NINE-MONTH NOVENA TO OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE

NINE-MONTH NOVENA TO OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE
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Bishop Olmstead's call to arms

Bishop Olmstead's call to arms
INTO THE BREACH

Prayer consecrating the upcoming election in the United States to the Blessed Virgin Mary

Prayer consecrating the upcoming election in the United States to the Blessed Virgin Mary
Voting now till November 5-we hope?!

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Tuesday, December 12, 2023


MESSAGE FROM OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

TO LUZ DE MARIA
DECEMBER 8, 2023

My beloved children, I bless you all, I bless you in your being, so that you would turn to Me at all times.

I INVITE YOU TO CONTINUE HAND IN HAND WITH MY MOST HOLY MOTHER, INTERCESSOR FOR ALL HUMANITY.

I call you to rejoice on this very special date, celebrating the Immaculate Conception of My Most Holy Mother, so that you would repay her with joy and special recognition of Her Immaculate Conception from the first moment of Her Being. (Lk. 1:28).

MY MOTHER IS PRAISED BY ALL IN HEAVEN; ON THIS DATE SHE IS ADORNED WITH THE GOLD OF OPHIR FOR THIS OCCASION.

I must tell you that My Mother has wanted to share with Her children the pain of what is happening, and She wears Her white garment and heavenly mantle to accompany Her children received at the foot of My Cross. (Jn. 19:26-27)

Humanity is not progressing towards good, but towards evil. Humanity is immersed in interests that do not lead it to acquire treasures for Heaven, but for Earth.

My suffering and that of My Mother are profound as we live each moment in which My children of this generation, in their great majority, will surrender to Satan and be lost. My children's faith is weak; it is not deep, but passes through various states in the space of an instant. This makes My Blessed Mother suffer.

My beloved, at the moment the battle for souls is fierce; the evil oppressor of My children is like a roaring lion looking for the slightest reason to tempt the weak and carry off his spoils.

Be creatures of goodness; live practicing charity in all its aspects, do not hold grudges that gnaw at your lives; be like children. Seek peace and harmony with your brothers and sisters; keep in mind that My Blessed Mother distinguished herself by her faith, by not questioning, by being meek and by being the essence of Love.

GIVE YOUR HANDS TO MY MOST HOLY MOTHER AND BE LOVE, BEFORE WHICH THERE IS NO DOOR THAT WILL NOT OPEN.
I GRANT YOU ALL THAT YOU ASK OF ME FOR THE GOOD OF MY CHILDREN.

You find yourselves in serious times, ones of interests, of persecutions, of falsehoods, but you are not alone: you have received a Mother who loves you and has remained with Her people and will remain with Her people until the end.

My children, adorn My Blessed Mother with your communion in a state of grace; adorn My Most Holy Mother with the love that you have for Her. Be obedient children so that you may continue on the right path, practising the Commandments and Sacraments.

What would become of a child of Mine separated from Me, living an individual faith without correction or penance, not correcting his conduct, without love for his neighbor, absorbing all that comes to him from Me and from My Mother and keeping it in his heart, where peace does not remain stable but moves from one place to another?

My Mother grieves over these children of Mine who cause her so much suffering. Give My Blessed Mother your hand so that you may walk on the right path.

My Immaculate Mother, without the least vestige of sin, is the Sacred Vessel from which I, as God, was born. Souls who have walked practicing good, loving their neighbor, forgiving and fulfilling My Will, present themselves before Her who is the Gate of Heaven.

DEAR CHILDREN, THERE IS NO WAY OTHER THAN THAT OF BEING LIKE MY MOTHER - obedient, loving the Divine Will, being a Woman of Silence, merciful, possessing all the gifts and virtues owned by the Queen of Heaven.

Pure, without sin, My Mother is the Mother of humanity, always searching for Her children and welcoming repentant sinners so that they do not feel alone, guiding them on the right path.

Pray, My children, receive Me in the Holy Eucharist in a state of grace.

Pray, My children, for those who reject Me and for those who do not love My Most Holy Mother.

Pray for all humanity, not forgetting that you must increase in faith.

Pray for those who do not love Me, for those who do not love My Mother, for those who enter into foul waters using the double-edged sword.

Pray for all humanity, which finds itself at a critical moment; remain vigilant so that My Mother, who loves you with Eternal Love, would not lose you.

Favored rose of the Heavenly Garden,
Spring of crystalline water that quenches My children’s thirst,
with Her Love She raises the sick and encourages them to continue.
Temple of the Divine Spirit, welcoming everyone,
not rejecting any of Her children.
Beloved Mother of Mine, path of souls.

My beloved children:

I bless you on this very special date.
I bless your heart.
I bless your mind so that you would not let go of it, letting it gnaw at your soul.
I bless you with My Love.
I bless you with the love of My Most Holy Mother.

Your Jesus

HAIL MARY MOST PURE, CONCEIVED WITHOUT SIN
HAIL MARY MOST PURE, CONCEIVED WITHOUT SIN
HAIL MARY MOST PURE, CONCEIVED WITHOUT SIN


Tuesday of the Second Week in Advent

Feast of our lady of Guadalupe

 

Job, Chapter 28, Verse 28

And to mortals he said: See: the FEAR of the Lord is wisdom; and avoiding evil is understanding.

 

This chapter contains beautifully vivid descriptions of that Wisdom which is beyond the attainment of creatures and known only to God.

Wisdom

 

The story is about seeking wisdom, here is how the conversations continue.[1]

  • Eliphaz won't back down. He tells Job that he definitely messed up somehow to merit such a crazy punishment.
  • According to this major downer, the rules are the rules; if you're being punished, you must have done something wrong.
  • Job reflects on what he would do if he were actually allowed to present his case to God. 
  • He makes the call: he would "heed" him but not "contend" with him. God is, after all, God. Contending may not be the best idea.
  • Next up? A long monologue about the state of violence on earth. 
  • Yeah, this one's a downer.
  • Bildad asks Job, "How can a mortal be righteous?"
  • Job's ready with an answer.
  • He declares that of course God is the master of the universe, but it doesn't matter. He still deserves some explanation.
  • God may be within everyone and everywhere, but he's still as mysterious as they come. 
  • And when it affects people (like Job), those people need some answers. 
  • Job refuses to back down from his earlier position. Yeah, it's a little repetitive, but hey, the guy has gone through a lot.
  • The discussion continues about divine justice and how the evildoers (nonbelievers) will get what's coming to them by God.
  • Where can seekers find wisdom? Answer? We're still not sure.

The moral of the story is that wisdom lives with God. To fear the scope and power of this divine wisdom is to be truly wise in a human sense. Kind of how a truly wise man knows that he knows nothing. 

Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe 

Mary had no fear of the world or man, yet, when the angel appeared, she was immersed in holy fear. Let us follow Mary’s example and bravely face the day saying YES to God. 

Listen to Mary’s words of encouragement as she appeared to Saint Juan Diego.

 

"Hear me and understand well, my son the least, that nothing should frighten or grieve you. Let not your heart be disturbed. Do not fear that sickness, nor any other sickness or anguish. Am I not here, who is your Mother? Are you not under my protection? Am I not your health? Are you not happily within my fold? What else do you wish? Do not grieve nor be disturbed by anything." 

One wonders if Mary thought of these same affirmations during the angel’s visit of God the Father. Are you not happily within my fold! Are you not under my protection! 

Mary appeared to St. Juan Diego just 12 years after the defeat of the Aztec empire by Hernan Cortes. Documents from that period indicate that the Aztec leadership was hatching a plot to reestablish themselves and renew the taking of human hearts as a sacrifice to their gods. Our Lady stopped that with her appearance to Juan Diego. In the space of 10 years after her appearance over 9 million Aztecs converted to the faith.[2]

Things to Do[3]

·         Start a novena to Our Lady of Guadalupe.

·         If you live close to La Crosse, WI visit the beautiful Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe; if not make a virtual visit.

·         Read more about this title of Our Lady.

·         Make a sacrifice, say a prayer or visit the Blessed Sacrament for an end to abortion.

·         If your parish is having a pro-life Mass or holy hour try to attend.

·         Have a party, which includes a procession and a special Mexican dinner to celebrate the feast.

·         See Celebrating the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe for ideas. 

Hope of the Aztecs[4] 

In 1910 Our Lady of Guadalupe was declared Patroness of Latin America, and in 1945 Pope Pius XII declared Her to be the Empress of all the Americas. "Rejoice: the Lord is nigh." As Christmas draws near, the Church emphasizes the joy which should be in our hearts over all that the birth of our Savior means for us. The great joy of Christians is to see the day drawing nigh when the Lord will come again in His glory to lead them into His kingdom. The oft-repeated Veni ("Come") of Advent is an echo not only of the prophets but also of the conclusion of the Apocalypse of St. John: "Come, Lord Jesus," the last words of the New Testament.

The End of bloody human sacrifice[5]

Our Lady came to offer faith, hope and consolation to the oppressed natives of Mexico and to reconcile them with their Spanish rulers. She put an end to the bloody human sacrifice of the Aztecs and converted ten million natives in the next 10 years! After the conquest, the Spanish rule of the natives was so severe that a bloody revolt was imminent. Bishop Zummaraga prayed for Our Lady to intervene to prevent an uprising, to reconcile the Spanish and the natives and to bring peace. He asked that he receive roses native to his homeland of Castile Spain as a sign that his prayer would be answered. On December 9, 1531, Our Lady appeared to Blessed Juan Diego who was a recently converted Aztec. She asked him to go to the Bishop and request him to build a church for her on the barren hill of Tepeyac which part of Mexico City is now. Our Lady wanted to show her merciful love to all of her children. The prudent Bishop asked Juan to ask the Lady for a sign. Juan did so, and Our Lady promised to give him the sign. On December 12, Our Lady again appeared to Juan on Tepeyac Hill and told him to pick the Castilian roses which miraculously appeared there and bring them to the Bishop as a sign for him to believe her request. Juan gathered the roses into his tilma and brought them to the Bishop. He opened the tilma to show them and, to everyone's astonishment, the Image of Our Lady appeared on it. The Bishop then built the church as Our Lady had requested and ten million natives were converted and baptized to the one, true faith within the next 10 years. Human sacrifice ended in Mexico forever. Our Lady of Guadalupe, which means Crusher of the serpent's head, brought the light of the true faith, crushed the false gods of Mexico, and established an era of peace.

The Image as Pictograph

The Image of Our Lady is actually an Aztec Pictograph which was read and understood quickly by the Aztec Indians.

  1. THE LADY STOOD IN FRONT OF THE SUN - She was greater than their dreaded sun-god "Huitzilopochtli".
  2. HER FOOT RESTED ON THE CRESCENT MOON - She had clearly vanquished their foremost deity, the feather serpent "Quetzalcoatl".
  3. THE STARS STREWN ACROSS THE MANTLE - She was greater than the stars of heaven which they worshipped. She was a virgin and the Queen of the heavens for Virgo rests over her womb and the northern crown upon her head. She appeared on December 12, 1531, for the stars that she wore are the constellation of stars that appeared in the sky that day!
  4. THE BLUEâGREEN HUE OF HER MANTLE - She was a Queen for she wears the color of royalty.
  5. THE BLACK CROSS ON THE BROOCH AT HER NECK - Her God was that of the Spanish Missionaries, Jesus Christ her son.
  6. THE BLACK BELT - She was with child for she wore the Aztec Maternity Belt.
  7. THE FOUR-PETAL FLOWER OVER THE WOMB - She was the "Mother of God." The flower was a special symbol of life, movement and deity - the center of the universe.
  8. HER HANDS ARE JOINED IN PRAYER - She was not God but clearly there was one greater than Her and she pointed her finger to the cross on her brooch.
  9. THE DESIGN ON HER ROSE-COLORED GARMENT - She is the "Queen of the Earth," for she is wearing a map of Mexico telling the Indians exactly where the apparition took place.

The Image and Science

  1. The image to this date, cannot be explained by science.
  2. The image shows no sign of deterioration after 450 years! The tilma or cloak of Juan Diego on which the image of Our Lady has been imprinted, is a coarse fabric made from the threads of the maguey cactus. This fiber disintegrates within 20-60 years!
  3. There is no under-sketch, no sizing and no protective over-varnish on the image.
  4. Microscopic examination revealed that there were no brush strokes.
  5. The image seems to increase in size and change colors due to an unknown property of the surface and substance of which it is made.
  6. According to Kodak of Mexico, the image is smooth and feels like a modern-day photograph. (It was produced 300 years before the invention of photography.)
  7. The image has consistently defied exact reproduction, whether by brush or camera.
  8. Several images can be seen reflected in the eyes of the Virgin. It is believed to be the images of Juan Diego, Bishop Juan de Zummaraga, Juan Gonzales, the interpreter and others.
  9. The distortion and place of the images are identical to what is produced in the normal eye which is impossible to obtain on a flat surface.
  10. The stars on Our Lady's Mantle coincide with the constellation in the sky on December 12, 1531. All who have scientifically examined the image of Our Lady over the centuries confess that its properties are absolutely unique and so inexplicable in human terms that the image can only be supernatural!

Music of the Tilma[6]

Hidden Music was discovered in the mantle of the Virgin of Guadalupe. The symphonic work is entitled, "Music in the mantle of the Virgin of Guadalupe." The work is based on the musical notes and melody found by Ojeda Llanes after nearly 23 years of research carried out on the mantle, stars, and flowers of the Virgin of Guadalupe.

It is interesting to note that our Lady Mary manifested herself to the new world on or around the traditional Jewish feast of Hanukkah which she must have celebrated with Joseph and her son Christ. 


ENTRANCE ANTIPHON          Revelation 12:1

Signum magnum apparuit in caelo: mulier amicta sole, et luna sub pedibus eius, et in capite eius corona stellarum duodecim

A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun,
with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.

COLLECT

Deus, Pater misericordiarum, qui sub Sanctissimae Matris Filii tui singulari patrocinio plebem tuam constituisti, tribue cunctis, qui Beatam Virginem Guadalupensem invocant, ut, alacriori fide, populorum progressionem in viis iustitiae quaereant et pacis.

O God, Father of mercies, who placed your people under the singular protection of your Son's most holy Mother, grant that all who invoke the Blessed Virgin of Guadalupe, may seek with ever more lively faith the progress of peoples in the ways of justice and of peace.

FIRST READING          Zechariah 2:14-17

Sing and rejoice, O daughter Zion! See, I am coming to dwell among you, says the LORD. Many nations shall join themselves to the LORD on that day, and they shall be his people, and he will dwell among you, and you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you. The LORD will possess Judah as his portion in the holy land, and he will again choose Jerusalem. Silence, all mankind, in the presence of the LORD! For he stirs forth from his holy dwelling.

GOSPEL          Luke 1:26-38

The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, "Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you." But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end." But Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?" And the angel said to her in reply, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God." Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her.

Poinsettia Day[7]

 “Conversely, the red plant itself burns a brighter red when set off by the green than when it grows among its peers. In the bed I always reserved for poinsettia seedlings, there was little to distinguish one plant from its neighbors. My poinsettia did not turn scarlet until I planted it in new surroundings. Color is not something one has; color is bestowed on one by others.”
― Arthur Japin

Poinsettia Day, a day to celebrate the ever-popular red flower used around the Christmas holiday season. When looking at a Poinsettia, all we can think of is “The Poinsettia is to Christmas like a pumpkin is to Halloween” But where is the Poinsettia from, and how did it become a Christmas staple? That’s why we’re here to find out what Poinsettia Day is all about! To find out where the Poinsettia flower originated from, we have to take a look in the past. In 1480 to his death, Aztec King Montezuma adorned his palace with Poinsettia or Cuetlaxochitl as it was known by the Aztecs, having his people cultivate the flower as a gift from the Gods. Poinsettia was served as a reminder of the sacrifice that the Aztec gods had made to create the universe and that the debt would be repaid in human sacrifices. The Aztecs used Poinsettia’s sap to cure fevers and the leaves make a dye. Then, in the 17th century after the Conquistadors invaded Mexico, the blood red wildflower became a part of Christian ceremony for the first time when it was used in the nativity procession, the Fiesta of Santa Pesebre. It’s around this time that many legends originated, attempting to explain why the plant, beginning to be called “La flor de Nochebuena,” or Holy Night had acquired its bright and beautiful red color. After being discovered in 1828 by Joel Roberts Poinsett, the poinsettia became a popular specimen among botanists. One Botanist in particular by the name of Wilenow, in 1833 he named the Poinsettia “Euporbia pulcherrima.” But after only four years another botanist by the name of William Hickling Prescott renamed the flower to “Poinsettia pulcherrima” in honor of the man who brought the flower back to be studied, Joel Poinsett. 

How to Celebrate Poinsettia Day

To celebrate Poinsettia Day, the Poinsettia is displayed on the Dia de le Virgen, or Virgin’s Day on December 12th in Mexico. In the United States, there are parades that include Poinsettias to commemorate Joel Poinsett’s discovery of the plant in the month of December.

Spiritual Crib[8] 

A special devotion that can be performed during Advent to prepare for the coming of the Infant Savior. It can be adapted for adults and/or children and applied as is appropriate to your state in life. 

·         2nd Day, December 12th: THE FOUNDATION—Humility We lay the foundation of our little Stable by practicing the virtue of humility. Therefore, we may not excuse ourselves, whether good or evil; make frequent acts of humility and perform at least one humble task. Clean the toilets. 

Catechism of the Catholic Church

PART THREE: LIFE IN CHRIST

SECTION ONE-MAN'S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT

                        CHAPTER ONE-THE DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON

Article 3-MAN'S FREEDOM

I. Freedom and Responsibility

1731 Freedom is the power, rooted in reason and will, to act or not to act, to do this or that, and so to perform deliberate actions on one's own responsibility. By free will one shapes one's own life. Human freedom is a force for growth and maturity in truth and goodness; it attains its perfection when directed toward God, our beatitude.

1732 As long as freedom has not bound itself definitively to its ultimate good which is God, there is the possibility of choosing between good and evil, and thus of growing in perfection or of failing and sinning. This freedom characterizes properly human acts. It is the basis of praise or blame, merit or reproach.

1733 The more one does what is good, the freer one becomes. There is no true freedom except in the service of what is good and just. the choice to disobey and do evil is an abuse of freedom and leads to "the slavery of sin."

1734 Freedom makes man responsible for his acts to the extent that they are voluntary. Progress in virtue, knowledge of the good, and ascesis enhance the mastery of the will over its acts.

1735 Imputability and responsibility for an action can be diminished or even nullified by ignorance, inadvertence, duress, fear, habit, inordinate attachments, and other psychological or social factors.

1736 Every act directly willed is imputable to its author:

Thus the Lord asked Eve after the sin in the garden: "What is this that you have done?" He asked Cain the same question. The prophet Nathan questioned David in the same way after he committed adultery with the wife of Uriah and had him murdered.
An action can be indirectly voluntary when it results from negligence regarding something one should have known or done: for example, an accident arising from ignorance of traffic laws.

1737 An effect can be tolerated without being willed by its agent; for instance, a mother's exhaustion from tending her sick child. A bad effect is not imputable if it was not willed either as an end or as a means of an action, e.g., a death a person incurs in aiding someone in danger. For a bad effect to be imputable it must be foreseeable, and the agent must have the possibility of avoiding it, as in the case of manslaughter caused by a drunken driver.

1738 Freedom is exercised in relationships between human beings. Every human person, created in the image of God, has the natural right to be recognized as a free and responsible being. All owe to each other this duty of respect. The right to the exercise of freedom, especially in moral and religious matters, is an inalienable requirement of the dignity of the human person. This right must be recognized and protected by civil authority within the limits of the common good and public order.

Daily Devotions

·         Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them in fasting: Today's Fast: Holy Priests, Consecrated and Religious.

·         Jesse Tree ornament: David: 1 Sam. 17:12-51 Symbols: slingshot, 6-pointed star.

·         Make reparations to the Holy Face-Tuesday Devotion

·         Pray Day 4 of the Novena for our Pope and Bishops

·         Religion in the home: Preschool for December

·         Tuesday: Litany of St. Michael the Archangel

·         Offering to the sacred heart of Jesus

·         Make reparations to the Holy Face

·         Light a candle for a loved one

·         Drops of Christ’s Blood

·         Universal Man Plan

·         Rosary

[8]http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/activities/view.cfm?id=1249  



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