Christ the Savior
Viktor Krivorotov, iconographer
Posted on 09/21/2019 10:08:38 PM PDT by Salvation
KEYWORDS: catholic; lk16; ordinarytime; prayer;
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From: Amos 8:4-7
Exploiters denounced
[7] The Lord has sworn by the pride of Jacob:
“Surely I will never forget any of their deeds.
[8] Shall not the land tremble on this account,
and every one mourn who dwells in it,
and all of it rise like the Nile,
and be tossed about and sink again, like the Nile of Egypt?”
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Commentary:
8:1-14. The fourth vision, that of the ripe fruit (vv. 13), introduces a denunciation
of injustices (vv. 4-8 and a further description of the “day of the Lord” (vv 9-14).
The three things are interconnected. In the vision, the prophet plays with the
words (v. 2) “summer fruit”, qayits, and “end”, qets (see notes q and r). In this
way he is saying that Israel’s rottenness has run its course (vv. 4-8); nothing
can be done about it now — nothing but wait for the day of the Lord’s judgment
(vv. 9-14).
In his denunciation of injustices, Amos mentions, specifically, fraud (v. 5) and
exploitation of others when they are suffering need (v. 6). Church catechesis
uses this and other passages (cf. Deut 24:14-15; 25:13-16; Jas 5:4) to spell out
what the virtue of justice involves: “We should not dedicate our lives to the accu-
mulation of money and wealth when there are so many others who struggle to
survive in abject poverty; thus shall we heed the warning contained in the words
of the prophet Amos: Hear this, you who trample upon the needy, and bring the
poor of the land to an end, saying, ‘When will the new moon be over, that we
may sell grain? And the Sabbath, that we may offer wheat for sale’” (St Grego-
ry Nazianzen, De pauperum amore [Oratio, 14], 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: 1 Timothy 2:1-8
God Desires the Salvation of All
Men at Prayer, Women at Prayer
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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 impor-
tance 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 pra-
yers that are said when (the offering) is blessed, consecrated and broken for dis-
tribution, 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 func-
tion 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 rela-
xation 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, and when
it is citizens are able to practise religious and civil virtues (to be “godly and re-
spectful”). 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 Christia-
nity 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 run-
ing 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 homi-
nes 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 im-
pact 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 evange-
lization 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 po-
wer 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 me-
diator; 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 re-
concile 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 holi-
ness (cf. “Lumen Gentium”, 49). Angels and saints, particularly the Blessed Vir-
gin, 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 media-
tion of Christ, but rather shows its power. But the Blessed Virgin’s salutary influ-
ence 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 plea-
sing to God in themselves; they please him because they are signs of respect
whereby man humbles himself interiorly; similarly, the raising of the hands signi-
fies 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 16:1-13
The Unjust Steward
[10] “He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and he who is dis-
honest in a very little is dishonest also in much. [11] If then you have not been
faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will entrust to you the true riches? [12]
And if you had not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that
which is your own? [13] No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate
the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.
You cannot serve God and mammon.”
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Commentary:
1-8. The unfaithful steward manages to avoid falling on hard times. Of course, our
Lord presumes that we realize the immorality of the man’s behavior. What he em-
phasizes and praises, however, is his shrewdness and effort: he tries to derive
maximum material advantages from his former position as steward. In saving our
soul and spreading the Kingdom of God, our Lord wants us to apply at least the
same ingenuity and effort as people put into their worldly affairs or their attempts
to attain some human ideal. The fact that we can count on God’s grace does not
in any way exempt us from the need to employ all available legitimate human re-
sources even if that means strenuous effort and heroic sacrifice.
“What zeal people put into their earthly affairs: dreaming of honors, striving for ri-
ches, bent on sensuality. Men and women, rich and poor, old and middle-aged
and young and even children: all of them the same. When you and I put the
same zeal into the affairs of our souls, we will have a living and operative faith:
and there will be no obstacle that we cannot overcome in our apostolic underta-
kings” (St. J. Escriva, “The Way”, 317).
9-11. “Unrighteous mammon” means temporal good which have been obtained
in some unjust, unrighteous way. However, God is very merciful: even his unjust
wealth can enable a person to practice virtue by making restitution, by paying for
the damage done and then by striving to help his neighbor by giving alms, by cre-
ating work opportunities, etc. This was the case with Zacchaeus, the chief tax
collector, who undertook to restore fourfold anything he had unjustly taken, and
also to give half his wealth to the poor. On hearing that, our Lord specifically de-
clared that salvation had that day come to that house (cf. Luke 19:1-10).
Our Lord speaks out about faithfulness in very little things, referring to riches —
which really are insignificant compared with spiritual wealth. If a person is faithful
and generous and is detached in the use he makes of these temporal riches, he
will, at the end of his life, receive the rewards of eternal life, which is the greatest
treasure of all, and a permanent one. Besides, by its very nature human life is a
fabric of little things: anyone who fails to give them their importance will never be
able to achieve great things. “Everything in which we poor men have a part — even
holiness — is a fabric of small trifles which, depending upon one’s intention, can
form a magnificent tapestry of heroism or of degradation, of virtues or of sins.
“The epic legends always relate extraordinary adventures, but never fail to mix
them with homely details about the hero. May you always attach great impor-
tance to the little things. This is the way!” (St. J. Escriva, “The Way”, 826).
The parable of the unjust steward is a symbol of man’s life. Everything we have
is a gift from God, and we are His stewards or managers, who sooner or later
will have to render an account to Him.
12. “That which is another’s” refers to temporal things, which are essentially im-
permanent. “That which is your own” refers to goods of the spirit, values which
endure, which are things we really do possess because they will go with us into
eternal life. In other words: how can we be given Heaven if we have proved unfaith-
ful, irresponsible, during our life on earth?
13-14. In the culture of that time “service” involved such commitment to one’s
master that a servant could not take on any other work or serve any other master.
Our service to God, our sanctification, requires us to direct all our actions to-
wards Him. A Christian does not divide up his time, allocating some of it to God
and some of it to worldly affairs: everything he does should become a type of
service to God and neighbor — by doing things with upright motivation, and being
just and charitable.
The Pharisees jeered at what Jesus was saying, in order to justify their own at-
tachment to material things; sometimes people make fun of total commitment
to God and detachment from material things because they themselves are not
ready to practice virtue; they cannot even imagine other people really having this
generosity: they think they must have ulterior motives. See also the note on Mat-
thew 6:24.
[The note on Matthew 6:24 states:
24. Man’s ultimate goal is God; to attain this goal he should commit himself en-
tirely. But in fact some people do not have God as their ultimate goal, and instead
choose wealth of some kind — in which case wealth becomes their god. Man can-
not have two absolute and contrary goals.]
*********************************************************************************************
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.
Liturgical Colour: Green.
| First reading | Amos 8:4-7 © |
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| I will never forget your deeds, you who trample on the needy |
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| Responsorial Psalm |
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| Psalm 112(113):1-2,4-8 © |
| Second reading | 1 Timothy 2:1-8 © |
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| Pray for everyone to God, who wants everyone to be saved |
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| Gospel Acclamation | cf.Ac16:14 |
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| Or: | 2Co8:9 |
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| Gospel | Luke 16:1-13 © |
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| You cannot be the slave of both God and money |
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| Luke | |||
| English: Douay-Rheims | Latin: Vulgata Clementina | Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000) | |
| Luke 16 |
|||
| 1. | AND he said also to his disciples: There was a certain rich man who had a steward: and the same was accused unto him, that he had wasted his goods. | Dicebat autem et ad discipulos suos : Homo quidam erat dives, qui habebat villicum : et hic diffamatus est apud illum quasi dissipasset bona ipsius. | ελεγεν δε και προς τους μαθητας αυτου ανθρωπος τις ην πλουσιος ος ειχεν οικονομον και ουτος διεβληθη αυτω ως διασκορπιζων τα υπαρχοντα αυτου |
| 2. | And he called him, and said to him: How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship: for now thou canst be steward no longer. | Et vocavit illum, et ait illi : Quid hoc audio de te ? redde rationem villicationis tuæ : jam enim non poteris villicare. | και φωνησας αυτον ειπεν αυτω τι τουτο ακουω περι σου αποδος τον λογον της οικονομιας σου ου γαρ δυνηση ετι οικονομειν |
| 3. | And the steward said within himself: What shall I do, because my lord taketh away from me the stewardship? To dig I am not able; to beg I am ashamed. | Ait autem villicus intra se : Quid faciam ? quia dominus meus aufert a me villicationem. Fodere non valeo, mendicare erubesco. | ειπεν δε εν εαυτω ο οικονομος τι ποιησω οτι ο κυριος μου αφαιρειται την οικονομιαν απ εμου σκαπτειν ουκ ισχυω επαιτειν αισχυνομαι |
| 4. | I know what I will do, that when I shall be removed from the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses. | Scio quid faciam, ut, cum amotus fuero a villicatione, recipiant me in domos suas. | εγνων τι ποιησω ινα οταν μετασταθω της οικονομιας δεξωνται με εις τους οικους αυτων |
| 5. | Therefore calling together every one of his lord's debtors, he said to the first: How much dost thou owe my lord? | Convocatis itaque singulis debitoribus domini sui, dicebat primo : Quantum debes domino meo ? | και προσκαλεσαμενος ενα εκαστον των χρεωφειλετων του κυριου εαυτου ελεγεν τω πρωτω ποσον οφειλεις τω κυριω μου |
| 6. | But he said: An hundred barrels of oil. And he said to him: Take thy bill and sit down quickly, and write fifty. | At ille dixit : Centum cados olei. Dixitque illi : Accipe cautionem tuam : et sede cito, scribe quinquaginta. | ο δε ειπεν εκατον βατους ελαιου και ειπεν αυτω δεξαι σου το γραμμα και καθισας ταχεως γραψον πεντηκοντα |
| 7. | Then he said to another: And how much dost thou owe? Who said: An hundred quarters of wheat. He said to him: Take thy bill, and write eighty. | Deinde alii dixit : Tu vero quantum debes ? Qui ait : Centum coros tritici. Ait illi : Accipe litteras tuas, et scribe octoginta. | επειτα ετερω ειπεν συ δε ποσον οφειλεις ο δε ειπεν εκατον κορους σιτου και λεγει αυτω δεξαι σου το γραμμα και γραψον ογδοηκοντα |
| 8. | And the lord commended the unjust steward, forasmuch as he had done wisely: for the children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light. | Et laudavit dominus villicum iniquitatis, quia prudenter fecisset : quia filii hujus sæculi prudentiores filiis lucis in generatione sua sunt. | και επηνεσεν ο κυριος τον οικονομον της αδικιας οτι φρονιμως εποιησεν οτι οι υιοι του αιωνος τουτου φρονιμωτεροι υπερ τους υιους του φωτος εις την γενεαν την εαυτων εισιν |
| 9. | And I say to you: Make unto you friends of the mammon of iniquity; that when you shall fail, they may receive you into everlasting dwellings. | Et ego vobis dico : facite vobis amicos de mammona iniquitatis : ut, cum defeceritis, recipiant vos in æterna tabernacula. | καγω υμιν λεγω ποιησατε εαυτοις φιλους εκ του μαμωνα της αδικιας ινα οταν εκλιπητε δεξωνται υμας εις τας αιωνιους σκηνας |
| 10. | He that is faithful in that which is least, is faithful also in that which is greater: and he that is unjust in that which is little, is unjust also in that which is greater. | Qui fidelis est in minimo, et in majori fidelis est : et qui in modico iniquus est, et in majori iniquus est. | ο πιστος εν ελαχιστω και εν πολλω πιστος εστιν και ο εν ελαχιστω αδικος και εν πολλω αδικος εστιν |
| 11. | If then you have not been faithful in the unjust mammon; who will trust you with that which is the true? | Si ergo in iniquo mammona fideles non fuistis quod verum est, quis credet vobis ? | ει ουν εν τω αδικω μαμωνα πιστοι ουκ εγενεσθε το αληθινον τις υμιν πιστευσει |
| 12. | And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's; who will give you that which is your own? | Et si in alieno fideles non fuistis, quod vestrum est, quis dabit vobis ? | και ει εν τω αλλοτριω πιστοι ουκ εγενεσθε το υμετερον τις υμιν δωσει |
| 13. | No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or he will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. | Nemo servus potest duobus dominis servire : aut enim unum odiet, et alterum diliget : aut uni adhærebit, et alterum contemnet. Non potestis Deo servire et mammonæ. | ουδεις οικετης δυναται δυσιν κυριοις δουλευειν η γαρ τον ενα μισησει και τον ετερον αγαπησει η ενος ανθεξεται και του ετερου καταφρονησει ου δυνασθε θεω δουλευειν και μαμωνα |
Pray for Pope Francis.
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We thank you, God our Father, for those who have responded to your call to priestly ministry.
Accept this prayer we offer on their behalf: Fill your priests with the sure knowledge of your love.
Open their hearts to the power and consolation of the Holy Spirit.
Lead them to new depths of union with your Son.
Increase in them profound faith in the Sacraments they celebrate as they nourish, strengthen and heal us.
Lord Jesus Christ, grant that these, your priests, may inspire us to strive for holiness by the power of their example, as men of prayer who ponder your word and follow your will.
O Mary, Mother of Christ and our mother, guard with your maternal care these chosen ones, so dear to the Heart of your Son.
Intercede for our priests, that offering the Sacrifice of your Son, they may be conformed more each day to the image of your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Saint John Vianney, universal patron of priests, pray for us and our priests
This icon shows Jesus Christ, our eternal high priest.
The gold pelican over His heart represents self-sacrifice.
The border contains an altar and grapevines, representing the Mass, and icons of Melchizedek and St. Jean-Baptiste Vianney.
Melchizedek: king of righteousness (left icon) was priest and king of Jerusalem. He blessed Abraham and has been considered an ideal priest-king.
St. Jean-Baptiste Vianney is the patron saint of parish priests.
1. Sign of the Cross: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
2. The Apostles Creed: I BELIEVE in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from there He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
3. The Lord's Prayer: OUR Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
4. (3) Hail Mary: HAIL Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and in the hour of our death. Amen. (Three times)
5. Glory Be: GLORY be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
6. Fatima Prayer: Oh, my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of your mercy.
Announce each mystery, then say 1 Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, 1 Glory Be and 1 Fatima prayer. Repeat the process with each mystery.
End with the Hail Holy Queen:
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve! To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears! Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us; and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus!
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Final step -- The Sign of the Cross
The Mysteries of the Rosary By tradition, Catholics meditate on these Mysteries during prayers of the Rosary. The biblical references follow each of the Mysteries below.
The 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 Spirit (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]
St. Michael the Archangel
~ PRAYER ~
St. Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle
Be our protection against the wickedness
and snares of the devil;
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host,
by the power of God,
Cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits
who prowl through the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen
+
Sea of Sorrow
Oh! on what a sea of sorrow
Was the Virgin-Mother cast,
When her eyes with tears o'erflowing
Gazed upon her Son aghast,
From the bloodstained gibbet taken,
Dying in her arms at last.
In her bitter desolation,
His sweet mouth, His bosom too,
Then His riven side beloved,
Then each hand, both wounded through,
Then His feet, with blood encrimsoned,
Her maternal tears bedew.
She, a hundred times and over,
Strains Him closely to her breast
Heart to Heart, arms arms enfolding,
Are His wounds on her impressed:
Thus, in sorrow's very kisses,
Melts her anguished soul to rest.
Oh, dear Mother! we beseech thee,
By the tears thine eyes have shed,
By the cruel death of Jesus
And His wounds' right royal red,
Make our hearts o'erflow with sorrow
From thy heart's deep fountainhead.
To the Father, Son, and Spirit,
Now we bend on equal knee:
Glory, sempiternal glory,
To the Most High Trinity;
Yea! perpetual praise and honor
Now and through all ages be.
Novena Prayer To Our Sorrowful Mother
Most Blessed and afflicted Virgin, Queen of Martyrs, who didst stand generously beneath the cross, beholding the agony of thy dying Son; by the sword of sorrow which then pierced thy soul, by the sufferings of thy sorrowful life, by the unutterable joy which now more than repays thee for them; look down with a mother's pity and tenderness, as I kneel before thee to compassionate thy sorrows, and to lay my petition with childlike confidence in thy wounded heart. I beg of thee, O my Mother, to plead continually for me with thy Son, since He can refuse thee nothing, and through the merits of His most sacred Passion and Death, together with thy own sufferings at the foot of the cross, so to touch His Sacred Heart, that I may obtain my request,
For to whom shall I fly in my wants and miseries, if not to thee, O Mother of mercy, who, having so deeply drunk the chalice of thy Son, canst most pity us poor exiles, still doomed to sigh in this vale of tears? Offer to Jesus but one drop of His Precious Blood, but one pang of His adorable Heart; remind Him that thou art our life, our sweetness, and our hope, and thou wilt obtain what I ask, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Hail Mary
Virgin Most Sorrowful, pray for us
(Seven times each)
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. 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. |
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
Litany of Sorrows
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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.
Saint Alphonsus Liguori's Prayer To The Mother Of Sorrows
O, 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. O, 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 to suffer so much for me, 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.
Lists Every Catholic Should be Familiar With: The 7 Sorrows (Dolours) and 7 Joys of Our Lady
The Seven Dolors (Sorrows) of Mary [Catholic/Orthodox Devotional]
Apparition in Africa: Our Lady of Sorrows [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
Feast of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary [Catholic Caucus Devotional]
Feast of Our Lady/Mother of Sorrows
Homilies on Our Lady of Sorrows
Starkenburg:Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Sorrows Shrine
Our Mother of Sorrows
ST. ALPHONSUS LIGUORI, OF THE DOLOURS OF MARY, The Glories [Sorrows] of Mary
Our Lady of Sorrows - Sep 15
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