CARMEL'S OWN: 2010

Friday, December 24, 2010

CHRISTUS NATUS EST NOBIS!
VENITE ADOREMUS!
NATALE HILARE ET ANNUM FAUSTUM
25.XII.2010

FERNANDO PRIOR GENERALIS
DOMUSQUE GENERALIS COMMUNITAS

A HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ONE AND ALL THAT BRINGS TO EACH AND EVERYONE THE PEACE, JOY, LOVE AND BLESSINGS THAT ONLY THE DIVINE BABE CAN BESTOW.

Hymn on the Night of the Nativity
Pure is the present night, in which the Pure One appeared, who came to purify us! Let our hearing be pure, and the sight of our eyes chaste, and the feeling of the heart holy, and the speech of the mouth sincere! The present night is the night of reconciliation; therefore, let no one be wroth against his brother and offend him! This night gave peace to the whole world, and so, let no one threaten. This is the night of the Most Meek One; let no one be cruel! This is the night of the Humble One; let no one be proud! Now is the day of joy; let us not take revenge for offences! Now is the day of good will; let us not be harsh. On this day of tranquillity, let us not become agitated by anger! Today God came unto sinners; let not the righteous exalt him over sinners! Today the Most Rich One became poor for our sake; let the rich man invite the poor to his table! Today we received a gift which we did not ask for; let us bestow alms to those who cry out to us and beg! The present day has opened the door of heaven to our prayers; let us also open our door to those who ask of us forgiveness! Today the Godhead placed upon Himself the seal of humanity, and humanity has been adorned with the seal of the Godhead!

Saint Ephraim the Syrian

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of death. Amen.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

DECEMBER 2010

Lectio: St. Andrew, the Apostle
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Lectio: Matthew 15,29-37
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Lectio: Matthew 7,21.24-27
Friday, December 3, 2010
Lectio: Matthew 9,27-31
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Lectio: Matthew 9,35 - 10,1.5-8
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Lectio: 2nd Sunday of Advent
Monday, December 6, 2010
Lectio: Luke 5,17-26
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Lectio: Matthew 18,12-14
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Lectio: Immaculate Conception of the B.V.Mary
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Lectio: Matthew 11,11-15
Friday, December 10, 2010
Lectio: Matthew 11,16-19
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Lectio: Matthew 17,10-13
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Lectio: Third Sunday of Advent
Monday, December 13, 2010
Lectio: Matthew 21,23-27
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Lectio: Matthew 21,28-32
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Lectio: Luke 7: 19-23
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Lectio: Luke 7, 24-30
Friday, December 17, 2010
Lectio: Matthew 1,1-17
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Lectio: Matthew 1,18-24
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Lectio: 4th Sunday of Advent
Monday, December 20, 2010
Lectio: Luke 1: 26-38
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Lectio: Luke 1:39-45
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Lectio: Luke 1,46-56
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Lectio: Luke 1,57-66
Friday, December 24, 2010
Lectio: Luke 1,67-79
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Lectio: THE BIRTH OF THE LORD
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Lectio: THE HOLY FAMILY
Monday, December 27, 2010
Lectio: St. John the Apostle
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Lectio: Matthew 2:13-18
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Lectio: Luke 2,22-35
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Lectio: Luke 2,36-40
Friday, December 31, 2010
Lectio: John 1,1-18

Monday, November 1, 2010

Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Purgatory
Our Lady of Mount Carmel has been related with Purgatory from centuries ago. In some cases, she is showed accompanied with angels and souls wearing Brown Scapulars, pleading for her mediation, though in 1613 the Church forbade such images to be made, due to erroneous doctrine that was being preached about the Scapular privileges ("the Sabbatine Privilege").

That privilege appears in a Decree of the Holy Office (1613), and later was inserted in its entirety (except for the words forbidding the painting of the pictures) into the list of the indulgences and privileges of the Confraternity of the Scapular of Mount Carmel.

Today, the Carmelite Orders, while encouraging a belief in Mary's general aid and prayerful assistance for their souls beyond death and commending devotion to Mary especially on Saturdays which are dedicated to her, explicitly state in their official catechetical materials that they do not promulgate the Sabbatine privilege, and are at one with official Church teaching on the matter.

Click on the particular date to follow the day's lectio.

November 2010
Lectio: All Saints - Matthew 5,1-12a
Monday, November 1, 2010
Lectio: All souls - John 6,37-40
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Lectio: Luke 14,25-33
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Lectio: Luke 15,1-10
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Lectio: Luke 16,1-8
Friday, November 5, 2010
Lectio: Luke 16,9-15
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Lectio: 32nd Sunday of ordinary time
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Lectio: Luke 17,1-6
Monday, November 8, 2010
Dedication of the Basilica of St. John Lateran
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Lectio: Luke 17,11-19
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Lectio: Luke 17,20-25
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Lectio: Luke 17,26-37
Friday, November 12, 2010
Lectio: Luke 18,1-8
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Lectio: 33rd Sunday of ordinary time
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Lectio: Luke 18,35-43
Monday, November 15, 2010
Lectio: Luke 19,1-10
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Lectio: Luke 19,11-28
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Lectio: Luke 19,41-44
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Lectio: Luke 19,45-48
Friday, November 19, 2010
Lectio: Luke 20,27-40
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Lectio: Christ the King
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Lectio: Luke 21,1-4
Monday, November 22, 2010
Lectio: Luke 21,5-11
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Lectio: Luke 21,12-19
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Lectio: Luke 21,20-28
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Lectio: Luke 21,29-33
Friday, November 26, 2010
Lectio: Luke 21,34-36
Saturday, November 27, 2010

Friday, October 1, 2010

THE THEOTOKOS

The Faith of the Fathers Concerning the Holy Virgin: The Theotokos

It is then an integral portion of the Faith fixed by Ecumenical Council, a portion of it which you hold us well as I, that the Blessed Virgin is Theotocos, Deipara, or Mother of God; and this word, when thus used, carries with it no admixture of rhetoric, no taint of extravagant affection,—it has nothing else but a well-weighed, grave, dogmatic sense, which corresponds and is adequate to its sound. It intends to express that God is her Son, as truly as any one of us is the son of his own mother. If this be so, what can be said of any creature whatever, which may not be said of her? what can be said too much, so that it does not compromise the attributes of the Creator? He indeed might have created a being more perfect, more admirable, than she is; He might have endued that being, so created, with a richer grant of grace, of power, of blessedness: but in one respect she surpasses all even possible creations, viz., that she is Mother of her Creator.

This being the faith of the Fathers about the Blessed Virgin, we need not wonder that it should in no long time be transmuted into devotion. No wonder if their language should become unmeasured, when so great a term as "Mother of God" had been formally set down as the safe limit of it. No wonder if it should be stronger and stronger as time went on, since only in a long period could the fullness of its import be exhausted. The current of thought in those early ages did uniformly tend to make much of the Blessed Virgin and to increase her honours, not to circumscribe them. Little jealousy was shown of her in those times; but, when any such niggardness of affection occurred, then one Father or other fell upon the offender, with zeal, not to say with fierceness.
John Henri Newman Letter to Pusey, 1865

MULTIMEDIA : Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber (1644-1704) - Rosary Sonatas - Annunciation

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of death. Amen.

October 2010
Lectio: St. Theresa - Luke 10,13-16
Friday, October 1, 2010
Lectio: Guardian Angels - Matthew 18,1-5.10
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Lectio: 27th Sunday of ordinary time
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Lectio: Luke 10,25-37
Monday, October 4, 2010
Lectio: Luke 10,38-42
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Lectio: Luke 1,26-38
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Lectio: Luke 11,5-13
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Lectio: Luke 11,15-26
Friday, October 8, 2010
Lectio: Luke 11,27-28
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Lectio: 28th Sunday of ordinary time
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Lectio: Luke 11,29-32
Monday, October 11, 2010
Lectio: Luke 11,37-41
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Lectio: Luke 11,42-46
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Lectio: Luke 11,47-54
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Lectio: Luke 12,1-7
Friday, October 15, 2010
Lectio: Luke 12,8-12
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Lectio: 29th Sunday of ordinary time
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Lectio: St. Luke - Luke 10,1-9
Monday, October 18, 2010
Lectio: Luke 12,35-38
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Lectio: Luke 12,39-48
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Lectio: Luke 12,49-53
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Lectio: Luke 12,54-59
Friday, October 22, 2010
Lectio: Luke 13,1-9
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Lectio: 30th Sunday of ordinary time
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Lectio: Luke 13,10-17
Monday, October 25, 2010
Lectio: Luke 13,18-21
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Lectio: Luke 13,22-30
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Lectio: Saints Simon and Jude, apostles - Luke 6,12-19
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Lectio: Luke 14,1-6
Friday, October 29, 2010
Lectio: Luke 14,1.7-11
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Lectio: 31st Sunday of ordinary time
Sunday, October 31, 2010

Sunday, September 12, 2010

The Second Eve and the Immaculate Conception

She holds, as the Fathers teach us, that office in our restoration which Eve held in our fall: - now, in the first place, what were Eve's endowments to enable her to enter upon her trial? She could not have stood against the wiles of the devil, though she was innocent and sinless, without the grant of a large grace. And this she had; - a heavenly gift, which was over and above and additional to that nature of hers, which she received from Adam, a gift which had been given to Adam also before her, at the very time (as it is commonly held) of his original formation. This is Anglican doctrine, as well as Catholic ; (...)If Eve was raised above human nature by that indwelling moral gift which we call grace, is it rash to say that Mary had even a greater grace? And this consideration gives significance to the Angel's salutation of her as "full of grace," - an interpretation of the original word which is undoubtedly the {46} right one, as soon as we resist the common Protestant assumption that grace is a mere external approbation or acceptance, answering to the word "favour," whereas it is, as the Fathers teach, a real inward condition or superadded quality of soul. And if Eve had this supernatural inward gift given her from the first moment of her personal existence, is it possible to deny that Mary too had this gift from the very first moment of her personal existence? I do not know how to resist this inference: - well, this is simply and literally the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception. I say the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception is in its substance this, and nothing more or less than this (putting aside the question of degrees of grace); and it really does seem to me bound up in the doctrine of the Fathers, that Mary is the second Eve.
Suppose Eve had stood the trial, and not lost her first grace; and suppose she had eventually had children, those children from the first moment of their existence would, through divine bounty, have received the same privilege that she had ever had; that is, as she was taken from Adam's side, in a garment, so to say, of grace, so they in turn would have received what may be called an immaculate conception. They would have then been conceived in grace, as in fact they are conceived in sin. What is there difficult in this doctrine? What is there unnatural? Mary may be called, as it were, a daughter of Eve unfallen.
John Henri Newman

Letter to Pusey, 1866

MULTIMEDIA : Magnificat (Marco Frisina, Mina)

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of death. Amen.

"Lectio divina is an authentic source of Christian spirituality recommended by our Rule. We therefore practice it every day, so that we may develop a deep and genuine love for it, and so that we may grow in the surpassing knowledge of Christ. In this way we shall put into practice the Apostle Paul’s commandment, which is mentioned in our Rule: “Let the sword of the spirit, the Word of God, live abundantly in your mouth and in your hearts; and whatever you must do, do it in the name of the Lord.”
Carmelite Constitutions (No. 82)
September 2010
Lectio: Luke 4,38-44
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Lectio: Luke 5,1-11
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Lectio: Luke 5,33-39
Friday, September 3, 2010
Lectio: Luke 6,1-5
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Lectio: 23rd Sunday of Ordinary Time
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Lectio: Luke 6,6-11
Monday, September 6, 2010
Lectio: Luke 6,12-19
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Lectio: Birthday of Mary - Matthew 1,1-16.18-23
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Lectio: Luke 6,27-38
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Lectio: Luke 6,39-42
Friday, September 10, 2010
Lectio: Luke 6,43-49
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Lectio: 24th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Lectio: Luke 7,1-10
Monday, September 13, 2010
Lectio: The Exaltation of the Holy Cross - John 3,13-17
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Lectio: B.V Maria Addolorata - John 19,25-27
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Lectio: Luke 7,36-50
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Lectio: Luke 8,1-3
Friday, September 17, 2010
Lectio: Luke 8,4-15
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Lectio: 25th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Lectio: Luke 8,16-18
Monday, September 20, 2010
Lectio: Matthew 9,9-13
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Lectio: Luke 9,1-6
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Lectio: Luke 9,7-9
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Lectio: Luke 9,18-22
Friday, September 24, 2010
Lectio: Luke 9,43b-45
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Lectio: 26th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Lectio: Luke 9,46-50
Monday, September 27, 2010
Lectio: Luke 9,51-56
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Lectio: St. Michael Gabrie e Raffaele - John 1,47-51
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Lectio: Luke 10,1-12
Thursday, September 30, 2010

Saturday, July 31, 2010

AUGUST

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Friday, July 16, 2010

16th JULY 2010

Our Lady of Mount: the chapel of Mount Carmel
On the holy day of the Pentecost, when the Apostles, inspired from above, spoke in tongues and performed many miracles by invoking the most august name of Jesus. It is said that numerous men who had been prepared for Christ's coming by the predication of John the Baptist, had seen and recognized the truth. These disciples of the holy prophets Eli and Elijah embraced the faith of the Gospel at once. Significantly, the Blessed Virgin, with whom they had the chance to converse and get to know, became for them during these fortunate hours the object of such a special love and such deep veneration, that they were the first a chapel for this most pure Virgin. This chapel was erected on Mount Carmel, where Eli once saw a cloud rise in the image of the Virgin.

Dom Prosper Guéranger For July 16, Our Lady of Mount Carmel The Liturgical Year, the Time after Pentecost

Flos Carmeli, vitis florigera,
splendor caeli, Virgo puerpera singularis.
Mater mitis, sed viri nescia,
Carmelitis esto propitia,
stella maris.

IN SOLLEMNITATE B.V. MARIAE DE MONTE CARMELO

Fernando Prior Generalis
Domusque Generalis Communitas
16.VII.2010

MULTIMEDIA : La Anunciación

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of death.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

THE PRIOR GENERAL WRITES...

Letter from Prior General
Mary & the Brown Scapular

Dear Brothers and friends of the Carmelite Family,We are once again approaching the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. July is the Carmelite month par excellence and many things will remind us of our identity, our saints, our history and our spirituality. Among all of these the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel has pride of place in the lives of Carmelites. Thus, there is the ancient tradition of preparing for the feast by a Novena that serves as catechesis, as a joyful prelude to the feast and a liturgical and prayerful ascent to the heights of Carmel, accompanied by Mary, our first teacher and first disciple of the Lord.Down through the eight-hundred year history of Carmel, Mary has been given many different titles. She is invoked as Mother and Sister, as Queen of Carmel, as Star of the Sea, as the Lady of the place…. Each of these is full of tradition, devotion and spirituality. Mary continues today to take us to the very heart of the Gospel and the Christian life.At the entrance to the new cathedral in Los Angeles (U.S.A.) there is an image of Mary with a maternal gesture, inviting us to enter into the mystery, drawing one toward the main altar. Mary appears as mystagogue. In this her “lowliness” and humility help us to penetrate the mystery of the Incarnation and Redemption.Let us prepare ourselves to begin our Novena of Carmel so as to live it as a pathway, a pilgrimage, a journey of faith carrying us to the top of Mount Carmel. May you have a joyful Novena of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. May your gathering with others be a coming together of people, each coming from different starting points, moving towards a common destiny, to the mystery of life and love.

Fernando Millán Romeral,

Prior General

What Is An Icon of the Theotokos?

An icon (Greek: image) of the Mother of God or the Theotokos is a holy image used for veneration by the faithful. In churches and homes icons of the Mother of God are hung on the walls or placed on stands. Other icons often depict scenes from the Gospel and early Church history. When we venerate an icon, we show our love for Jesus Christ, the Mother of God or another saint and ask them to pray for us. Icons are not merely decorative works of art. They are neither subjective nor sentimental pictures, but are instead a window into the spiritual world. Veneration is not directed to the paint or wood of an icon, but to that other world from which Christ Himself, the "light that lightens every man that comes into the world," (Jn 1) shines.

An icon can show us something that happened in the life of the Most Holy Theotokos (Mother of God), for example the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ or other events recorded in the Gospel. But how do we venerate an icon? First we light a candle and bless ourselves with the sign of the Cross: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Then we kiss the holy icon. Candles are used near icons, signifying the Truth given by the One who illuminates the world with spiritual radiance. Candles are part of our offering to God, showing our soul's burning love for God and His Church. If the icon is of the Mother of God, we ask her to pray to God for us or for someone we love, knowing and trusting that God always hears Our Lady's prayers.

MULTIMEDIA : Sub tuum praesidium (Mgr Marco Frisina )

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of death. Amen.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

HER IMMACULATE HEART

Bertha Petit, Fatima, and the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary
As an apostle of the consecration of the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, Bertha Petit exerted a discrete but real influence. Belgium and Great Britain answered her call, as did a few French bishops. Her spiritual director was none other than Cardinal Mercier, one of the outstanding figures of the time. It is easy to see why, on March 7, 1916, in the midst of WWI, the famous archbishop of Malines imparted to his archdiocese: "On Good Friday, we will consecrate ourselves to the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary. We are pleased to honor the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and do well to do so; beside this privilege is freely granted by God (...); let us not forget the title that, by her suffering, won for Mary our gratitude. Pierced by the sword of interior martyrdom, Mary's Heart willingly joined her compassion to the Immolation of the Divine Victim of Calvary, for the redemption of our souls." Benedict XV must have been influenced by the cardinal when he said, one year before: "Let us address ourselves with trust to the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, the most sweet Mother of God, so that through her powerful intercession, she may obtain from her Son the prompt ending of the war and a return to peace."
Bertha's message is summed up in a few sentences. On Christmas Day 1909, Bertha received a first revelation. She saw the wounded Heart of Jesus and the Heart of Mary pierced by a sword, and then she heard from the mouth of Jesus: "Make the heart of my Mother, pierced by the sorrows that tore my own, be loved by all." On February 7, 1910, the young woman saw the seemingly combined Hearts of Jesus and Mary, surmounted by the dove symbolizing the Holy Spirit, as she heard the voice of Jesus again: "You must think of my Mother's Heart like you think of Mine; live within that Heart like you wish to live in Mine (...). This Love will be for you and for the world a source of graces; it will draw great blessings. Abandon yourself to my Love. The desire of my Heart will be revealed to you." On Easter Sunday 1911, Bertha was in Rome. Again she had a vision of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary surmounted by the dove. The Son spoke again: "By giving John to my Mother as a son, didn't I entrust to her the Sorrowful and Immaculate Motherhood of the whole world?"

Some would have liked to reverse the order of the epithets ("sorrowful" and "immaculate"). Wasn't Mary immaculate from conception, whereas her sorrow only began on the day that she received the mission of being the Mother of the Redeemer? Yet, here is the remarkable explanation that she received in September 1911, from Jesus himself: "My Mother's Heart deserves this title of Sorrowful, and I want it placed before that of Immaculate, because she acquired it herself. The Church has recognized what I did myself in her Immaculate Conception. It is now my wish that the right my Mother has, to possess a just title, be understood and known." In other words, the privilege of the Immaculate Conception is a free gift of God's mercy, for which Mary had no merit: it was the merits of her crucified Son that obtained for her not just to be redeemed after the fact like the rest of us, but before hand, to be totally preserved from sin. On the contrary, it is by a decision emanating from her own Heart that she later joined herself to the immolation of this Son offering himself on the cross for our redemption. By requesting that the title of sorrowful be placed before that of immaculate, Jesus stressed how sensitive He is to the freedom with which, following the example of his Mother, each one of us is able to respond to his love.

Slightly posterior but independent from Bertha Petit's experience, the events of Fatima would soon bind together the popular devotion to the Virgin's Heart to the atonement for sins. Lesser known than the next month's apparition-made famous because of the utterance of the three secrets-the apparition of June 13, 1917, contains a vision of the Sorrowful Heart of Mary. As Sister Lucia soberly remarked in her Memoirs: "In the Virgin's right palm was a heart surrounded by thorns that seemed pressed inside it. We understood that it was the Immaculate Heart of Mary, outraged by the sins of humankind, who asked for atonement." One can immediately grasp how the Belgian message and the Portuguese message completed each other. Bertha had been reminded why the Sorrowful Heart of Mary deserved our gratefulness, while the young shepherds' attention was drawn to the very source of that sorrow: the extreme purity of Mary's Heart caused her, more than any other creature, to suffer from our sins. The young Lucia only saw the symbol of that sorrowful heart, but she told us that the meaning didn't escape the intelligence of their childish hearts: it is because that heart is immaculate that it is full of sorrow. Bertha Petit, Fatima, and the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary (V)
Sensitive to the requests coming from Fatima, Pope Pius XII introduced in the liturgical calendar, for the octave of the Assumption, the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. But, by moving its memory to the day following the Solemnity of the Heart of Jesus, Paul VI reminded the Church about the true teaching of history: since the 17th century, the devotion to the Heart of the Mother has developed like a logical follow-up of the worship rendered to the Heart of the Son.

Edouard Glotin La Bible du Coeur de Jésus (The Bible Read on Jesus' Heart), Presses de la Renaissance, 2006

MULTIMEDIA : Botticelli, Compianto su Cristo morto

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of death. Amen.

Thursday, June 3, 2010

June 2010

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Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Mother Teresa and The Blessed Virgin

But Mother, I Have No Children
With only volunteer help, Mother Teresa was ministering to a large number of poor in various parts of Calcutta. Seeing the enormity of the need and wanting to do more, she implored the Virgin Mary to send her followers to further her work: I keep on telling her "I have no children" - just as many years ago she told Jesus "They have no wine" - I put all my trust in her Heart. She is sure to give me in her own way. (Journal, February 2, 1949) Her prayer was soon answered. Some of her former students from St Mary's were interested in Mother Teresa's new mission. She had already made an impact on them as their teacher, and now, in the example she was providing in this new life of Gospel service to the neediest they saw an ideal worth leaving everything to follow. On March 19, 1949, Shubashini Das, the future Sister Agnes, came to join her. During the following months more candidates arrived. By June 1950, the community numbered twelve. (...) Mother Teresa's accomplishments in little more than a year were remarkable.

Excerpts from Come Be My Light -

The Private Writings of the 'Saint' of Calcutta, Edited and with commentary by Brian Kolodiejchuk, M.C., Wheeler Publishing, (2008, pp 227-229).

MULTIMEDIA : Rodjenje Bogorodice

Monday, May 24, 2010

HER SMILE

Pentecost 1883: Our Lady's Smile

The illness was undoubtedly the work of the devil, who, in his fury at this first entry into the Carmel , sought revenge on me for the great harm my family was to do him in the future. However, he did not know that the Queen of Heaven watched over her Little Flower faithfully, that she smiled at her from above, ready to stop the storm, just in the nick of time when her delicate and fragile stem was in danger of being broken once and for all. At the end of the year 1882, I began to suffer from constant headaches; they were bearable, however, and did not prevent me from continuing my studies. They lasted till the Easter of 1883. Just then Papa went to Paris with Marie and Leonie , and confided Celine and me to the care of our uncle and aunt.
One evening I was alone with my uncle, and he talked so tenderly of my mother and of bygone days that I was deeply moved and began to cry. My sensitivity touched him too; he was surprised that someone of my age would feel as I did. So the he was determined to do all he could to organise all sorts of distractions during the holidays. But God had other plans. That same evening my headache became very acute, and I was seized with a strange shivering, which lasted all night. My aunt, like a real mother, never left me for a second. She stayed near me all through my illness with such tender, loving and devoted care. You may imagine my poor father's grief when he returned from Paris to find me in that hopeless state. He thought I was going to die, but Our Lord must have told to him: "This illness will not lead to death, it occurred for the glory of God." Yes, God was glorified by this trial. He was glorified by the admirable resignation of my father and sisters, especially Marie. She suffered so much because of me! How grateful I am to that dear sister! She seemed to know my needs by instinct, for a mother's heart is more powerful than the science of the ablest doctors. I do not know how to describe that strange illness. I said things which I had never thought of. I did things as though I were being forced in spite of myself. I almost always seemed to be delirious, and yet I feel certain that I was never, even for a minute, deprived of the use of my reason. Often I remained in a state of extreme mental exhaustion for hours, unable to make the slightest movement. However, in the midst of this extraordinary torpor, I distinctly heard what was being said around me, even the softest whisper. I remember it still.
And what fears the devil inspired in me! I was afraid of absolutely everything. My bed seemed to be surrounded by frightful precipices. Nails in the wall looked like terrifying long, shrivelled fingers, blackened by fire, making me scream in terror. One day, while Papa stood looking at me in silence, his hat in his hand suddenly turned into some sort of horrible shape, and I was so frightened that my poor father went away sobbing. In the moments when the pain was less intense, my great delight was to weave garlands of daisies and forget-me-nots for Our Lady. It was the beautiful month of May - all nature seemed to be clothed with spring flowers - the Little Flower alone drooped and seemed as though it had withered forever. Yet she too had a shining sun, the miraculous statue of the Queen of Heaven. How often, so very often, did the Little Flower turn towards that blessed Star! One day I saw Papa coming into my room in the deepest distress, and I watched him walk over to where Marie stood and give her some money, asking her to write to Paris, and have a novena of Masses said at the Shrine of Our Lady of Victories, to obtain the cure of his poor little queen. Ah, I was so touched by seeing his faith and his love! How much I longed to get up and tell him that I was cured! Alas, my desires could not work a miracle, and I needed a big one to restore my health. Yes, I needed a great big miracle, and Our Lady of Victories herself worked this miracle.
One Sunday, during the novena (Whit Sunday, 1883), Marie went into the garden, leaving me with Leonie, who was reading near the window. After a few minutes, I began to call softly: "Marie! Marie!" Leonie, accustomed to hear me moan like that, paid no attention, so I called louder, until Marie came back to me. I saw her come into the room quite well, but, at first, I did not recognize her. I looked around myself. I glanced anxiously into the garden, still calling: "Marie! Marie!" What unutterable anguish that forceful struggle was, and Marie perhaps suffered even more than her poor little Therese. Finally, after vain efforts to make me recognize her, she whispered a few words to Leonie, and went away pale and trembling. Soon my dear Leonie carried me to the window. There I saw the garden, but still I did not recognize Marie, who walked slowly, held out her arms, smiling at me, and calling me tenderly: "Therese, dear little Therese!" That last attempt failed again, my dear sister came in again and knelt at the foot of my bed in tears. She turned towards the statue of Our Lady, and pleaded her with the fervor of a mother who begs for her child's life. Leonie and Celine joined Marie in prayer, and that cry of faith forced open the gates of Heaven. I too turned to my Heavenly Mother, finding no relief on earth and nearly dead with pain, begging Our Lady from the bottom of my heart to have pity on me. Suddenly, the statue came to life! The Virgin became very beautiful, so divinely beautiful that I shall never find words to describe her. The expression of Our Lady's face radiated an ineffable gentleness, goodness, and tenderness, but what touched me to the very depths of my soul was her gracious smile. Then, all my pain vanished; two big tears welled up in my eyes and flowed silently. Ah, they were indeed tears of unmixed heavenly joy. "Our Blessed Lady has come to me, she has smiled at me. How happy I am, but I shall tell no one, or my happiness might disappear!" Such were my thoughts. Then, without any effort, I lowered my eyes, and I recognized my darling Marie. She looked lovingly at me, seemed very agitated, and she appeared as if she doubted the grace that I had just received. Ah, indeed thanks to her prayers I had received the most unfathomable favor - a smile from the Blessed Virgin! Seeing my eyes fixed on the statue, she said to herself: "Therese is cured!" Yes, it was true. The Little Flower had come back to life again - a bright ray from Our Lady's glorious Sun had warmed and set her free forever from her cruel enemy. "The dark winter is past, the rain is over and gone," and the Virgin Mary's Little Flower became so strong that five years later she opened wide her petals on the fertile mountain of Carmel.
Excerpts from: The Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of Saint Therese (Chapter 3)

MULTIMEDIA : Il ritratto di San Luca -(Rogier van der Weyden, Pablo Casals)

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of death.

Saturday, May 15, 2010

MAY 16

ST. SIMON STOCK.
Feast Day: May 16th
SIMON was born in the county of Kent, England, and left his home when he was but twelve years of age, to live as a hermit in the hollow trunk of a tree, whence he was known as Simon of the Stock. Here he passed twenty years in penance and prayer, and learned from our Lady that he was to join an Order not then known in England. He waited in patience till the White Friars came, and then entered the Order of our Lady of Mount Cannel. His great holiness moved his brethren in the general chapter held at Aylesford, near Rochester, in 1245, to choose him prior-general of the Order. In the many persecutions raised against the new religious, Simon went with filial confidence to the Blessed Mother of God. As he knelt in prayer in the White Friars' convent at Cambridge, on July 16th, 1251, she appeared be fore him and presented him with the scapular, in assurance of her protection. The devotion to the blessed habit spread quickly throughout the Christian world. Pope after Pope enriched it with indulgences, and miracles innumberable put their seal upon its efficacy. The first of them was worked at Winchester on a man dying in despair, who at once asked for the Sacraments, when the scapular was laid upon him by St. Simon Stock. In the year 1636, M. de Guge, a cornet in a cavalry regiment, was mortally wounded at the engagement of Tehin, a bullet having lodge near his heart. He was then in a state of grievous sin, but had time left him to make his confession, and with his own hands wrote his last testament. When this was done, the surgeon probed his wound, and the bullet was found to have driven his scapular into his heart. On its being withdrawn, he presently expired, making profound acts of gratitude to the Blessed Virgin, who had prolonged his life miraculously, and thus preserved him from eternal death. St. Simon Stock died at Bordeaus, A.D. 1265.

Scapular of Mount Carmel
The Scapular of the Confraternity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is brown in color, and often ornamented with pictures, which, however, are not essential. It owes its origin to Saint Simon Stock, an English Carmelite. Originally the investment with this scapular was restricted to the Carmelite Order, but now any priest having ordinary faculties in a diocese can invest with it. Saint Alphonsus Liguori died in 1787 wearing the Scapular of Mount Carmel. However, during the beatification process, when his tomb was opened, although the body of the holy bishop was found reduced to dust, and his clothes as well, his Scapular had remained perfectly intact! This precious relic is now housed at the Monastery of St Alphonsus in Rome. A century later, the same phenomenon of miraculous preservation of the Scapular was found when the relics of St John Bosco were examined.
Adapted from: A Garment of Salvation: The Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel By a Monk of Saint Joseph Abbey (Flavigny, France)

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of death. Amen.

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Mary: A Role Model for Mothers

I imagine Mary holding Jesus like I did my babies, and bouncing him on her hip to keep him quiet as she's having a conversation. I imagine her doing everything I do with my kids--everything except for plugging her ears with her iPod to drown out the noise. I visualize her as the mom next door. Because in so many ways, that's what she was? In other words, Mary did the job of motherhood about as well as could anyone and she has much to teach us. Now I studied theology, but I still have a hard time comprehending the miracle of the Incarnation. However, Mary helps me to understand it better. The Trappist monk Thomas Merton wrote in his meditation: "Mary, who was empty of all egotism, free from all sin, was as pure as the glass of a very clean window that has no other function than to admit the light of the sun. If we rejoice in that light, we implicitly praise the cleanness of the window." I suspect therein is the hardest part of motherhood: to stay pure, to not get caught up in ego and self, so that we can hear the true desires of our children but also those of God. So I add Mary, the mother of Jesus to the list of great moms like Erma Bombeck, Marian Wright Edelman, and Jacqueline Onassis?

Adapted from an article by Therese J. Borchard See: www.beliefnet.com/beyondblue.

MULTIMEDIA : Пресвятая Богородице спаси нас!

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of death.

Saturday, May 1, 2010

The Discovery of the "Treatise of True the Devotion" by Karol Wojtyla (Pope JP II)

The reading of this book marked a turning point in my life. I say "a turning point" although it was actually a long interior journey, coinciding with my clandestine preparation for priesthood. At this point in time this singular treatise came into my hands; it is one of those books that is not enough to have only just "read". I remember that I carried it for long time in my pocket, even taking it with me to the factory where I worked, so that its beautiful cover became stained with lime. I often thought about the passages and went back over them again and again. I quickly realized that there was something fundamental beyond the archaic manner of the book. From then onward, the Marian devotion of my childhood and even of my youth made way to a new attitude: a devotion that came from the deepest part of my faith, from the heart of a Trinitarian and Christological reality. Whereas before I always held back my love for the Virgin Mary in fear that my devotion to the Mother of God might mask Christ instead of yielding the way to Him, I came to understand in the light of the Treatise of Saint Louis de Montfort that it was actually the contrary. Our interior relationship with the Mother of God results organically from our bond to the mystery of Christ. It is therefore out of the question that one could prevent the other. (...) It is even possible to say that one who endeavors to know and love Jesus Christ designates Mary as his own Mother just as the disciple John did at Calvary.

Be Not Afraid!: John Paul II Speaks Out on His Life, His Beliefs, and His Inspiring Vision for Humanity, Andre Frossard in conversation with Pope John Paul II.

Translated from the French by J.R. Foster, 1984

MULTIMEDIA : Velankanni, India

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of death. Amen.

May 2010
Title: Lectio: John 14,7-14
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Title: Lectio: 5th Sunday in Easter
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Title: Lectio: John 14,21-26
Monday, May 3, 2010
Title: Lectio: John 14,27-31a
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Title: Lectio: John 15,1-8
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Title: Lectio: John 15,9-11
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Title: Lectio: John 15,12-7
Friday, May 7, 2010
Title: Lectio: John 15,18-21
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Title: Lectio: 6th Sunday of Easter
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Title: Lectio: John 15,26 - 16,4a
Monday, May 10, 2010
Title: Lectio: John 16,5-11
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Title: Lectio: John 16,12-15
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Title: Lectio: John 16,16-20
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Title: Lectio: John 16,20-23a
Friday, May 14, 2010
Title: Lectio: John 16,23b-28
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Title: Lectio: The Ascension of the Lord
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Title: Lectio: John 16,29-33
Monday, May 17, 2010
Title: Lectio: John 17,1-11a
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Title: Lectio: John 17,11b-19
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Title: Lectio: John 17,20-26
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Title: Lectio: John 21,15-19
Friday, May 21, 2010
Title: Lectio: John 21,20-25
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Title: Lectio: Pentecost Sunday
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Title: Lectio: Mark 10,17-27
Monday, May 24, 2010
Title: Lectio: Mark 10,28-31
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Title: Lectio: Mark 10,32-45
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Title: Lectio: Mark 10,46-52
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Title: Lectio: Matthew 11,25-30
Friday, May 28, 2010
Title: Lectio: Luke 1,39-56
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Title: Lectio: The Most Holy Trinity
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Title: Lectio: Mark 12,1-12
Monday, May 31, 2010

Monday, April 26, 2010

Mary is a Woman who Loves

Outstanding among the saints is Mary, Mother of the Lord and mirror of all holiness. In the Gospel of Luke we find her engaged in a service of charity to her cousin Elizabeth, with whom she remained for "about three months" (1:56) so as to assist her in the final phase of her pregnancy. "Magnificat anima mea Dominum", she says on the occasion of that visit, "My soul magnifies the Lord" (Lk 1:46). In these words she expresses her whole programme of life: not setting herself at the center, but leaving space for God, who is encountered both in prayer and in service of neighbour - only then does goodness enter the world. (...) Mary's greatness consists in the fact that she wants to magnify God, not herself. She is lowly: her only desire is to be the handmaid of the Lord (cf. Lk 1:38, 48). She knows that she will only contribute to the salvation of the world if, rather than carrying out her own projects, she places herself completely at the disposal of God's initiatives. Mary is a woman of hope: only because she believes in God's promises and awaits the salvation of Israel, can the angel visit her and call her to the decisive service of these promises. Mary is a woman of faith: "Blessed are you who believed", Elizabeth says to her (cf. Lk 1:45).

The Magnificat - a portrait, so to speak, of her soul - is entirely woven from threads of Holy Scripture, threads drawn from the Word of God. Here we see how completely at home Mary is with the Word of God, with ease she moves in and out of it. She speaks and thinks with the Word of God; the Word of God becomes her word, and her word issues from the Word of God. Here we see how her thoughts are attuned to the thoughts of God, how her will is one with the will of God. Since Mary is completely imbued with the Word of God, she is able to become the Mother of the Word Incarnate.

Finally, Mary is a woman who loves. How could it be otherwise? As a believer who in faith thinks with God's thoughts and wills with God's will, she cannot fail to be a woman who loves. We sense this in her quiet gestures, as recounted by the infancy narratives in the Gospel. We see it in the delicacy with which she recognizes the need of the spouses at Cana and makes it known to Jesus. We see it in the humility with which she recedes into the background during Jesus' public life, knowing that the Son must establish a new family and that the Mother's hour will come only with the Cross, which will be Jesus' true hour (cf. Jn 2:4; 13:1). When the disciples flee, Mary will remain beneath the Cross (cf. Jn 19:25-27); later, at the hour of Pentecost, it will be they who gather around her as they wait for the Holy Spirit (cf. Acts 1:14).
Benedict XVI Deus est caritas # 41

MULTIMEDIA : En Ammaye Orkumbol Madhave (India)
MULTIMEDIA : Hristos Anesti

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of death. Amen.