MAY
Flowers
in Mary's month tie us closely to the reawakening earth. The time of
Resurrection and expectant Pentecost is one of buds, blossoms, wildflowers, and
greening of meadows and lawns. Days lengthen and we welcome the warmth of the
sun after the long winter. Jesus is risen and is present in our midst, and so
we rise and ascend with him.
The month of
May is dedicated to The
Blessed Virgin Mary. The entire month falls within the liturgical
season of Easter, which is represented by the liturgical color
white — the color of light, a symbol of joy, purity and innocence (absolute or
restored). As Spring blossoms forth and we are surrounded by new life, we spend
this month full of the joy of our Easter celebration and in anticipation of the
coming of the Holy Spirit, our Consoler and Advocate.
·
The
world is resplendent with Spring's increased light and new growth. It is Mary’s
month in the Easter season and all of nature rejoices with the Queen of heaven
at the Resurrection of the Son she was worthy to bear. During the remainder of
Easter time, let us endeavor through the prayers of the Holy Liturgy and the
Holy Rosary to deepen our gratitude for the mystery of our Baptismal rebirth in
Christ.
·
"The
month of May, with its profusion of blooms was adopted by the Church in the
eighteenth century as a celebration of the flowering of Mary's maidenly
spirituality, with its origins in Isaiah's prophecy of the Virgin birth of the
Messiah under the figure of the Blossoming Rod or Root of Jesse, the flower
symbolism of Mary was extended by the Church Fathers, and in the liturgy, by
applying to her the flower figures of the Sapiential Books-Canticles, Wisdom,
Proverbs and Sirach.
·
"In
the medieval period, the rose was adopted as the flower symbol of the Virgin
Birth, as expressed in Dante's phrase, 'The Rose wherein the Divine Word was
made flesh,' and depicted in the central rose windows of the great gothic
cathedrals-from which came the Christmas carol, 'Lo, How a Rose 'ere Blooming.'
Also, in the medieval period, when monasteries were the centers of
horticultural and agricultural knowledge, and with the spread of the Fransiscan
love of nature, the actual flowers themselves, of the fields, waysides and
gardens, came to be seen as symbols of Mary…" – John S. Stokes
·
Pentecost,
the birth of the Church, is also among the celebrations of May. Though sprung
from the side of Christ on the Cross, the Church marks as her birthday the
descent of the Holy Spirit on Mary and the Apostles. At the 'birth' of the
world, the Holy Spirit — the Breath of God — was the "mighty wind [that]
swept over the waters" (Gen 1:2); at the birth of the Church He is present
again "like the rush of a mighty wind" to recreate the world in the
image of Christ through His Church (Acts 2:2).
We, the members of Christ’s Mystical Body,
are the present-day disciples sent by the Holy Spirit to bring Christ to the
world. May we go forth as did Mary, who set out in haste to assist St.
Elizabeth (feast of the Visitation, May 31). Come upon us, O Holy Spirit, so
that, with Mary, we may proclaim the greatness of the Lord who has done great
things for us — for his mercy endures forever!
It is a very old tradition to make pilgrimages during the
month of May to shrines dedicated to Mary. Although this author is writing
about the country of England, even in America there are shrines, basilicas,
cathedrals or churches that one can visit in a pilgrimage.
MAY 1 Wednesday
MAY DAY-ST. JOSEPH THE WORKER
Acts, Chapter 5,
verse 26
26Then the captain
and the court officers went and brought them in, but without force, because
they were afraid of being stoned by the people.
The
apostles were brought before the Sanhedrin for trial.
These temple priests which were instrumental in causing the crucifixion of
Christ were now enflamed with jealousy over the apostles; who by the
resurrection of Christ no longer feared death or taxes. The people began to
believe, and the world was never the same.
The
apostles after their release immediately resumed public teaching, they rendered
unto God what was God’s.
The
apostles filled with the Holy Spirit were not afraid anymore. They practiced
obedience, commitment, healthy relationships and faith. They had generous
hearts.
Effective
leaders gather for others then give it away. This is God’s economy which is
radically different. By releasing our grasp and not clinging to our possessions
we become more like Him who had nothing; the one who gave the only resource He had--Himself.
Building
Generosity
1. Be grateful for
whatever you have.
2. Put people first.
3. Don’t allow greed
to control you.
4. Regard money as a
resource.
5. Develop the habit
of giving.
Amoris
Lætitia[3] The Experiences
and Challenges of Families-The Current
Reality of the Family
The
welfare of the family is decisive for the future of the world and that of the
Church. Families are faced with the growing danger represented by an extreme
individualism (which the world professes) which weakens family bonds and ends
up considering each member of the family as an isolated unit, leading in some
cases to the idea that one’s personality is shaped by his or her desires, which
are considered absolute”. The tensions created by an overly individualistic
culture, caught up with possessions and pleasures, leads to intolerance and
hostility in families. Freedom of choice makes it possible to plan our lives
and to make the most of ourselves. Yet if this freedom lacks noble goals or
personal discipline, it degenerates into an inability to give oneself
generously to others. It is easy nowadays to confuse genuine freedom with the
idea that each individual can act arbitrarily, as if there were no truths,
values and principles to provide guidance, and everything were possible and
permissible. The ideal of marriage, marked by a commitment to exclusivity and
stability, is swept aside whenever it proves inconvenient or tiresome. The fear
of loneliness and the desire for stability and fidelity exist side by side with
a growing fear of entrapment in a relationship that could hamper the
achievement of one’s personal goals.
The
earliest May Day celebrations appeared in pre-Christian times, with the Floralia,
festival of Flora, the Roman goddess of flowers, held on April 27 during the
Roman Republic era, and with the Walpurgis Night celebrations of the Germanic
countries. The day was a traditional summer holiday in many pre-Christian
European pagan cultures. As Europe became Christianized, the pagan holidays lost their
religious character and May Day changed into a popular secular celebration. A
significant celebration of May Day occurs in Germany where it is one of several
days on which St. Walburga, credited with bringing
Christianity to Germany. The secular versions of May Day, observed in Europe
and America, may be best known for their traditions of dancing around the maypole
and crowning the Queen of May. Fading in popularity since the
late 20th century is the giving of "May baskets," small baskets of
sweets or flowers, usually left anonymously on neighbors’ doorsteps. Since the
18th century, many Roman Catholics have observed May – and May Day – with
various May devotions to the Blessed Virgin Mary. In works of art, school
skits, and so forth, Mary's head will often be adorned with flowers in a May
crowning. May 1 is also one of two feast days of the Catholic patron saint of
workers St Joseph the Worker, a carpenter, husband to Mother Mary, and
surrogate father of Jesus. Replacing another feast to St. Joseph,
this date was chosen by Pope Pius XII in 1955 as a counterpoint to the
Communist International Workers Day celebrations on May Day.
May
Day Facts & Quotes[5]
·
Roman
Catholics celebrate May as Mary's month, and May Day is celebration of the
Blessed Virgin Mary.
·
May
Day is also recognized as International Worker's Day, or Labor Day. This
day commemorates workers rights and the labor movement. One popular cause
that this day commemorates is the eight-hour workday.
·
During
the Haymarket Affair of 1886, more than a dozen people were killed after a
3-day strike and rally. US Labor Unions had agreed upon a general nationwide
strike on May 1, 1886 in support of an eight-hour work day. One such rally,
held outside the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company, Chicago, Illinois,
became violent when police fired into the crowd of striking workers. Outraged,
the worker's organized another rally the next day at Haymarket Square.
The rally became violent when a bomb was thrown into a crowd of police.
Seven officers were killed. A very public trial ensued which ended
in the public hanging of four anarchists.
·
In
France, it is customary to give a sweet smelling flower called the spring of
lily of the valley (a symbol of springtime) on May 1st. The tradition started
in 1561 when King Charles IX of France received a lily of the valley as a lucky
charm.
·
All
labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken
with painstaking excellence. – Martin Luther King Jr.
·
May Day Top Events and Things to Do
·
Dance
around a Maypole. Decorate a tall pole with garlands of flowers and ribbons.
Have a group of friends each take a ribbon and dance around the pole,
interweaving the ribbons to form a braided affect. The braid can be undone by
retracing one's steps.
·
Have
a picnic outdoors in the sunshine.
·
Attend
a May Day Festival.
·
Visit
a local fresh air market.
·
Watch
a film relating to worker’s rights. Our favorite films on the topic:
1) The Grapes of Wrath (1940)
2) Office Space (1999)
3) Caesar Chavez (2014)
1) The Grapes of Wrath (1940)
2) Office Space (1999)
3) Caesar Chavez (2014)
Things to
Do
·
May
1 is celebrated in Communist countries as the Day of the International
Solidarity of Workers. Today would be a good day to pray for athesistic
Communism's influence to cease and a proper application of the principles
explained by Leo XIII in Rerum novarum and John Paul II
in Centesimus annus to be the guide
used by nations.
Daily Devotions
[2] John Maxwell, The Maxwell Leadership
Bible.
[3] Pope Francis, Encyclical on Love.
[6]http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2017-05-01
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