MESSAGE FROM OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST TO LUZ DE MARIA 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. GIVE YOUR HANDS TO MY MOST HOLY MOTHER AND BE LOVE, BEFORE WHICH THERE IS NO DOOR THAT WILL NOT OPEN. 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. 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. 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, My beloved children: I bless you on this very special date. Your Jesus 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
LADY STOOD IN FRONT OF THE SUN - She was greater than their dreaded
sun-god "Huitzilopochtli".
- HER
FOOT RESTED ON THE CRESCENT MOON - She had clearly vanquished their
foremost deity, the feather serpent "Quetzalcoatl".
- 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!
- THE
BLUEâGREEN HUE OF HER MANTLE - She was a Queen for she wears the color of
royalty.
- THE
BLACK CROSS ON THE BROOCH AT HER NECK - Her God was that of the Spanish
Missionaries, Jesus Christ her son.
- THE
BLACK BELT - She was with child for she wore the Aztec Maternity Belt.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
- The
image to this date, cannot be explained by science.
- 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!
- There
is no under-sketch, no sizing and no protective over-varnish on the image.
- Microscopic
examination revealed that there were no brush strokes.
- 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.
- 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.)
- The
image has consistently defied exact reproduction, whether by brush or
camera.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
·
Rosary
[2] Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mother of the
civilization of love. Carl Anderson
& Msgr. Eduardo Chavez. http://www.secretsoftheimage.org/en/index.html
[8]http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/activities/view.cfm?id=1249
No comments:
Post a Comment