Saint of The Day for
July 26
Saint Anne (3 B.C.)
"Good Saint Anne" is the loving way many Catholics address the mother of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God. Mary, the child of Saint Anne, was born fifteen years, three months and seventeen days before the birth of Jesus. Fifty years after Saint Anne's death, Saint Anne's body
was brought to France by Saint Mary Magdalen and her companions in the year 47. Countless churches have been dedicated to Saint Anne all over the world. Canada is particularly devoted to her, and has a beautiful shrine named for her there, called "Saint Anne de Beaupre," to which people come from everywhere.
Simplicity is the secret by which we gain Saint Anne's love, her intercession and her protection. Saint Anne taught her little daughter to read the Holy Scriptures. Mary was the fulfillment of all its prophecies. Sensing her daughter's immaculate and incomparable holiness, beauty and brilliance, Saint Anne and Saint Joachim presented Mary in the Temple when she was three years old, and gave her to God and to us forever. The feast of this Presentation is November 21.
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Monday, July 26, 2010
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 10:25-37.
There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test him and said, "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
Jesus said to him, "What is written in the law? How do you read it?"
He said in reply, "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself."
He replied to him, "You have answered correctly; do this and you will live."
But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
Jesus replied, "A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead.
A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
Likewise a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight.
He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn and cared for him.
The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction, 'Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.'
Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers' victim?"
He answered, "The one who treated him with mercy." Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."
Commentary of the day
Saint Severus of Antioch (around 465-538), bishop Homily 89
There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test him and said, "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
Jesus said to him, "What is written in the law? How do you read it?"
He said in reply, "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself."
He replied to him, "You have answered correctly; do this and you will live."
But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
Jesus replied, "A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead.
A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
Likewise a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight.
He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn and cared for him.
The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction, 'Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.'
Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers' victim?"
He answered, "The one who treated him with mercy." Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."
Saint Severus of Antioch (around 465-538), bishop Homily 89
He came down from heaven » (Creed)
“A man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho." Christ did not say, "somebody went down" but " a man went down", because this passage concerns all humanity. For humanity, as a result of Adam's sin, left Paradise, our tranquil home on high, where there was no suffering and which was filled with wonders; this place was rightly called Jerusalem, a name which means "God's Peace ". And all mankind fell towards Jericho, a hollow and low country, where the heat is stifling. Jericho is the feverish life of this world, a life that separates us from God... And once humanity had thus turned away from the right road towards this life, a troop of wild demons came to attack us like a band of robbers. They stripped us of the clothing of perfection, and left us no trace of the strength of mind, purity, justice, or prudence, or anything else which characterizes the divine image (Gn 1:26); but striking us repeatedly by the blows of various sins, they knocked us down and finally left us half dead...
The Law given by Moses passed by, but it lacked strength; it did not lead humanity to a complete cure; it did not raise us up from where we lay… For the Law offered sacrifices and offerings "which could not make perfect those who practised this worship" for it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats take away sins" (He 10:1.4)...
Finally a Samaritan came to pass. Christ deliberately gives himself the name Samaritan… For he himself came to us, carrying out the intention of the Law and showing by his acts "who is our neighbor" and what it is "to love others as oneself".
The Law given by Moses passed by, but it lacked strength; it did not lead humanity to a complete cure; it did not raise us up from where we lay… For the Law offered sacrifices and offerings "which could not make perfect those who practised this worship" for it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats take away sins" (He 10:1.4)...
Finally a Samaritan came to pass. Christ deliberately gives himself the name Samaritan… For he himself came to us, carrying out the intention of the Law and showing by his acts "who is our neighbor" and what it is "to love others as oneself".
St. Benedict
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It is unfortunate that no contemporary biography was written of a man who has exercised measureless influence on monasticism in the West. Benedict is well recognized in the later Dialogues of St. Gregory, but these are sketches to illustrate miraculous elements of his career. Benedict was born of a distinguished family in central Italy, studied at Rome and early in life was drawn to the monastic life. At first he became a hermit, leaving a depressing world—pagan armies on the march, the Church torn by schism, people suffering from war, morality at a low ebb. He soon realized that he could not live a hidden life in a small town any better than in a large city, so he withdrew to a cave high in the mountains for three years. Some monks chose him as their leader for a while, but found his strictness not to their taste. Still, the shift from hermit to community life had begun for him. He had an idea of gathering various families of monks into one “Grand Monastery” to give them the benefit of unity, fraternity, permanent worship in one house. Finally he began to build what was to become one of the most famous monasteries in the world—Monte Cassino, commanding three narrow valleys running toward the mountain. The Rule that gradually developed prescribed a life of liturgical prayer, study, manual labor and living together in community under a common father (abbot). Benedictine asceticism is known for its moderation, and Benedictine charity has always shown concern for the people in the surrounding countryside. In the course of the Middle Ages, all monasticism in the West was gradually brought under the Rule of St. Benedict. Today the Benedictine family is represented by two branches: the Benedictine Federation and the Cistercians. Comment:
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Monday, July 5, 2010
Visitation of Our Lady
Visitation of Our Lady (1 B.C.)The Visitation of Our Lady (1 B.C.) to the house of Elizabeth and Zachary, the mother and father of Saint John the Baptist. As soon
as Mary, the spouse of Saint Joseph, had learned from an angel that, as she had conceived a Child virginally, so Elizabeth, her cousin, had conceived one miraculously, she made haste to
go and visit Elizabeth. Mary arrived at the house of Elizabeth at Ain Karim, a little town southwest of Jerusalem, on April 2. She stayed there for three months. Elizabeth greeted Mary
with the phrase, "Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb." It was standing in the door of Elizabeth's house that Our Lady sang her great canticle, the Magnificat.
Mary waited for the birth of John the Baptist on June 24, and left for Nazareth on July 2, the day after Saint John the Baptist was circumcised and given his name. This day, the day of Mary's
leaving Elizabeth, is celebrated as the feast of the Visitation.
Mary's visit to Elizabeth was the greatest visit paid by anyone to anyone in the history of the world. All Catholics call it, in simple reference, the Visitation. The moment Mary, with Jesus in
her womb, entered the house of Elizabeth, on April 2, John the Baptist was sanctified in his mother's womb. He received at that moment the use of reason, and for three months antecedent
to his birth, he knew, in humility and love, Who was dwelling in his house. He also knew his own purpose as the Precursor of Christ.
John the Baptist was born six month before Jesus. John the Baptist was martyred one year before Jesus. The day Jesus was born, the days begin to increase. The day John the Baptist was born, they begin to decrease. "He must increase and I must decrease," is the beautiful way this seasonal fact is referred to in liturgical love in Holy Scripture by Saint John the Baptist.
Mary’s first action after God had come to dwell in her was one of self-denying charity. She undertook a troublesome journey in order to visit her cousin Elizabeth. Thus she proclaimed charity to be the virtue which above all Christ brought with Him from heaven. God made Mary’s visit the occasion of a wonderful miracle. On her entrance into St. Elizabeth’s dwelling, St. John Baptist was cleansed from sin in his mother’s womb. Mary was the channel of this exceptional privilege of the cleansing away fo sin in the case of the unborn child. As then, so now: Mary is the channel of all graces, and above all, of the restoration of the sinner to friendship with God. Mary’s charity is not less present now than at the time of the Visitation. Nay, she is far more eager now than then to promote the happiness and console the sorrows of those who fly to her for succor.
Saint Processus and Saint Martinian (67)
These were the guards of Saints Peter and Paul when they were kept in the Mamertime Prison in Rome. Along with forty-seven prisoners they were converted by Saint Peter. Since there was no
water with which to baptize them, Saint Peter by his prayer caused to gush forth a miraculous spring which continues to flow to the present day. This lets us know that God will never fail to
provide the water necessary for the sacrament of Baptism without which no one can enter Heaven. Saints Processus and Martinian were cruelly tortured and finally beheaded.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
The Precious Blood of Jesus
July 1
The Most Precious Blood of Jesus
Both halves of the year, in January and July, begin with the commemoration of the Precious Blood of Jesus. January 1 is the feast of the Circumcision, when the Precious Blood of Jesus was first shed. July 1 is the commemoration of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus as it is preserved in all Catholic churches at the hour of Mass. The Precious Blood of Jesus was given to Him to divinize by Mary, the Mother of God. Between Jesus and Mary there was a perpetual interflow of blood for nine months when He was a Child in her womb. Anyone can see how divinized Mary became by this interchange of blood for nearly a year. Everyone who wishes to become a son of God the Father, as he becomes by Sanctifying Grace, must also become a child of Mary the Virgin, by receiving in his mouth the Blessed Eucharist which is the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. All the saints of the Old Testament, when their bodies rise from the grave on the Last Day, will receive the Precious Blood of Jesus.
Our Lord said of the chalice which contained His Precious Blood at the Last Supper, "I will not drink of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I shall drink it with you new in the Kingdom of My Father." The Kingdom of God the Father, Whose sons we divinely by adoption, is also the Queendom of Mary the Virgin, whose children we must incarnately become in order to enjoy the happiness of Heaven forever.
Saint Aaron (Fifteenth Century B.C.)
Aaron was chosen by God to be the first High Priest of the Old Law. Aaron was the brother of Moses and Miriam. He belonged to the tribe of Levi, the clerical(Levitical) tribe of the Jews. Aaron lived fourteen hundred years before the coming of Christ. Aaron was the ancestor in blood and in priestly lineage of Saint Zachary, the father of Saint John the Baptist. Saint Elizabeth, the mother of Saint John the Baptist — who gave us the second invocation in the Hail Mary, "Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb" — was, as we are
told in the Gospel of Saint Luke, "one of the daughters of Aaron." Aaron died, and was buried on a mountain (Mount Hor) just outside the Promised Land. Aaron as a priest was a type of
what Jesus was to be. That is why he is honored among the saints. Jesus is the sole High Priest of the New Law. He gave us His Precious Blood in sacrifice at the Last Supper. And in the
Sacrament of Holy Orders, administered by Catholic bishops — the successors of the Apostles — Jesus has given us the true priesthood of our day. Aaron's priesthood perished on the first
Good Friday with the rending of the veil of the Temple of
Jerusalem. In the year 70 A.D., with the total destruction of the Temple, Aaron's credentials were no more.
The Most Precious Blood of Jesus
Both halves of the year, in January and July, begin with the commemoration of the Precious Blood of Jesus. January 1 is the feast of the Circumcision, when the Precious Blood of Jesus was first shed. July 1 is the commemoration of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus as it is preserved in all Catholic churches at the hour of Mass. The Precious Blood of Jesus was given to Him to divinize by Mary, the Mother of God. Between Jesus and Mary there was a perpetual interflow of blood for nine months when He was a Child in her womb. Anyone can see how divinized Mary became by this interchange of blood for nearly a year. Everyone who wishes to become a son of God the Father, as he becomes by Sanctifying Grace, must also become a child of Mary the Virgin, by receiving in his mouth the Blessed Eucharist which is the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. All the saints of the Old Testament, when their bodies rise from the grave on the Last Day, will receive the Precious Blood of Jesus.
Our Lord said of the chalice which contained His Precious Blood at the Last Supper, "I will not drink of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I shall drink it with you new in the Kingdom of My Father." The Kingdom of God the Father, Whose sons we divinely by adoption, is also the Queendom of Mary the Virgin, whose children we must incarnately become in order to enjoy the happiness of Heaven forever.
Saint Aaron (Fifteenth Century B.C.)
Aaron was chosen by God to be the first High Priest of the Old Law. Aaron was the brother of Moses and Miriam. He belonged to the tribe of Levi, the clerical(Levitical) tribe of the Jews. Aaron lived fourteen hundred years before the coming of Christ. Aaron was the ancestor in blood and in priestly lineage of Saint Zachary, the father of Saint John the Baptist. Saint Elizabeth, the mother of Saint John the Baptist — who gave us the second invocation in the Hail Mary, "Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb" — was, as we are
told in the Gospel of Saint Luke, "one of the daughters of Aaron." Aaron died, and was buried on a mountain (Mount Hor) just outside the Promised Land. Aaron as a priest was a type of
what Jesus was to be. That is why he is honored among the saints. Jesus is the sole High Priest of the New Law. He gave us His Precious Blood in sacrifice at the Last Supper. And in the
Sacrament of Holy Orders, administered by Catholic bishops — the successors of the Apostles — Jesus has given us the true priesthood of our day. Aaron's priesthood perished on the first
Good Friday with the rending of the veil of the Temple of
Jerusalem. In the year 70 A.D., with the total destruction of the Temple, Aaron's credentials were no more.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Our Lady of Perpetual Help
picture was brought from the Island of Crete and was taken to Rome. It was placed in the Church of Saint Matthew, in Rome. There, for three hundred years, pilgrims came to reverence
and pray before this holy picture, because everyone loved its simplicity, its beauty and its truth. After the French Revolution, when the vicious Napoleon desecrated thirty Catholic Churches in
Rome, this precious picture of Our Lady of Perpetual Help was hidden away, but it was rediscovered in 1862. It was then placed in the Church of Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori,
founder of the Redemptorist Order, in Rome, where it is now kept. The purpose of this lovely picture is by way of simple and innocent symbol to teach us that Our Lady is our help in all
things, and our help at all times. Many Catholic churches in all countries are called by the name, Our Lady of Perpetual Help.
Immaculate Mary
Immaculate Mary, thy praises we sing,
Who reignest in splendor with Jesus, Our King.
Ave, ave, ave Maria! Ave, ave Maria!
In heaven the blessed thy glory proclaim;
On earth, we, thy children, invoke thy sweet name!
Ave, ave, ave Maria! Ave, ave Maria!
On earth, we, thy children, invoke thy sweet name!
Ave, ave, ave Maria! Ave, ave Maria!
We pray for our mother, the Church upon earth;
And bless, dearest Lady, the land of our birth.
Ave, ave, ave Maria! Ave, ave Maria!
And bless, dearest Lady, the land of our birth.
Ave, ave, ave Maria! Ave, ave Maria!
Mother of Perpetual Help, you have been blessed and favored by God. You became not only the Mother of the Redeemer but the Mother of the redeemed as well. We come to you today as your loving children. Watch over us and take care of us. As you held the child Jesus in your loving arms, so take us in your arms. Be a mother ready at every moment to help us. For God who is mighty has done great things for you, and His mercy is from age to age on those who love Him. Our greatest fear is that in time of temptation, we may fail to call out to you, and become lost children. Intercede for us, dear Mother, in obtaining pardon for our sins, love for Jesus, final perseverance, and the grace always to call upon you, Mother of Perpetual Help — From the Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Monday, May 31, 2010
Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary  May 31
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Sunday, May 23, 2010
Pentecost Sunday May 23, 2010
A feast of the universal Church which commemorates the Descent of the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles, fifty days after theResurrection of Christ, on the ancient Jewish festival called the "feast of weeks" or Pentecost (Exodus 34:22; Deuteronomy 16:10). Whitsunday is so called from the white garments which were worn by those who were baptised during the vigil;Pentecost ("Pfingsten" in German), is the Greek for "the fiftieth" (day after Easter).
Whitsunday, as a Christian feast, dates back to the first century, although there is no evidence that it was observed, as there is in the case of Easter; the passage in 1 Corinthians 16:8 probably refers to the Jewish feast. This is not surprising, for the feast, originally of only one day's duration, fell on a Sunday; besides it was so closely bound up with Easter that it appears to be not much more than the termination of Paschal tide.
That Whitsunday belongs to the Apostolic times is stated in the seventh of the (interpolated) fragments attributed to St. Irenæus. In Tertullian (On Baptism 19) the festival appears as already well established. The Gallic pilgrim gives a detailed account of the solemn manner in which it was observed at Jerusalem ("Peregrin. Silviæ", ed. Geyer, iv). The Apostolic Constitutions (Book V, Part 20) say that Pentecost lasts one week, but in the West it was not kept with an octave until at quite a late date. It appears from Berno of Reichenau (d. 1048) that it was a debatable point in his time whether Whitsunday ought to have an octave. At present it is of equal rank with Easter Sunday. During the vigil formerly the catechumens who remained from Easter were baptized, consequently the ceremonies on Saturday are similar to those on Holy Saturday.
The office of Pentecost has only one Nocturn during the entire week. At Terce the "Veni Creator" is sung instead of the usualhymn, because at the third hour the Holy Ghost descended. The Mass has a Sequence, "Veni Sancte Spiritus" the authorship of which by some is ascribed to King Robert of France. The colour of the vestments is red, symbolic of the love of the Holy Ghostor of the tongues of fire. Formerly the law courts did not sit during the entire week, and servile work was forbidden. A Council of Constance (1094) limited this prohibition to the first three days of the week. The Sabbath rest of Tuesday was abolished in 1771, and in many missionary territories also that of Monday; the latter was abrogated for the entire Church by Pius X in 1911. Still, as at Easter, the liturgical rank of Monday and Tuesday of Pentecost week is a Double of the First Class.
In Italy it was customary to scatter rose leaves from the ceiling of the churches to recall the miracle of the fiery tongues; hence in Sicily and elsewhere in Italy Whitsunday is called Pascha rosatum. The Italian name Pascha rossa comes from the red colours of the vestments used on Whitsunday. In France it was customary to blow trumpets during Divine service, to recall the sound of the mighty wind which accompanied the Descent of the Holy Ghost. In England the gentry amused themselves with horse races. The Whitsun Ales or merrymakings are almost wholly obsolete in England. At these ales the Whitsun plays were performed. At Vespers of Pentecost in the Oriental Churches the extraordinary service of genuflexion, accompanied by long poetical prayers and psalms, takes place. (Cf. Maltzew, "Fasten-und Blumen Triodion", p. 898 where the entire Greco-Russianservice is given; cf. also Baumstark, "Jacobit. Fest brevier", p. 255.) On Pentecost the Russians carry flowers and green branches in their hands.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Feast of the Ascension
The elevation of Christ into heaven by His own power in presence of His disciples the fortieth day after His Resurrection. It is narrated in Mark 16:19, Luke 24:51, and in the first chapter of the Acts of the Apostles.
Although the place of the Ascension is not distinctly stated, it would appear from the Acts that it was Mount Olivet. Since after the Ascension the disciples are described as returning to Jerusalem from the mount that is called Olivet, which is nearJerusalem, within a Sabbath day's journey. Tradition has consecrated this site as the Mount of Ascension and Christian piety has memorialized the event by erecting over the site a basilica. St. Helena built the first memorial, which was destroyed by thePersians in 614, rebuilt in the eighth century, to be destroyed again, but rebuilt a second time by the crusaders. This theMoslems also destroyed, leaving only the octagonal structure which encloses the stone said to bear the imprint of the feet ofChrist, that is now used as an oratory.
Not only is the fact of the Ascension related in the passages of Scripture cited above, but it is also elsewhere predicted and spoken of as an established fact. Thus, in John 6:63, Christ asks the Jews: "If then you shall see the son of Man ascend up where He was before?" and 20:17, He says to Mary Magdalen: "Do not touch Me, for I am not yet ascended to My Father, but go to My brethren, and say to them: I ascend to My Father and to your Father, to My God and to your God." Again, in Ephesians 4:8-10, and in Timothy 3:16, the Ascension of Christ is spoken of as an accepted fact.
The language used by the Evangelists to describe the Ascension must be interpreted according to usage. To say that He was taken up or that He ascended, does not necessarily imply that they locate heaven directly above the earth; no more than the words "sitteth on the right hand of God" mean that this is His actual posture. In disappearing from their view "He was raised up and a cloud received Him out of their sight" (Acts 1:9), and entering into glory He dwells with the Father in the honour and power denoted by the scripture phrase.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Mary: The Mother of All Nation
When Jesus saw his mother,
and the disciple whom he loved standing near,
he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son!"
Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!"
And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.Gospel of John 19:26-27
And so, in that moment, Mary becomes Mother of all disciples of Jesus, including those in our own time who follow Jesus. To quote Pope John Paul II in his 1987 encyclical Redemptoris Mater, "This is true not only of John, who at that hour stood at the foot of the Cross together with the Mother (of Jesus), but it is also true of every disciple of Christ, of every Christian (45.3)."
Jesus Christ is the heart of Catholic Tradition and Christian life.
Catholics celebrate the Mass, read the Bible, and receive the Seven Sacraments. In the Mass we share in the one Sacrifice on the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, as we await his Second Coming. In the Eucharist the Church is as it were at the foot of the Cross with Mary. Receiving Holy Communion with others during the Sacrifice of the Mass brings unity of the Church, the Body of Christ.
Three of our favorite prayers are the Lord's prayer, the Our Father, the Hail Mary (or Ave Maria), and the Rosary. The Our Father is the prayer of hope given to us by Jesus himself in the Sermon on the Mount, recorded in the Gospel of Matthew (6:9-13). The Scriptural basis for the Hail Mary is from the Gospel of Luke (1:26-42). The Blessed Virgin Mary is the Mother of Jesus Christ, the Son of God (Mark 1:1, Acts 9:20, Romans 1:4). As Jesus is both God and man, Mary is the Mother of God (Luke 1:43). Her intercessory role in the second part of the prayer is based on her mediation at the wedding feast of Cana, recorded in the Gospel of John (2:1-12). The Rosary is a Biblical account of the life of Jesus.
The Blessed Virgin Mary is our model of Love and Mercy,
who intercedes with her Son Jesus for us, her children on earth.
Mary serves as the perfect example of motherhood for our modern world.
Friday, April 23, 2010
The Necessity of an Ordered Prayer Life for Every Catholic Soul
The Necessity of an Ordered Prayer Life for Every Catholic Soul
The Necessity of an Ordered Prayer Life for Every Catholic Soul In this treacherous and Godless world we live in, we may well wonder how it is possible to maintain a prayer life and to seek to live in unity with Christ, while corruption and immorality run rampant in all corners. We see pictures and hear stories of long ago when priests were recognizable in their cassocks, nuns in full habit were aiding souls in hospitals and schools, confession lines were long and satisfied by the presence of good, holy priests thirsting to bring countless souls to God.
The Ecstasy of St. Teresa
(St. Teresa's Feast Day was October 15th) "Prayer…is so useful and necessary that without it we could not come to any good,
seeing that by means of prayer we are shown how to perform all our actions well."
(St. Francis de Sales, Doctor of the Church)
It seems now, though, that we are left alone to work out our salvation in fear and trembling. We can search far and wide for spiritual direction, yet scarcely find one priest who still holds the true Faith. Rather, the world is saturated with liberalism and modernism. The only thing that seems to be intolerable in this world is traditional Catholicism. It seems, also, that we are left to books and a sort of “do it yourself” program to developing a prayer life.
Be of good cheer, though, my friends! Did not our precious Lord and Savior Himself promise that He would be with us until the end of the world? Our faith will be tried and tested over and over again, but we must always remember that Our Lord, Jesus Christ is always with us. The more we are able to empty ourselves of the world and its vanities and false securities, the more room we have leave in our souls to be occupied by this Divine Guest. We must equip ourselves, then, for combat. This we are able to do by prayer. As Our Lord bade Peter, James and John in the Garden of Gethsemane, we must watch and pray, lest we become prey to the enemy.
Though prayer can sometimes be difficult and extremely trying, truly nothing is simpler than prayer itself. God, who is all knowing, is well aware of the struggles a soul undergoes in striving towards union with Him. He knows the soul’s disposition, and He knows the frailty of human nature. He does not require that our prayer be perfect and that we never have distractions; rather, it is our will that He asks be turned over to Him, and this is where a true life of prayer begins. “The principal petition which we ought to make to God is that of union of our wills with His, and the final cause of prayer lies in desiring only God. Union with God consists in conforming our will to His.” (St. Francis de Sales)
St. Francis de Sales tells us that there are three things necessary to praying well: to be little by humility, to have great hope, and to be conformed to Jesus Christ crucified. First, in order to pray well, we must acknowledge that we are very poor, and we must humble ourselves greatly, becoming fully aware of our nothingness. David admonishes us that the lower we plunge ourselves into the contemplation of our nothingness, the more easily will our prayer rise up to heaven. (Cf. Ps. 130:1-2, Sir. 35:21)
Hope is also a necessary condition to praying well. Hope is pleasant, since it promises that we shall one day possess what we long for. It is also bitter, because we are not now enjoying what we love. It is necessary, then, that hope be placed upon charity, lest it become no longer hope but, rather, presumption. If we want our prayer to reach heaven, it must be founded upon love.
Finally, in order to pray well, we must conform ourselves to Christ crucified. While hanging from the Cross, our Savior offered His prayers to the Father for us. We must, then, remain at the foot of the Cross and never depart from there, so that we may be saturated with the Blood which flows from it. We should, at the very minimum, be bathed in this Blood at our first prayer in the morning, placing ourselves at the foot of the Cross and offering our every thought, word, and action to our crucified Savior. We must ask Him to aid us in keeping before our minds the awareness of His Passion, and that we carry our Cross each day next to Him, that we may be conformed to His likeness.
Having satisfied these necessary conditions, there are three types of prayer which St. Francis de Sales teaches: vital prayer, vocal prayer, and mental prayer. Each and every action performed by those who live in the holy fear of God is a continual prayer. This is called vital prayer. Vital prayer comes simply in the form of performing the daily duties of our state in life for the greater honor and glory of God. He is pleased to accept them all, even our shortcomings and infirmities. We need only offer them up to Him when first we wake in the morning, and then throughout the day. Those who perform the corporal works of mercy such as visiting the sick, giving to the poor, and praying for the conversion of sinners and the souls in purgatory, are praying, and these actions do not go unnoticed by our Heavenly Father. Vocal prayer is, simply put, speaking to God. We ought to have a daily routine of vocal prayer consisting of, at minimum, morning prayers and evening prayers said kneeling before the Crucifix. Ought we not on bended knee to make Our Lord the object of both our first and our last thoughts of the day? In the morning, we should offer all we are to do and to endure in the day to Him. Likewise, at night, we ought to thank Him for the graces given to us throughout the day, recite the Confiteor for our failings, and ask His refuge and protection through the night. Each day, as we begin anew in His service, we must remember to ask for the graces never to offend him and to accept whatever crosses may be sent our way. Our Lord’s first thoughts in the stable at Bethlehem were of His love for mankind whom He desired to redeem, and His final thoughts on Calvary were also of His great love for us. His life was a continual offering of Love for us. Should we not offer love for Love?
St. Frances De Sales Teaches there are Three Types of Prayer:
1. Vital Prayer 2. Vocal Prayer 3. Mental Prayer
We can also approach our Lord through mental prayer. Although sometimes difficult and filled with distractions, we are all quite capable of it. Once we have offered our distractions to God and have resolved to persevere through even the worst of distractions, we can be assured that our prayers will be accepted by Him with even more value than if they had come quite easily with no distractions at all!
St. Ignatius of Loyola has provided a great method of meditation that even beginners may successfully implement into their spiritual lives. We need only take a mystery, for example Our Lord’s Agony. Having pictured Our Lord thus, we then consider His virtues such as His total resignation to the will of God, His concern for His Holy Mother and for His Apostles, His gentleness, His humility, His patience, etc. Having considered all of this, it should follow that our sentiments are moved to a desire to imitate Him and to ask our Heavenly Father to conform us to His likeness. This same exercise can be performed with a spiritual book, a holy picture, or any other means which may serve to keep the desired image in our mind.
Finally, when we find ourselves unsuccessful in vocal or mental prayer, or the duties of our state in life limit our time for prayer, we can proceed to another type of mental prayer, which is made by way of ejaculations. There is not a person in the world who can be excused from this, as it can be made simultaneously with performing any of our daily duties, regardless of time and place. All we must do is recommend ourselves to God the first thing in the morning, tell Him that we desire never to offend Him, and then go about our daily duties resolved to continuously raise our spirits to God mentally, even amidst others. No one or nothing can prevent us from making these simple aspirations within our hearts, with the exception of ourselves. Finally, it is important to note that all of this is of little use if we are not trying to live virtuous lives and to avoid the occasions of sin. We must do more than simply pray for those virtues necessary to our salvation. If we are to expect God to provide us with graces we ask and need, we must do our own part. If we have bad companions, we must rid ourselves of them. While it is true that we must love the sinner and hate the sin, St. Teresa of Avila admonishes us that there are few things more dangerous to a soul than bad companions. It is quite presumptuous and tempting God to remain in the company of these companions, thinking that we are strong enough to avoid falling into sin. We must, rather, surround ourselves with virtuous friends and companions. No friends at all are better than sinful ones.
Mental Prayer
Television and music are great weapons of the enemy, as they are vehicles for the spread of impurity and immorality. Moreover, noise is a great distraction and obstacle to prayer and contemplation. We cannot possibly reach a state of contemplation, nor can we meditate with their noise and distractions. Many will say that they are not tempted by the content from television and radio. How presumptuous this is! It is this very presumption that often causes man to fall. We must keep in mind that Our Lord is with us, and we subject Him to the very things that we watch and listen to! We would do well to rid ourselves completely of these temptations. However, for those who cannot do without them, great caution should be exercised in their use.
We must also continuously struggle against our passions and vices through prayer and mortification. This must not be put off until tomorrow, as we know not the day or the hour when we will be called to judgment. Each day, we must equip ourselves to do combat against ourselves and against the enemy. We must not cease to fight until our pilgrimage in this life is over. Since it is true that the devil preys easily on the passions of those who are idle, we should develop an horarium that will fit with our state in life, and we should hold ourselves accountable for adhering to it as best we can. Remember well that we will be required to make an account for every second of our life when we are called to judgment.
Finally, and extremely crucial to the spiritual life, is a strong devotion to the Blessed Mother of God. She is the mediatrix of all graces, a fountain of mercy, and our greatest Advocate before Our Lord, Jesus Christ. Those who have remained close to Our Lady, dating back to the Apostles, have persevered in faith. In the end times, it will be She Who will lead Christ’s army to wage battle against the enemy. We should consecrate ourselves to Her and willingly become Her slaves. She has asked that we recite the Rosary daily and has made great promises to those who do so faithfully. How simple it is to do this very little that She requests! Likewise, there are great promises attached to the five First Saturdays of Our Lady, and this is a great weapon for the spiritual life!
In this treacherous world we live in, the enemy has but one mission and that is the damnation of souls. It seems, when we look around, that there is little hope. However, we need only look at the Crucifix to see that there is great hope for those who love and fear God. We need only to persevere in faith and to carry our Cross next to that of Christ. Our greatest weapon in this battle is prayer. We must never cease to pray, and we must continually place all of our hope and trust in God, that we may one day be united to Him for all eternity.
Monday, April 19, 2010
The Four Teresas
These women lived out one particular aspect of the command to love God with heart, mind, and soul and neighbor as self.
St. Therese of Lisieux, The Little Flower
(1873-1897)
(1873-1897)
Therese Martin was born in Alencon France in 1873, the youngest of nine children. Her father, Louis, was a successful watchmaker and jeweler. Her mother Zelie Guerin, built a cottage industry in lace making, beginning in the village of Alencon, which is known for its delicate lace. Four of Therese's siblings died at a young age; the remaining five girls eventually all entered the convent, so deep was their call to sanctity. Four became contemplative Carmelite Nuns at the Lisieux Carmel, and one became a Visitation sister.
Therese wasn't always a nun nor was she always a saint. She was a very regular little girl, who was rather sensitive. In fact, she seemed like a spoiled little girl, who would stomp her feet and have a temper tantrum if she did not get her own way. After the death of her mother, while Therese was only 4, her father, who referred to her as "my little queen" would give her anything she wanted to keep her happy. Louis Martin was protective of his daughters. He wouldn't allow them to read the newspapers, fearful that it would make them too worldly. But the mischievous girls would steal away with the newspaper while papa napped and carefully return it before he awoke.
At a young age, this precocious child wanted everything. She would get more than she bargained for. Sick physically and emotionally, she was healed by Our Lady of the Smile at the age of 11. She experienced a profound conversion on Christmas eve, 1886, at the age of 13. She felt a call to enter Carmel as a contemplative Nun, so that she could give herself totally to Jesus. But she was too young. Appeals to the Mother Superior and Priest Chaplain yielded: "when you are old enough -16". Not content, Therese and her father appealed to the Bishop. Not getting the response she wanted, she appealed directly and personally to the Pope while on a parish pilgrimage to Rome. Therese had always said: "I want everything" - and she usually got it.
Persistence paid off. Therese was allowed to enter the Lisieux Carmel at the age of 15 - her father lived to see her professed a Carmelite Nun. She took the religious name of Sister Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face. God's spirit worked powerfully in Therese, so open was she to Divine Love. Still dreaming of taking on the world as a priest and missionary, she wrestled with her vocation and place in the Church. Finally she came to realize that her "vocation is love" - the love of God was the energy source for the Church - and fulfillment of the human heart and longing.
Despite her desire for the dramatic and expansive, Therese developed a simple spirituality, based on childlike trust and confidence in God. The spirituality of her "little way" was not about extraordinary things - but rather about doing simple things of life well and with extraordinary love. She believed and taught that "everything is grace" - God's face and presence could be experienced in every person and situation of our lives, if we just attend with love and expectancy. Her struggle, like ours, is to be where God places us in the real life situations of our lives. Therese's is a hands-on, challenging and focused spirituality. This is what made Therese shine, and why she has been declared a Doctor of the Church. Her spirituality is simple, childlike, profound and human - it is refreshing in our confusing and complicated age.
Experiencing the dark night of the senses and spirit refined the power and energy of this young, precocious Carmelite. Her poems and plays reflect her struggle to give all to God. Her love became surrender, as she slowly died of tuberculosis. Her superior asked her to write down her reflections, which became her autobiography, "Story of a Soul." She died at the age of 24, believing that her life was really just beginning for God, promising to spend her heaven doing good on earth. Her promised "shower of roses" began and have become a torrent in the Church ever since.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Coronation of the Lady of All Nations
In May of 1862 St. John Bosco had a prophetic dream about the Church in these times: the battle and the victory. On October 30, 1976, Ida Peerdeman, also, had similar prophetic messages in a dream followed by two subsequent visions. Both visions occurred at the Consecration of the holy Sacrifice of the mass in 1976 and 1979 on the feast of the Immaculate Conception, December 8.
St. John Bosco had a great affection for Our Lady. His whole life was spent working for the glory of God and the salvation of souls with the aid of the Blessed Mother, whom he addressed as Mary Help of Christians. He had an unusual charism of the Holy Spirit and that was the gift of prophetic dreams. The following is the prophetic dream of May, 1862 taken from a book, entitled Forty Dreams of St. John Bosco, compiled by Fr. J. Bacchiarello, S. D. B.
St. John Bosco Describes His Dream.
"Imagine yourselves to be with me on the seashore, or better, on an isolated rock and not to see any patch of land other than what is under your feet. On the whole of that vast sheet of water you see an innumerable fleet of ships in battle array. The prows of the ships are formed into sharp, spearlike points so that wherever they are thrust they pierce and completely destroy. These ships are armed with cannons, with lots of rifles, with incendiary materials, with other arms of all kinds, and also with books, and they advance against a ship very much bigger and higher than themselves and try to dash against it with the prows or to burn it or in some way to do it every possible harm.
"As escorts to that majestic fully equipped ship (the Church), there are many smaller ships,which receive commands by signal from it and carry out movements to defend themselves from the opposing fleet.
"In the midst of the immense expanse of sea, two mighty columns of great height arise a little distance the one from the other. On the top of one, there is the statue of the Immaculate Virgin, from whose feet hangs a large placard with this inscription: Auxilium Christianorum - 'Help of Christians'; on the other, which is much higher and bigger, stands a Host of great size proportionate to the column and beneath is another placard with the words: Salus Credentium - 'Salvation of the Faithful.'
"The supreme commander on the big ship is the Sovereign Pontiff. He, on seeing the fury of the enemies and the evils among which his faithful find themselves, determines to summon around himself the captains of the smaller ships to hold a council and decide on what is to be done.
"All the captains come aboard and gather around the Pope. They hold a meeting, but meanwhile the wind and the waves gather in storm, so they are sent back to control their own ships. There comes a short lull; for a second time the Pope gathers the captains together around him, while the flag-ship goes on its course. But the frightful storm returns. The Pope stands at the helm and all his energies are directed to steering the ship towards those two columns, from the top of which and from every side of which are hanging numerous anchors and big hooks, fastened to chains.
"All the enemy ships move to attack it, and they try in every way to stop it and to sink it: some with writings or books or inflammable materials, of which they are full; others with guns, with rifles and with rams. The battle rages ever more relentlessly. The enemy prows thrust violently, but their efforts and impact prove useless. They make attempts in vain and waste all their labor and ammunition; the big ship goes safely and smoothly on its way. Sometimes it happens that, struck by formidable blows, it gets large, deep gaps in its sides; but no sooner is he harm done than a gentle breeze blows from the two columns and the cracks close up and the gaps are stopped immediately.
"Meanwhile, the guns of the assailants are blown up, the rifles and other arms and prows are broken; many ships are shattered and sink into the sea. Then, the frenzied enemies strive to fight hand to hand, with fists, with blows, with blasphemy and with curses.
"All at once the Pope falls gravely wounded. Immediately, those who are with him run to help him and they lift him up. A second time the Pope is struck, he falls again and dies. A shout of victory and of joy rings out amongst the enemies; from their ships an unspeakable mockery arises. ( Possibly refers to Pope John Paul I who was deeply devoted to Fatima and died under suspicious circumstances.)
"But hardly is the Pontiff dead than another Pope takes his place. The pilots, having met together, have elected the Pope so promptly that the news of the death of the Pope coincides with the news of the election of the successor. The adversaries begin to lose courage.
"The new Pope, [Pope John Paul II], putting the enemy to rout and overcoming every obstacle, guides the ship right up to the two columns and comes to rest between them; he makes it fast with a light chain that hangs from the bow to an anchor of the column on which stands the Host; and with another light chain which hangs from the stern, he fastens it at the opposite end to another anchor hanging form the column on which stands the Immaculate Virgin.
"Then a great convulsion takes place. All the ships that until then had fought against the Pope' s ship are scattered; they flee away, collide and break to pieces one against another. Some sink and try to sink others. Several small ships that had fought gallantly for the Pope race to be the first to bind themselves to those two columns.
"Many other ships, having retreated through fear of the battle, cautiously watch from far away; the wrecks of the broken ships having been scattered in the whirlpools of the sea, they in their turn sail in good earnest to those two columns, and, having reached them, they make themselves fast to the hooks hanging down from them and there they remain safe, together with the principal ship, on which is the Pope. Over the sea there reigns a great calm."
St. John Bosco explains his dream: "The enemy ships are persecutions. The most serious trials for the Church are near at hand...Her enemies are represented by the ships that tried to sink the ship if they could. Only two means are left to save her amidst so much confusion: DEVOTION TO MARY MOST HOLY and FREQUENT COMMUNION, making use of every means and doing our best to practice them and having them practiced everywhere and by everybody."
The Following is the Dream of Ida Peerdeman on October 30, 1976.
"This night I dreamt as follows. I was standing in the center of St. Peter's Square in Rome and I saw fishing-nets hanging all around. They hung on stakes in order to dry and were full of holes and gaps. Here and there in a hole a fish was still hanging, trying to get out.
"Where I was standing, there was a rock, and big, dark clouds were hanging over it. From there I heard the Voice complaining: 'Cephas, My Cephas, look what has happened.'
"I had to look at these nets and over each fishing-net I saw a mitre hovering, some bigger, some smaller. And I felt myself caught within all those nets. Again I heard the Voice complaining: 'Cephas, My Cephas, look at these holes and gaps. That is how it happened that so many fishes got lost.'
"Then a thread came down from the clouds; it looked like a golden thread. (The golden thread is the great graces from the proclamation of the final Marian dogma of the Lady of All Nations.) Meanwhile, a totally different large fishing-net was spread out before that rock. It had been completely repaired by that thread, and I saw no more holes and gaps in it. It filled up with wriggling fish and was firmly tied up by that golden thread. Now a staff came down from the clouds and struck three times against that rock. It sounded hard as steel.
"While this was happening, I saw that rock growing larger and higher until it was a gigantic pillar. The net with fish was hanging from its top."
Now listen to Ida's vision of December 8, 1976.
"During Holy Mass, at the Creed, while we were reciting: 'The Word was made flesh,' 'the Light' came from the four corners of the Chapel and spread over the altar, the priest and all those present. At the Consecration, 'the Light' shone over the altar and the priest only, and it was as if the people present were in the shade.
"On receiving Our Lord [in the Most Holy Eucharist] I had a heavenly vision. I was again standing in St. Peter's Square and I saw quite the same spectacle as in the dream I had in the night of October 29th to 30th, 1976. This time, however, there were no dark clouds above the Square, but a blue clear sky. The Voice called: 'You are standing now in the same Square, but watch what will happen.'
"All the torn nets disappeared and in their places came new, undamaged ones. Again, I stood near the high pillar and at its top I saw that fishing-net hanging full of live fish. The Voice spoke: 'Watch.'
"Suddenly, the net fell down near the foot of the rock. I had to look at it and thought inwardly: These fish are dead, they have lost life now.
"From the sky I heard the Voice calling: 'Cephas, My Cephas, you have been granted the power to make them alive again.'
"Then the net opened and instead of fish, people of different races and tribes came stepping out. They gathered around the rock and all looked up. The Voice continued: 'Give these people My Bread.'
"Then I saw, on high, beams of light radiating on both sides of the rock, and from them I saw baskets coming down at one side and bowls full of grapes at the other side. (Refers to the Most Holy Eucharist.) They were placed areound these people. 'Cephas, I have given you the power.'
"Thereafter a magnificent, glorious 'Light' began spreading over the rock and the whole Square. And I heard: 'My Spirit will support you. Watch well.'
"Now a beautiful, high Ivory Tower rose beside that rock (Refers to the Immaculate Virgin). It was more beautiful than the one I had seen before. Round about it twelve stars appeared one by one. But high in the midst I saw the most beautiful star, which changed alternately from a star into a Golden Rose.
"Meanwhile I heard the Voice say:
"'She was exalted above all tribes. She is 'the Lady of All Nations.' She will help you.'"
This is Ida's vision of December 8, 1979.
"During Holy Mass in our Chapel at the Consecration 'the Light' came over the altar and the priest and in 'that Light' a beautiful, radiant Crown appeared. It was more beautiful and radiant than ever before.
"After the Consecration, the Crown slowly disappeared from within 'the Light,' which then spread over all the people present and stayed till the end of Holy Mass. On receiving Our Lord [in the Most Holy Eucharist], I had a heavenly vision.
"I was standing on a beach and saw a wild, stormy sea before me. There was a terrible gale and the waves were running very high. In the distance a fishing boat loomed up. I got afraid, for I realised that this boat was unable to make headway against the storm. Gradually, the boat came nearer and I observed that it heeled to the left owing to the storm.
"As the boat drew still closer, I saw to my astonishment that it was a Dutch fishing boat where our Holy Father, the Pope was holding the helm and some Cardinals and Bishops were sitting. The storm was very violent and I saw that the Pope had a lot of trouble, because the boat was tossed about in all directions.
"Black, heavy clouds were hanging over the boat. But, suddenly,a splendid beam of Light radiated down from the clouds and lighted the entire boat. I heard the Voice calling from the sky and it sounded like a command: 'Turn your helm to the right and hold it firmly.' The Voice paused for a moment and continued: 'Keep your course straight and you will safely reach the shore.'
"And really, I saw 'Our Pope' [Pope John Paul II] turning the helm to the right with all his strength and at once the storm died down and the sea was immediately quiet. Now I saw the fishing boat coming to the beach in a straight line. The Pope, the Cardinals and the Bishops disembarked and, to my astonishment, the beach had turned into St. Peer's Square and I clearly saw St. Peter's and the Vatican before me.
"I heard the Voice say: 'Convey this. Tell him!'
"I thanked the Lord and then everything slowly disappeared from my sight."
It was on March 25, 1945, the feast of the Annunciation, that the Lady of All Nations began appearing to Ida Peerdeman. It was on May 31, 1959, the feast of the Visitation, that these apparitions formally ended. Overlapping this time period were sequential Eucharistic apparitions and experiences, which formally began on May 31, 1958 and ended on March 25, 1984! So what we have here is a simple but very powerful statement in the form of a pattern: the Annunciation is to the Visitation as the Visitation is to the Annunciation!
At the Annunciation the Angel Gabriel, as the messenger of God, asked Mary if She would consent to be the Mother of Our Savior. As we know, Mary humbly answered "yes" by proclaiming: "I am the servant of the Lord. Let it be done to me as you say" (Lk 1:38). In that one, magnificent moment, She, Our Mother, the Immaculate Conception, was "overshadowed by the power of the Most High," Her Spouse, the Most Holy Spirit. At that instant, the Word Incarnate dwelt among us in the womb of Mary. This gift of Our Lord's saving presence among us was highlighted when Mary, with great love and concern, travelled in haste to Her cousin, Elizabeth, in consideration of the fact that she in her old age, by the grace of God, had conceived a child, John the Baptist. "When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leapt in her womb" by the grace of the Holy Spirit (Lk 1:41). And this is followed by the formal pronouncement of Elizabeth that Mary is "the Mother of My Lord." This visit of Mary to Her kinswoman is celebrated as the feast of the Visitation.
Now at the Annunciation, we know that Mary was fulfilling the will of God and embracing Her role in salvific history. She, who was created by God the Father as the Immaculate Conception, was selected as the Woman, "called Miriam or Mary [who was] destined, through the Will of the Father, to bring the Son of Man into the world, together with His Church and the Cross" (February 17, 1952). When Mary said "yes" to Her vocation, She became the Woman of Scripture who "bore the Son of Man through the Will of the Father and was thus necessarily allied with the Church and the Cross" (February 17, 1952). So now the Woman, the Lady Mary, Mother of All Nations, the Mother of the Church and the Hope of Our Salvation through the Cross, comes to announce to us the fulfillment of the Messianic times, that the "good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world as a witness to all nations," so that "all may be one...that the...unity [of His love and ours] may be complete." But, now, we must fulfill the will of God by following Our Mother's example and saying "yes." We must say "yes" to the Cross, to being true models of brotherly love as coredeemers, mediators and advocates. We must say "yes" as Catholics to God's will and proclaim Mary, the Mother or Lady of All Nations conjoined with the fifth and final Marian dogma of the Coredemptrix, Mediatrix and Advocate. We must say "yes" to this "One, Great Cause" of "introducing the Lady of All Nations to the world" and to saying Her Prayer invoking the Holy Spirit! This is our role in salvific history!
The Visitation is a particularly eloquent and striking scene. It is so touching and so dramatic in that, we see, Elizabeth, who carries John the Baptist in her womb, the last Messianic prophet of the Old Testament, coming together with Mary, who carries Her Son, Our Lord, the Messiah of the New Testament! In this very beautiful depiction, we see for the first time, through Mary's mediating role, the grace of the Holy Spirit poured forth to Elizabeth and her son, John the Baptist. In this one instance, we see the joining of the Old Testament to the New Testament - the bridging of Judaism to Catholicism through Mary's cooperation as the Ark of the New Covenant! It is a kind of a prefigurement of what will happen today when we truly recognize Our Mother, the Mother of Grace, as the Lady of All Nations and proclaim Her to the world. In a sense, we Catholics are a "stand in" for John the Baptist! Just as John the Baptist herald the coming of the One Who will baptize in the Holy Spirit and fire, so, too, are we to herald: "This is the time of the Spirit" (October 5, 1952)! Through our cooperation, in saying the Prayer, spreading the messages and asking for this final Marian dogma, "the Lady will come to Her apostles and all nations, in order to bring them the Holy Spirit anew" (May 31, 1954). Then we shall see the Victory of Her Immaculate Heart, and true peace and brotherly love! Then, just as we saw through Mary's cooperation the coming together of the Old and New Testament so we shall see flock of Our Lord Jesus Christ coming together in the one, true, universal Church - the Catholic Church!
Thus, the relevance of the feast days which open and close the messages of the Lady of All Nations can be regarded as highlighting the aspect of our role in salvific history through following Our Mother's example at the Annunciation and saying "yes" to His will - the path of the Cross. And, in reference to the feast of the Visitation, we herald in the reign of the Holy Spirit upon the world by our cooperation in proclaiming the dogma under the title of the Lady or Mother of All Nations.
When Ida was graced with mystical experiences and messages from Our Lord in the Most Holy Eucharist, these occurrences began conversely on the feast of the Visitation and ended in a chronological juxtaposition to the end of the messages of the Lady of All Nations, on the feast of the Annunciation. On May 31, 1958, the feast of the Visitation and the date of the first Eucharistic experience, the Lady of All Nations says: "He the Comforter and Helper will come." Then Ida sees "a large Sacred Host, irradiating light...Three shafts of rays emanated from the Sacred Host: in the centre a beam of magnificent colours; to the left and right, beams of wonderful, brilliant light. At the end of the right one, there was a Cross and at the end of the left one, a Dove..." On May 31, 1959, the date of the second Eucharistic experience, Ida sees a brilliant, dazzling Sacred Host. Then Ida says: "All at once there came from the Two, an indescribable light and in it I saw, breaking out from the centre...a Dove! It shot like an arrow down to the earth...What splendour, what magnificence - the soaring Figure, majestic, powerful, grand; and now the world all bathed in light from the radiant Dove! And a Voice rang out, 'He who eats and drinks Me receives life eternal and the Spirit of Truth!'"
These two Eucharistic visions, as do many of the messages of Our Lord in His True Presence during the period of 1958 to 1984, emphasize the importance of frequent reception of the Most Holy Eucharist by Catholics. As Our Lord said on March 23, 1978: "Let the Fire burn your hearts and let it shine all around again...My people open your mouth and your heart, so that your Lord may enter and animate you." And through returning to daily sacrifice we will have the visitation or indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the "knowledge [that] proceeds from...the Holy Spirit, Who proceeds from the Father and the Son."(May 31, 1973). This knowledge from the Spirit of Truth is that "it is through the Mother that Life comes" (March 25, 1973) and that She is "the Mother of Christ and Mother of humankind" (Lumen Gentium). "Hence, She must be brought back into...[the] churches (cf. Rev12:1-6, Gn 3:15,16, Mt 24:8) and among the nations and [we] will witness the revival" (March 25, 1973; cf. message of September 8, 1974 and Acts 2:17, Heb 8:8-12, Mt 24:14.) We will be given the grace of understanding that the Lady of All Nations "will lead the nations to Her Lord"; that "Mary leads the faithful to the Eucharist" (Pope John Paul II's encyclical, Redemptoris Mater). We will be animated with a lively spirit to do the Will of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and to annunciate to the whole world that Mary is the Lady of All Nations through whom the Savior comes. Then we shall see the visitation of the Holy Spirit "shot like an arrow down to the earth and the world...all bathed in light" and the era of peace! Hence, we see that from Our Lord's Visitation within us, through frequent reception of the Holy Eucharist, that His Presence will be "manifest in a new way through the Holy Spirit [Who] is the salvific 'hidden God' 'filling the universe' as love and gift" (Pope John Paul II: Dominum et Vivificantem).
The overall significance of the dates of March 25 and May 31 in both the messages of Our Lady and messages of Our Lord in the Eucharist can be summarized in this way. The Eucharistic experiences which began on May 31, the feast of the Visitation, reiterate the message of the Lady of All Nations conjoined with the importance of daily reception of the Eucharist among Catholics. Thus the focal point is the Eucharist and that through a return to the daily Miracle we will carry within us Our Lord, as a beacon of the True Light, to all the world, a "people that live in darkness" (Mt 4:16, Mk 16:15). Therefore, just as Mary brought Our Savior and the grace of the Holy Spirit to Elizabeth and John the Baptist, so shall we Catholics filled with His Love, in imitation of Our Mother and in union with Her, bring the Holy Spirit of Truth to the rest of the world! Finally, the messages of the Lady of All Nations began on March 25, the feast of the Annunciation,in order to add prominence to the momentous announcement of the key to the Victory of Our Mother's Immaculate Heart which is the fifth and last Marian dogma. So too the Eucharistic messages of Our Lord ended on the feast of the Annunciation purposely underscoring His Will that we Catholics announce to the world that Mary is the Mother of All Nations: Coredemptrix, Mediatrix and Advocate, thus procuring the Victory of Her Immaculate Heart!
Our Lady chose May 31 as the day on which She will be crowned. As has already been noted, it is the feast of the Visitation. But, in addition to that, the feasts of Pentecost and Corpus Christi sometimes fall on that date. Corpus Christi is the liturgical feast honoring the Body and Blood of Our Lord truly present in the Most Holy Eucharist. This date had also, at one time, been set aside in recognition of Mary, as the Mother of Grace, under the title Mediatrix of All Graces. The feast of the Queenship of Mary was also celebrated on this date, until it was moved to the calendar date of August 22. The Queenship of Mary was a titled conferred upon Our Lady by Pope Pius XII in 1954 in order to celebrate Her role in the universal Kingdom of Christ. Eventually, when Our Lady is finally crowned on May 31 She will truly and most fittingly be recognized as the Queen of All God's Nations . As St. Catherine Laboure said: "Oh, how wonderful it will be to hear, Mary is Queen of the Universe!" And when that time comes, the time when all nations recognize and acclaim their Mother, She will be, in the words of St. Catherine Laboure, "carried as a banner and She will make the tour of the world!"
Now it is worth repeating the fact that the Lady of All Nations chose May 31. On May 31, 1954, She says: "I have chosen this day: on this day the Lady will be crowned." Of course, the Lady never does anything that is not the will of God. Still it is significant that She says "I have chosen this day..." Might this deliberate choice of the use of the personal pronoun 'I' be permitted by God to emphasize just Who the Lady Mary is and what entitles Her to make such a choice? Of course, Mary chose May 31 with the thought of pleasing Her Lord and Creator and to emphasize Her twofold desire to bring glory to Her Son in the Most Holy Eucharist and to bring the love of Her Spouse the Holy Spirit into the hearts of all nations. Thus, out of love, Mary appropriately chose the feast of the Visitation which exemplifies Her mission of love. However, it can not be overlooked that there is special significance in the emphasis that this date was chosen by Her. Perhaps if we call to mind certain events which highlight exactly Who Mary is, we will understand more clearly the authority with which She speaks. At the Annunciation the Angel Gabriel says: "Hail" to Mary! This is not an ordinary greeting but a royal salutation for the Angel Gabriel knew he was addressing the Queen! Never was such a royal tribute ever recorded for any other human being except for Mary. Furthermore, the Angel Gabriel goes on to accord Her even more recognition when he says "Hail, full of grace." Thus, the Angel Gabriel is at that very moment identifying Mary as the Immaculate Conception and illuminating to all the very unique and dignified position She held in God's salvific plan - that of ultimately bearing the Savior and being the Woman Who shall crush the serpent's head! And consider this, Mary's fiat to God through the Angel meant that She would also be the Lord's first follower and hence the first example or model for the rest of God's sheep. Therefore, She would not be ruled of this world but assume the posture of a true Queen by leading the flock to Her Lord and Master even to the point of suffering with Her Lord at the Cross by cooperating most perfectly spiritually and physically. As the prophet Simeon foretold Mary, Herself, would be pierced with a sword. But with that magnanimous sorrow and pain "the Lord Almighty has foiled them by the hand of a Woman" (Jth. 16:6). Hence, in the earthly life of Mary, we see through Her humble yet sublime cooperation, the embracing of God's powerful love, which enobled Her to act as the true Queen. God, having deposited that authority with Her through His Holy Spirit, once Mary assented to His Will, would only naturally and most perfectly defer to Her choice of the feast of the Visitation as Her Coronation Day! Our Lord's deference to Mary should make us realize the magnificence of Her Royal Stature in heaven and on earth! It is no wonder that the name of Mary in Hebrew means: unruled by this world; the perfect one; and pierced or bitter with sorrow. No other name is more perfect and no other human being was more perfectly created and suited for that name than Mary. For this most beautiful, most loving and most powerful creation one can only bow with deep love and gratification to God for having given us such a Mother! Hail to You, O Mother of All Nations!
"This day [May 31] will in due time, be the 'Coronation Day' of His Mother, 'the Lady of All Nations,' who once was Mary" (May 31, 1954). "Hold yourself in readiness for May 31st" (May 23, 1963). "The Holy Father will proclaim Her Co-Redemptrix, Mediatrix, and Advocate" (May 31, 1979). "He has but to command and it will happen" (December 3, 1949). "First, however, let the Church and the nations invoke Mary under the new title and say Her prayer" (October 11, 1953). "...You will have to help him to achieve this [by signing the petition and saying the prayer]. Make no mistake about it" (May 31, 1954).
"I have chosen this day: on this day (May 31) the Lady will be crowned!" ("The Lady of All Nations: Coredemptrix, Mediatrix and Advocate" on May 31, 1954.)
From the dreams and visions of St. John Bosco and Ida Peerdeman it is clear that the moment of victory for the Church over the opposing forces of evil will only come through TRUE DEVOTION TO MARY, OUR MOTHER, THE MOTHER OF ALL NATIONS and TRUE DEVOTION TO OUR LORD IN THE MOST HOLY EUCHARIST!
This victory will come through Pope John Paul II who "guides 'the ship of the Church' through the storm of persecutors 'turning the helm to the right' by proclaiming Mary, the Lady of All Nations and thereby anchoring the Church to the Twin Pillars of Victory! "SHE will lead the nations to 'HER LORD!'" (August 15,1979)
"The Holy Father [Pope John Paul II] will proclaim Her Co-Redemptrix, Mediatrix and Advocate" (The voice of Our Lord on May 31, 1979)!
