Eucharist, Jeremiah 2-:10-13, Psalms, 18:2-7, John 10:31-42, Pope Frances Daily Activity, St Darerca of Ireland, The Mystical City of God, The Divine History and Life of The Virgin Mother of God - Book 6:1 MARY ACCOMPANIES JESUS ON HIS JOURNEYS. Catholic Catechism Part Two Section 1:1:2 The Father Source and Goal of the Liturgy
Good Day Bloggers! Wishing everyone a Blessed Week!
Year of Faith - October 11, 2012 - November 24, 2013
P.U.S.H. (Pray Until Serenity Happens). It has a remarkable way of producing solace, peace, patience and tranquility and of course resolution...God's always available 24/7.
The world begins and ends everyday for someone. We are all human. We all experience birth, life and death. We all have
flaws but we also all have the gift of knowledge and free will,
make the most of these gifts. Life on earth is a stepping stone to our eternal home in
Heaven. Its your choice whether to rise towards eternal light or lost to
eternal darkness. Material items, though needed for sustenance and
survival on earth are of earthly value only. The only thing that passes
from this earth to Purgatory and/or Heaven is our Soul, our Spirit...it's God's perpetual
gift to us...Embrace it, treasure it, nurture it, protect it...
"Raise not a hand to another unless it is to offer in peace and goodwill." ~ Zarya Parx 2012
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Prayers for Today: Friday in Lent
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Papam Franciscus
(Pope Francis)
Pope to Diplomatic Corps: "Build Bridges”
ADDRESS OF THE HOLY FATHER POPE FRANCIS
Friday, 22 March 2013
(Accessed March 22, 2013)
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Vatican City, 22 March 2013 (VIS) – “Through you I encounter your peoples, and thus in a sense I can reach out to every one of your fellow citizens, with their joys, their troubles, their expectations, their desires,” said the Holy Father this morning to members of the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See whom he received in audience in the Sala Regia of the Vatican Apostolic Palace.
Currently, 180 States maintain full diplomatic relations with the Holy See, to which number are also added the European Union, the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, and a mission of a special nature: the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), which is headed by a director. The most recent State to establish diplomatic relations with the Holy See, at the level of an Apostolic Nunciature, was the Republic of South Sudan on 22 February of this year.
Speaking in Italian, the Pope first greeted the dean of the diplomatic corps, Jean-Claude Michel of the Principality of Monaco, and then stated that the relations that so many nations maintain with the Holy See “are truly a source of benefit to mankind. That, indeed, is what matters to the Holy See: the good of every person upon this earth! And it is with this understanding that the Bishop of Rome embarks upon his ministry, in the knowledge that he can count on the friendship and affection of the countries you represent, and in the certainty that you share this objective. At the same time, I hope that it will also be an opportunity to begin a journey with those few countries that do not yet have diplomatic relations with the Holy See, some of which were present at the Mass for the beginning of my ministry, or sent messages as a sign of their closeness—for which I am truly grateful.”
Continuing, the Holy Father explained the reasons why he chose his papal name, thinking of St. Francis of Assisi, “a familiar figure far beyond the borders of Italy and Europe, even among those who do not profess the Catholic faith. One of the first reasons was Francis’ love for the poor. How many poor people there still are in the world! And what great suffering they have to endure! After the example of Francis of Assisi, the Church in every corner of the globe has always tried to care for and look after those who suffer from want, and I think that in many of your countries you can attest to the generous activity of Christians who dedicate themselves to helping the sick, orphans, the homeless and all the marginalized, thus striving to make society more humane and more just.”
“But there is another form of poverty”, he observed. “It is the spiritual poverty of our time, which afflicts the so-called richer countries particularly seriously. It is what my much-loved predecessor, Benedict XVI, called the 'tyranny of relativism', which makes everyone his own criterion and endangers the coexistence of peoples. And that brings me to a second reason for my name. Francis of Assisi tells us we should work to build peace. But there is no true peace without truth! There cannot be true peace if everyone is his own criterion, if everyone can always claim exclusively his own rights, without at the same time caring for the good of others, of everyone, on the basis of the nature that unites every human being on this earth.”
“One of the titles of the Bishop of Rome is 'Pontiff', that is, a builder of bridges, with God and between people. My wish is that the dialogue between us should help to build bridges connecting all people, in such a way that everyone can see in the other not an enemy, not a rival, but a brother or sister to be welcomed and embraced! My own origins impel me to work for the building of bridges. As you know, my family is of Italian origin; and so this dialogue between places and cultures a great distance apart matters greatly to me, this dialogue between one end of the world and the other, which today are growing ever closer, more interdependent, more in need of opportunities to meet and to create real spaces of authentic fraternity.”
Repeating that the role of religion is fundamental to this task, Francis affirmed that: “It is not possible to build bridges between people while forgetting God. But the converse is also true: it is not possible to establish true links with God, while ignoring other people. Hence it is important to intensify dialogue among the various religions, and I am thinking particularly of dialogue with Islam. At the Mass marking the beginning of my ministry, I greatly appreciated the presence of so many civil and religious leaders from the Islamic world. And it is also important to intensify outreach to non-believers, so that the differences which divide and hurt us may never prevail, but rather the desire to build true links of friendship between all peoples, despite their diversity.”
“Fighting poverty, both material and spiritual, building peace and constructing bridges: these, as it were, are the reference points for a journey that I want to invite each of the countries here represented to take up. But it is a difficult journey, if we do not learn to grow in love for this world of ours. Here too, it helps me to think of the name of Francis, who teaches us profound respect for the whole of creation and the protection of our environment, which all too often, instead of using for the good, we exploit greedily, to one another’s detriment.”
“Thank you again,” the pontiff concluded, “for all the work that you do, alongside the Secretariat of State, to build peace and construct bridges of friendship and fraternity. Through you, I would like to renew to your Governments my thanks for their participation in the celebrations on the occasion of my election, and my heartfelt desire for a fruitful common endeavour. May Almighty God pour out his gifts on each one of you, on your families and on the peoples that you represent. Thank you!”
Currently, 180 States maintain full diplomatic relations with the Holy See, to which number are also added the European Union, the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, and a mission of a special nature: the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), which is headed by a director. The most recent State to establish diplomatic relations with the Holy See, at the level of an Apostolic Nunciature, was the Republic of South Sudan on 22 February of this year.
Speaking in Italian, the Pope first greeted the dean of the diplomatic corps, Jean-Claude Michel of the Principality of Monaco, and then stated that the relations that so many nations maintain with the Holy See “are truly a source of benefit to mankind. That, indeed, is what matters to the Holy See: the good of every person upon this earth! And it is with this understanding that the Bishop of Rome embarks upon his ministry, in the knowledge that he can count on the friendship and affection of the countries you represent, and in the certainty that you share this objective. At the same time, I hope that it will also be an opportunity to begin a journey with those few countries that do not yet have diplomatic relations with the Holy See, some of which were present at the Mass for the beginning of my ministry, or sent messages as a sign of their closeness—for which I am truly grateful.”
Continuing, the Holy Father explained the reasons why he chose his papal name, thinking of St. Francis of Assisi, “a familiar figure far beyond the borders of Italy and Europe, even among those who do not profess the Catholic faith. One of the first reasons was Francis’ love for the poor. How many poor people there still are in the world! And what great suffering they have to endure! After the example of Francis of Assisi, the Church in every corner of the globe has always tried to care for and look after those who suffer from want, and I think that in many of your countries you can attest to the generous activity of Christians who dedicate themselves to helping the sick, orphans, the homeless and all the marginalized, thus striving to make society more humane and more just.”
“But there is another form of poverty”, he observed. “It is the spiritual poverty of our time, which afflicts the so-called richer countries particularly seriously. It is what my much-loved predecessor, Benedict XVI, called the 'tyranny of relativism', which makes everyone his own criterion and endangers the coexistence of peoples. And that brings me to a second reason for my name. Francis of Assisi tells us we should work to build peace. But there is no true peace without truth! There cannot be true peace if everyone is his own criterion, if everyone can always claim exclusively his own rights, without at the same time caring for the good of others, of everyone, on the basis of the nature that unites every human being on this earth.”
“One of the titles of the Bishop of Rome is 'Pontiff', that is, a builder of bridges, with God and between people. My wish is that the dialogue between us should help to build bridges connecting all people, in such a way that everyone can see in the other not an enemy, not a rival, but a brother or sister to be welcomed and embraced! My own origins impel me to work for the building of bridges. As you know, my family is of Italian origin; and so this dialogue between places and cultures a great distance apart matters greatly to me, this dialogue between one end of the world and the other, which today are growing ever closer, more interdependent, more in need of opportunities to meet and to create real spaces of authentic fraternity.”
Repeating that the role of religion is fundamental to this task, Francis affirmed that: “It is not possible to build bridges between people while forgetting God. But the converse is also true: it is not possible to establish true links with God, while ignoring other people. Hence it is important to intensify dialogue among the various religions, and I am thinking particularly of dialogue with Islam. At the Mass marking the beginning of my ministry, I greatly appreciated the presence of so many civil and religious leaders from the Islamic world. And it is also important to intensify outreach to non-believers, so that the differences which divide and hurt us may never prevail, but rather the desire to build true links of friendship between all peoples, despite their diversity.”
“Fighting poverty, both material and spiritual, building peace and constructing bridges: these, as it were, are the reference points for a journey that I want to invite each of the countries here represented to take up. But it is a difficult journey, if we do not learn to grow in love for this world of ours. Here too, it helps me to think of the name of Francis, who teaches us profound respect for the whole of creation and the protection of our environment, which all too often, instead of using for the good, we exploit greedily, to one another’s detriment.”
“Thank you again,” the pontiff concluded, “for all the work that you do, alongside the Secretariat of State, to build peace and construct bridges of friendship and fraternity. Through you, I would like to renew to your Governments my thanks for their participation in the celebrations on the occasion of my election, and my heartfelt desire for a fruitful common endeavour. May Almighty God pour out his gifts on each one of you, on your families and on the peoples that you represent. Thank you!”
Reference:
- Vatican News. From the Pope. © Copyright 2013 - Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Accessed 3/22/2013.
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March 18 2013 Message to the World via Annual Apparition to Mirjana:
"Dear children! I call you to, with complete trust and joy, bless the name of the Lord and, day by day, to give Him thanks from the heart for His great love. My Son, through that love which He showed by the Cross, gave you the possibility to be forgiven for everything; so that you do not have to be ashamed or to hide, and out of fear not to open the door of your heart to my Son. To the contrary, my children, reconcile with the Heavenly Father so that you may be able to come to love yourselves as my Son loves you. When you come to love yourselves, you will also love others; in them you will see my Son and recognize the greatness of His love. Live in faith! Through me, my Son is preparing you for the works which He desires to do through you – works through which He desires to be glorified. Give Him thanks. Especially thank Him for the shepherds - for your intercessors in the reconciliation with the Heavenly Father. I am thanking you, my children. Thank you."
March 2, 2013 Message From Our Lady of Medjugorje to World:
“Dear children; Anew, in a motherly way, I am calling you not to be of a hard heart. Do not shut your eyes to the warnings which the Heavenly Father sends to you out of love. Do you love Him above all else? Do you repent for having often forgotten that the Heavenly Father, out of His great love, sent His Son to redeem us by the Cross? Do you repent for not having accepted the message? My children, do not resist the love of my Son. Do not resist hope and peace. Along with your prayers and fasting, by His Cross, my Son will cast away the darkness that wants to surround you and come to rule over you. He will give you the strength for a new life. Living it according to my Son, you will be a blessing and a hope to all those sinners who wander in the darkness of sin. My children, keep vigil. I, as a mother, am keeping vigil with you. I am especially praying and watching over those whom my Son called to be light-bearers and carriers of hope for you – for your shepherds. Thank you.”
February 25, 2013 Message From Our Lady of Medjugorje to World:
“Dear children! Also today I call you to prayer. Sin is pulling you towards worldly things and I have come to lead you towards holiness and the things of God, but you are struggling and spending your energies in the battle with the good and the evil that are in you. Therefore, little children, pray, pray, pray until prayer becomes a joy for you and your life will become a simple walk towards God. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
“Dear children! Also today I call you to prayer. Sin is pulling you towards worldly things and I have come to lead you towards holiness and the things of God, but you are struggling and spending your energies in the battle with the good and the evil that are in you. Therefore, little children, pray, pray, pray until prayer becomes a joy for you and your life will become a simple walk towards God. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
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Today's Word: Eucharist Eu·cha·rist [yoo-kuh-rist]
Origin: 1350–1400; Middle English eukarist < Late Latin eucharistia < Greek eucharístia gratefulness, thanksgiving. See eu-, charisma, -ia
noun
1. the sacrament of Holy Communion; the sacrifice of the Mass; the Lord's Supper.
2. the consecrated elements of the Holy Communion, especially the bread.
3. ( lowercase ) the giving of thanks; thanksgiving.
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Today's Old Testament Reading - Psalms 105:4-9
4 Seek Yahweh and his strength, tirelessly seek his presence!
5 Remember the marvels he has done, his wonders, the judgements he has spoken.
6 Stock of Abraham, his servant, children of Jacob whom he chose!
7 He is Yahweh our God, his judgements touch the whole world.
8 He remembers his covenant for ever, the promise he laid down for a thousand generations,
9 which he concluded with Abraham, the oath he swore to Isaac
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Today's Epistle - Jeremiah 20:10-13
10 I heard so many disparaging me, 'Terror on every side! Denounce him! Let us denounce him!' All those who were on good terms with me watched for my downfall, 'Perhaps he will be seduced into error. Then we shall get the better of him and take our revenge!'
11 But Yahweh is at my side like a mighty hero; my opponents will stumble, vanquished, confounded by their failure; everlasting, unforgettable disgrace will be theirs.
12 Yahweh Sabaoth, you who test the
upright, observer of motives and thoughts, I shall see your vengeance on
them, for I have revealed my cause to you.
13 Sing to Yahweh, praise Yahweh, for he has delivered the soul of one in need from the clutches of evil doers.
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Today's Gospel Reading - John 10: 31-42
The Jews fetched stones to stone him, so Jesus said to them, 'I have shown you many good works from my Father; for which of these are you stoning me?' The Jews answered him, 'We are stoning you, not for doing a good work, but for blasphemy; though you are only a man, you claim to be God.' Jesus answered: Is it not written in your Law: I said, you are gods? So it uses the word 'gods' of those people to whom the word of God was addressed -- and scripture cannot be set aside. Yet to someone whom the Father has consecrated and sent into the world you say, 'You are blaspheming' because I said, 'I am Son of God.' If I am not doing my Father's work, there is no need to believe me; but if I am doing it, then even if you refuse to believe in me, at least believe in the work I do; then you will know for certain that the Father is in me and I am in the Father. They again wanted to arrest him then, but he eluded their clutches. He went back again to the far side of the Jordan to the district where John had been baptising at first and he stayed there. Many people who came to him said, 'John gave no signs, but all he said about this man was true'; and many of them believed in him.
Reflection
• We are close to Holy Week, during
which we commemorate and update the Passion, Death and Resurrection of
Jesus. Beginning with the fourth week of Lent, the texts of the Gospel
of every day are texts taken almost exclusively from the Gospel of John,
two chapters which stress the dramatic tension between the progressive
revelation, on the one side, which Jesus makes of the mystery of the
Father which fills him completely, and on the other side, the
progressive closing up of the Jews who always become more impenetrable
to the message of Jesus. The tragic aspect of this closing up is that
they claim it is in fidelity to God. They refuse Jesus in the name of
God.
• This way in which John presents the conflict between Jesus and the religious authority is not only something which has taken place in the far past. It is also a mirror which reflects what happens today. In the name of God, some persons transform themselves into bombs and kill other persons. In the name of God, we, members of the three religions of the God of Abraham, Jews, Christians and Muslims, mutually condemn one another, fight among ourselves, throughout history. Ecumenism is difficult among us, and at the same time it is necessary. In the name of God, many horrible things have been committed and we continue to commit them every day. Lent is an important period of time to stop and to ask ourselves: Which is the image of God which I have within me?
• John 10, 31-33: The Jews want to stone Jesus. The Jews prepare stone to kill Jesus and Jesus asks: “I have shown you many good works from my Father, for which of these are you stoning me?” The answer: “We are stoning you, not for doing a good work, but for blasphemy; though you are only man, you claim to be God”. They want to kill Jesus because he blasphemes. The law ordered that such persons should be stoned.
• John 10, 34-36: The Bible calls all sons of God. They want to kill Jesus because he says he is God. Jesus responds in the name of the law of God itself. “Is it not perhaps written in your Law: I said you are gods? Now, if the Law has called gods those to whom the Word of God was addressed (and Scripture cannot be set aside), to those whom the Father has consecrated and sent into the world, and you say: You blaspheme, because I have said: I am the Son of God?”
• Strangely, Jesus says “your law”. He could have said: “our Law”. Why does he speak in this way? Here appears again the tragic division between Jews and Christians, brothers, sons of the same father Abraham, who became irreconcilable enemies to the point that the Christians say “your law”, as if it were not our law.
• John 10, 37-38: At least believe in the works. Jesus again speaks of the works that he does and which are the revelation of the Father. If I do not do the works of the Father, there is no need to believe in me. But if I do them, even if you do not believe in me, at least believe in the works I do, so that you will believe that the Father is in me and I am in the Father. These are the same words that he said at the Last Supper (Jn 14, 10-11).
• John 10, 39-42: Once again they want to kill him, but he flees from their clutches. There was no sign of conversion. They continue to say that Jesus blasphemes and insist in killing him. There is no future for Jesus. His death has been decided, but as yet his hour has not arrived. Jesus goes out and crosses the Jordan going toward the place where John had baptized. In this way he indicates the continuity of his mission with the mission of John. He helped people to become aware of how God acts in history. The people recognize in Jesus the one whom John had announced.
Personal questions
• The Jews condemn Jesus in the name
of God, in the name of the image that they have of God. Sometimes, have I
condemned someone in the name of God and then I have discovered that I
was mistaken?
• Jesus calls himself “Son of God”. When in the Creed I say that Jesus is the Son of God, which is the content that I give to my profession of faith?
• Jesus calls himself “Son of God”. When in the Creed I say that Jesus is the Son of God, which is the content that I give to my profession of faith?
Reference: Courtesy of Order of Carmelites, www.ocarm.org.
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Featured Item of the Day from Litany Lane
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Saint of the Day: Saint Darerca of Ireland
Feast Day: March 22
Patron Saint: Valentia Island.
Attributes: n/a
 |
| Valentia Island, Ireland |
Much obscurity is attached to her history, and it is not easy to disentangle the facts of her history from the network of legend which medieval writers interwove with her acts. Her fame, apart from her relationship to Ireland's national apostle, stands secure as not only a great saint but as the mother of many saints.
When Saint Patrick visited Bredach, as is found in the "Tripartite Life of St. Patrick," he ordained Aengus mac Ailill, the local chieftain of Moville, now a seaside resort for the citizens of Derry. While there he found "the three deacons," his sister's sons, namely, Saint Reat, Saint Nenn, and Saint Aedh, who are commemorated respectively on 3 March, 25 April, and 31 August.
Darerca was at least twice married. Among her husbands, according to histories in Brittany, she was the second wife of Conan Meriadoc and the mother of his eldest son, Gradlon Mawr who became Gradlon the Great, King of Brittany.
Darerca's second husband, Chonas the Briton, founded the church of Both-chonais, now Binnion, Parish of Clonmany, in the barony of Inishowen, County Donegal. She had children by both husbands, some say seventeen sons, all of whom, according to Colgan, became bishops. (According to Breton history at least one became King of Brittany, rather than serve the church as a Bishop. )From the "Tripartite Life of Saint Patrick" it is evident that there were four sons of Darerca by Chonas, namely four bishops, Saint Mel of Ardagh, Saint Rioc of Inisboffin, Saint Muinis of Forgney, County Longford, and Saint Maelchu. It is well to note that another Saint Muinis, son of Gollit, is described as of Tedel in Ara-cliath.
Darerca had two daughters, Saint Eiche of Kilglass and Saint Lalloc of Senlis. Her first husband was Restitutus the Lombard, after whose death she married Chonas the Briton. By Restitutus she was mother of Saint Sechnall of Dunshaughlin; Saint Nectan of Killunche, and of Fennor (near Slane); of Saint Auxilius of Killossey (near Naas, County Kildare); of Saint Diarmaid of Druim-corcortri (near Navan); of Dabonna, Mogornon, Drioc, Luguat, and Coemed Maccu Baird (the Lombard) of Cloonshaneville, near Frenchpark, County Roscommon.
Four other sons are assigned her by old Irish writers, namely Saint Crummin of Lecua, Saint Miduu, Saint Carantoc, and Saint Maceaith. The latter is identical with Liamania, according to Colgan, but must not be confounded with Saint Monennia, or Darerca, whose feast is on 6 July.
Saint Darerca is honoured on 22 March, and is patroness of Valentia Island.
References
- ^ "Darerca". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. 1913
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Today's Snippet I: Book 6, Chapter 1
The Mystical City of God,
The Divine History and Life of The Virgin Mother of God
MARY ACCOMPANIES JESUS ON HIS JOURNEYS.
It would not be foreign to the purpose of this history to
describe the miracles and the heroic works of Christ, our Redeemer and Master;
for in almost all of them his most blessed and holy Mother concurred and took a
part. But I cannot presume to undertake a work so arduous and so far above human
strength and capacity. For the Evangelist saint John, after having described
many miracles of Christ, says at the end of his Gospel, that Jesus did many
other things, which, if they were all described, could not be contained in all
the books of the world (John 21, 25). If such a task seemed so impossible to the
Evangelist, how much more to an ignorant woman, more useless than the dust of
the earth? All that is necessary and proper, and abundantly sufficient for
founding and preserving the Church has been written by the four Evangelists; it
is not necessary to repeat it in this history. Yet in order to compose this
history and in order not to pass over in silence so many great works of the
exalted Queen, which have not been mentioned, it is necessary to touch on a few
particulars. Moreover, I think that to write of them and thus fasten them in my
memory will be both consoling and useful for my advancement. The others, which
the Evangelists recorded in their Gospels and of which I have not been commanded
to write, are better preserved for the beatific vision, where the saints shall
see them manifested to them by the Lord and where they will eternally praise Him
for such magnificent works.
From Cana in Galilee Christ, the Redeemer, walked to
Capernaum, a large and populous city near the sea of Tiberias. Here, according
to saint John (John 2, 12), He remained some days, though not many; for as the
time of the Pasch was approaching, He gradually drew nigh to Jerusalem in order
to celebrate this feast on the fourteenth of the moon of March. His most blessed
Mother, having rid Herself of her house in Nazareth, accompanied Him thenceforth
in his tours of preaching and of teaching to the very foot of the Cross. She was
absent from Him only a few times, as when the Lord absented Himself on Mount
Tabor (Matth. 17, 1), or on some particular conversions, as for instance that of
the Samaritan woman, or when the heavenly Lady herself remained behind with
certain persons in order to instruct and catechize them. But always after a
short time, She returned to her Lord and Master, following the Sun of justice
until it sank into the abyss of Death. During these journeys the Queen of heaven
proceeded on foot, just as her divine Son. If even the Lord was fatigued on the
way, as saint John says (John 43 61), how much more fatigued was this purest
Lady? What hardships did She not endure on such arduous journeys in all sorts of
weather? Such is the rigorous treatment accorded by the Mother of mercy to her
most delicate body! What She endured in labors alone is so great that not all
the mortals together can ever satisfy their obligations to Her in this regard.
Sometimes by permission of the Lord, She suffered such great weakness and pains
that He was constrained to relieve Her miraculously. At other times He commanded
Her to rest Herself at some stopping-place for a few days; while again on
certain occasions, He gave such lightness to her body, that She could move about
without difficulty as if on wings.
As I have already mentioned, the heavenly Lady had the whole
doctrine of the evangelical law written in her heart. Nevertheless She was as
solicitous and attentive as a new disciple to the preaching and doctrine of her
divine Son, and She had instructed her angels to report to Her, if necessary,
the sermons of the Master whenever She was absent. To the sermons of her Son She
always listened on her knees, thus according to the utmost of her powers showing
the reverence and worship due to his Person and doctrine. As She was aware each
moment, of the interior operations of the Soul of Christ, and of his continual
prayers to the eternal Father for the proper disposition of the hearts of his
hearers and for the growth of the seed of his doctrine into eternal life, the
most loving Mother joined the divine Master in his petitions and prayers and in
securing for them the blessings of her most ardent and tearful charity.
By her attention and reverence She taught and moved others to appreciate duly
the teaching and instructions of the Savior of the world. She also knew the
interior of those that listened to the preaching of the Lord, their state of
grace or sin, their vices and virtues. This various and hidden knowledge, so far
above the capacity of men, caused in the heavenly Mother many wonderful effects
of highest charity and other virtues; it inflamed Her with zeal for the Honor of
the Lord and with ardent desires, that the fruits of the Redemption be not lost
to the souls, while at the same time, the danger of their loss to the souls
through sin moved Her to exert Herself in the most fervent prayer for their
welfare. She felt in her heart a piercing and cruel sorrow, that God should not
be known, adored and served by all his creatures: and this sorrow was in
proportion to the unequaled knowledge and understanding She had of all these
mysteries. For the souls, that would not give entrance to divine grace and
virtue, She sorrowed with ineffable grief, and was wont to shed tears of blood
at the thought of their misfortune. What the great Queen suffered in this her
solicitude and in her labors exceeds beyond all measure the pains endured by all
the martyrs of the world.
All the followers of the Savior, and whomever He received
into his ministry, She treated with incomparable prudence and wisdom, especially
those whom She held in such high veneration and esteem as the Apostles of
Christ. As a Mother She took care of all, and as a powerful Queen She procured
necessaries for their bodily nourishment and comforts. Sometimes when She had no
other resources, She commanded the holy angels to bring provisions for them and
for the women in their company. In order to assist them toward advancing in the
spiritual life, the great Queen labored beyond possibility of human
understanding; not only by her continual and fervent prayers for them but by her
precious example and by her counsels, with which She nourished and strengthened
them as a most prudent Mother and Teacher. When the Apostles or disciples were
assailed by any doubts, which frequently happened in the beginning, or when they
were attacked by some secret temptation, the great Lady immediately hastened to
their assistance in order to enlighten and encourage them by the peerless light
and charity shining forth in her; and by the sweetness of her words they were
exquisitely consoled and rejoiced. They were enlightened by her wisdom,
chastened by her humility, quieted by her modesty, enriched by all the blessings
that flowed from this storehouse of all the gifts of the holy Ghost. For all
these benefits, for the calling of the disciples, for the conversion and
perseverance of the just, and for all the works of grace and virtue, She made a
proper return to God, celebrating these events in festive hymns.
As the Evangelists tell us, some of the women of Galilee
followed Christ the Redeemer on his journeys. Saint Matthew, saint Mark and
saint Luke tell us that some of those whom He had cured of demoniacal possession
and of other infirmities, accompanied and served Him (Matth. 27; Mark 15; Luke
8); for the Master of eternal life excluded no sex from his following, imitation
and doctrine. Hence some of the women attended upon Him and served him from the
very beginning of his preaching. The divine wisdom so ordered it for certain
purposes, among which was also the desire to provide proper companions for his
blessed Mother during these travels. Our Queen interested Herself in a special
manner in these pious and holy women, gathering them around Her, teaching and
catechising them and bringing them as listeners to the sermons of her divine
Son. Although She herself was fully enlightened and instructed in the
evangelical doctrine and abundantly able to teach them the way of eternal life,
nevertheless, partly in order to conceal this secret of her heart, She always
availed Herself of the sayings of Christ in his public preaching as a text for
her instructions and exhortations, whenever She taught these and many other
women who came to Her either before or after hearing the Savior of the world.
One of the great miracles of divine omnipotence and a wonder
of wonders was the conduct of the most holy Mary toward the Apostles and
disciples of her Son and Savior Christ, A full account of her wisdom is
impossible to human tongue, and if I would wish to describe no more than what I
have been made to understand concerning this matter, I would be obliged to write
a large volume. I will touch upon it in this chapter and as occasion requires in
the rest of this history. All that I can say is very little, yet from it the
faithful can infer enough for their instruction. All those whom the Savior
received into his divine school, were to see and treat familiarly his most
blessed Mother. Hence He infused into their hearts an especial reverence and
devotion toward that blessed Lady. But though this infused reverence was common
to all, it was not equal in all the disciples; for the Lord distributed his
gifts according to his free will in reference to their dispositions and in
accordance with the duties and offices for which each one was destined. By
conversation and regular interaction with their great Queen and Lady their
reverential love and devotion was to grow and increase; for the blessed Lady
spoke to all, loved them, consoled them, instructed and assisted them in their
necessities, without ever permitting them to leave Her conversation and presence
unreplenished by interior joy and consolation greater than they had asked for.
Yet the measure of good fruit derived from them was dependent upon the
disposition of the heart of those that received these favors.
They were all enabled to begin their interaction with the
Mother of God in high admiration of her prudence, wisdom, purity, holiness and
great majesty, and made sensible of a sweetness in Her inexpressibly humble and
pleasing. This was so ordained by the Most High, because as I have said in the
fifth book, twenty-second, it was not yet time to reveal this mystic Ark of the
new Testament to the world. Thus, just as the Lord, however much He wished to
break forth in her praise, could not manifest it in words and concentrated it
within his heart; so the holy Apostles, sweetly constrained into silence, found
a vent for their fervent feelings in a so much the more intense love of most
holy Mary and praise of her Maker. As the great Lady, on account of her peerless
insight knew the natural disposition of each of the disciples, his measure of
grace, his present condition and future office, She proceeded according to this
knowledge in her petitions and prayers, in her instructions and conversings with
them, and in the favors She obtained for each in support of his vocation. Such a
loving zeal in the conduct of a mere Creature so entirely pleasing to the wishes
of his Lord, excited a new and boundless admiration in the holy angels. Of
no less admiration was the hidden providence of the Almighty by which the
Apostles were made to correspond to the blessings and favors received by them at
the intercession of the most holy Mother. All this caused a divine harmony of
action, hidden to men and manifest only to the heavenly spirits.
Especially signalized for the reception of these sacramental
favors were saint Peter and saint John; the former because he was destined to be
the vicar of Christ and head of the militant Church and because he therefore
deserved the special reverence and love of the holy Mother; the latter because
he was to take the place of the Lord after his Passion in attending upon and
conversing with the heavenly Lady upon earth. As therefore the government and
custody of the mystic Church namely of Mary immaculate and of the visible
militant Church, namely the faithful on earth, was to be divided between these
two Apostles, it was no wonder, that they should be singularly favored by the
great Queen of the world. But as saint John was chosen to serve Mary and attain
the dignity of an adopted son of the Mistress of heaven, he at once began to
experience special urgings of grace and signalize himself in the service of the
most holy Mary. Although all the Apostles excelled in devotion to the Queen
beyond our power of understanding or conception the evangelist saint John
penetrated deeper into the mysteries of this City of God and received through
Her such divine enlightenment as to excel all the other Apostles. This is also
evident from his Gospel (John 21, 20); all the divine insight therein manifested
he received through the Queen of heaven, and the distinction of being called the
beloved disciple of Jesus, he gained by his love toward the most blessed Mother.
As this love was reciprocated by the heavenly Lady, he became the most beloved
disciple both of Jesus and Mary.
The Evangelist besides chastity and virginal purity,
possessed some other virtues which were especially pleasing to the Queen; among
then, were a dovelike simplicity, as is manifest from his writings, and a great
gentleness and humility, which made him most meek and tractable. The
heavenly Mother always looked upon the peaceful and the humble as the most
faithful imitators of her divine Son. On this account the blessed Queen favored
saint John above all the other Apostles and he himself became more and more
anxious to serve Her with ever increasing reverential love and affection. From
the very first moment of his vocation saint John commenced to excel all the rest
in piety toward the Mother and to fulfill the least of her wishes as her most
humble slave. He attended upon Her more assiduously than the rest; and whenever
it was possible he sought to be in her company and take upon himself some of the
bodily labors connected with her present life. Sometimes it happened that the
fortunate Apostle competed with the angels in his zeal for thus assisting the
great Queen; while She still more eagerly sought to perform these works of
humility Herself; for in this virtue She triumphed over all other creatures and
none of them could ever hope in the least to surpass or equal Her in acts of
humility. The beloved disciple was very diligent in reporting to the heavenly
Lady the works and miracles wrought by the Savior, whenever She herself could
not be present, and in informing Her of the new disciples converted by his
teaching. He was constantly alert and studious to serve Her in the least of her
wishes, fulfilling each one of them with a loving eagerness.
I will, however, say something of that which has been made
known to me concerning the wicked Apostle Judas; for it belongs to this history
and less is known of him. It will at the same time be a warning to the obstinate
and an admonition for those little devoted to the most blessed Mary; for it is a
sad truth that there should be any mortals who entertain little love toward a
Creature so lovable, and One whom the infinite God himself loves without bound
or measure; whom angels love with all their heavenly powers, the Apostles and
saints from their inmost souls, whom all creatures should eagerly strive to
love, and who never can be loved according to her merits. Yet this unhappy
Apostle strayed from the royal road of divine love and its blessings. The
understanding, which has been given me concerning this defection for the purpose
of making it known in this history, is contained in the following paragraphs.
Judas was attracted to the school of Christ our Teacher by
his forceful doctrines, and was filled the same good intentions which moved the
others. Powerfully drawn by these motives, he asked the Savior to admit him
among his disciples, and the Savior receive him with the bowels of a loving
Father, who rejects none that come to Him in search of truth. In the beginning
Judas merited special favors and forged ahead of some of the other disciples,
deserving to be numbered among the twelve Apostles; for the Savior loved his
soul according to its present state of grace and his good works, just as He did
the others. The Mother of grace and mercy observed the same course with him,
although by her infused knowledge She immediately became aware of the perfidious
treachery with which he was to end his apostolate. She did not, on this account,
deny him her intercession and maternal love; but she applied Herself even more
zealously to justify as far as possible the cause of her divine Son against this
perfidious and unfortunate man, in order that his wickedness, as soon as it
should be put into action, might not have the shadow of an excuse before men.
Well knowing that such a character as his could not be overcome by rigor, but
would only be driven by it to so much the greater obstinacy, the most prudent
Lady took care, that none of the wants or the comforts of Judas should be
ignored and She began to treat him, speak and listen to him more gently and
lovingly than to all the rest. This She carried so far, that Judas, when the
disciples once disputed among themselves concerning their standing with the
Queen (as, according to the Evangelist [Luke 22, 24], it happened also
concerning the Redeemer), never experienced the jealousy or doubt in this
matter; for the blessed Lady in the beginning always distinguished him by tokens
of special love and he, at that time, also showed himself thankful for these
favors.
But as Judas found little support in his natural disposition,
and as the disciples, not being as yet confirmed in virtue and not as yet even
in grace, were guilty of some human failings, the imprudent man began to
compliment himself on his perfection and to take notice more of the faults of his
brethren than of his own (Luke 4, 41). He permitted himself thus to be deceived,
making no effort to amend or repent, he allowed the beam in his own eyes to grow
while watching the splinters in the eyes of others. Complaining of their little
faults and seeking, with more presumption than zeal, to the weaknesses of his
brethren, he committed greater sins himself. Among the other Apostles he singled
out saint John, looking upon him as an intermeddler and accusing him in his
heart of ingratiating himself with the Master and his blessed Mother. The fact
that he received so many special favors from Them was of no avail to deter him
from this false assumption. Yet so far Judas had committed only venial sins and
had not lost sanctifying grace. But they argued a very bad disposition, in which
he willfully persevered. He had freely entertained a certain vain complacency in
himself; this at once called into existence a certain amount of envy, which
brought on a calumnious spirit and harshness in judging of the faults of his
brethren. These sins opened the way for greater sins; for immediately the fervor
of his devotion decreased, his charity toward God and men grew cold, and his
interior light was lost and extinguished; he began to look upon the Apostles and
upon the most holy Mother with a certain disgust and find little pleasure in
their interactions and their heavenly activity.
The most prudent Lady perceived the growth of this defection
in Judas. Eagerly seeking his recovery and salvation before he should cast
himself entirely into the death of sin, She spoke to him and exhorted him as her
beloved child and with extreme sweetness and force of reasoning. Although at
times this storm of tormenting thoughts, which had begun to rise in the breast
of Judas, was allayed; yet it was only for a short time, and soon it arose and
disturbed him anew. Giving entrance to the devil into his; heart, he permitted a
furious rage against the most meek Dove to take possession of him. With
insidious hypocrisy he sought to deny his sins or palliate them by alleging
other reasons for his conduct: as if he could ever deceive Jesus and Mary and
hide from Them the secrets of his heart. Thereby he lost his interior reverence
for the Mother of mercy, despising exhortations and openly reproaching Her for
her gentle words and reasonings. This ungrateful presumption threw him from the
state of grace, the Lord was highly incensed and deservedly left him to his own
evil counsels. By thus designedly rejecting the kindness and the intercession of
most holy Mary, he closed against himself the gates of mercy and of his only
salvation. His disgust with the sweetest Mother soon engendered in him an
abhorrence of his Master; he grew dissatisfied with his doctrines and began to
look upon the life of an Apostle and intercourse with the disciples as too
burdensome.
Nevertheless divine Providence did not abandon him
immediately, but continued to send him interior assistance, although in
comparison with former helps they were of a kind more common and
ordinary. They were, however, in themselves sufficient for his salvation,
if he would have made use of them. To these graces were added the gentle
exhortations of the kindest Mistress, urging him to restrain himself and to
humble himself and ask pardon of his divine Master. She offered him mercy in his
name and her own kind assistance in obtaining it, promising to do penance for
him, if he would consent to be sorry for his sins and amend his life. All these
advances did the Mother of grace make in order to prevent the fall of Judas. She
was well aware, that not seeking to arise from a fall and to persevere in sin
was a much greater evil than to have fallen. The conscience of this proud
disciple could not but reproach him with his wickedness; but becoming hardened
in his heart, he began to dread the humiliation, which would have been to his
credit, and he fell into still greater sins. In his pride he rejected the
salutary counsels of the Mother of Christ and chose rather to deny his guilt,
protesting with a lying tongue, that he loved his Master and all the rest, that
there was no occasion for amending his conscience in this regard.
In order that I may not incur the blame of concealing what
belongs to this chapter, I will mention another cause of the ruin of Judas. When
the number of the Apostles and disciples increased, the Lord resolved to appoint
one of them to take charge of the alms received; thus to supply the common needs
and pay the imperial tribute. Jesus made known his wishes to all
indiscriminately without addressing Himself to any one in particular. While all
of them feared such an office and sought to evade it, Judas immediately strove
obtain it. In order to secure his appointment he humbled himself so far as to
ask saint John to speak to the holy Queen and induce Her to arrange this matter
for him with her Son. Saint John yielded to the request of Judas and spoke to
the most prudent Mother; but She, knowing that this request of Judas was not
proper or just, but proceeded from ambition and avarice, did not wish to propose
it to the divine Master. The same kind of influence Judas sought to bring into
play through saint Peter and the other Apostles, without success; for the Lord
in his goodness wished to stay his ruin, and justify his cause before men, if He
should grant the request. At this resistance the heart of Judas, already
corrupted by avarice, instead of quietly yielding, was consumed with unhappy
desires for the office, and the devil stirred up thoughts of vilest ambition,
such as would have been most improper and wicked in any one, and hence were much
more culpable in Judas, who had been a disciple in the school of highest
perfection and who had lived in the light of the Sun of justice and its
beautiful Moon Mary! Neither in the day of abundant graces, when the Sun Jesus
lighted his paths, nor in the night of temptations, when the Moon Mary disclosed
to him the wiles of the poisonous serpent, could he have failed to become aware
of the wickedness of such suggestions. But, as he flew from the light and cast
himself willfully into darkness, he presumed to ask most holy Mary in a direct
manner for her influence in obtaining his object. He had lost all fear
and hid his avarice in the cloak of virtue. Approaching Her, he said that he had
made his request through saint Peter and saint John, with the sole desire of
diligently serving Her and his divine Master, since not all would attend to the
duties of this office with proper solicitude; and that, therefore, he now asked
to obtain the position of purser for him from the Master.
The great Lady answered him with extreme gentleness:
"Consider well, my dearest, what thou askest, and examine whether thy
intentions are upright. Ponder well, whether it is good for thee to seek which
all thy brethren fear and refuse to accept, unless they shall be compelled
thereto by the command of their Lord and Master. He loves thee more than thou
lovest thyself and without doubt knows what will benefit thee; resign thyself to
his most holy will, change thy purpose, and seek to grow rich in humility and
poverty. Rise from thy fall, for I will extend thee a helpful hand and my Son
will show thee his loving mercy." Who would not have yielded to these
sweetest words and such urgent advice, spoken by such an amiable and heavenly
Creature as was most holy Mary? But this fierce and adamantine heart was not
softened or moved. On the contrary, the soul of Judas was offended and enraged
against the heavenly Lady for thus offering him a means of escaping from his
dreadful danger. Boundless ambition and avarice roused his fury against Her who
seemed to hinder him in his projects and he considered her well-meant advice as
an insult. But the meek and loving Dove pretended not to notice his obstinacy
and said nothing more to him at that time.
After his interview with most holy Mary, the avarice of Judas
would not allow him to rest; casting of all modesty and natural shame (and the
least spark of faith), Judas now resolved to apply to his divine Master and
Savior. Clothing himself like a consummate hypocrite in the garb of a sheep, he
went to his Master and said: "Master, I wish to fulfill thy wishes and
serve Thee as thy purser and as the dispenser of alms which we receive; I will
look to the interests of the poor, fulfilling thy doctrine that we should do
unto others as we wish them to do unto us, and I will see to it that alms
are distributed according to thy wishes, more profitably and orderly than
hitherto." Such reasoning the specious hypocrite boldly used, committing
many enormous sins in one and the same act. For, first of all he lied,
concealing his real intention. Then, being ambitious of an honor which he did
not merit, he neither wished to appear in his true light nor did he wish to be
in truth what he merely pretended to be. He also blamed his brethren,
discrediting them and praising himself: the ordinary course of those who are
ambitious. What is especially to be noticed in this conduct of Judas is that he
showed his loss of infused faith; for he attempted to deceive Christ, his divine
Master, by wearing the cloak of hypocrisy. For, if he had firmly believe that
Christ was true God and man who penetrated into the secrets of the heart, he
could not have hoped to able to deceive Him; nor would he have attempted such
double dealing, not only because he would have known Christ as the omniscient
God, but because he would not have hoped to impose upon the infused and beatific
science of Christ as man. Hence Judas had lost belief in all these prerogatives,
and to his other sins, added the sin of heresy.
But let us return to the answer given to Judas by the Master,
whom he asked to make him purser. We shall see how hidden and terrible are the
judgments of the Most High. The Redeemer wished to ward off from him the danger
which lay behind this request and which threatened the avaricious Apostle with
final perdition. In order that Judas might not excuse himself under plea of
ignorance, the Lord answered him: "Dost thou know, Judas, what thou seekest
and what thou askest? Be not so cruel toward thy own self as to solicit and seek
to obtain the poison and the arms which may cause thy death." Judas
replied: "Master I desire to serve Thee by employing my strength in the
service of thy faithful followers and in this way I can do it better than in any
other; for I offer to fulfill all the duties of this office without fail."
This daring presumption of Judas in seeking and coveting danger, justified the
cause of God in allowing him to enter and perish in the danger thus sought and
coveted. He resisted the light (Eccli. 15, 17), and hardened himself against it,
water and fire was shown him, life and death: he stretched forth his hand and
chose perdition.
WORDS OF THE QUEEN. (The Virgin Mary speaks to Sister Mary of
Agreda, Spain.)
My daughter, all that thou hast written in this chapter is
a most important warning for all those that live in the flesh and in the
imminent danger of losing eternal happiness. It should teach them to seek my
most kind and powerful intercession and to fear the judgments of the Most High;
for in this lies an efficacious means of salvation and of meriting higher reward
for the Lord. I wish to remind thee once more, that among the secrets revealed
to the beloved John at the last Supper, was also this, that he had become the
beloved disciple of Christ on account of his love toward me, and that Judas fell
because he despised the mercy and kindness which I had shown him. At that time,
also, the evangelist understood other great mysteries communicated and wrought
in me; that I should take part in the labor and suffering of the Passion and
that he should have special charge of me. My dearest, the purity which I
require of thee must be greater than that of an angel; and if thou strive after
it thou wilt become my dearest child, as saint John, and a most beloved and
favored spouse of my Son and Lord. His example and the ruin of Judas should
continually serve thee as a stimulus and as a warning, to seek only after my
love and to be sincerely thankful for the love shown thee without thy merit.
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Catechism of the Catholic Church
Part Two: The Celebration of the Christian Mystery, Sect 1:1:2
CHAPTER ONE: THE PASCHAL MYSTERY IN THE AGE OF THE CHURCH
Article 1
THE LITURGY - WORK OF THE HOLY TRINITY
II. Christ's Work in the Liturgy
Christ
glorified . . .
1084
"Seated at the right hand of the Father" and pouring out the Holy
Spirit on his Body which is the Church, Christ now acts through the sacraments
he instituted to communicate his grace. the sacraments are perceptible signs
(words and actions) accessible to our human nature. By the action of Christ and
the power of the Holy Spirit they make present efficaciously the grace that
they signify.
1085
In the liturgy of the Church, it is principally his own Paschal mystery that
Christ signifies and makes present. During his earthly life Jesus announced his
Paschal mystery by his teaching and anticipated it by his actions. When his
Hour comes, he lives out the unique event of history which does not pass away:
Jesus dies, is buried, rises from the dead, and is seated at the right hand of
the Father "once for all." Rom 6:10; ⇒ Heb
7:27; ⇒ 9:12; cf.
⇒ Jn 13:1; ⇒ 17:1 His Paschal mystery is a real
event that occurred in our history, but it is unique: all other historical
events happen once, and then they pass away, swallowed up in the past. the
Paschal mystery of Christ, by contrast, cannot remain only in the past, because
by his death he destroyed death, and all that Christ is - all that he did and
suffered for all men - participates in the divine eternity, and so transcends
all times while being made present in them all. the event of the Cross and
Resurrection abides and draws everything toward life.
. . . from
the time of the Church of the Apostles . . .
1086
"Accordingly, just as Christ was sent by the Father so also he sent the
apostles, filled with the Holy Spirit. This he did so that they might preach
the Gospel to every creature and proclaim that the Son of God by his death and
resurrection had freed us from the power of Satan and from death and brought us
into the Kingdom of his Father. But he also willed that the work of salvation
which they preached should be set in train through the sacrifice and sacraments,
around which the entire liturgical life revolves."SC 6
1087
Thus the risen Christ, by giving the Holy Spirit to the apostles, entrusted to
them his power of sanctifying: Jn 20:21-23 they became sacramental signs of Christ.
By the power of the same Holy Spirit they entrusted this power to their
successors. This "apostolic
succession" structures the whole liturgical life of the Church and is
itself sacramental, handed on by the sacrament of Holy Orders.
. . . is
present in the earthly liturgy . . .
1088
"To accomplish so great a work" - the dispensation or communication
of his work of salvation - "Christ is always present in his Church,
especially in her liturgical celebrations. He is present in the Sacrifice of
the Mass not only in the person of his minister, 'the same now offering,
through the ministry of priests, who formerly offered himself on the cross,'
but especially in the Eucharistic species. By his power he is present in the
sacraments so that when anybody baptizes, it is really Christ himself who
baptizes. He is present in his word since it is he himself who speaks when the
holy Scriptures are read in the Church. Lastly, he is present when the Church
prays and sings, for he has promised 'where two or three are gathered together
in my name there am I in the midst of them."'Mt 18:20
1089
"Christ, indeed, always associates the Church with himself in this great
work in which God is perfectly glorified and men are sanctified. the Church is
his beloved Bride who calls to her Lord and through him offers worship to the
eternal Father."SC 7
. . . which
participates in the liturgy of heaven
1090
"In the earthly liturgy we share in a foretaste of that heavenly liturgy
which is celebrated in the Holy City of Jerusalem toward which we journey as
pilgrims, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God, Minister of the
sanctuary and of the true tabernacle. With all the warriors of the heavenly
army we sing a hymn of glory to the Lord; venerating the memory of the saints,
we hope for some part and fellowship with them; we eagerly await the Savior,
our Lord Jesus Christ, until he, our life, shall appear and we too will appear
with him in glory."SC 8; cf. LG 50
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