me, all is nothing.

I am the Lord, unrivalled,

I form the light and create the dark.

I make good fortune and create calamity,

it is I, the Lord, who do all this.

Send victory like a dew, you heavens,

and let the clouds rain it down.

Let the earth open

for salvation to spring up.

Let deliverance, too, bud forth

which I, the Lord, shall create.

Yes, thus says the Lord,

creator of the heavens,

who is God,

who formed the earth and made it,

who set it firm,

created it no chaos,

but a place to be lived in:

‘I am the Lord, unrivalled:

there is no other god besides me.

A God of integrity and a saviour:

there is none apart from me.

Turn to me and be saved,

all the ends of the earth,

for I am God unrivalled.

‘By my own self I swear it;

what comes from my mouth is truth,

a word irrevocable:

before me every knee shall bend,

by me every tongue shall swear,

saying, “From the Lord alone

come victory and strength.”

To him shall come, ashamed,

all who raged against him.

Victorious and glorious through the Lord shall be

all the descendants of Israel.’

Psalm	Psalm 84:9-14 ©

Send victory like a dew, you heavens, and let the clouds rain it down.

I will hear what the Lord God has to say,

a voice that speaks of peace,

peace for his people.

His help is near for those who fear him

and his glory will dwell in our land.

Send victory like a dew, you heavens, and let the clouds rain it down.

Mercy and faithfulness have met;

justice and peace have embraced.

Faithfulness shall spring from the earth

and justice look down from heaven.

Send victory like a dew, you heavens, and let the clouds rain it down.

The Lord will make us prosper

and our earth shall yield its fruit.

Justice shall march before him

and peace shall follow his steps.

Send victory like a dew, you heavens, and let the clouds rain it down.

Gospel Acclamation	Is55:6

Alleluia, alleluia!

Seek the Lord while he is still to be found,

call to him while he is still near.

Alleluia!

Or	Is40:9-10

Alleluia, alleluia!

Shout with a loud voice, joyful messenger to Jerusalem.

Here is the Lord God coming with power.

Alleluia!

Gospel	Luke 7:19-23 ©

John, summoning two of his disciples, sent them to the Lord to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or must we wait for someone else?’ When the men reached Jesus they said, ‘John the Baptist has sent us to you, to ask, “Are you the one who is to come or have we to wait for someone else?”’ It was just then that he cured many people of diseases and afflictions and of evil spirits, and gave the gift of sight to many who were blind. Then he gave the messengers their answer, ‘Go back and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind see again, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, the Good News is proclaimed to the poor and happy is the man who does not lose faith in me.’

ADVENT IN 2 MINUTES
Best Advent Hymn
Advent: Jesus is Coming!
Why Do Catholics Celebrate Advent? The Call to Begin Again (Ecumenical Caucus)
Resources for Liturgy and Prayer for the Seasons of Advent and Christmas [Catholic Caucus]
New prayers for Advent season [Catholic Caucus[ (Read and Rejoice!)
Father Cantalamessa's 3rd Advent Homily, "The Christian Response to Rationalism"

Father Cantalamessa's 2nd Advent Sermon, "The Christian Response to Secularism"
Evangelization Needs Belief in Eternity, Says Preacher, Father Cantalamessa Gives Advent Sermon to Pope and Curia
Father Corapi: How Do We Prepare Well for the Coming of the Lord
Father Cantalamessa's 1st Advent Sermon: "The Christian Answer to Atheist Scientism"
A Simple Way to Pray around the Advent Wreath: Prayers for Every Day During Advent
Advent 2010 -- Day by Day
History, Customs and Folklore of Advent [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
Ready or Not: Here Advent Comes
The Journey To Bethlehem is Not Comfortable! (Last week of Advent)
Humble Praise and Joyful Anticipation: Fourth Sunday of Advent

Celebrating Advent in a Culture of Fear
Grave of the Craving (Do We Embrace our Dependence on God during Advent?)
Advent -- A Season of Hope
A New Holiday Tradition -- Construct a Jesse Tree with your family during Advent
Pope on Advent: With Jesus, there is no life without meaning
Advent: Awaiting God's Justice -- Pope Benedict XVI
St. Andrew: Lighting the way for Advent
Advent Reflections for 2008
Bringing our fallen-away relations back to Church during Advent
History and Symbolism of the Advent Wreath

Rediscovering Advent in the (St.) Nick of Time
Catholic Traditions for Advent and Christmas
Mary's Gift of Self Points the Way, "The Blessed Mother and Advent", Part 1 of 4
The Perfect Faith of the Blessed Virgin "The Blessed Mother and Advent", Part 2 of 4
Theotokos sums up all that Mary is: "The Blessed Mother and Advent", Part 3 of 4
Reclaiming the Mystery of Advent, Part One: The Meaning of Advent
Renewing the Mystery of Advent, Part Two: The Witness of John the Baptist
Why “Gaudete?”, Part Three (Third Sunday of Advent)
Sunday before Nativity
Holy Mary and the Death of Sin - "The Blessed Mother and Advent", Part 4 of 4

Catholic Liturgy - Rose-Colored Vestments on Gaudete Sunday
Advent through Christmas -- 2007
Immaculate Conception Novena -- starts November 30th [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
Advent 2007 -- Day by Day
Making Advent a Reality (the seasons are out of whack)
The Advent Workshop -- lots of information and activities
Jesse Trees (genealogy of Jesus activity for families)
Advent Wreath & Candles (Prayers for the Family)
Advent Overview
Reclaiming the Mystery of Advent, Part One: The Meaning of Advent

Celebrating Christ’s Advent [Archbishop Raymond Burke]
Praying through Advent -- 2006
The Paradox of Advent
Experience the Joy of Advent
Advent: the Reason for the Season
The Advent Wreath
Advent Activity - The Jesse Tree
That incredible shrinking Advent-Christmas season (Christmas should start, not end, Dec. 25)
Advent Thoughts: Some of the Church Fathers on the Divinity of Christ
The Relationship Between Advent and the Change in the Seasons (Dom Guéranger)

Prayers for The Religion Forum (Ecumenical)

Continue to Pray for Pope Benedict [Ecumenical]

Jesus, High Priest

We thank you, God our Father, for those who have responded to your call to priestly ministry.

Accept this prayer we offer on their behalf: Fill your priests with the sure knowledge of your love.

Open their hearts to the power and consolation of the Holy Spirit.

Lead them to new depths of union with your Son.

Increase in them profound faith in the Sacraments they celebrate as they nourish, strengthen and heal us.

Lord Jesus Christ, grant that these, your priests, may inspire us to strive for holiness by the power of their example, as men of prayer who ponder your word and follow your will.

O Mary, Mother of Christ and our mother, guard with your maternal care these chosen ones, so dear to the Heart of your Son.

Intercede for our priests, that offering the Sacrifice of your Son, they may be conformed more each day to the image of your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Saint John Vianney, universal patron of priests, pray for us and our priests

This icon shows Jesus Christ, our eternal high priest.

The gold pelican over His heart represents self-sacrifice.

The border contains an altar and grapevines, representing the Mass, and icons of Melchizedek and St. Jean-Baptiste Vianney.

Melchizedek: king of righteousness (left icon) was priest and king of Jerusalem. He blessed Abraham and has been considered an ideal priest-king.

St. Jean-Baptiste Vianney is the patron saint of parish priests.

Pray a Rosary each day for our nation.

Pray the Rosary

1. Sign of the Cross: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

2. The Apostles Creed: I BELIEVE in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day He rose again. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty. From thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

3. The Lord's Prayer: OUR Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

4. (3) Hail Mary: HAIL Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and in the hour of our death. Amen. (Three times)

5. Glory Be: GLORY be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Fatima Prayer: Oh, my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of your mercy.

Announce each mystery, then say 1 Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, 1 Glory Be and 1 Fatima prayer. Repeat the process with each mystery.

End with the Hail Holy Queen:

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve! To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears! Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us; and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus!

O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Final step -- The Sign of the Cross

The Mysteries of the Rosary

By tradition, Catholics meditate on these Mysteries during prayers of the Rosary.
The biblical references follow each of the Mysteries below.

The Glorious Mysteries
(Wednesdays and Sundays)
1.The Resurrection (Matthew 28:1-8, Mark 16:1-18, Luke 24:1-12, John 20:1-29) [Spiritual fruit - Faith]
2. The Ascension (Mark 16:19-20, Luke 24:50-53, Acts 1:6-11) [Spiritual fruit - Christian Hope]
3. The Descent of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:1-13) [Spiritual fruit - Gifts of the Holy Spirit]
4. The Assumption [Spiritual fruit - To Jesus through Mary]
5. The Coronation [Spiritual fruit - Grace of Final Perseverance]

~ PRAYER ~

St. Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle
Be our protection against the wickedness
and snares of the devil;
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host,
by the power of God,
Cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits
who prowl through the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen
+

God Save Our Country web site (prayer warriors)
Prayer Chain Request for the United States of America
Pray for Nancy Pelosi
Prayer and fasting will help defeat health care reform (Freeper Prayer Thread)
Prayer Campaign Started to Convert Pro-Abortion Catholic Politicians to Pro-Life
[Catholic Caucus] One Million Rosaries
Non-stop Rosary vigil to defeat ObamaCare

From an Obama bumper sticker on a car:

"Pray for Obama. Psalm 109:8"

Psalm 109:8

"Let his days be few; and let another take his place of leadership."

PLEASE JOIN US -

Evening Prayer
Someone has said that if people really understood the full extent of the power we have available through prayer, we might be speechless.
Did you know that during WWII there was an advisor to Churchill who organized a group of people who dropped what they were doing every day at a prescribed hour for one minute to collectively pray for the safety of England, its people and peace?

There is now a group of people organizing the same thing here in America. If you would like to participate: Every evening at 9:00 PM Eastern Time (8:00 PM Central) (7:00 PM Mountain) (6:00 PM Pacific), stop whatever you are doing and spend one minute praying for the safety of the United States, our troops, our citizens, and for a return to a Godly nation. If you know anyone else who would like to participate, please pass this along. Our prayers are the most powerful asset we have. Please forward this to your praying friends.

immaculate_conception.jpg (155743 bytes)

December Devotion: The Immaculate Conception

Since the 16th century Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. The month of December is traditionally dedicated to the Immaculate Conception. The Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first moment of her conception, by a singular privilege of Almighty God, and in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, our Savior and hers, was preserved from all stain of original sin. This age-old belief of the Church was defined by Pope Pius IX in 1854 as an article of revealed truth.

Mary was in need of redemption and she was indeed redeemed by the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ. The manner of Mary's redemption, however, was unique. Instead of being freed from original sin after having contracted it, she was preserved from contracting it. This was a most fitting favor for the Mother of the Redeemer.

INVOCATION
O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.

TO THE VIRGIN IMMACULATE
O Virgin Immaculate, Mother of God and my Mother, from thy sublime height turn upon me thine eyes of pity. Filled with confidence in thy goodness and knowing full well thy power, I beseech thee to extend to. me thine assistance in the journey of life, which is so full of dangers for my soul. And in order that I may never be the slave of the devil through sin, , but may ever live with my heart humble and pure, I entrust myself wholly to thee. I consecrate my heart to thee for ever, my only desire being to love thy divine Son Jesus. Mary, none of thy devout servants has ever perished; may I too be saved. Amen.

PRAYER OF PRAISE
O pure and immaculate and likewise blessed Virgin, who art the sinless Mother of thy Son, the mighty Lord of the universe, thou who art inviolate and altogether holy, the hope of the hopeless and sinful, we sing thy praises. We bless thee, as full of every grace, thou who didst bear the God-Man: we all bow low before thee; we invoke thee and implore thine aid. Rescue us, 0 holy and inviolate Virgin, from every necessity that presses upon us and from all the temptations of the devil. Be our intercessor and advocate at the hour of death and judgment; deliver us from the fire that is not extinguished and from the outer darkness; make us worthy of the glory of thy Son, O dearest and most clement Virgin Mother. Thou indeed art our only hope, most sure and sacred in God's sight, to whom be honor and glory, majesty and dominion for ever and ever world without end. Amen.
Saint Ephrem the Syrian

PRAYER OF POPE PIUS XII
This prayer, dedicated to Mary Immaculate, was composed by the Pope for the Marian Year (December 8, 1953-December 8, 1954), which was proclaimed to mark the centenary of the definition of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception.

Enraptured by the splendor of your heavenly beauty, and impelled by the anxieties of the world, we cast ourselves into your arms, 0 Immacuate Mother of Jesus and our Mother, Mary, confident of finding in your most loving heart appeasement of our ardent desires, and a safe harbor from the tempests which beset us on every side.

Though degraded by our faults and overwhelmed by infinite misery, we admire and praise the peerless richness of sublime gifts with which God has filled you, above every other mere creature, from the first moment of your conception until the day on which, after your assumption into heaven, He crowned you Queen of the Universe.

O crystal fountain of faith, bathe our minds with the eternal truths! O fragrant Lily of all holiness, captivate our hearts with your heavenly perfume! 0 Conqueress of evil and death, inspire in us a deep horror of sin, which makes the soul detestable to God and a slave of hell!

O well-beloved of God, hear the ardent cry which rises up from every heart. Bend tenderly over our aching wounds. Convert the wicked, dry the tears of the afflicted and oppressed, comfort the poor and humble, quench hatreds, sweeten harshness, safeguard the flower of purity in youth, protect the holy Church, make all men feel the attraction of Christian goodness. In your name, resounding harmoniously in heaven, may they recognize that they are brothers, and that the nations are members of one family, upon which may there shine forth the sun of a universal and sincere peace.

Receive, O most sweet Mother, our humble supplications, and above all obtain for us that, one day, happy with you, we may repeat before your throne that hymn which today is sung on earth around your altars: You are all-beautiful, O Mary! You are the glory, you are the joy, you are the honor of our people! Amen.

Prayer Source: Prayer Book, The by Reverend John P. O'Connell, M.A., S.T.D. and Jex Martin, M.A., The Catholic Press, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, 1954

The Corona of the Immaculate Conception [Catholic Caucus]
Catholic Caucus: Immaculate Conception Novena Prayer Thread
New chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Lebanon at National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
Feast of the The Conception by St. Anna of the Most Holy Theotokos December 9th
On the Immaculate Conception
Immaculate Mary: "Trust Jesus, he will save you" (Catholic Caucus)
I Love that Woman! My Unworthy Reflections on The Immaculate Conception

LAND OF MARY IMMACULATE [Ecumenical]
Mary as the New Eve - St. Irenaeus
Mary - the Immaculate Ark of the New Covenant [Catholic Caucus]
THE LIFE OF BLESSED JOHN DUNS SCOTUS, Defender of the Immaculate Conception [Catholic Caucus]
An Unfathomable Marian Richness [Catholic Caucus]
Catholic Biblical Apologetics: The Immaculate Conception of Mary
History of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception - December 8 [Catholic Caucus]
Preserved Sinless from the Moment of Humanity (Dogma of the Immaculate Conception) [Catholic Caucus]
I Love that Woman! My Unworthy Reflections on The Immaculate Conception [Catholic Caucus]
Father Marquette's Devotion to the Immaculate Conception (Catholic Caucus)

St. John Neumann and the Doctrine of the Immaculate Conception (Catholic Caucus)
Our Jewish Roots: The Immaculate Conception [Ecumenical]
And It Was Night. The Real Story of Original Sin [Ecumenical]
I Love that Woman! My Unworthy Reflections on The Immaculate Conception
Mary Immaculate: Patroness of the United States [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
Catholic/Orthodox Caucus: The Immaculate Conception: A Marvelous Theme - Novena Starts Nov. 30
THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION - Satan's Mighty Foe(Catholic Caucus)
Ark of the new covenant
Historian reveals how Pius IX decided to proclaim dogma of Immaculate Conception (Catholic Caucus)
The Immaculate Vs. the Proud

Immaculate Conception Novena -- starts November 30th [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
Blessed John Duns Scotus Champion Of Mary's Immaculate Conception (CATHOLIC CAUCUS)
The Crusade of Mary Immaculate - St. Maximilian Kolbe (Catholic Caucus)
The Early Church Fathers on the Immaculate Conception - Catholic/Orthodox Caucus
Three Reasons the Church’s Enemies Hate The Immaculate Conception
Her saving grace - the origins of the Immaculate Conception
Mary Is a Model Who Works With Us and in Us
U.S. Catholic bishops to renew consecration of nation to Immaculate Conception
Catholic Meditation: To the Immaculate Conception on this Election Day
Saint Bernadette of Lourdes (Sermon from 1934)

December, 2011

Pope Benedict XVI's Intentions

General Intention: That the nations of the earth, through knowledge and mutual respect, may grow in harmony and peace.

Missionary Intention: That children and young people may be messengers of the Gospel and that their dignity may always be respected and preserved from all violence and exploitation.

Wednesday, December 14, 2011
St. John of the Cross, Priest, Doctor of the Church (Memorial)

First Reading:
Psalm:
Gospel:

Isaiah 45:6-8, 18, 21-25
Psalm 85:9-14
Luke 7:18-23

No one will have any other desire in heaven than what God wills; and the desire of one will be the desire of all; and the desire of all and of each one will also be the desire of God.

-- St Anselm

The Angelus

The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary:
And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word.

Hail Mary . . .

And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us.

Hail Mary . . .

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray:

Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord.

Amen.

What a blessing, the outdoor creche is up at church. How it brightens up our spirits on seeing it.

December 14, 2011

Memorial of Saint John of the Cross, Priest and Doctor of the Church

Reading 1 Is 45:6c-8, 18, 21c-25

Responsorial Psalm Ps 85:9ab and 10, 11-12, 13-14

Gospel Lk 7:18b-23

Mass Readings