The "Weight" of the Rosary at the Judgement Seat of God.

“Whatever you do, do not be like a certain pious but stubborn lady in Rome, so often mentioned when speaking about the Rosary.

She was so devout and so fervent that she put to shame by her holy life even the strictest religious in the Church.

“Having decided to ask Saint Dominic’s advice about her spiritual life, she asked him to hear her confession.

For penance he gave her one whole Rosary to say and advised her to say it every day. She said that she had no time to say it, excusing herself on the grounds that she made the Stations of Rome every day, that she wore sackcloth and a hair shirt, that she carried out so many other penances and fasted so much.

Saint Dominic urged her repeatedly to take his advice and say the Rosary, but she would not hear of it. She left the confessional, horrified at the tactics of this new spiritual director who had tried so hard to persuade her to take on a devotion that was not at all to her liking.

“Later on, when she was in prayer, she fell into ecstasy and had a vision of her soul appearing before Our Lord’s Judgment Seat. Saint Michael put all her penances and other prayers onto one tray of the scales and all her sins and imperfections onto the other tray. The tray of her good works was greatly outweighed by the tray with her sins and imperfections.

“Filled with terror she cried for mercy, imploring the Blessed Virgin Mary’s help. Her gracious Advocate took the one and only Rosary that she had said for her penance and dropped it onto the tray of her good works. This one Rosary was so heavy that it weighed more than all her sins as well as all her good works. Our Lady then reproved her for refusing to follow the counsel of her servant Dominic and for not saying the Rosary every day.

“As soon as she came to she rushed and threw herself at Saint Dominic’s feet, and told him all that had happened. She begged his forgiveness for her unbelief and promised to say the Rosary faithfully every day. By this means she arose to Christian perfection and finally to the glory of everlasting life.

“You who are people of prayer— learn from this how tremendous is the power, the value and the importance of this devotion of the Most Holy Rosary when it is said together with meditation on the mysteries.”

*An excerpt from Saint Louis de Montfort’s The Secret of the Rosary (Rockford, IL: TAN Books and Publishers, Inc., 1999), 63–64.

The Joyful Mysteries

THE ANNUNCIATION

The Virtue— 
That we may accept that even the purest joy we experience in this life necessarily entails suffering. It is with full reliance and trust in God that we are able to accept our suffering in order to fulfill our mission and forward God’s plan of salvation with humility and love.

C onsider that an Angel was sent from Heaven to declare to the Blessed Virgin, the choice which God had made of her, to be the Mother of the Eternal Word: She receives this declaration with the most profound humility, and the Son of God becomes incarnate in her by the invisible operation of the Holy Ghost.

Hail Mary, ten times — Glory Be— O My Jesus

The Prayer— 
O Holy Mary, Queen of Virgins, through the most high Mystery of Thy beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, wherein our salvation was begun, obtain for us, through thy most holy intercession, light to understand the greatness of the benefit He hast bestowed upon us, in vouchsafing to become our Brother and in giving Thee, His own beloved Mother to be our Mother also. Amen.

THE VISITATION

The Virtue— 
That our hearts may be visited by The Blessed Mother’s Divine Son, and through His grace, we may always practice brotherly kindness.

C all to mind how The Blessed Virgin, goes with haste into the mountains of Judea, to visit her cousin St. Elizabeth, where, at her arrival, St, John the Baptist, yet unborn, rejoices in the presence of his Redeemer, and is sanctified in his Mother’s womb.

Hail Mary, ten times — Glory Be— O My Jesus

The Prayer— 
Most Holy Virgin, who in this mystery didst eminently display the greatest humility and charity; obtain for us of God, that our souls may be frequently visited by thy dear Son, and in some degree experience those impressions which his presence once made on his blessed precursor. Amen

THE NATIVITY

The Virtue— 
That we may love God in return for His love of us, by becoming detached from the things of this world.

T hink about how The Redeemer of the world was born in a stable, and laid in a manger because there was no room for him in the inn at Bethlehem. Rejoice in the advantages of this humiliation, and endeavour to practise the lessons He teaches here.

Hail Mary, ten times — Glory Be— O My Jesus

The Prayer— 
O most pure Mother of God, we sincerely rejoice in thy having given birth to the Desired of Nations, to the Saviour of the World. Beg him, we beseech thee, that he would now graciously vouchsafe to be spiritually born in our hearts, enabling us by his grace, to imitate the virtues of his childhood ; particularly his simplicity, innocence, docility, and contempt for the vanities of this world. Amen

THE PRESENTATION
OF THE BABY JESUS
IN THE TEMPLE

The Virtue— 
That we may live the purity bestowed upon our souls by the Sacrament of Baptism and that we may imitate Christ in the practice of that holy virtue.

P rostrate ourselves with the wise men, to adore Jeans Christ in the arms of his blessed Mother: instead of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, we may offer him our minds, our hearts, and our whole being, without reserve.

Hail Mary, ten times — Glory Be— O My Jesus

The Prayer— 
Most Holy and Immaculate Virgin! by the unspeakable comfort thou didst feel in the homage paid to our Redeemer, we entreat thee to present him in our name the offering we make of ourselves, that he may receive it more favourably through thee; that we may ever walk faithfully by the light of his grace, until we arrive at the possession of himself in heaven. Amen.

THE FINDING
OF THE CHILD JESUS
IN THE TEMPLE

The Virtue— 
That we may seek Jesus and find Him in His Holy Catholic Church and never to be separated from Him.

L et us participate in the joy which the Blessed Virgin must have felt, when, after having lost, without any fault of hers, the child Jesus in Jerusalem, and having sought him in much affliction during three days, she found him at length in the Temple amidst the Doctors, hearing them and questioning them

Hail Mary, ten times — Glory Be— O My Jesus

The Prayer— 
Most tender Mother of God! Comforter of the afflicted! we earnestly call upon thee, by thy extreme delight on finding the child Jesus and over the anguish of having lost Him, to obtain for us the grace never to lose Him by consenting to mortal sin nor to enjoy either pleasure or repose, while we thus oblige him to withdraw from us. Amen

The 6 Sins against the Holy Ghost

Presumption
Despair
Resisting the known truth
Envy of another’s spiritual good
Obstinacy in sin
Final impenitence

The 7 Capital Sins and their Contrary Virtues

Capital Sin	Definition	Contrary Virtue
Pride	Unrestrained appreciation of our own worth	Humility
Greed	Immoderate desire for earthly goods	Liberality
Lust	Hankering for impure pleasures	Chastity
Anger	Inordinate desire for revenge	Meekness
Gluttony	Unrestrained use of food and drink	Temperance
Envy	Sorrow over another's good fortune	Brotherly Love
Sloth	Laxity in keeping the Faith and the practice of virtue	Diligence

Note:
The 7 Capital Sins, also known as "The 7 Deadly Sins," are those sins that give rise to other sins. They were first enumerated by Pope St. Gregory the Great in "Moralia in Job."

THE 4 CARDINAL VIRTUES

Prudence
Justice
Fortitude
Temperance
Note: Reference Wisdom 8:7. The Cardinal Virtues, unlike the Theological Virtues, can be achieved by human effort.

THE 3 THEOLOGICAL VIRTUES

Faith, Hope, Charity 

Note: Reference I Corinthians 13:13. The Theological Virtues are called such because they are supernatural in origin, relate immediately to God, and can only be gained through His grace

THE 12 FRUITS OF THE HOLY GHOST

I.    Charity: Love for God and for others

II.   Joy: Happiness in living the Christian life

III.  Peace : Inner calmness, even in difficulties

IV.  Patience : Kindly putting up with the faults of others

V.   Benignity (Kindness) : Sympathy and concern for the needs of others

VI.  Goodness : Giving good example for the needs of others

VII. Longanimity (Longsuffering): Extraordinary patience in enduring suffering

VIII. Mildness : Being gentle in our words and deeds toward others

IX.  Faith (Fidelity) : Loyalty to God and the people we are committed to, such as one's parents, spouse, good friends

X.   Modesty : Respecting ourselves and others in conversations, dress, etc.

XI.  Continency: Proper balance in our desire for pleasure

XII. Chastity: Proper attitude toward others and control over our sexual desires
Note:
See Galatians 5:22-25 (three of these are not mentioned in some Greek and Latin manuscripts). The 12 Fruits of the Holy Ghost are the effects of the 7 Gifts of the Holy Ghost.

CLASS OF GIFTS OF THE HOLY GHOST KNOWN AS CHARISMATA

I.    Gift of speaking with wisdom
II.   Gift of speaking with knowledge
III.  Faith
IV.  Grace of healing
V.   Gift of miracles
VI.  Gift of prophecy
VII. Gift of discerning spirits
VIII Gift of tongues
IX.  Gift of interpreting speeches
Note:
See I Corinthians 12:6-11; I Corinthians 12:28-31; and Romans 12:6-8. The number of items in this class of Gifts of the Holy Ghost, properly called "charismata," is disputed among theologians. Some add: Gift of government, Gift of Helps, Gift of distributio, Gift of misericordia. The charismata were/are not necessary for individual sanctification, were/are not distributed to all Christians, and are to be subjected to authority and the proper ends for which they were given (I Corinthians 12-14).

THE 7 GIFTS OF THE HOLY GHOST

I.    Wisdom: Helps us to see that the world is only a temporary place for us, that Heaven is our true home. It helps us to set our hearts on the things that really count in life, such as God, virtue, and prayer

II.   Understanding : Gives us an insight in to the mysteries of faith and helps us to explain in the faith to others

III.   Counsel : Helps us  make correct decisions about God's will for our lives

IV.  Fortitude : Gives us the strength to be faithful to Christ even when it is difficult to do so

V.  Knowledge: Helps us to see everything in life in relation to God and eternity

VI.   Piety : Inspires us to worship God and to love Him as our Father

VII. Fear of the Lord : Shows us the evil of sin and helps us to live in God's grace. It is also called "wonder and awe" in God's presence because it reminds us that He is great and all powerful

Note:
See Isaias 11:1-3

The 3 Eminent Good Works

Prayer
Fasting
Almsgiving

The 7 Spiritual Works of Mercy

To counsel the doubtful
To instruct the ignorant
To admonish the sinner
To comfort the sorrowful
To forgive all injuries
To bear wrongs patiently
To pray for the living and the dead 

The 7 Corporal Works of Mercy

To feed the hungry
To give drink to the thirsty
To clothe the naked
To shelter the homeless
To visit the sick
To visit the imprisoned
To bury the dead 

The 7 Sacraments (The Holy Mysteries)

Baptism
Confirmation (Chrismation)
Eucharist
Penance (Confession, Reconciliation)
Matrimony
Holy Orders
Extreme Unction (Annointing of the Sick)

Notes:
A Sacrament is defined as "an outward sign of inward grace" which was instituted by Christ Himself and receives its power from God, through the merits of Christ.

Baptism and Penance are known as the "Sacraments of the Dead" because before receiving them when needed, we are dead in sin.

Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Extreme Unction, Holy Orders, and Matrimony are known as the "Sacraments of the Living" because one must be in a state of grace to receive them licitly and receive their fruits; they give additional grace to souls already spiritually alive.

Matrimony and Holy Orders are known as the "Social Sacraments" because they are designed primarily for the benefit of society and confer a social status.

Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders are the three Sacraments which leave an indelible mark on the recipient's soul and can never be repeated.

EVIL AND ADVENT

It is God himself who can place a definitive limit upon evil. He is the essence of justice, because it is he who rewards good and punishes evil in a manner perfectly befitting the objective situation. I am speaking here of moral evil, of sin. In the Garden of Eden, human history already encounters the God who judges and punishes. The Book of Genesis describes in detail the penalty imposed on our first parents after their sin (see Gn 3:14-19). And their penalty has been prolonged throughout human history. Original sin is an inherited condition. As such, it signifies the innate sinfulness of man, his radical inclination toward evil instead of good. There is is mana congenital moral weakness which goes hand in hand with the fragility of his being, with his psycho-physical fragility. And of his fragility is accompanied by the multiple sufferings indicated in the Bible, from the very first pages, as punishment for sin. It could be said that human history is marked from the very beginning by the limit God the Creator places upon evil....God himself came to save us and to deliver us from evil, and this coming of God, this "Advent" which we celebrate in such a joyful way the weeks preceding the Nativity of the Lord, is truly redemptive. It is impossible to think of the limit placed by God himself up the various forms of evil without reference to the mystery of Redemption. Could the mystery of Redemption be the response to that historical evil which, in different forms, continually recurs in human affairs? It can seem that the evil of concentration camps, of gas chambers, of police cruelty, of total war, and of oppressive regimes - evil which among other things, systematically contradicts the message of the cross - it can seem, I say, that such evil is more powerful than any good. Yet if we look more closely at the history of those peoples and nations who have endured the trial of totalitarian systems and persecutions on account of faith, we discover that is is precisely where the victorious presence of Christ's cross is most clearly revealed. Against such a dramatic background, that presence may be even more striking. To those who are subjected to systematic evil, there remains only Christ and his cross as a source of spiritual self-defense, as a promise of victory.

Venerable John Paul II

(t 2005) reigned from 1978 until 2005

St. Peter of Luxembourg

SAINT PETER of LUXEMBURG
Bishop and Cardinal
(1369-1387)

Saint Peter of Luxemburg, descended both by his father and mother from the noblest families in Europe, was born in Lorraine in the year 1369. When still a schoolboy twelve years of age, he went to London as a hostage for his brother, who had been taken prisoner. The English were so won by Peter’s holy example that they released him at the end of the year, taking his word the ransom would be paid. King Richard II of England invited him to remain at his court, but Peter returned to Paris, determined to have no master but Christ.

Because of his prudence and sanctity, at the early age of fifteen he was appointed bishop of Metz. He made his public entry into his see barefoot and riding on a donkey. He governed his diocese with all the zeal and prudence of maturity, and divided his revenues in three parts — for the Church, the poor, and lastly, his household. His charities often left him personally destitute; only twenty pence would remain to him when he died.

Created Cardinal of Saint George, his austerities in the midst of court life were so severe that he was ordered to moderate them. Peter replied, “I shall always be an unprofitable servant, but I can at least obey.” Ten months after this last promotion he fell ill with a fever; he lingered for some time in a sinking condition, his holiness increasing as he drew near his end. Saint Peter, it was believed, never stained his soul by mortal sin; yet as he grew in grace his holy contempt for self became more and more intense. When he had received the last sacraments, he forced his attendants each in turn to scourge him for his faults, and then lay silent until he died. The year was 1387, and the Cardinal-Saint was only 18 years old.

God was pleased to glorify His servant after his death. Among other miracles attributed to him the following one is related. On July 5, 1432, a child about twelve years old was killed when he fell from a high tower in the palace of Avignon, upon a sharp rock. The father, distraught with grief, picked up the scattered pieces of the skull and brains and carried them in a sack, with the mutilated body of his son, to Saint Peter’s shrine. There, with many tears, he besought the Saint’s intercession. After a time the child returned to life, and he was set upon the altar for all to see. In honor of this miracle the city of Avignon chose Saint Peter as its patron Saint.

Reflection: Saint Peter teaches us how, when there is self-denial, the highest dignities and all this world can give, may serve to make a Saint.

How To Be Vigilant

     It is sad to see many disturb their soul when it desires to abide in this calm and repose of interior quietude, where it is filled with the peace and refreshment of God. Desirous of making it retrace its steps and revert from the goal in which it now reposes, they draw it out to more exterior, to considerations which are the means. This they do, not without strong repugnance and reluctance in the soul. The soul would want to remain in that unintelligible peace as in its right place. A man is deeply pained if, after intense effort to reach his place of rest, he is forced to return to his labor.

    Since these individuals do not understand the mystery of that new experience, they imagine themselves to be idle and doing nothing. Thus, in their struggle with considerations and discursive meditations they disturb their quietude. They become filled with aridity and trial because of efforts to get satisfaction by means no longer apt. We can say that the more intense their efforts, the less will be their gain. The more they persist at meditation, the worse their state becomes, because they drag the soul further away from spiritual peace. They resemble one who abandons the greater for the lesser, turns back on a road already covered, and wants to redo what is already done.

     The advice proper for these individuals is that they must learn to abide in the quietude with a loving attentiveness to God and pay no heed to the imagination and its work. At this stage, as we said, the faculties are at rest, and do not work actively but passively, by receiving what God is effecting in them. If at times they put the faculties to work, they should not make use of excessive efforts or studied reasonings, but do so with gentleness of love, moved more by God than by their own abilities.

St. John Of The Cross

(t 1591) is called the Mystical Doctor.

St. Francesco Antonio Fasani

Born in Lucera (southeast Italy), Francesco entered the Conventual Franciscans in 1695. After his ordination 10 years later, he taught philosophy to younger friars, served as guardian of his friary and later became provincial. When his term of office ended, Francesco became master of novices and finally pastor in his hometown. In his various ministries, he was loving, devout and penitential. He was a sought-after confessor and preacher. One witness at the canonical hearings regarding Francesco's holiness testified, "In his preaching he spoke in a familiar way, filled as he was with the love of God and neighbor; fired by the Spirit, he made use of the words and deed of Holy Scripture, stirring his listeners and moving them to do penance." Francesco showed himself a loyal friend of the poor, never hesitating to seek from benefactors what was needed. At his death in Lucera, children ran through the streets and cried out, "The saint is dead! The saint is dead!" Francesco was canonized in 1986. Comment: Eventually we become what we choose. If we choose stinginess, we become stingy. If we choose compassion, we become compassionate. The holiness of Francesco Antonio Fasani resulted from his many small decisions to cooperate with God's grace. Quote: During his homily at the canonization of Francesco, Pope John Paul II reflected on John 21:15 in which Jesus asks Peter if he loves Jesus more than the other apostles and then tells Peter, "Feed my lambs." The pope observed that in the final analysis human holiness is decided by love. "He [Francesco] made the love taught us by Christ the fundamental characteristic of his existence, the basic criterion of his thought and activity, the supreme summit of his aspirations" (L'Osservatore Romano, vol. 16, number 3, 1986).