8 Attributes Every Christian Must Perfect

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Beatitudes

From the Beatitudes (i.e. blessings or benedictions) presented in the Gospel of Saint Matthew Chapter 5 Verses 3 – 10 representing the eight attributes that every Christian must develop and have perfectly in order to get into Heaven. Since many of us will not develop these attributes perfectly by the time we die there is the blessing and the fall-back of spending time in Purgatory to ‘be perfect as your Father in Heaven is perfect’ (command given to us by Jesus Christ).

• be poor in spirit, i.e. detached from the things of the world, loving the poor, loving poverty and loving the things of Heaven. Develop this attribute by growing in humility and in the reverence you show to all things sacred. Use your free will to align your will with God’s.
• be meek like an innocent child; do not wish or do harm to others… rather, pray for their salvation and be thankful to God for all that He gives to you (the sweet and the sour, the comforting and the distressing, the beautiful things and the crosses)
• be mournful of the miseries suffered by the pious people and the evil that exists all around… pray for those who do not pray for themselves
• be hungry and thirsty for justice by never punishing good behavior and never rewarding/encouraging/enabling bad behaviour
• be merciful by engaging in both the temporal and spiritual works of mercy with greatest emphasis on the spiritual works (praying for the holy souls in purgatory, praying for those who do not pray for themselves, praying for those who have been deceived by the evil one and have wandered away from the straight and narrow path to Heaven.)
• be clean of heart by loving the things of Heaven, by guarding one’s thoughts and eyes from impurity, by growing in chastity, modesty and purity
• be a peacemaker by obeying the laws of God and of civil society, by working to maintain order and serenity, by preserving peace and friendship amongst those who cross your path and to help restore the peace when it is disturbed.
• be willing to suffer persecution for justice’s sake… pray for moral courage, for patience and perseverance so that you may always do the ‘right thing’ even if doing so will cost you friends, social status, material goods, or your earthly life because your soul is eternal and more important than your body (which is temporary)… nevertheless, since a human is both ‘body and soul’ it is good to keep the body healthy and out of danger but not at the peril of the soul’s loss of heavenly reward.

May we pray for the strength and graces to begin our ascent to spiritual perfection by growing daily in holiness as we follow each of the above beatitudes.

O my Jesus, forgive us our sins. Save us from the fires of hell and save all souls especially those who are most in need of Thy mercy.

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, bless and protect us and our loved ones.

Dear Jesus I ask Thee to please bless my enemies by sending Thy Holy Spirit to lead them to repentance and conversion. Amen.

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Adoration Of The Infant Christ By The Three Magi Part 1 of 3

The Three Kings Of The Orient Come To Adore The Word Made Man In Bethlehem¹

552. The three Magi Kings, who came to find the Divine Infant after His birth, were natives of Persia, Arabia and Sabba (Psalm 71, 10: reges Tharsis et insulae munera offerent reges Arabiae et Saba tributum conferent – – The kings of Tharsis and the islands shall offer presents: the kings of the Arabians and of Saba shall bring gifts), countries to the east of Palestine.

Their coming was prophesied especially by David, and before him, by Balaam, who, having been hired by Balaac, king of the Moabites, to curse the Israelites, blessed them instead (Numbers 24, 17: videbo eum sed non modo intuebor illum sed non prope orietur stella ex Iacob et consurget virga de Israhel et percutiet duces Moab vastabitque omnes folios Seth – – I shall see Him, but not now: I shall behold Him, but not near. A STAR SHALL RISE out of Jacob and a sceptre shall spring up from Israel: and shall strike the chiefs of Moab, and shall waste all the children of Seth).

In this blessing Balaam said, that he would see the King Christ, although not at once, and that he would behold Him, although not present; for he did no see Him with his own eyes, but through the Magi, his descendants many centuries after.

He said, also, that a star would arise unto Jacob, which was Christ, Who arose to reign forever in the house of Jacob (Luke 1, 32).

553. These three Kings were well versed in the natural sciences, and well read in the Scriptures of the people of God; and on account of their learning they were called Magi.

By their knowledge of Scripture, and by conferring with some of the Jews, they were imbued with a belief in the coming of the Messias expected by that people.

They were, moreover, upright men, truthful and very just in the government of their countries.

Since their dominions were not so extended as those of our times, they governed them easily, and personally administered justice as wise and prudent sovereigns. This is the true office of kings, and therefore the Holy Spirit says, that He holds their hearts in His hands in order to dirt them like irrigated waters to the fulfillment of His holy will (Proverbs 21, 1: sicut divisiones aquarum ita cor regis in manu Domini quocumque voluerit inclinabit illud – – As the divisions of waters, so the heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord: whithersoever he will, he shall turn it).

They were also of noble and magnanimous disposition, free from avarice and covetousness, which so oppresses, degrades and belittles the spirits of princes.

Because these Magi governed adjoining countries and lived not far from each other, they were mutual friends and shared with each other the virtues and the knowledge which they had acquired, consulting each other in the more important events of their reigns.

In all things, they communicated with each other as most faithful friends.

554. … in the same night in which the in which the incarnate Word was born, they were informed of His Birth by the ministry of the holy angels.

It happened in the following manner: one of the guardian angels of our Queen, of a higher order than that of the guardian angels of the three kings, was sent from the cave of the Nativity. By his superior faculties he enlightened the three guardian angels of the Kings informing them at the same time of the will and command of the Lord, that each of them should manifest to his charge the mystery of the Incarnation and the birth of Christ our Redeemer.

Immediately and in the same hour each of the three angels spoke in dreams to the wise man under his care. This is the usual course of angelic revelations when the Lord communicates with souls through the angels.

This enlightenment of the Kings concerning the mysteries of the Incarnation was very copious and clear.

They were informed that the King of the Jews was born as true God and man; that He was the Messias and Savior Who was expected; that it was the One Who was promised in the Scriptures and prophecies (Genesis 3, 10); and that they themselves, the three Kings, were singled out by the Lord to seek the star, which Balaam had foretold. Each ones to the three Kings also was made aware that the same revelation was being made to the other two in the same way; and that it was not a favor or miracle which should remain unused, but that they were expected to co-operate with the divine light and execute what it pointed out.

They were inspired and inflamed with a great love and with a desire to know the God made man, to adore Him as their Creator and Redeemer, and serve Him with most perfect devotion.

In all this they were greatly assisted by their distinguished moral virtues, which they had acquired; for on account of them they were excellently disposed for the operation of the divine enlightenment.

555. After receiving these heavenly revelations in their sleep, the three Kings awoke at the same hour of the night, and prostrating themselves on the ground and humiliating themselves to the dust, they adored in spirit the immutable being of God. They exalted His infinite mercy and goodness for having sent the divine Word to assume flesh of a Virgin (Is. 7, 14) in order to redeem the world and give eternal salvation to men.

Then all three of them, governed by an impulse of the same Spirit, resolved to depart without delay for Judea in search of the divine Child in order to adore Him. The three Kings prepared gifts of gold, incense and myrrh in equal quantities, being guided by the same mysterious impulse; and without having conferred with each other concerning their undertaking, the three of them arrived at the same resolve and the same plan of executing it. In order to set out immediately, they procured on the same day the necessary camels and provisions together with a number of servants for the journey. Without heeding the commotion caused among their people, or considering that they were to travel in foreign regions, or caring for any outward show of authority, without ascertaining particulars of the place whither they were to go, or gathering information for identifying the Child, they at once resolved with fervent zeal and ardent love to depart in order to seek the newborn King.

556. At the same time the holy angel, who had brought the news from Bethlehem to the kings, formed of the material air a most resplendent star, although not so large as those of the firmament; for it was not to ascend higher than was necessary for the purpose of its formation. It took its course through the atmospheric regions in order to guide and direct the holy Kings to the cave, where the Child awaited them.

Its splendor was of a different kind from that of  the sun and the other stars; with its most beautiful light it illumined the night like a brilliant torch, and it mingled its own most active brilliancy with that of the sun by day. On coming out of their palaces each one of the kings saw this new star (Matthew 2,2) although each from a different standpoint, because it was only one star and it was placed in such distance and height that it could be seen by each one at the same time.

As the three of them followed the guidance of this miraculous star, they soon met. Thereupon it immediately approached them much more closely, descending through many shifts of the aerial space and rejoicing them by shedding its refulgence over them at closer range. They began to confer among themselves about the revelation they had received and about their plans, finding that they were identical. They were more and more inflamed with devotion and with the pious desire of adoring the newborn God, and broke out in praise and admiration at the inscrutable works and mysteries of the Almighty.

557. The Magi pursued their journey under the guidance of the star without losing sight of it until they arrived at Jerusalem. As well on this account as also because this city was the capital and metropolis of the Jews, they suspected that this was the birthplace of their legitimate and true King.

They entered into the city and openly inquired after Him saying (Matthew 2,8): Where is the king of the Jews, who is born? For we have seen His star in the East, announcing to us His Birth and we have come to see Him and adore Him. Their inquiry came to the ears of Herod, who at that time unjustly reigned in Judea and lived in Jerusalem. The wicked king, panicle-stricken at the thought that a more legitimate claimant to the throne should have been born, felt much disturbed and outraged by this report. With him the whole city was aroused, some of the people, out of flattery to the king, others on account of the fear of disturbance. Immediately, as saint Matthew relates, Herod called together a meeting of the principal priests and scribes in order to ask them where Christ was to be born according to the prophecies and holy Scriptures. They answered that, according to the words of one of the Prophets, Michaes (Mich. 5,2), He was to be born in Bethlehem; since it was written by him that thence the Ruler of Israel was to arise.

558. Thus informed of the birthplace of the new King of Israel, and insidiously plotting from that very moment to destroy Him, Herod dismissed the priests.

Then he secretly called the Magi in order to learn of them at what time they had seen the star as harbinger of His Birth (Matthew 2,7). They ingenuously (innocently, openly, honestly, candidly) informed him, and he sent them away to Bethlehem, saying to them in covert malice: ‘Go and inquire after the Infant, and when you have found Him, announce it to me, in order that I, too, may to to recognize and adore Him.’

The Magi departed, leaving the hypocritical king ill at ease and in great consternation at such indisputable signs of the coming of the legitimate King of Israel into the world. Although he could have eased his mind in regard to his sovereignty by the thought that a recently born infant could not be enthroned so very soon, yet human prosperity is so unstable and deceitful that it can be overthrown even by an infant, or by the mere threat of far off danger. Thus can even an imagined uncertainty destroy all the enjoyment and happiness so deceitfully offered to its possessors.

559. On leaving Jerusalem the Magi again found the star, which at their entrance they had lost from view.

By its light they were conducted to Bethlehem and to the cave of the Nativity. Diminishing in size it hovered over the head of the infant Jesus and bathed Him in its light; whereupon the matter of which it had been composed dissolved and disappeared.

Our great Queen had already been prepared by the Lord for the coming of the Kings, and when She understood that they were approaching the cave, She requested Saint Joseph not to leave it, but to stay at her side.

This he did, although the sacred text does not mention it.

Like many other things passed over in the Gospels, this was not necessary for establishing the truth of the mystery. Nevertheless it is certain that Saint Joseph was present when the Kings adored the infant Jesus. The precaution of sending him away was not necessary; for the Magi had already been instructed that the Mother of the Newborn was a Virgin, and that He was the true God and not a son of Saint Joseph. Nor would God have permitted them to be led to the cave ignorant of such an important circumstance as His origin, allowing them to adore the Child as the son of Joseph and of a Mother not a Virgin. They were fully instructed as to all these things, and they were deeply impressed by the sacramental character of all these exalted and complicated mysteries.

————————————————

¹ From Venerable Mother Mary of (Jesus) Agreda’s transcription of the words of the Blessed Virgin Mary for the new enlightenment of the world, for the rejoincing of the Catholic Church and for the encouragement of men published under the title: “Mystical City Of God”. Imprimaturs † Edwin V. Byrne, D.D., Archbishop of Santa Fe; 9 February 1949 A.D. & † H. J. Alderding, Bishop of Fort Wayne; 24 August 1912 A.D.

Possible Text For The Consecration Of Russia To The Immaculate Heart Of Mary

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Consecration Prayer, conversion, Fatima, Our Lady of Fatima, Our Lady of The Rosary, Rosary, Russia

Following is a sample English text showing how the prayer for consecrating Russia to Mary’s Immaculate Heart might be worded:

– – – Begin Possible English Text Of the Consecration Of Russia Prayer  – – –

“† In the Name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen

“O Most Holy Virgin Mary, Mother of God, Mother of the Church and of each one of us. In response to Pope Benedict XV who in anguish on May 5, 1917, cried out to You in the name of the whole Church + asking You to show humanity the way of Peace; You came to Fatima on May 13, 1917, and subsequently on the 13th of June, July, August, September and October 1917. You returned as You had promised on June 13, 1929, and revealed that God asks for our act of Consecration of Russia to Your Immaculate Heart.

“You said at that momentous vision: ‘The moment has come in which God asks the Holy Father to make and to command all the Catholic bishops of the world to make the Consecration of Russia to My Immaculate Heart, God promises to save Russia by this means.‘

“Ever mindful of the words of Jesus that ‘it is never too late to have recourse to Jesus and Mary’ we now undertake to obey the Will of the Most Holy Trinity + revealed to us through Your words on that day in the Solemn Extraordinaryt Vision of the Most Holy Trinity + and of the Sacrifice of the Mass.

“We intend by the following ‘Act of Reparation and of Consecration of Russia to Your Immaculate Heart,’ to obey Your request in the manner that You, Our Most Dear and Holy Mother, have requested so that the peace that has been so long desired and which You promised, may be granted.

“We promise in gratitude to You and in reparation for all the sins committed in the past and present against Your Immaculate Heart to promote among all the faithful the pious devotion of the Five First Saturdays of Communions of Reparation to Your Immaculate Heart as You requested.

“We know that nothing happens to nations or individuals unless God wills or permits it. Our poor human race is engulfed by evils of every description including: the silent apostasy – which You Yourself foretold in the Third Secret – of whole continents of former Christendom due to the widespread loss of the Faith, unjust wars, murder of the unborn, unprecedented economic injustice fostering needless famine and pestilence, widespread divorce and immorality, unspeakable moral corruption among certain members of the clergy, and increasing persecution of the Church.

“We now turn to You, Our Dear Mother and Mediatrix of all Graces + You, Our Lady of the Rosary, Who art our only hope for overcoming the evils of our times and the approaching punishments, which we, sinful humanity, so justly deserve. Mindful that, without Your help, we cannot overcome these evils on our own, we now turn to You in humble supplication to beg Your help.

“You art the ‘Woman’ predicted in Sacred Scripture (Genesis 3:15), Who has the Commission from God + to crush the Serpent’s head, the head of satan, who is a murderer and a liar from the beginning. You art that same ‘Woman’ addressed by Jesus from the cross, and left to us as His last will and testament as Our Mother (John 19) – and You art indeed the same ‘Woman’ clothed with the sun, spoken of in Chapter 12 of the Apocalypse, and Who at Fatima was seen to be clothed with the sun. It is to You, to Your Immaculate Heart, that we consecrated Russia.

“We recognize that all authority comes from God +, and mindful of the authority God + has entrusted to us to ‘make disciples of all nations’ – we, the successors of the Apostles, engage our authority to consecrate a nation, Russia, to His service through that nation’s  Consecration to Your Immaculate Heart.

We recognize that great crimes against God + have been committed in Russia, but also in all modern nations, to which Russia’s errors of secular humanism and practical state atheism have been spread.

Therefore, we offer on this day of prayer, reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary for the crimes of official State Atheism and official State Religious Indifferentism, and all the sacrileges and blasphemies that such Anti-Christian-State regimes in post-1917 Russia and all other modern nations have committed. We pray in fraternal solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Russia who have suffered so horribly, who in the past have been persecuted, tortured, imprisoned and killed under the Atheist Soviet Regime, and who still suffer under a secular humanist government which is not officially Christian.

“We pray that Russia be saved: that the Russian Orthodox Church and all other Christians in Russia, and indeed all Russians of goodwill, be brought miraculously and swiftly into complete unity of Faith with the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church of whom the one head appointed by Christ is the Bishop of Rome, and that Russia be made a vessel of divine election and of the fruitful spreading and implementation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, first throughout her own territory, and then throughout the world, thus bringing a period of peace, justice, prosperity, and the inestimable blessings of Faith and faithfulness to the entire world.

“We make this Consecration in response to God and to You, Our Blessed Lady, and in response to the millions of petitions made by the Faithful everywhere, particularly the requests for this Act of Consecration made by many of the Russian people, and even certain of her leaders, who indeed are close to our heart.

“And we, so that our fervent prayers for conversion of our generation to Jesus Christ the King and that the fervent prayers and aspirations of all the Faithful and in particular the Faithful of Russia may be heard, and to give to Thee, O Immaculate Virgin Mary, the testimony of our devotion and obedience, so now we, in a most solemn and public manner consecrate, and entrust all the people and social institutions of Russia to Thy Immaculate Heart, with the firm hope that soon, thanks to the all-powerful patronage of Thee, O Blessed Virgin Mary, the wishes which we form may be happily fulfilled, for a true peace, fraternal concord, and the liberty due to all, and in the first place to the Church.

“Thus by our prayer, united to Thine own and that of the whole Christian people, the Kingdom of our Savior Jesus Christ will be firmly established over all the earth: A Kingdom of truth and life, a Kingdom of holiness and grace, a Kingdom of justice, love and peace.

“And we suppliantly ask Thee, O Most Merciful Mother, to obtain from Thy Divine Son, Heavenly light for our minds and for our souls, the strength and courage by which, being supernaturally upheld, we all will be able to repulse and overcome all errors and impiety.

“O God +, Who didst will that at the message of an angel Thy word should take flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary: grant that we, Thy suppliants, who believe her to be truly the mother of God, may be helped by her intercession with Thee. Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God +, world without end. Amen.

† In the Name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.”

– – – End Possible English Text Of the Consecration Of Russia Prayer  – – –

Source: The Fatima Center Apostolate; Father Nicholas Gruner requiescat in pace, and Russian Sunrise: A Novel of Faith and Hope Part One by Bruce W. Walters, M.D.

Note: The actual prayer, distributed to the Catholic bishops across the world, would be in Latin (the universal language of the One True Faith).

The red cross “†” or the little red plus sign “+“, scattered at strategic places in the text, instructs the reader of the prayer to perform the ‘Sign of the Cross.’

Also note: the Consecration Prayer would be sent to each Bishop in Latin and it would be necessary for each Catholic Bishop to pray the Consecration prayer in that sacred tongue [the sacred language of the Church] and not in the vernacular/profane tongue of the diocese of which any particular Bishop is the head.

Also, any bishop who professes to be in communion with the Holy See in Rome but disobeys the instructions given to him in participating in this public prayer will, by virtue of that disobedience, be automatically excommunicated from the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church and will be in a state of mortal sin with only the Holy Father alone to absolve. Should such man repent and do the penance given to him, once absolved, by the Pope, that man will be reunited to the Body of Christ but will forfeit his office of bishop and will need to serve the remainder of his life in contemplative prayer at a monastery chosen by the Holy Father.

Saint Augustine Zhao Rong

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Chinese martyr, Feast day, Martyr, Priest, Saint Augustine Zhao Rong

July 9th is the feast day of Chinese Catholic priest Saint Augustine Zhao Rong.

Saint Augustine Zhao Rong, pray for us and those who are being persecuted and martyred. Amen.

O Mary, Queen of All Saints, support the steps of Christians and of all who are docile to the Spirit of God, so that the light of Christ the Saviour will spread to every part of the world. Amen.

Saint Augustine Zhao Rong, martyred Catholic priest

Feast Day: 9 July

 

First Anniversary Of The Passing Of Father Nicholas Gruner

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Consecration of Russia, Father Nicholas Gruner, Fatima, Fr Gruner, rest in peace, RIP

The Church Militant lost a great champion on 29 April 2015 A.D.

Father Nicholas Gruner, the founder and spiritual director of the Fatima Center and publisher of the Fatima Crusader died in his sleep on this day one year ago.

In the words of Robert Siscoe:

“The sudden and unexpected death of Father Gruner was a sad day for the Church Militant, but a precious moment in the eyes of God, for ‘Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.’ (Psalms 15:15). May he rest in peace, and may his life continue to be a shining example and encouragement for us all.”

Father Gruner was a great teacher and proponent for the daily praying of the Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

He had a deep devotion to Our Holy Lady, the Mother of God.

He was tireless in keeping the message of Fatima alive and worked to see that the Consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary be performed publicly by the Pope and all the Bishops in communion with the Holy Catholic Church in a public act of consecration. The consecration had not been performed before or during Father Gruner’s life-time in the Church Militant.

May that consecration happen soon.

Oremus (Let Us Pray):

Requiem aeternam dona ei, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat ei.

Requiescat in pace.

Amen.

Act Of Consecration of Russia To The Immaculate Heart of Mary Text

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Communions of Reparation, consecration, Consecration of Russia, Consecration Prayer, Conversion of Russia, Devotions, Five First Saturdays, heart, Mary, Russia, text, text of consecration prayer, text of prayer

[The following prayer is an example of the text that would be used by the Pope in union with all the Bishops, throughout the world, on the same day, (in their respective Cathedrals or in Rome with the Supreme Pontiff) at the same appointed time to be recited for the consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Any Bishop who refuses to participate, forgets to participate or through negligence does not participate or omits words or actions (shown in red) included in the prayer, would be automatically excommunicated so that his disobedience would not nullify the conditions required by Heaven for the Consecration to be properly performed.]

† In the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

O Most Holy Virgin Mary, Mother of God, Mother of the Church and of each one of us.

In response to Pope Benedict XV who, in anguish on A.D. 5 May 1917, cried out to Thee in the name of the whole Church † asking Thee to show humanity the way of Peace, Thou came to Fatima on A.D. 13 May 1917, and subsequently on the 13th of June, July, August, September and October 1917. Thou returned as Thou hast promised on A.D. 13 June 1919, and revealed that God asks for our Act of Consecration of Russia to Thy Immaculate Heart.

Thou said at that momentous vision: “The moment  has come in which God asks the Holy Father to make and to command all the Catholic bishops of the world to make the Consecration of Russia to My Immaculate Heart, God promises to save Russia by this means.”

Ever mindful of the words of Jesus that “it is never too late to have recourse to Jesus and Mary” we now undertake to obey the Will of the Most Holy Trinity revealed to us through Your words on that day in the Solemn Extraordinary Vision of the Most Holy Trinity and of the Sacrifice of the Mass.

We intend by the following ‘Act of Reparation and of Consecration of Russia to Thy Immaculate Heart,’ to obey Thy request in the manner that Thou, Our Most Dear and Holy Mother, hast requested so that the peace that has been so long desired and  which Thou hast promised, may be granted.

We promise in gratitude to Thee and in reparation for all the sins committed in the past and present against Thy Immaculate Heart to promote among all the faithful the pious devotion of the Five First Saturdays of Communions of Reparation to Thy Immaculate Heart as Thou hast requested.

We know that nothing happens to nations or individuals unless God wills or permits it. Our poor human race is engulfed by evils of every description: war, murder of the unborn, famine, pestilence, persecution of the Church, desecrations of the Holy Temples of God, disobedience to the first three Commandments of God, impurity, immodesty, concupiscence, rejection of solemn vows, irreverence, disrespect, disobedience, incontinence, pride, heresy, apostasy and paganism.

We now turn to Thee, Our Dear Mother and Mediatrix of all Graces † Thou, Our Lady of the Rosary, are our only hope for overcoming the evils of our times and the approaching punishments, which we, sinful humanity, so justly deserve. Mindful that, without Thy help, we cannot overcome these evils on our own, we now turn to Thee in humble supplication to beg Thy help.

It is to Thee, the ‘Woman‘ predicted in Sacred Scripture (Genesis 3:15), Who has the Commission from God † to crush the Serpent’s head, the head of satan, who is a murderer and a liar from the beginning. Thou art that same ‘Woman‘ Who Jesus addressed at the wedding in Cana (John 2:4) before He performed His first public miracle and where Thou didst instruct the waiters: ‘Whatsoever He shall say to you, do ye’ (John 2:5). Thou art that same ‘Woman‘ Who Jesus addressed from the cross and left to us as His last will and testament as Our Mother (John 19) † and Thou art indeed the same ‘Woman‘ spoken of in Chapter 12 of the Apocalypse Who is clothed with the sun and Who at Fatima was clothed with the sun. Is is to Thee that we consecrate Russia.

We recognize that all authority comes from God, and mindful of the authority God has entrusted to us to ‘make disciples of all Nations’ † we the successors of the Apostles engage our authority to consecrate a nation, Russia, to His service through that nation’s Consecration to Thy Immaculate Heart.

We recognize that great crimes against God have been committed in Russia. Therefore, we offer on this day of prayer, reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary for the crime of State Atheism, and all the sacrileges and blasphemies that the godless Soviet regime has perpetrated in Russia.

We pray in fraternal solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Russia who have suffered so horribly, who have been persecuted, tortured, imprisoned and killed. We pray that Russia be saved: that it be converted to the holy Catholic Faith, and that it be made a vessel of divine election.

We make this Consecration in response to God and to Thee, Our Blessed Lady,and in response to the millions of petitions made by the Faithful everywhere, particularly the requests for this Act of Consecration made by many of the Russian people who indeed are close to our heart.

And we, so that our fervent prayers for conversion of our generation to Jesus Christ the King and that the fervent prayers and aspiration of all the Faithful and in particular the Faithful of Russia may be heard, and to give to Thee, O Immaculate Virgin Mary, the testimony of our devotion and obedience so now we consecrate, and in a most solemn and public manner we entrust all the people of Russia to Thy Immaculate Heart, with the firm hope that soon, thanks to the all-powerful patronage of Thee, O Blessed Virgin Mary, the wishes which we form may be happily fulfilled, for a true peace, fraternal concord and the liberty due to all, and in the first place to the Church. Thus by our prayer, united to Thy own and that of the whole Christian people, the Kingdom of the Savior Jesus Christ will be firmly established over all the earth: A Kingdom of truth and life, a Kingdom of holiness and grace, a Kingdom of justice, love and peace.

And we suppliantly ask Thee O Most Merciful Mother, to obtain from Thy Divine Son, Heavenly light for our minds and for our souls, the strength and courage by which, being supernaturally upheld, we all will be able to repulse and overcome all errors and impiety.

 

Eternity Hangs Upon Your Vocation

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clarity, confessor, dating, fogginess, imagination, intellect, kissing, secret, sermon, spiritual director, Vocation, vocations

There are three vocations in life which are:

1. The vocation to the priesthood or religious life;
2. The vocation to the married life
3. The vocation to the single life.

Quotes about finding your vocation:

“God expects us to shield our chastity with modest and pure behavior and especially by means of prayer; most notably the three ‘Hail Mary’s and the daily Rosary.”

“We’ve seen this [procreative] power, God’s special gift which is to be used by married couples and married couples alone. We’ve seen it for the unmarried that passionate kissing is mortally sinful simply because the unmarried do not have the right to those kind of passions or pleasures. They don’t have the right to those passions by thought, word or deed. Why? Because those passions and pleasures are reserved strictly for the married… The kisses that are allowed to unmarried people are the little peck on the cheek kind of thing… there’s no passion allowed. Once we understand that it’s easy to see what is forbidden.”

“As Saint Gregory points out, ‘Eternity hangs upon our vocation.'”

“As Saint Alphonsus de Liguori points out, ‘It is evident that our salvation depends principally upon our choice of our state in life.'”

“To single people [who have yet to discern a vocation]: you have to guard your heart.  The first thing you need to do is determine your ‘state in life.’

Saint John Bosco says, “One third of the young people have a vocation to the priesthood or religious life.”

“If you think, or suspect, that you have a vocation to the priesthood or religious life, in order to preserve that, one thing that you must not do is ‘to date anyone.’ There are several things that you must do, in order to preserve that vocation: if you think that you have a vocation, generally speaking, you must keep this a secret. A secret from everyone except from a reliable confessor or spiritual director. This is a special call from God. He only makes it to certain privileged souls and you must keep it a secret; even from your parents. That might sound shocking but parents, this is one place where your authority certainly does not extend. I’m not making this up. This is a salvation issue. It is serious that if you have a vocation keep it a secret. Tell it to a good confessor and spiritual director and led them guide you in the process. That’s the first thing. The second place, you must pray. A vocation is something supernatural and in order to preserve it you must pray. If you mess up and wind up in a ‘state of life’ in which God has not called you it will be much harder for you to lead a good life. That’s the way it works. In the plan of Divine Providence He has a certain path that each of us has to follow in order to get to heaven. And, if we go off that path, we do it to our own peril. Even in another ‘state of life.’ It’s going to be harder. Eternity hangs upon your vocation.”

“To find your vocation you have to pray, don’t blab (about it) – – keep it a secret, and don’t date otherwise you can easily kiss a vocation good-bye.”

If you think that your vocation is to holy matrimony be very careful when you date.

If an unmarried couple start to passionately kiss, what have they just done?

“Instead of being careful to actually get to know each other, instead of being as reasonable and as cautious as possible with each other, what have they just done? They’ve just cranked their passions right up to ‘ultimate flame-thrower.'”

“This is a big mistake. A big, big mistake. You see, that to the very degree to which those passions are enflamed, which of course depends on how often this sort of behavior goes on and what all happens, to that very degree they will each suffer increasingly serious consequences.”

Saint Thomas Aquinas says that both the imagination and intellect will be affected. Images enter our mind from our five senses. Our knowledge of the outside world comes flowing in from our senses. We can store images in our memory and draw on it. But first we got it from the outside world via the senses.

“Our intellect, and this is the important point here, which is the spiritual part of the soul, the part of our soul by which we can do things like

• think, and
• know and
• judge and
• understand, our intellect is the ‘place of ideas,’ relies on our imagination to stay in contact with reality. So, our imagination relies on [understanding] the exterior world by our senses, to stay in contact with reality, and our intellect – – in order to understand – – is in contact with our imagination. That’s how it works. That means that the clearer the image that we have of something, the better grasp we can have of what it is… better images let you better understand what you are dealing with.”

“So, our intellect relies on our imagination to stay in contact with reality. The more clear the image, of the exterior object that is portrayed by our imagination, the clearer can we understand it. The more confused or hazy the image the less clear of a grasp do we have of the exterior object.”

“A young couple, with a vocation pointing to Holy Matrimony, who right out of the gate engage in passionate kissing… what does it do? It stirs up violent excitement in the passions due to the sensory inputs. In the young man’s image that he has of the young lady, and vice versa, the image that he has of the young lady becomes totally coated with these violently passionate feelings. The raging passions distort the image [and the intellect is negatively affected.]… So the image of the other person in the imagination is steamed over… his intellect, that relies on the imagination to stay in contact with reality, to get to know this person, [the intellect is prevented from functioning properly.] The more repeated, or the more perverted, or the more depraved becomes the passionate behavior the more the passions will fog up the image… St. Thomas calls this process ‘intellectual blindness.’ … The intellectual blindness for this couple means that each person does not have a very clear picture of the other person.”

“Instead of being able to make a relatively calm and reasonable judgement of the other person, that they are thinking of marrying, [each person, in the relationship, suffers from a profound blindness about the other.]

“We either have to lead (control) our passions or our passions are going to lead us. We need to guard our hearts.”

“If I were the devil and I wanted to cause huge problems, problems that would make it very difficult for a young man or woman to discern their vocation in life,… if I wanted to cause huge problems in marriages, and contribute greatly to the breakup of marriages,… if I wanted to make it very difficult for a young man and woman to even respond to a clear call to the priesthood or religious life, if I were the devil… all I’d do is convince young people that passionate kissing (which is only reserved for those in the married vocation) isn’t any real big deal. That ‘everybody does it,’ or ‘you really don’t know what you’re missing until you’ve tried it.’ If I were the devil I’d just do something like that and I could just stand back and let things develop naturally.”

– – – – – – – – –

Quotes are from a Sermon given by an anonymous cleric to educate the young on the dangers that exist with respect to discerning one’s true calling in life.

 

The Key To Peace

Tags

Conciliar Church, errors, Father Gruner, Fatima, Message of Fatima, Rabbi Mayer Schiller, Rabbi Schiller, Rabbinical Scholar, relativism, Syllabus of Errors

The ‘Key to Peace’ is sitting in Heaven.

The Pope along with the Catholic Bishops, throughout the world, have access to that key.

The key is called “The Message of Fatima.”

To use it, and achieve peace, the Pope and Bishops must obey the instructions of Heaven on how to access and use it.

Author and Rabbinical Scholar Rabbi Mayer Schiller said,

“All mankind yearns for peace. People have always yearned for peace. But the notion that we can achieve peace without Divine assistance is a grave error. I think that it is very important for mankind as a whole for the Church to take everything that was said at Fatima seriously.”

He went on to say:

“The old Testament tells us that the failure to obey God’s will, in the end, has to result in national or even international disaster… the failure to Consecrate Russia is important by what it symbolizes. It symbolizes an impotent, weak Church, unwilling to wage war, unwilling to teach a mankind that has disserted God. It’s a fearful Church.

“In general, Fatima, I think, presents a scandal to the Conciliar Church (i.e. post-Vatican II Church, also known as the ‘contemporary Church’), because it (the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church) takes faith and morals very seriously. The Conciliar Church is infected by relativism. I think that if you took the errors listed in the various ‘Syllabi of Errors,’ composed by Pius IX and Pius X, that perhaps the contemporary Church and its leaders would believe in many of them. As shocking as it may seem. Therefore, the stark faith of Fatima, and its message that the ‘wages of sin’ are most serious is something that the Conciliar Church is very uncomfortable with.

“The Consecration of Russia is part of the symbolism of the Fatima message. And therefore, I think, the Conciliar Church, infested as it is with relativism, subjectivism, religious pluralism, would like to put Fatima away somewhere. They would like to hide it away somewhere. And therefore they either ignore it or they’ll say, ‘Its message has already been accomplished.’ In order, I think, to play down Fatima in general.”

Why hasn’t the Holy Father performed the Consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary as of 15 August 2015 A.D.?

Father Nicholas Gruner, Roman Catholic Priest and Founder of the Fatima Center Apostolate explained,

“I think that there are powerful people in the Vatican who do not believe Our Lady of Fatima at all. They don’t believe Her and they don’t believe the message and they have their own program, they have their own agenda… and the message of Fatima is directly opposed to their own program. And so, they have to get Fatima out of the way. But, they can’t say it publicly.”

 

 

The Consecration Of Russia To The Immaculate Heart Of Mary

Tags

consecration, Consecration of Russia, Immaculate Heart Of Mary, Russia

The Consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary has yet to be done properly by any of the Popes.

It remains to be accomplished and in the prescribed way.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to do the Consecration.

It simply requires a Pope who has the intestinal fortitude to instruct the Bishops (with the threat of immediate excommunication for disobedience) to do the Consecration, using the same prayer, at the same time, publicly in the manner demanded by heaven.

And it’s not a long prayer.

Five minutes and it’s done.

Bing-Bang-Boom. Russia is consecrated.

Once the Consecration has occurred, Russia will become a shining model of Catholicism.

The world will see the transformation as a victory direct from the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Human hearts will be changed for the better.

Souls will be saved.

The world will experience a time of great peace.

Voila! Victory and honor to God through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Let us pray for the Pope, that he may receive the necessary graces to do the Consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, publicly, with all the Bishops who are in communion with the Church, using the same Consecration prayer.

On The Respect Due To A Priest

Tags

Franciscan nun, honor priests, Mutter Katharina Vogls, Pray for our Priests, servant of God

A German nun (Franciscan Third Order Mutter Katharina Vogls – – – whose cause for beatification is open), received the grace of hearing the following words from our Lord and Savior:

“One should NEVER attack a priest, even when he’s in error.

“Rather, one should pray and do penance that I’ll grant him My grace again.

“He alone fully represents Me, even when he doesn’t live after My example!

“When a Priest falls we should extend him a helping hand THROUGH PRAYER AND NOT THROUGH ATTACKS!

“I myself will be his judge, NO ONE BUT I! Whoever voices judgment over a priest has voiced it over Me; child, never let a Priest be attacked, take up his defense.

“Child, Never judge your confessor, rather pray much for him and offer every Thursday, through the hands of My blessed Mother, Holy Communion (for him); Never again accept an out-of-the-way word about a Priest, and speak no unkind word (about them) EVEN IF IT WERE TRUE!

“Every Priest is My Vicar and My heart will be sickened and insulted because of it! If you hear a judgment (against a Priest) pray a 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 at the hour of our death. Amen.

Prayer To Saint Joseph The Workman

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Pope Pius X, prayer, Saint Pope Pius X, St Joseph, worker, Workman

Pope Saint Pius X composed the following prayer to Saint Joseph The Workman:

O Glorious Saint Joseph, model of all those who are devoted to labor, obtain for me the grace to work conscientiously, putting the call of duty above my natural inclinations, to work with gratitude and joy, in a spirit of penance for the remission of my sins, considering it an honor to employ and develop by means of labor the gifts received from God, to work with order, peace, moderation and patience, without ever shrinking from weariness and difficulties, to work above all with purity of intention and detachment from self, having always death before my eyes and the account that I must render of time lost, of talents wasted, of good omitted, of vain complacency in success, so fatal to the work of God.

All for Jesus, all through Mary, all after thine example.

O Patriarch, Saint Joseph.

Such shall be my watchword in life and in death.

Amen.

Liberalism Is A Sin

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antithesis, Catholicism, Dogma, Fr. Salvany, liberalism, Mortal sin, Sin

“Liberalism is the dogmatic affirmation of the absolute independence of the individual and of the social reason.

“Catholicity is the dogma of the absolute subjection of the individual and of the social order to the revealed law of God.

“One doctrine is the exact antithesis of the other.

“They are opposites in direct conflict.”  – – Fr. Felix Sarda Y Salvany – –

Conclusion: True Catholics can not be liberals.

Oremus (Let us pray):

Dear Virgin Mary, I beseech Thee to offer up to the Eternal Father a drop of your Son’s Most Precious Blood so that a mortal sin will be prevented somewhere in the world today. Amen.

Prayer To Saint Joseph The Workman

Tags

Catholic Prayer, Encyclical, modernism, Patron of Workers, Pope St Pius X, prayer, St Joseph, Suppressed Prayer, work, Workers

O Glorious St. Joseph, model of all those who are devoted to labor, obtain for me the grace to work conscientiously, putting the call of duty above my natural inclinations;

to work with gratitude and joy, in a spirit of penance for the remission of my sins, considering it an honor to employ and develop by means of labor the gifts received from God;

to work with order, peace, moderation and patience, without ever shrinking from weariness and difficulties;

to work above all with purity of intention and detachment from self, having always death before my eyes and the account that I must render of time lost, of talents wasted, of good omitted, of vain complacency in success, so fatal to the work of God.

All for Jesus;

all through Mary,

all after thine example,

O Patriarch, Saint Joseph.

Such shall be my watchword in life and in death.

Amen.

Composed by Pope Saint Pius X

N.B. This beautiful prayer has been suppressed by most of the post-Vatican II clergy who suffer under the heresy of modernism. Saint Pope Pius X warned, via his Encyclical Letter ‘Pascendi Dominici Gregis,” about the doctrine of modernists. The proponents of this error ignore this Saintly Pope’s writings at their own peril and the peril of their sheep. Let us pray for an end to the heresy of modernism.

The Holy Day Of Pentecost Part 1 of 2

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Apostles, Blessed Virgin Mary, disciples, ecstasy, Holy Spirit, Joy, Last Supper, Pentecost, wind

The following discourse is from “The Life Of Jesus Christ And Biblical Revelations From the Visions Of The Venerable Anne Catherine Emmerich (1774-1824 A.D.) As Recorded In The Journals Of Clemens Brentano Arranged and Edited By The Very Reverend Carl E. Schmöger, C.SS.R. Volume Four”:

The Holy Day Of Pentecost

The whole interior of the Last Supper room was, on the eve of the feast, ornamented with green bushes in whose branches were placed vases of flowers.

Garlands of green were looped from side to side.

The screens that cut off the side halls and the vestibule were removed; only the gate of the outer court was closed.

Peter, in his episcopal robe, stood at a table covered with red and white under the lamp in front of the Holy of Holies.

On the table lay rolls of writing.

Opposite him in the doorway leading from the entrance hall stood the Blessed Virgin, her face veiled, and behind her in the entrance hall stood the holy women.

The Apostles stood in two rows turned toward Peter along either side of the hall, and from the side halls, the disciples ranged behind the Apostles took part in the hymns and prayers.

When Peter broke and distributed the bread that he had previously blessed, first to the Blessed Virgin, then to the Apostles and disciples who stepped forward to receive it, they kissed his hand, the Blessed Virgin included.

Besides the holy women, there were in the house of the Last Supper and its dependencies one hundred and twenty of Jesus’ followers.

After midnight there arose a wonderful movement in all nature.

It communicated itself to all present as they stood in deep recollection, their arms crossed on their breast, near the pillars of the Supper Room and in the side halls, silently praying.

Stillness pervaded the house, and silence reigned throughout the whole enclosure.

Toward morning I saw above  the Mount of Olives a glittering white cloud of light coming down from Heaven and drawing near to the house. In the distance it appeared to me like a round ball borne along on a soft, warm breeze.

But coming nearer, it looked larger and floated over the city like a luminous mass of fog until it stood above Sion and the house of the Last Supper.

It seemed to contract and to shine with constantly increasing brightness, until at last with a rushing, roaring noise as of wind, it sank like a thunder cloud floating low in the atmosphere.

I saw many Jews, who espied the cloud, hurrying in terror to the Temple.

I myself experienced a childlike anxiety as to where I should hide if the stroke were to follow, for the whole thing was like a storm that had suddenly gathered, that instead of rising from the earth came down from Heaven, that was light instead of dark, that instead of thundering came down with a rushing wind.

I felt that rushing motion.

It was like a warm breeze full of power to refresh and invigorate.

The luminous cloud descended low over the house, and with the increasing sound, the light became brighter.

I saw the house and its surroundings more clearly, while the Apostles, the disciples, and women became more and more silent, more deeply recollected.

Afterward, there shot from the rushing cloud steams of white light down upon the house and its surroundings.

The streams intersected one another in sevenfold rays, and below each intersection resolved into fine threads of light and fiery drops.

The point at which the seven streams intersected was surrounded by a rainbow of light, in which floated a luminous figure with outstretched wings, or rays of light that looked like wings, attached to the shoulders.

In that same instant the whole house and its surroundings were penetrated through and through with light.

The five-branched lamp no longer shone.

The assembled were ravished in ecstasy.

Each involuntarily threw back his head and raised his eyes eagerly on high, while into the mouth of every on there flowed a stream of light like a burning tongue of fire.

It looked as if they were breathing, as if they were eagerly drinking in the fire, and as if their ardent desire flamed forth from their mouth to meet the entering flame.

The sacred fire was poured forth also upon the disciples and the women present in the antechamber, and thus the resplendent cloud gradually dissolved as if in a rain of light.

The flames descended on each in different colors and in different degrees of intensity.

After that effusion of heavenly light, a joyous courage pervaded the assembly. All were full of emotion, and as if intoxicated with joy and confidence.

They gathered around the Blessed Virgin who was, I saw, the only one perfectly calm, the only one that retained a quiet, holy self-possession.

The Apostles embraced one another and, urged by joyous confidence, exclaimed, “What are we? What are we now?”

The holy women too embraced.

The disciples in the side halls were similarly affected, and the Apostles hastened out to them.

A new life full of joy, of confidence, and of courage had been infused into all. Their joy found vent in thanksgiving.

They ranged for prayer, gave thanks and praised God with great emotion.

The light meanwhile vanished.

Peter delivered an instruction to the disciples, and sent several of them out to the inns of the Pentecost guests.

Between the house of the Last Supper and the Pool of Bethsaida there were several sheds and public lodging houses for the accommodation of guests come up for the feast.

They were at this time very numerous, and they too received the grace of the Holy Spirit. An extraordinary movement pervaded all nature.

Good people were roused interiorly, while the wicked became timid, uneasy, and still more stiff-necked.

Most of these strangers had been encamped here since the Pasch, because the distance from their homes rendered a journey to and fro between that feast and Pentecost altogether impracticable. They were become, by all that they had seen and heard, quite intimate and kindly disposed toward the disciples, so that the latter, intoxicated with joy, announced to them the Promise of the Holy Spirit as fulfilled.

They too did they become conscious of a change within their own souls and, at the summons of the disciples, they gathered around the Pool of Bethsaida.

        ———

Nihil Obstat: Em. de Jaegher, Can. lib. cens. Brugis, 14 Februarii 1914 A.D.

Imprimatur: A. C. De Schrevel, Vic. Gen. Brugis, 14 Februarii 1914 A.D.

1 January Circumcision Of Our Lord And Divine Maternity Of Mary

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Accidental Glory, Acts of Virtue, Adam, Altar, Angelic Choirs, Angelic Music, Bethlehem, Children Of Men, Circumcision, Copious Tears, Divine Fire, Divine Infant, Divine Interference, Eternal Father, First Fruits, flint knife, Great Prophet Of The Lord, Hard-heartedness, Holy Obedience, Human Nature, Incarnate Word, Jesus, Mary and Joseph, Medicines, Mortals, Most Prudent Mother, Onlybegotten, pain and healing, Queen and Lady of the Angels, Redeemer, Reverence and Worship, Sacrifice, Saint Joseph, Saints In Heaven, Savior, suffering, swaddling-clothes, Sweet Harmony, Synagogue, Tears Of Joy, Tears Of The Mother, Tender Love, Virgin Mother, Wax Candles

The following is from Chapter XIV of Venerable Mother Mary of Agreda’s “The Mystical City Of God” as explained to her by the Blessed Virgin Mother for the new enlightenment of the world, for rejoicing of the Catholic Church, and for the encouragement of men.

             —————-

 The Divine Infant Is Circumcised And Receives The Name JESUS

530. Like other towns of Israel, the city of Bethlehem had its own synagogue, where the people came together to pray (wherefore it was also called the ‘house of prayer’), and to hear the law of Moses. This was read and explained by a priest from the pulpit in a loud voice, in order that the people might understand its precepts. But in these synagogues no sacrifices were offered; this was reserved for the temple of Jerusalem, except when the Lord commanded otherwise. It was not left to the choice of the people, in order to avoid the danger of idolatry, as is mentioned in Deuteronomy (12,6).

But the priest, who was the teacher or minister of the law in those places, was usually also charged with administering the circumcision; not that this was a binding law, for not only priests but any one could perform the circumcision; but because the pious mothers firmly believed that the infants would run less danger in being circumcised by the hands of a priest.

Our great Queen, not on account of any apprehension of danger, but because of the dignity of the Child, also wished a priest administer this rite to Him; and therefore She sent her most fortunate spouse to Bethlehem to call the priest of that town.

531. The priest came to the gates or cave of the Nativity, where the Incarnate Word, resting in the arms of His Virgin Mother, awaited him.

With the priest came also other officials, who were to render such assistance as was customary at the performance of the rite.

The rudeness of the dwelling at first astonished and somewhat disconcerted the priest. But the most prudent Queen spoke to him and welcomed him with such modesty and grace that his constraints soon changed into devotion and into admiration at the composure and noblest majesty of the Mother; and without knowing the cause he was moved to reverence and esteem for such an unusual personage.

When the priest looked upon the face of Mary and of the Child in her arms he was filled with great devotion and tenderness, wondering at the contrast exhibited amid such poverty and in a place so lowly and despised. And,

when he proceeded to touch the Divine flesh of the Infant, he was renovated by a secret influence which sanctified and perfected him; it gave him a new existence in grace, and raised him up to a state of holiness very pleasing to the most high Lord.

532. In order to show as much exterior reverence for the sacred rite of circumcision as was possible in that place, Saint Joseph lighted two wax candles.

The priest requested the Virgin Mother to consign the Child to the arms of the two assistants and withdraw for a little while in order not to be obliged to witness the sacrifice.

This command caused some hesitation in the great Lady; for her humility and spirit of obedience inclined Her to obey the priest, while on the other hand She was withheld by the love and reverence for her Onlybegotten.

In order not to fail against either of these virtues, She humbly requested to be allowed to remain, saying that She desired to be present at the performance of this rite, since She held it in great esteem, and that She would have courage to hold Her Son in Her arms, as She wished not to leave Him alone on such an occasion. All that She would ask  would be that the circumcision be performed with as much tenderness as possible on account of the delicacy of the Child.

The priest promised to fulfill Her request, and permitted the Child to be held in the arms of His Mother for fulfilling the mystery.

Thus She became the sacred altar on which the truths typified in the ancient sacrifice became a reality (Hebrews 9, 6); and She herself offered up this new morning’s sacrifice on Her own arms in order that it might be acceptable to the eternal Father in all particulars.

533. The divine Mother then unwound the swaddling clothes in which Her most holy Son was wrapped and drew from Her bosom a towel or linen cloth, which She had previously placed there for the purpose of warming it; for the weather was very cold on that day.

While holding the Child in Her hands She so placed this towel that the relics and the blood of the Circumcision would fall upon it.

The priest thereupon proceeded to his duty and circumcised the Child, the true God and man.

At the same time the Son of God, with immeasurable love, offered up to the eternal Father three sacrifices of so great value that each one would have been sufficient for the Redemption of a thousand worlds.

The first was that He, being innocent and the Son of the true God, assumed the condition of a sinner (Epistle of St. Paul To The Philippians. 2,7) by subjecting Himself to a rite instituted as a remedy for original sin, and to a law not binding on Him (Second Epistle of St. Paul To The Corinthians. 5,21).

The second was His willingness to suffer the pains of circumcision, which He felt as a true and perfect man.

The third was the most ardent love with which He began to shed His blood for the human race, giving thanks to the eternal Father for having given Him a human nature capable of suffering for His exaltation and glory.

534. This prayerful sacrifice of JESUS our Savior the Father accepted, and, according to our way of speaking, He began to declare Himself satisfied and paid for the indebtedness of humanity.

The Incarnate Word offered these first fruits of His blood as pledges that He would give it all in order to consummate the Redemption and extinguish the debt of the sons of Adam.

All these interior acts and movements of the Onlybegotten His most holy Mother perceived, and in Her heavenly wisdom She penetrated the mystery of this sacrament, acting as His Mother and in concert with Her Son and Lord in all that He was doing and suffering.

True to His human nature, the divine Infant shed tears as other children. Although the pains caused by the wounding were most severe, as well on account of the delicacy of His body as on account of the coarseness of the knife, which was made of flint, yet His tears were caused not so much by the sensible pain as by the supernatural sorrow caused by His knowledge of the hard-heartedness of mortals.

For this was more rude and unyielding than the flint, resisting His sweetest love and the divine fire He had come to enkindle in the world and in the hearts of the faithful (Luke 12,49).

Also the tender and affectionate Mother wept, like the guileless sheep, which raises its voice in unison with the innocent lamb.

In reciprocal love and compassion the Child clung to His Mother, while She sweetly caressed Him at Her virginal breast and caught the sacred relics and the falling blood in the towel.

These She entrusted to Saint Joseph, in order to tend to the divine Infant and wrap Him once more in the swaddling-clothes.

The priest was somewhat surprised at the tears of the Mother; yet, not understanding the mystery, he conjectured that the beauty of the Child might well cause such deep and loving sorrow in Her who had given Him birth.

535. In all these proceedings the Queen of Heaven was so prudent, circumspect and magnanimous, that She caused admiration in the angelic choirs and highest delight to Her Creator.

She gave forth the effulgence of the divine wisdom, which filled Her, performing each of Her actions as perfectly as if She had that alone to perform.

She was unyielding in Her desire of holding the Child in Her arms during the Circumcision, most careful in preserving the relics, most compassionate in Her affliction and tears, feeling Herself His pains, most loving in caresses, most diligent in procuring His comfort, fervent in imitating Him in His works, always careful to treat Him with the highest reverence, without ever failing or intermitting Her acts of virtue, and without ever letting the perfection of one disturb that of the other.

Wonderful spectacle exhibited by a Maiden of fifteen years, and affording even the angels a sort of new lesson and cause of admiration!

In the meanwhile the priest asked the parents what name they wished to give to the Child in Circumcision; the great Lady, always attentive to honor Her spouse, asked Saint Joseph to mention the name.

Saint Joseph turned toward Her in like reverence and gave Her to understand that He thought it proper this sweet name should first flow from Her mouth.

Therefore, by divine interference, both Mary and Joseph said at the same time: “JESUS is His name.”

The priest answered: “The parents are unanimously agreed, and great is the name which they give to the Child”; and thereupon he inscribed it in the tablet or register of names of the rest of the children. While writing it the priest felt great interior movements, so that he shed copious tears; and wondering at what he felt yet not being able to account for, he said: “I am convinced that this Child is to be a great Prophet of the Lord. Have great care in raising Him, and tell me in what I can relieve your needs.”

Most holy Mary and Joseph answered the priest with humble gratitude and dismissed him after offering him the gift of some candles and other articles.

536. Being again left alone with the Child, most holy Mary and Joseph celebrated anew the mystery of the Circumcision, commenting on the holy name of JESUS amid sweet canticles and tears of joy, the fuller knowledge of which (as also of other mysteries which I have mentioned) is reserved as an additional accidental glory to the Saints in Heaven.

The most prudent Mother applied to the wound caused by the knife such medicines as were won’t to be used on such occasions for other children, and during the time while the pain and the healing lasted She would not for a moment part with Him, holding Him in Her arms day and night.

The tender love of the Heavenly Mother is beyond all comprehension or understanding of man; for Her natural love was greater than any other mother was capable of, and Her supernatural love exceeded that of all the angels and saints together.

Her reverence and worship cannot be compared with that of any other created being.

These were the delights of the incarnate Word (Proverbs 8,31), which He desired and longed for among the children of men; and this was the recompense, which His loving heart drew from the exceeding sanctity of the Virgin Mother for the sorrows occasioned Him by their behavior.

Although He pleased Himself in Her alone above all the mortals and in Her found full satisfaction of His love, yet the humble Queen sought to alleviate His bodily pains by all the means within Her power. Therefore, She besought the holy angels to assist Her and produce sweet harmony for their incarnate God, and Her suffering Child.

The ministers of the Most High obeyed their Queen and Lady and in audible voices they rehearsed the canticles which She Herself had composed with Her spouse in praise of the new and sweet name of JESUS.

537. With this music, so sweet that in comparison to all human music seemed but irksome discord, the Heavenly Lady entertained Her most holy Son; and sweeter yet was the harmony of Her heroic virtues, which in Her soul formed ‘choirs as of serried armies,’ as the Lord and Spouse Himself says in the Canticles.

Hard are human hearts, and more than slow and dull in recognizing and thankfully acknowledging such venerable sacraments, instituted for their eternal salvation by the immense love of the Creator and Redeemer.

O sweetest Good of my soul and of my life!

What wicked return do we make for the exquisite artifices of Thy eternal love!

O measureless charity, which is not extinguished by the overwhelming waters of our gross and faithless ingratitude!

Truly the essential Bounty and Holiness could not go to a greater length of condescension for love of us, nor exercise more exquisite love than to assume the form of a sinner (Epistle of St. Paul To The Philippians. 2,7), drawing upon His own innocence the punishment of the sin, which otherwise could never approach Him.

If men despise such an example and forget such a benefit, how can they be said to retain the use of their reason?

How can they presume upon and glory in their wisdom, prudence or judgment?

It would be prudence, ungrateful man, if thou wouldst affect thyself and weep over thy notorious dullness and darkness of mind in not being moved by such great works of thy God; since not even the Divine Love can melt the iciness of thy heart.

Merry Christmas vs Seasons Greetings

Those who prefer to say “seasons greetings” instead of “Merry Christmas!” are really saying:

“We have no room for Jesus in our inn.”

    ——

Merry Christmas to one and to all.

May the good Lord bless and protect you and your loved ones and may He give you the grace of final perseverance. Amen.

Establishment of the Holy Eucharist Part 13 of 13

Tags

Blessed Virgin Mary, devoutness, Eucharist, holiness, Mother of God, prostration, sacrament, worthiness

This is the last of thirteen posts from Venerable Mother Mary of Agreda’s ‘The Mystical City of God’ Book II of the Transfixion.

In the previous installment Our Heavenly Queen stressed the importance of receiving Our Lord worthily and devoutly and mentioned that many communicants receive the Lord without the proper intentions.

In this communication the Blessed Virgin Mary focusses on the reverence, fear and humility that Catholics must show when receiving the Holy Eucharist.

We also learn of some of the great heavenly treasures that are in store for those who show great love toward the Holy Eucharist during this mortal life (our earthly test).

491. Though all the children of the Church largely incur this fault, yet more to be blamed are the unworthy and wicked priests; for by the irreverence with which they treat the blessed Sacrament the other Catholics have been drawn to undervalue it.

We should pray for our priests so that they may grow in holiness. And, we should pray especially for those clerics and religious who contend with great, but unknown to us, spiritual battles. May the Lord give them the graces and strength to win the race and save many souls in the process.

If the people see that their priests approach the divine mysteries with holy fear and trembling, they learn to treat and receive their God in like manner.

Those that so honor Him shall shine in heaven like the sun among the stars; for the glory of my Divine Son’s humanity will redound in a special measure in those who have behaved well toward Him in the Blessed Sacrament and have received Him with all reverence; whereas this will not happen to those who have not frequented this holy table with devotion.

Moreover the devout will bear on their breast, where they have so often harbored the Holy Eucharist, most beautiful and resplendent inscriptions, showing that they were most worthy tabernacles of the Holy Sacrament.

This will be a great accidental reward for them and a source of jubilation and admiration for the holy angels and all the rest of the blessed.

They will also enjoy the special favor of being able to penetrate deeper into the mystery of the presence of the Lord in the sacrament and to understand all the rest of the wonders hidden therein.

This will be such a privilege that it alone would suffice for their eternal happiness, even if there were no other enjoyment in heaven. Moreover, the essential glory of those, who have worthily and devoutly received the Holy Eucharist, will in several respects exceed the glory of many martyrs who have not received the body and blood of the Lord.

__________

492. I wish thee also to hear, my dearest daughter, from my own mouth, what were my sentiments when in mortal life I was about to receive Holy Communion.

In order that thou mayest better understand what I say, reflect on all I have commanded thee to write about my gifts, merits and labors in life.

I was preserved from original sin and,

at the instant of my Conception, I received the knowledge and vision of the Divinity, as thou hast often recorded.

I knew more than all the saints;

I surpassed the highest seraphim in love;

I never committed any fault;

I constantly practiced all the virtues in a heroic degree and

in the least of them I was greater than all the saints in their highest perfection;

the intention and object of my actions were most exalted and

my habits and gifts were noble without measure;

I imitated my most Holy Son most closely;

I labored most faithfully;

I suffered with eagerness and

co-operated with the doings of the Lord exactly as was becoming to me;

I ceased not to exercise my love and gain new and supereminent merits of grace.

Yet

I thought myself to have been fully repaid by being allowed to receive Him even once in the Holy Eucharist;

yea,

I did not consider myself worthy of this one favor.

Ponder: The Blessed Virgin Mother did not consider herself worthy of receiving the Holy Eucharist even once!

Reflect then what should be thy sentiments, and those of the rest of the children of Adam, on being admitted to the reception of this admirable Sacrament.

And if for the greatest of saints one Holy Communion is a superabundant reward, what must the priests and the faithful think, when they are allowed to receive It so frequently?

Open thy eyes in the deep darkness and blindness which overwhelm men around thee, and raise them up to the divine brightness in order to understand these mysteries.

Look upon all thy works as insufficient,

all thy sufferings as most insignificant,

all thy thanksgiving as falling far short of what thou owest for such an exquisite blessing as that of possessing in the Holy Church, my divine Son, present in the Holy Sacrament in order to enrich all the faithful.

If thou has not wherewith to show thy thanks for this and the other blessings which thou receivest, at least humiliate thyself to the dust and remain prostrate upon it; confess thyself unworthy in all the sincerity of thy heart.

Magnify the Most High, bless and praise Him, preserving thyself at all times worthy to receive Him and to suffer many martyrdoms in return for such a favor.

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Establishment of the Holy Eucharist Part 12 of 13

Tags

Catholics, Church, Holy Eucharist, Lord, Manna, temptations

This is the 12th part of 13 posts from Sister Mother Mary of Agreda’s ‘The Mystical City of God’ Book II of the Transfixion dealing with the chapter entitled:

Christ Our Savior Celebrates The Sacramental Supper, Consecrating His True And Sacred Body And Blood In The Holy Eucharist; His Prayers And Petitions; The Communion Of His Blessed Mother And Other Mysteries Of This Occasion.

Part XII begins the instruction that our Blessed Mother, the Queen of Heaven, gave to Sister Mary of Agreda:

489.  O my daughter!

Would that the believers in the holy Catholic faith opened their hardened and stony hearts in order to attain to a true understanding of the sacred and mysterious blessing of the Holy Eucharist!

If they would only detach themselves, root out and reject their earthly inclinations, and, restraining their passions, apply themselves with living faith to study by the divine light their great happiness in thus possessing their eternal God in the Holy Sacrament and in being able, by its reception and constant intercourse, to participate in the full effects of this heavenly manna!

If they would only worthily esteem this precious gift, begin to taste its sweetness, and share in the hidden power of their omnipotent God!

Then nothing would ever be wanting in them in their exile.

In this, the happy age of the law of grace, mortals have no reason to complain of their weakness and their passions; since in this bread of heaven they have at hand strength and health.

It matters not that they are tempted and persecuted by the demon; for by receiving this Sacrament frequently they are enabled to overcome him gloriously.

The faithful are themselves to blame for all their poverty and labors, since they pay no attention to this divine mystery, nor avail themselves of the divine powers, thus placed at their disposal by my most holy Son.

I tell thee truly, my dearest, that Lucifer and his demons have such a fear of the most Holy Eucharist, that to approach It, causes them more torments than to remain in hell itself.

Although they do enter churches in order to tempt souls, they enter them with aversion, forcing themselves to endure cruel pains in the hope f destroying a soul and drawing it into sin, especially in the holy places and in the presence of the Holy Eucharist.

Their wrath against the Lord and against the souls alone could induce them to expose themselves to the torment of His real sacramental presence.

__________

490.  Whenevr He is carried through the streets they usually fly and disperse in all haste; and they would not dare to approach those that accompany Him, if by their long experience they did not know, that they will induce some to forget the reverence due to their Lord.

Therefore they make special efforts to tempt the faithful in the churches; for they know what great injury they can thereby do to the Lord Himself, Who in His sacramental love is there waiting to sanctify men and to receive the return of His sweetest and untiring love.

Hence thou canst also understand the strength of those who prepare themselves to partake of this bread of the angels and how the demons fear the souls, who receive the Lord worthily and devoutly and who strive to preserve themselves in this purity until the next Communion.

But there a very few who live with this intention, and the enemy is ceaselessly alert in striving to throw them back into their forgetfulness, distraction and indifference, so that he may not be obliged to encounter such powerful weapons in the hands of men.

Write this admonition in thy heart; and since without thy merit the Almighty has ordained, that you receive holy Communion daily, seek by all possible means to preserve thyself in the good dispositions from one Communion to the other.

It is the will of the Lord and my own, that with this sword thou fight the battles of the Almighty in the name of the holy Church against the invisible enemies. For in our days they are heaping affliction and sorrow upon the mistress of nations, while there is none to console her or to take it to heart (Lamentations Chapter 1; Verses 1-2).

Do thou thyself weep for the same reason and let thy heart be torn in sorrow.

But while the omnipotent and just Judge Who is so greatly incensed against the Catholics for having out raged His justice by their unmeasurable and continual transgressions even under the aegis of their grand faith, none are found to consider and weigh the fearful damage, nor to approach the easy remedy of receiving the holy Eucharist with a contrite and humble heart; nor does any one ask for my intercession.

The final installment is ‘Part XIII’.

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Establishment of the Holy Eucharist Part 11 of 13

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Apostles, Bread and Wine, disciples, holy angels, Holy Communion, Judas, Last Supper, Lord, Pharisees, Queen of Heaven

Here is the eleventh of thirteen posts from Sister Mother Mary of Agreda’s ‘The Mystical City of God’ Book II of the Transfixion. We focus on the chapter entitled:

Christ Our Savior Celebrates The Sacramental Supper, Consecrating His True And Sacred Body And Blood In The Holy Eucharist; His Prayers And Petitions; The Communion Of His Blessed Mother And Other Mysteries Of This Occasion.

Part XI deals with some of the marvelous happenings that occurred when the Apostles received Holy Communion for the first time and we discover some of the incredibly outstanding privileges given to Our Blessed Lady by the Almighty:

488.  Another very wonderful miracle happened at the Communion of the Apostles.

The perfidious and treacherous Judas, hearing the command of the Master to partake of the Holy Communion, resolved in his unbelief not to comply, but if he could do so without being observed, determined to secrete the sacred Body and bring It to the priests and pharisees in order to afford them a chance of incriminating Jesus by showing them what He had called His own Body; or if he should not succeed therein, to consummate some other vile act of malice with the divine Sacrament.

The Mistress and Queen of Heaven, Who by a clear vision was observing all that passed and knew the interior and exterior effects and affections in the Apostles at Holy Communion, saw also the accursed intentions of the obstinate Judas.

All the zeal for the glory of Her Lord, existing in Her as His Mother, Spouse and Daughter, was aroused in Her purest Heart.

Knowing that it was the divine Will, that She should make use of Her power as Mother and Queen, She commanded the holy angels to extract from the mouth of Judas the Consecrated Particles as well of the Bread as of the Wine and replace Them from whence They had been taken.

It well befitted Her on this occasion to defend the honor of Her divine Son and prevent Judas from heaping such an ignominious injury upon Christ the Lord.

The holy angels obeyed their Queen, and when it was the turn of Judas to communicate, they withdrew the Consecrated Species one after the other, and, purifying Them from Their contact with Judas, the most wicked of living men, they restored Them to their place, altogether unobserved by the disciples.

Thus the Lord shielded the honor of His malicious and obstinate Apostle to the end.

This was attended to by the angels in the shortest space of time and the others then received Holy Communion, for Judas was neither the first nor the last to communicate.

Then our Savior offered thanks to the eternal Father and therewith ended both the legal and the Sacramental Supper in order to begin the mysteries of His Passion, which I will relate in the subsequent chapters.

The Queen of Heaven attended to all full of wonder and joyful praise, magnifying the Most High.

The next installment is ‘Part XII’ in which the Queen of Heaven gives instruction to Venerable Mary of Agreda regarding aspects of the establishment of the Holy Eucharist by Her divine Son.

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Establishment of the Holy Eucharist Part 10 of 13

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Apostles, Blessed Virgin Mary, catholic, Catholic Church, Church Fathers, Elias, Enoch, Holy Communion, Holy Eucharist, Jesus, Mother of God, Mystical City of God, Patriarchs, Priesthood

Here is the tenth part of thirteen posts transcribed from Venerable Mother Mary of Agreda’s ‘The Mystical City of God,’ Book II of the Transfixion. The chapter is entitled:

Christ Our Savior Celebrates The Sacramental Supper, Consecrating His True And Sacred Body And Blood In The Holy Eucharist; His Prayers And Petitions; The Communion Of His Blessed Mother And Other Mysteries Of This Occasion.

In the last installment we discovered that the Lady and Queen of Heaven received Holy Communion from Saint Gabriel, the Archangel, and that the sacramental species weren’t consumed or altered in Her Immaculate Heart.

We also learned that our Blessed Mother thanked the eternal Father and Her divine Son in new canticles.

Let us continue with Part X:

487. After having thus favored the heavenly Princess, our Savior distributed the sacramental bread to the Apostles, commanding them to divide it among themselves and partake of it.

By this commandment He conferred upon them the sacerdotal dignity and they began to exercise it by giving Communion each to Himself.

This they did with the greatest reverence, shedding copious tears and adoring the body and blood of our Lord, whom they were receiving.

They were established in the power of the priesthood, as being founders of the holy Church and enjoying the distinction of priority over all others.

Then Saint Peter, at the command of Christ the Lord, administered two of the particles of Holy Communion to the two patriarchs, Enoch and Elias. This Holy Communion so rejoiced these two holy men, that they were encouraged anew in their hope of the beatific vision, which for them was to be deferred for so many ages, and they were strengthened to live on in this hope until the end of the world.

Having given most fervent and humble thanks to the Almighty for this blessing, they were brought back to their abiding place by the hands of the holy angels.

The Lord desired to work this miracle in order to pledge Himself to include the ancient natural and written laws in the benefits of the Incarnation, Redemption and general resurrection; since all these mysteries were contained in the most holy Eucharist.

By thus communicating Himself to the two holy men, Enoch and Elias, who were still in their mortal flesh, these blessings were extended over the human race such as it existed under the natural and the written laws, while all the succeeding generations were to be included in the new law of grace, the Apostles at the head.

This was all well understood by Enoch and Elias, and, returning to the midst of their contemporaries, they gave thanks to their and our Redeemer for this mysterious blessing.

The next installment is ‘Part XI’.

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