DAY 22 - MARY, SEAT OF WISDOM, PRAY THAT WE RECEIVE THE FRUIT OF LONGANIMITY!
GOD'S WORD
HEROES' WORDS
MEDITATION
PRAY A ROSARY
- Rosary of the Day: Joyful Mysteries
- Traditional 54 Day Rotation: Joyful Mysteries
What Can We Do?
"The plague was still ravaging Rome, and Gregory ordered the procession to continue to make the circuit of the city, the marchers chanting litanies. An image of the Blessed Mary ever Virgin was carried in the procession...Then the pope saw an angel of the Lord standing atop the castle of Crescentius, wiping a bloody sword and sheathing it. Gregory understood that that put an end to the plague, as, indeed, happened. Thereafter the castle was called the Castle of the Holy Angel."
October 11 - Rosary Coast to Coast
- 2 Chronicles 7:14
First Saturday
TERESA OF CALCUTTA
He fulfills the
desire of those who FEAR him; he hears their cry and saves them.
I would like to focus on the word desire from verse 19 above. I like to hike and pray. One day I was hiking in the Fay Canyon area of Sedona, Arizona and I was reflecting on the seven deadly sins and the opposing virtues of our Lord’s sermon on the mount. As I was hiking and musing over the words that are associated with the deadly sin of lust: such words as long for, hanker for, hunger for, yearn, crave, and desire. In my mind I repeated desire, desire, desire and I asked our Lord what do you want me to desire? As I asked that question, I looked up at the canyon and spied a rock formation in the shape of a chalice. Yes Lord, I exclaimed. I shall desire to receive you in the Holy Mass. Today would be a good day to rest in the Lord and go to Confession and Mass-receiving true health, His body and blood. As we receive realize that He has heard our cry’s and has saved us. Such is the love of our God!
1465 When he celebrates
the sacrament of Penance, the priest is fulfilling the ministry of the Good
Shepherd who seeks the lost sheep, of the Good Samaritan who binds up wounds,
of the Father who awaits the prodigal son and welcomes him on his return, and
of the just and impartial judge whose judgment is both just and merciful. The
priest is the sign and the instrument of God's merciful love for the sinner.
First Saturday[2]
The following is an
explanation of the conditions contained in Our Lady's request regarding the
Communion of reparation on the First Saturdays of the Month.
1.
Confess and
receive Holy Communion
On February 15, 1926
the Child Jesus alone came to visit Sr. Lucia and asked if the devotion to the
Immaculate Heart of Mary was being propagated. Sr. Lucia spoke of a difficulty
some people have in confessing on the first Saturday and asked if they might be
allowed eight days in order to fulfill Our Lady's requests. Jesus answered: "Yes,
even more time still, as long as they receive Me in the state of grace and have
the intention of making reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary."
2.
Recite the
Rosary
Five decades of the
Rosary may be recited at any time or place; yet, since one will be attending
Mass in order to receive Holy Communion, a very desirable time and place would
be before or after Mass in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. Meditation on
the mysteries according to one's capacity is an essential condition for praying
the Rosary. Yet, involuntary distractions do not rob the Rosary of fruit if one
is doing the best he can.
3.
"Keep me
company for fifteen minutes while meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary."
The question is often asked: Does the meditation while reciting the Rosary fulfill this condition, or is there required an additional fifteen minutes of meditation? That an additional 15 minutes of meditation is required was recently confirmed by Sr. Lucia of Fatima. It is clear too from a statement by the first Bishop of Fatima.
The last entry in the chronology of Fatima, published in the official Calendar of the Sanctuary for the year of 1940, and signed by Dom Jose Correia da Silva, the first Bishop of Fatima, gave a summary of Our Lady's requests concerning the Five First Saturdays. From that official statement in the Calendar of the Sanctuary, we read the Bishop's enumeration of the various items that pertain to the devotion of the five Saturdays:
It consists in going
to Confession, receiving Communion, reciting five decades of the Rosary and
meditating for a quarter of an hour on the mysteries of the Rosary on the first
Saturday of five consecutive months. The Confession may be made during the
eight days preceding or following the first Saturday of each month, provided
that Holy Communion be received in the state of grace. Should one forget to
form the intention of making reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, it may
be formed at the next Confession, occasion to go to confession being taken at
the first opportunity.
The meditation embraces
one or more mysteries; it may
even include all, taken together or separately, according to individual
attraction or devotion; but it is preferable to meditate on one mystery each month.
Speaking of the
requirement of "keeping me company for fifteen minutes while meditating
on the mysteries of the Rosary," the Bishop's comment that "it
is preferable to meditate on one mystery each month" could apply only
to an extra fifteen minutes, for each decade of the Rosary must have its own
particular meditation. This is clear from the definition of the Rosary given in
the official document of the Church on indulgences, the ENCHIRIDION OF
INDULGENCES published by Pope Paul VI in 1968. It describes the Rosary as
follows:
"The Rosary is a
certain formula of prayer, which is made up of fifteen decades of HAIL MARYS
with an OUR FATHER before each decade, and in which the recitation of each decade is accompanied by pious meditation
on a particular mystery of our Redemption." (n. 48)
Like the Rosary, this
meditation may be made any time or place during the first Saturday. Yet again,
like the Rosary, a very fitting time and place would be in the presence of the
Blessed Sacrament before or after Mass. The question has been asked:
"Would an extra Rosary, which would require about fifteen minutes, fulfill
this request? It would seem, if fruitfully meditated, that it would. Or again,
the time could be spent reading
meditatively on one of the fifteen mysteries, which is a form of mental
prayer that involves reading with frequent pauses to reflect on the matter
read.
4.
With the
intention of making reparation.
All of the conditions
mentioned above - in numbers 1 to 3 - should be fulfilled with the intention of
making reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. On the occasion of the visit
of the Child Jesus to Sr. Lucia (Feb. 16, 1926), she asked: "My Jesus,
what about those who forget to make the intention?" Jesus answered: "They
can do so at their next confession, taking advantage of their first opportunity
to go to Confession."
The above are the
minimum requirements for fulfilling the conditions of Our Lady's promise to
obtain for us "at the hour of death the graces necessary for salvation."
Yet, these Communions of reparation, as has been pointed out, are only a
portion of the devotion of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. These few pages are
meant to help bring about a frame of mind and heart that will make us aware of
the need of reparation all through the month, and not just on the first
Saturday.
WHY FIVE SATURDAYS?
It
is sometimes asked why Our Lady asked for Communions of reparation on five
first Saturdays, instead of some other number. Our Blessed Lord answered that
question when He appeared to Sr. Lucia May 29, 1930. He explained that it was
because of five kinds of offenses and blasphemies against the Immaculate Heart
of Mary, namely: blasphemies against her Immaculate Conception, against her
perpetual virginity, against the divine and spiritual maternity of Mary,
blasphemies involving the rejection and dishonoring of her images, and the
neglect of implanting in the hearts of children a knowledge and love of this
Immaculate Mother.
Teresa of Calcutta[3]
Mother Teresa of Calcutta,
known as the "saint of the gutters", feast day will be September 5
for the church calendar, during her life, was declared a saint of the Roman
Catholic Church by Pope Francis (September 4, 2016) just 19 years after her
death. A Nobel peace laureate, her legacy complements Pope Francis's vision of
a humble church that strives to serve the poor. Francis said she was a
"dispenser of divine mercy" and held world powers to account
"for the crimes of poverty they created. For Mother Teresa, mercy was the
salt which gave flavor to her work, it was the light which shone in the
darkness of the many who no longer had tears to shed for their poverty and
suffering. She showed we can't all do everything, but little gestures made with
so much love are what's important."
Foundation of Love[4]
John
McCain in his book “Character is Destiny” stated Mother Teresa shows us how
mercy is the only way to find contentment by being selfless. Great
leadership is based on a foundation of love. McCain states, “She chose to live
amid squalor and sickness and desperation, endured hardship and endless toil,
and might have been the happiest person on earth.” Mother did not flee from the
Lord; nor did she fear anyone. When the Lord called her; she knew the call was
authentic because it filled her with joy.
The
first counsel of Mother Teresa is to put your hand in His and walk all the way
with Him. When you hear the call to follow follow. To Mother Teresa it was
never more complicated than that. To her care of the dying was the purest
expression of love. Who around you is dying-physically, emotionally or
spiritually? Love might not heal every wound of disease, but it heals the
heart. McCain notes that Mother Teresa showed that rather than chasing
ambition the greatest contentment comes from having a foundation of love. “She
loved and was loved, and her happiness was complete.”
International Day of Charity[5]
The International Day of Charity
seeks to promote and recognize charity and its role in easing humanitarian
crises and suffering in the world. The day also serves to recognize the work of
charitable organizations and individuals around the globe whose philanthropic
actions have contributed to the creation of more inclusive and resilient
societies. The International Day of Charity was designated by the United Nations
General Assembly in an effort to mobilize the world to help others. The day is
celebrated every year on September 5th, the anniversary of the death of Mother
Theresa of Calcutta, one of the most philanthropic individuals of our time.
Mother Theresa passed away in 1997 at the age of 87 after a lifetime of
charitable work with the sick and dying in India.
International
Day of Charity Facts & Quotes
·
Any
charity donations that are made are tax deductible in many countries the year
they are made.
·
Americans
donated approximately 2% of their disposable income to charity in 2014. This
amount has remained constant over the past decade, despite large fluctuations
in the economy.
·
The
annual average US household charitable donation is $2,974.
·
98.4%
of high earning households give to charity and 63% say that a major motivation
for their donations is to give back to the community.
·
Let
us always meet each other with smile, for the smile is the beginning of love. –
Mother Teresa, world-renowned nun and missionary.
International
Day of Charity Top Events and Things to Do
·
Watch
a movie about the impact and importance of charitable work. Some suggestions
are: Pay it Forward (2000), It Could Happen to You (1994), and The Letters
(2014).
·
Spread
awareness about the holiday by using the hashtags #InternationalDayofCharity,
#Charity and #MamaT.
·
Buy
a book
that directly supports charity. All net proceeds from any of the books listed
go directly to charity. Ready a great story and support a good cause all at
once!
·
Donate
to your favorite charity. If you do not have a charity of choice, Charity Navigator can help you find one. There’s a charity that just
about everyone can find reason to support out there. Check out Cross
Catholic Outreach
·
Read
a book about the impact and importance of charitable work and about the
charitable life that Mother Teresa led. Some suggestions are: Abundance, Systems
Thinking for Social Change, Start Something that Matters, The Joy in Loving and
Mother Teresa: A Simple Path.
Kentucky Derby[6]
The Kentucky Derby is the most popular and oldest horse race in the world. The race is a 1.25-mile long, Grade 1 stakes horse race for three-year-old thoroughbreds on a dirt track. It is held annually at Churchill Downs racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky. The Kentucky Derby, run on the first Saturday in May of every year, is the first leg of the elusive Triple Crown races. It is followed by the Preakness Stakes two weeks later in Baltimore, Maryland and the Belmont Stakes, 3 weeks after the Preakness in Elmont, New York. Meriweather Clark founded the Kentucky Derby, which was first held in 1875. Since then, the Derby has become a day of luxury and fashion and celebrities are often in attendance.
Kentucky Derby Facts & Quotes
·
Over
160,000 spectators come to see the Kentucky Derby every year while millions of
others watch it on TV.
·
In
Kentucky, the equine industry generated 3 billion dollars annually and creates
55,000 jobs.
·
As
of 2015, no woman trainer or jockey has won the Kentucky Derby. Many have run
horses and ridden them, but none have won.
·
Only
12 horses have ever been able to win the Triple Crown. The most recent was
American Pharaoh in 2015. Prior to 2015, the Triple Crown hadn't been won since
1978.
· I feel like the luckiest Mexican on Earth. He has been a special horse since the first time I rode him. He has a lot of talent and is an unbelievable horse. Turning for home I started riding a little harder. At the eighth pole, I just couldn’t put that other horse (Firing Line) away, but he got it done. - Victor Espinoza - 2015 Kentucky Derby winning Jockey riding American Pharaoh.
Kentucky Derby Top Events and Things to Do
·
Attend
the Kentucky Derby in Louisville, Kentucky. Be careful though, tickets are very
expensive and must be purchased far in advance for the event.
·
Enjoy
a good movie about horses and horse racing. Some of our picks are: The
Cup (2011), The
First Saturday in May
(2007), Racing Stripes (2005), Seabiscuit (2003), The
Derby Stallion
(2005), Secretariat
(2010) and Dreamer
(2005).
·
Book
a horseback riding class at a local stable. Try to get a feel for what it would
be like to race that fast.
· Plan a Triple Crown Party. Be sure to send out invitations for the Derby, the Preakness and the Belmont. Pick favorite horses and see who wins the home derby. During the celebration it would be a good idea to also pray for the pope who wears the triple crown of the church. The Triple Crown (the tiara) represents the pope's three functions as "supreme pastor", "supreme teacher" and "supreme priest". The gold cross on a monde (globe) surmounting the tiara symbolizes the sovereignty of Jesus.[7]
Bless the
Animals and the Simple[8]
One day while, Mitch, a Protestant was at the track playing the ponies and all but losing his shirt noticed a Catholic priest who stepped out onto the track and blessed the forehead of one of the horses lining up for the 4th race. Lo and behold, that horse – a very long shot – won the race.
Before the next race, as the horses began lining up, Mitch watched with interest the old priest step onto the track. Sure enough, before the 5th race the horses came to the starting gate. The priest made a blessing on the forehead of one of the horses. Mitch made a beeline for a betting window and placed a small bet on the horse blessed by the priest. Again, even though it was another long shot, the horse the priest had blessed won the race. Mitch collected his winnings, and anxiously waited to see which horse the priest would bless for the 6th race.
The priest again blessed a horse. Mitch bet big on it,
and it won. Mitch was elated. As the races continued the priest kept blessing
long shot horses, and each one ended up coming in first. By and by, Mitch was
pulling in some serious money. By the last race, he knew his wildest dreams
were going to come true. He made a quick dash to the ATM, withdrew all his
savings, and awaited the priest's blessing that would tell him which horse to
bet on. True to his pattern, the priest stepped onto the track for the last
race and blessed the forehead of an old nag that was the longest shot of the
day. Mitch also observed the priest blessing the eyes, ears, and hooves of the
old nag. Mitch knew he had a winner and bet every cent he owned on the old nag.
He then watched dumbfounded as the old nag come in dead last and then dropped
dead. Mitch, in a state of shock, made his way down to the track area where the
priest was. Confronting the old priest, he demanded, 'Father! What happened?
All day long you blessed horses and they all won. Then in the last race, the
horse you blessed lost by a Kentucky mile. Now, thanks to you I've lost every
cent of my savings – all of it!'. The priest nodded wisely and with sympathy.
'Son,' he said, 'that's one of the problems with you Protestants; you can't
tell the difference between a simple blessing and the Sacrament of Last Rites.'
Daily Devotions
·
Saturday
Litany of the Hours Invoking the Aid of Mother Mary
·
Offering to the
sacred heart of Jesus
·
Make
reparations to the Holy Face
·
Rosary
[4]McCain, John
and Salter, Mark. (2005) Character is destiny. Random House, New York.
Comments
Post a Comment