CARMEL'S OWN

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

TRANSPARENCY

Mary, the Transparency of God

Among all the words that the Father pronounced in his Creation, one was quite singular. It couldn't be the object of intelligence or intuition. It was not the splendor of the divine sun, but a soft and pleasant shadow. It was like a delicate white cloud that, in its course, lessened the brightness of the sun, too strong for our eyes. It was in the plan of Providence that the Word would become flesh. A word, the Word, was to be written down in our world, in flesh and blood, and the Word needed a backdrop. The celestial harmonies longed, for the love of us, to transport their unique concert under our tents. They needed a silence on which to resound. The One who would lead humanity, give meaning to the past centuries, shed light on the future centuries and lead their march, had to appear on the world stage. But he needed a spotless canvas on which he could shine.

The greatest project that our God of Love could envision had to be traced with majestic and divine lines. The whole palette of virtues had to be gathered in a human heart willing to serve him. This admirable shadow, that carries the sun within her, who yields to him and find herself in him; this spotless canvas; this unfathomable abyss who contains the Word, the Christ, and loses herself in him. Light within the Light; this sublime silence that cannot keep quiet any longer since the divine harmonies of the Word sing within her and that becomes, in him, the note among all notes, the A of the eternal song rising from Heaven. This majestic decor, splendid as nature, where the beauty profusely spread by the Creator across the universe is concentrated; this universe reserved for the Son of God, who forgets herself, having no other interest than the One who had to come and came, the One who had to accomplish his work and accomplished it. This rainbow of virtues that announces peace to the whole world, after giving birth to Peace itself; this creature that the Trinity, in its unfathomable mystery, invented and gave to us, is Mary.

One cannot speak about her: one can only sing her praises. It is difficult to reason about her: we love and invoke her. She is the object of poems, not of speculations of the mind. The greatest geniuses of the world have placed their brushes and their pens at her service. If Jesus is the incarnation of the Word, the Logos, the Light, the Reason, Mary is the personification of Art, Beauty, and Love. Mary, the Creator's masterpiece, is the one in whom the Holy Spirit gave free rein to his genius, in whom he poured out the flow of his inspirations. Mary is so beautiful! We will never be able to sing enough praises of her.

Chiara Lubich, Foundress of the Focolari Movement

MULTIMEDIA : Dobranoc glowo swieta (Joanna Slowinska) This beautiful hymn, typically sung after the evening's final devotion on Good Friday, is nearly impossible to translate. The hymn recounts the Blessed Virgin holding the lifeless body of her son, our Lord Jesus Christ. As she holds him she whispers sweet goodnights to the injured parts of His body, His head, His blood covered hair, His neck, hands, and feet, His heart, His legs, and finally the cross and grave.

Monday, March 1, 2010

B V and the EUCHARIST

March 2010
Monday: 1 March 2010 - Luke 6,36-38
Tuesday: 2 March 2010 - Matthew 23,1-12
Wednesday: 3 March 2010 - Matthew 20,17-28
Thursday: 4 March 2010 - Luke 16,19-31
Friday: 5 March 2010 - Matthew 21,33-43.45-46
Saturday: 6 March 2010 - Luke 15,1-3.11-32
3rd Sunday of Lent: 7 March 2010 - Luke 13:1-9
Monday: 8 March 2010 - Luke 4,24-30
Tuesday: 9 March 2010 - Matthew 18,21-35
Wednesday: 10 March 2010 - Matthew 5,17-19
Thursady: 11 March 2010 – Luke 11:14-23
Friday: 12 March 2010 - Mark 12,28b-34
Saturday: 13 March 2010 - Luke 18,9-14
4th Sunday of Lent: 14 March 2010 - Luke 15,1-3.11-32
Monday: 15 March 2010 - John 4,43-54
Tuesday: 16 March 2010 - John 5,1-16
Wednessday: 17 March 2010 - John 5,17-30
Thursday: 18 March 2010 - John 5,31-47
Saint Joseph: 19 March 2010 - Matthew 1,16.18-21.24a
Saturday: 20 March 2010 - John 7,40-53
5th Sunday of Lent: 21 March 2010 - John 8, 1-11
Monday: 22 March 2010 - John 8,1-11
Tuesday: 23 March 2010 - John 8,21-30
Wednesday: 24 March 2010 - John 8,31-42
The Annunciation of the Lord: 25 March 2010 - Luke 1,26-38
Friday: 26 March 2010 - John 10,31-42
Saturday: 27 March 2010 – John 11,45-56
Palm Sunday: 28 March 2010 - Luke 22:14-23,56
Monday: 29 March 2010 - John 12,1-11
Tuesday: 30 March 2010 - John 13,21-33.36-38
Wednesday: 31 March 2010 - Matthew 26,14-25

Mary, Model of Eucharistic life

On February 27, 1868, upon the advice of her spiritual advisor Father Calage S.J., Blessed Mary of Jesus (Mary Deluil-Martiny, foundress of the Congregation of the Daughters of the Heart of Jesus), outlined the plan of her future work. Her newly-founded institute would fulfil the wishes expressed by Our Lord to Saint Margaret Mary. The model for this life of Eucharistic reparation would be the Virgin Mary's life after the glorious Ascension of Jesus.

At Calvary, Mary offered the sacrifice of her Son, and united herself to it. After the Resurrection, she offered that same sacrifice by the hands of St John the Apostle, helping the Church and the apostles by prayer and her silent, hidden sacrifice. After the Ascension of Jesus, Mary remained on earth alone with her memories, alone with her treasure hidden in the Eucharist, alone with the newborn Spouse, the Church, whose cradle was entrusted to her.

What filled the soul and the life of Mary during these years that are shrouded in mystery and seldom meditated upon? It was the Eucharist, Calvary, and the Church.

Site of the Daughters of the Heart of Jesus www.dochtersheilighart.net

MULTIMEDIA : Vergine bella (Bartolomeo Tromboncino)

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.

Friday, February 26, 2010

THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

I am the Immaculate Conception

In Lourdes, the dazzling visitor of the grotto revealed her secret: "As she had done with my previous questions, the Lady nodded, smiled, and said nothing. I don't know why, but I felt bolder and asked her again to let me know her name. She renewed her smile and her gracious salutation, but remained silent. A third time, I joined my hands, while recognizing that I was unworthy of the favor I was asking, and I presented the same prayer.

The Lady was standing above the rosebush. Upon my third request, she took a serious air and seemed to humble herself (...) She separated her hands, stretched and raised them, then brought them close to her chest (...) She looked up at the sky (...) and told me with a trembling voice: "Que soy era Immaculada Councepciou" -- "I am the Immaculate Conception."

Bernadette ran to repeat this sentence that she didn't understand to the parish priest. The latter was struck with deep emotion, and now believed in the reality of the apparitions. He cried out: "She's the Blessed Virgin!" Indeed, four years before, Pope Pius IX had infallibly proclaimed that the Virgin Mary was conceived without sin.

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.

Saturday, February 13, 2010

The Apparitions of Mary in Lourdes

The mountain air was cold on February 11, 1858, in Lourdes. Food was scarce and the firewood was all gone in the "cachot" (the squalid room where Mr. Soubirous found refuge for his wife and 9 children). So that day young Bernadette went out with a few friends, to gather dead wood at the grotto of Massabielle near the Gave River.

Suddenly, she heard a sound like a gust of wind, and she raised her head to look at the grotto. Bernadette saw a Lady dressed in white. Her body was not different from ours except for its ineffable beauty. She was of medium height and seemed very young. The curve of her oval face had heavenly grace and her blue eyes were so sweet that they could melt anyone's heart. Her mouth breathed God's goodness and kindness. Entering a supernatural stupor but filled with joy, Bernadette dared to approach the Lady, reciting her rosary. The apparition ended.

Bernadette came out of her ecstasy, and egged on by her companions, she shared with them what she should have kept to herself. On hearing the story, Mrs. Soubirous was wary and forbid her daughter to return to the grotto of Massabielle. But the following Sunday, she gave in to Bernadette's friends and gave them permission to go. Arriving at the grotto, the visionary announced: "There she is." Then she threw holy water in the Lady's direction, saying: "If you come from God, stay or else go away!" The Lady smiled and bowed her head. The more Bernadette threw holy water, the more she smiled.

On February 18, 1858, the Lady asked Bernadette: "Will you be good enough to come to the grotto for fifteen days?" Filled with joy, the young girl promised, and the Lady continued: "I promise to make you happy, not in this world, but in the next."

On the 21st, Bernadette had to make her way through a crowd of 100 or so people to get to the grotto. The Lady had a distant gaze, her face seemed sad; then she spoke: "Pray for the sinners."

On the 24th, Bernadette, bathed in tears, could only repeat to the crowd the injunctions of the Lady, which she summed up in one word: "Penance!"

On the 25th, Bernadette crawled on her knees to the center of the grotto preceded by the Lady. "Now go drink at the fountain and wash at the spring," she said to her. Bernadette dug with her fingers at the deposit of sand. From the deep rock, a spring had found its way to Bernadette's hand. The child drank the first sip of that still muddy water and washed her face with it. The spring would soon become an inexhaustible fountain, a divine instrument of many amazing cures. Many people call it the miraculous water of Lourdes.

Adapted from a text by Dom Antoine Marie OSB, Abbot of Clairval

MULTIMEDIA : Lourdes - Padre nuestro (Nacho Cano)

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, February 2, 2010

CANDLEMAS

MULTIMEDIA : Presentazione al Tempio(Andrea Mantegna) Simeon's Canticle (Hangad ,Philippines)

This is the Time When Mary, Virgin and Queen, Came to the Temple with Her Son

It was the day of the Purification of the Virgin. I was in Foligno, in the Church of the Minor Brothers. I heard a voice speaking to me, "This is the time when Mary, Virgin and Queen, came to the temple with her Son." I listened with great love in my soul. And having listened, I was charmed. Then, in my rapture I saw the Queen enter, and I went up to her, trembling with respect. Suddenly I hesitated; I was afraid to go any closer. She reassured me and held Jesus out to me. She said, "You love my Son, so take the One that you love."

She placed him in my arms. He was wrapped in swaddling clothes. His eyes were closed as if in sleep. The Queen sat down, as though she were very tired. Her gestures were so beautiful, her attitude was so marvellous, her entire person so noble and the sight of her was so sublime that my eyes could not remain fixed on Jesus alone, and were forced to look at his mother as well.

Suddenly the Child awoke in my arms, his clothes had come loose. Jesus opened his eyes and looked at me. His glance absolutely overwhelmed me. Splendor came out from his eyes and his joy shone like a blinding flame. Then he appeared to me in his unutterable and immense majesty, and he said to me, "The one who has not seen me small will not see me great." He added: "I came to you, and I give myself to you so that you offer yourself to me."
Blessed Angela de Foligny

Book of Visions and Instructions # 45

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, January 14, 2010

Nazareth is the School of the Gospel

It is first a lesson of silence. May the esteem of silence be born in us anew, this admirable and indispensable condition of the spirit, in us who are assailed by so much clamor, noise and shouting in our modern life, so noisy and hyper sensitized. O silence of Nazareth, teach us recollection, interiority, disposition to listen to the good inspirations and words of the true masters; teach us the need and value of preparation, study, meditation, personal and interior life, and prayer that God alone sees in secret.

It is a lesson of family life. May Nazareth teach us what a family is, with its communion of love, its austere and simple beauty, its sacred and inviolable character; let us learn from Nazareth how sweet and irreplaceable is the formation one receives within it; let us learn how primordial its role is on the social level. It is a lesson of work.

Nazareth, the house of the carpenter's son; it is there that we would like to understand and celebrate the severe and redeeming law of human labor; there, to reestablish the conscience of work's nobility; to remind people that working cannot be an end in itself, but that its freedom and nobility come, in addition to its economic value, from the value that finalize it; how we wish to salute here all the workers of the world and show them their great model, their divine brother, the prophet of all their just causes, Christ Our Lord.

Homily of Paul VI in Nazareth January 5, 1964

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.