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. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns
with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
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Showing posts with label Faith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Faith. Show all posts
Monday, December 11, 2017
Collect Prayer of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
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12/11/2017 09:19:00 PM
Collect Prayer of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
2017-12-11T21:19:00-05:00
Steve Smith
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I am a 68 year old single man from the mountains of Western North Carolina.
Saturday, March 28, 2015
Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion (Goffine's Devout Instructions)
PALM SUNDAY
"The Procession in the Streets of Jerusalem" -- by James Tissot |
March 29
Why is this day called Palm Sunday?
In memory of our Saviour's triumphant entry into Jerusalem, when the multitude strewed palm branches before Him, for which reason the Church, on this day, blesses palms, and carries them in procession.
Why are palms blessed?
That those who carry them with devotion, or keep them in their houses, may receive protection of soul and body, as prayed for in the blessing; that those who carry the palms may, by means of the prayers of the Church, adorn their souls with good works and thus, in spirit, meet the Saviour; that, through Christ whose members we are, we may conquer the kingdom of death and darkness, and be made worthy to share in His glorious resurrection and triumphant entrance into heaven. St. Augustine writes of the palms: “They are the emblem of praise, and sign of victory, because the Lord by death conquered death, and with the sign of victory, the cross, overcame the devil, the prince of death." Therefore, preceded by the cross, we go in procession around the church singing hymns of praise; when we come to the church door, we find it locked; the priest knocks at it with the cross. Heaven was closed to us by the sin of Adam, and it is opened to us by reconciliation through Jesus on the cross.
To move us to compassion for the suffering Redeemer, the Church, in the person of Christ, cries in lamenting tones at the Introit:
INTROIT O Lord, remove not Thy help to a distance from me, look towards my defence: save me from the lion's mouth, and my lowness from the horns of the unicorns. O God, my God! look on me, why hast Thou forsaken me? Far from my salvation are the words of my sins. O Lord! Remove not, &c. (Ps. XXI.)
COLLECT Almighty and everlasting God! who didst vouchsafe to send Thy Son, our Saviour, to take upon Him our flesh, and to suffer death upon the cross, to give mankind an example of humility; mercifully grant, that we may both follow the example of His patience, and be made partakers of His Resurrection. Through the same &c.
EPISTLE (Philip. II. 5-11.) Brethren, let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery himself to be equal to God; but debased himself, taking the form of a servant, being made to the likeness of men, and in shape found as a man. He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore, God also hath exalted him, and hath given him a name, which is above every name: that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth; and that every tongue should confess, that the Lord, Jesus Christ, is in the glory of God, the Father.
INSTRUCTION In this epistle, the apostle urges us in a special manner to humility by which we are made like to Christ, our Lord, who putting off the majesty of His divinity, became man, and humbled Himself in obedience to the ignominious death of the cross. "Would that all might hear," exclaims St. Gregory, "that God resists the proud, and gives His grace to the humble! Would that all might hear: Thou dust and ashes, why dost thou exalt thyself? Would that all might hear the words of the Lord: Learn of me, because I am humble of heart. The only-begotten Son of God assumed the form of our weakness, suffered mockery, insult and torments for the purpose that the humble God might teach man not to be proud."
ASPIRATION Ah, that my sentiments were as Throe, O my Lord, Jesus! who so humbled Thyself and writ obedient to the most ignominious death of the cross. Grant me, I beseech Thee, O my Redeemer, the grace. diligently to follow Thee in humility.
Instead of the gospel of the Passion, that is, the history of the sufferings of our Lord according to St. Matthew, (Chaps. XXVI. XXVII.) is read in this day's Mass, and neither incense, nor lights are used, nor is the Dominus vobiscum said, thus signifying that Jesus, the Light of the world, was taken away by death, and that the faith and devotion of the apostles was shaken, and became almost extinct. When reading the History of the Passion at the words: and bowing his head, he gave up the ghost, the priest with all the congregation kneel and meditate for a short time on the great mystery of the death of Jesus, by which our redemption was effected.
At the blessing of the palms, the priest reads the following:
GOSPEL (Matt. XXI. 1-9.) At that time, when Jesus drew nigh to Jerusalem, and was come to Bethphage, unto Mount Olivet; then he sent two disciples, saying to them: Go ye into the village that is over against you, and immediately ye will find an ass tied, and a colt with her; loose them, and bring them to me; and if any man shall say any thing to you, say ye that the Lord bath need of them, and forthwith he will let them go. Now all this was done, that the word might be fulfilled, which was spoken by the prophet, saying: Tell ye the daughter of Sion, behold thy king cometh to thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt, the foal of her that is used to the yoke. And the disciples going, did as Jesus commanded them. And they brought the ass and the colt, and laid their garments upon them, and made him sit thereon. And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; and others cut down boughs from the trees, and strewed them in the way; and the multitudes that went before and that followed, cried, saying: Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Why did Jesus enter Jerusalem so solemnly and yet so humbly?
To show that He was the promised Messiah and King of the Jews, as foretold by the Prophet Zacharias, (IX 9.) and that He had come to conquer the world, the flesh and the devil, for which He used the weapons of meekness, humility, and poverty and therefore came seated not on a proud steed but like a poor person on the weak colt of an ass, entering Jerusalem in all humility, thus teaching us that meekness and indifference to earthly goods are our best weapons to gain victory over our enemies. Jesus entered Jerusalem so humbly to perfect the type of the Paschal lamb, for on this day the lambs which were to be sacrificed in the temple on the following Friday, were solemnly led into the city. Thus Jesus like a meek lamb, entered the city of Jerusalem to be sacrificed for us.
Why did the people meet Christ with palm branches?
This happened by the inspiration of God, to indicate that Christ, the conqueror of death, hell and the devil, would reconcile man with God, and open the heavenly Jerusalem to him, for the palm is the emblem of victory and peace. By this we learn also the inconsistency and mutability of the world; for the very people who on this day met Christ with palm branches exclaiming: "Hosanna to the Son of David," a few days later shouted: "Crucify him! Crucify him!" - Learn from this to despise the praise of the world, and be careful not to imitate the inconsistency of this people by crucifying Him again by sin (Heb. VI. 6.) after having received Him with joy in holy Communion.
How should we take part in the procession on this day?
With the pious intention of meeting Christ in spirit, with the devout people of Jerusalem, adoring Him, saying: "Hosanna to the Son of David, Hosanna to Him who comes in the name of the Lord; Hosanna to the Highest!" and with the heart-felt prayer to Jesus for His grace, that with Him we may conquer the world, the flesh and the devil, and thus merit to be received into the heavenly Jerusalem.
PETITION O Jesus, Tree of Life! ever fresh and fruitful, grant that we may by love be like palms ever green, and by the practice of, good works blossom and bring forth fruit.
THE PASSION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW, CHAP. XXVI., XXVH.
At that time, Jesus said to his disciples: You know that after two days shall be the Pasch, and the Son of Man shall be delivered up to be crucified. Then were gathered together the chief priests and the ancients of the people into the palace of the high-priest, who was called Caiphas. And they consulted together, that, by subtilty, they might apprehend Jesus and put him to death. But they said: Not on the festival day, lest there should be a tumult among the people. And when Jesus was in Bethania, in the house of Simon the leper, there came to him a woman having an alabaster-box of precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he was at table. And the disciples seeing it, had indignation, saying: To what purpose is this waste? For this might have been sold for much, and given to the poor. And Jesus knowing it, said to them: Why do you trouble this woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me. For the poor you have always with you: but me you have not always. For she, in pouring this ointment upon my body, hath done it for my burial. Amen, I say to you, wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, that also which she bath done, shall be told for a memory of her.
Then went one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, to the chief priests, and said to them: What will you give me, and I will deliver him unto you? But they appointed for him thirty pieces of silver. And from thenceforth he sought opportunity to betray him.
And on the first day of the Azymes, the disciples came to Jesus, saying: Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the Pasch? But Jesus said: Go ye into the city to a certain man, and say to him: The master saith: my time is near at hand, I will keep the Pasch at thy house with my disciples. And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them, and they prepared the Pasch. Now when it was evening, he sat down with his twelve disciples. And whilst they were eating, he said: Amen, I say to you, that one of you is about to betray me. And they being very much troubled, began everyone to say: Is it I, Lord? But he answering, said: He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me. The Son of Man indeed froeth as it is written of him; but woe to that man, by whom the Son of Man shall be betrayed: it were better for that man, if he had not been born. And Judas that betrayed him, answering, said: Is it I, Rabbi? He said to him: Thou hast said it. And whilst they were at supper, Jesus took bread, and blessed and broke, and gave to his disciples, and said: Take ye and eat: This is my body. And taking the chalice he gave thanks: and gave to them, saying: Drink ye all of this. For this is my blood of the new testament, which shall be shed for many for the remission of sins. And I say to you, I will not drink from henceforth of the fruit of the vine, until that day, when I shall drink it new with you in the kingdom of my Father. And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to Mount Olivet.
Then Jesus saith to them: All you shall be scandalized in me this night. For it is written: I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be dispersed. But after I shall be risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. And Peter answering, said to him: Though all shall be scandalized in thee, I will never be scandalized. Jesus said to him: Amen, I say to thee, that in this night, before the cock crow, thou wilt deny me thrice. Peter saith to him: Though I should die with thee, I will not deny thee. And in like manner said all the disciples. Then Jesus came with them to a country place which is called Gethsemani, and he said to his disciples: Sit you here, till I go yonder, and pray. And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to grow sorrowful and to be sad.
Then he saith to them: My soul is sorrowful even unto death; stay you here, and watch with me. And going a little further he fell upon his face, praying, and saying: O my Father! if it is possible, let this chalice pass from me. Nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. And he cometh to his disciples, and findeth them asleep; and he saith to Peter: What! could you not watch one hour with me? Watch ye, and pray that ye enter not into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Again he went the second time, and prayed, saying: O my Father! if this chalice cannot pass away except I drink it, thy will be done. And he cometh again, and findeth them asleep; for their eyes were heavy. And leaving them, he went away again, and he prayed the third time, saying the same words. Then he cometh to his disciples, and with to them: Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man shall be betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us go; behold, he is at hand that will betray me.
As he yet spoke, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the ancients of the people. And he that betrayed him, gave them a sign, saying: Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is he: hold him fast. And forthwith coming to Jesus, he said: Hail, rabbi! And he kissed him. And Jesus said to him: Friend! whereto art thou come? Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus, and held him. And behold one of them that were with Jesus, stretching forth his hand, drew out his sword; and striking the servant of the high-priest, cut off his ear. Then Jesus saith to him: Put up again thy sword into its place for all that take the sword shall perish by the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot ask my Father, and he will give me presently more than twelve legions of Angels? How then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that so it must be done? In that same hour Jesus said to the multitude: You are come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to apprehend me. I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and you laid not hands on me. Now all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then the disciples all leaving him, fled away.
But they holding Jesus, led him to Caiphas, the high-priest, where the scribes and the ancients were assembled. But Peter followed him afar off to the high-priest's palace. And going in, he sat with the servants, to see the end. Now the chief priests and whole council sought false witness against Jesus, that they might put him to death: and they found not, though many false witnesses had come in. And last of all, there came two false witnesses. And they said: This man said: I am able to destroy the temple of God, and in three days to rebuild it. And the high-priest rising up, said to him: Answerest thou nothing to the things which these witness against thee? But Jesus held his peace. And the high-priest said to him: I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us if thou be the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus saith to him: Thou hast said it. Nevertheless I say to you, hereafter you shall see the Son of Man, sitting on the right hand of the power of God, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high-priest rent his garments, saying: He hath blasphemed, what further need have we of witnesses? Behold, now you have heard the blasphemy. What think you? But they answering, said: He is guilty of death.
Then they spit in his face, and buffetted him, and others struck his face with the palms of their hands, saying: Prophesy unto us, O Christ! who is he that struck thee? But Peter sat without in the palace, and there came to him a servant maid, saying: Thou also wast with Jesus the Galilean. But he denied before them all, saying: I know not what thou sayest. And as he went out of the gate, another maid saw him, and she saith to them that were there: This man also was with Jesus of Nazareth. And again he denied with an oath: I do not know the man. And after a little while, they that stood by came and said to Peter: Surely thou also art one of them: for even thy speech doth discover thee. Then he began to curse and to swear that he knew not the man.
And immediately the cock crew. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus which he had said: Before the cock crow, thou wilt deny me thrice. And going forth, he wept bitterly.
And when the morning was come, all the chief priests and ancients of the people held a council against Jesus, to put him to death. And they brought him bound, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate, the governor.
Then Judas, who betrayed him, seeing that he was condemned, repenting himself, brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the ancients, saying: I have sinned, in betraying innocent blood. But they said: What is that to us? look thou to it.
And casting down the pieces of silver in the temple, he departed: and went and hanged himself with a halter. But the chief priests having taken the pieces of silver, said: It is not lawful to put them into the corbona, because it is the price of blood. And having consulted together, they bought with them the potter's field, to be a burying-place for strangers. Wherefore that field was called Haceldama, that is the field of blood, even to this day.
Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremias the prophet, saying: And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they prized of the children of Israel. And they gave them unto the potter's field, as the Lord appointed to me.
And Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, saying: Art thou the king of the Jews? Jesus saith to him: Thou sayest it. And when he was accused by the chief priests and ancients, he answered nothing. Then Pilate saith to him: Dost thou not hear how great testimonies they allege against thee?
And he answered him not to any word: so that the governor wondered exceedingly.
Now upon the solemn day the governor was accustomed to release to the people one prisoner, whom they would. And he had then a notorious prisoner, that was called Barabbas. They, therefore, being gathered together, Pilate said: Whom will you that I release to you, Barabbas, or Jesus, who is called Christ? For he knew that through envy they had delivered him up. And as he was sitting on the judgment-seat, his wife sent to him, saying. Have thou nothing to do with that just man. For I have suffered many things this day in a dream on account of him. But the chief priests and ancients persuaded the people, that they should ask Barabbas, and make Jesus away. And the governor answering, said to them: Which will you have of the two to be released unto you? But they said: Barabbas. Pilate saith to them: What shall I do then with Jesus that is called Christ? They all say: Let him be crucified. The governor said to them: Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying: Let him be crucified. And Pilate seeing that he prevailed nothing, but that rather a tumult was made; having taken water, washed his hands before the people, saying: I am innocent of the blood of this just man: look you to it. And all the people answering, said: His blood be upon us, and upon our children. Then he released to them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to them to be crucified.
Then the soldiers of the governor, taking Jesus into the hall, gathered together unto him the whole band. And stripping him, they put a scarlet cloak about him. And platting a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand. And bowing the knee before him, they mocked him, saying: Hail, king of the Jews!
And spitting upon him, they took the reed, and struck his head. And after they had mocked him, they took off the cloak from him, and put on him his own garments, and led him away to crucify him.
And going out, they found a man of Cyrene, named Simon; him they forced to take up his cross. And they came to the place that is called Golgotha, which is, the place of Calvary. And they gave him wine to drink mingled with gall. And when he had tasted, he would not drink. And after they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots; that the word might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: They divided my garments among them; and upon my vesture they cast lots. And they sat down, and watched him. And they put over his head his cause written: This is Jesus, the King of the Jews. Then were there crucified with him two. thieves; the one on the right hand, and the other on the left. And they that passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads, and saying: Vah, thou who destroyest the temple of God, and in three days buildest it up again, save thy own self: if thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. In like manner also, the chief priests with the scribes and ancients, mocking, said: He saved others; himself he cannot save: if he be the king of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He trusted in God, let him deliver him now if he will save him: for he said: I am the Son of God.
And the self-same thing the thieves also, that were crucified with him, reproached him with. Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the earth, until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying: Eli, Eli, lamma sabacthani? that is: My God! my God! why hast thou forsaken me? And some of them that stood there and heard, said: This man calleth for Elias. And immediately one of them, running; took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar; and put it on a reed and gave him to drink. And the others said: Stay, let us see whether Elias will come to deliver him. And Jesus again crying with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
And behold the veil of the temple was rent in two, from the top even to the bottom, and the earth quaked, and the rocks were rent; and the graves were opened: and many bodies of the saints that had slept arose: and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, came into the holy city, and appeared to many. Now the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, having seen the earthquake and the things that were done, were greatly afraid, saying: Indeed this was the Son of God. And there were there many women afar off, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him; among whom was Mary Magdalen, and Mary, the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee. And when it was evening, there came a certain rich man of Arimathea, named Joseph, who also himself was a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded that the body should be delivered. And Joseph taking the body, wrapped it up in a clean linen cloth. And laid it in his own new monument, which he had hewed out in a rock; and he rolled a great stone to the door of the monument, and went his way. And there was Mary Magdalen, and the other Mary sitting over against the sepulchre.
And the next day, which followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees came together to Pilate, saying: Sir, we have remembered that seducer said, while-he was yet alive: After three days I will rise again. “Command, therefore, the sepulchre to be guarded until the third day; lest his disciples come and steal him away, and say to the people: He is risen from the dead. So the last error shall be worse than the first. Pilate said to them: You have a guard, go guard it as you know. And they departing, made the sepulchre sure, with guards, sealing the stone.
INSTRUCTION ON HOLY WEEK
Why is this week called Holy Week?
This week is called Holy Week because during it we celebrate the most holy mysteries of our religion, and in all her offices and ceremonies the Church refers in quiet mournfulness to the passion and death of our Redeemer.
What remarkable things did Christ do during the first four days of this week?
After He had entered the temple at Jerusalem on Palm Sunday amidst the greatest rejoicings of the people, and was saluted by the children with that cry of joy: "Hosanna to the Son of David," He drove the buyers and sellers out of the temple, and when He had spent the entire day in preaching and healing the sick, He went in the evening to Bethania, where He remained over night in Lazarus' house, because in Jerusalem no one wished to receive Him for fear of His enemies. The three following days He spent in Jerusalem, teaching in the temple, and passing the night in prayer on Mount Olivet. In His sermons during these days He strove especially to convince the Jewish priests, the Doctors of the Law and the Pharisees, that He was really the Messiah, and that they would commit a terrible sin by putting Him to death; that they would bring themselves and the whole Jewish nation to destruction. This ruin of the people He illustrated most plainly causing the fig-tree to wither under His curse, and by foretelling the destruction of the city and the temple of Jerusalem. He disputed with them, and confounded them, and brought them publicly to shame by parables, so that out of anger and hatred they with one mind determined to kill Him. The impious Judas aided the most in the execution of their design; through avarice he sold Him for thirty pieces of silver (about eighteen dollars in our money) to the chief priests, and the next day, Thursday, became His betrayer and delivered Him over into their hands.
-- Goffine's Devout Instruction
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3/28/2015 06:00:00 PM
Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion (Goffine's Devout Instructions)
2015-03-28T18:00:00-04:00
Steve Smith
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I am a 68 year old single man from the mountains of Western North Carolina.
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord (Goffine's Devout Instructions)
(also known as The Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
March 25
This feast is so called from the announcement to the Blessed Virgin, by the archangel Gabriel, that she was to be the mother of the Messias. In the Introit of the Mass the Church refers to this high dignity of Mary's: "All the rich shall entreat thy countenance; after her shall virgins be brought to the King; her neighbors shall be brought to thee in gladness and rejoicing. My heart hath uttered a good word, I speak my works to the King."
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Prayer
O God, Who didst please that Thy Word should take flesh, at the message of an angel, in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, grant to Thy suppliants that we, who believe her to be truly the Mother of God, may be blessed by her intercession with Thee. Through Christ our Lord, Amen.
Epistle: Isaias 7:10-15
In those days the Lord spoke to Achaz, saying: Ask thee a sign of the Lord thy God, either unto the depth of hell, or unto the height above. And Achaz said: I will not ask, and I will not tempt the Lord. And he said: Hear ye therefore, O house of David: Is it a small thing for you to be grievous to men, that you are grievous to my God also? Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign. Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and His name shall be called Emmanuel. He shall eat butter and honey, that He may know to refuse the evil and to choose the good.
Instruction on the "Angelic Salutation" or "Hail Mary"
Gospel: Luke 1:26-38
At that time the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel being come in, said unto her: Hail, full of grace: the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. Who having heard, was troubled at his saying, and thought with herself what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said to her: Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God. Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of David His father; and He shall reign in the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there shall be no end. And Mary said to the angel: How shall this be done, because I know not man? And the angel answering, said to her: The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore also the Holy which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And behold thy cousin Elizabeth, she also hath conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her that is called barren; because no word shall be impossible with God. And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me according to thy word.
Salutation to the Most Blessed Virgin Mary
Hail, Mary, full of grace! I rejoice, and give joy to thee, that thou hast been chosen the Mother of the Most High, and the queen of heaven and earth. With thee is the Father Who begot, from all eternity, Him Whom thou didst bring forth as God-man in time; with thee is the Son, Whom thou didst bear, in thy virginal womb; with thee is the Holy Ghost, overshadowed by Whose power thou didst become the Mother of the Redeemer of the world. Praised, therefore, be thou, thou blessed among women; thou daughter of the Most High; thou bride of the Holy Ghost; thou joy of heaven; thou ornament of the Church of God; thou honor of Christians. Oh, pray God for us, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
– Goffine's Devout Instructions
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3/24/2015 08:56:00 PM
Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord (Goffine's Devout Instructions)
2015-03-24T20:56:00-04:00
Steve Smith
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I am a 68 year old single man from the mountains of Western North Carolina.
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Saint Thomas Aquinas, Priest and Doctor of the Church
Saint
Thomas Aquinas (also known as Doctor Angelicus; Doctor Communis;
Great Synthesizer; The Dumb Ox; The Universal Teacher) was born
around 1225 A.D. at Roccasecca, Aquino, Naples, Italy. He was the son
of the Count of Aquino, born in the family castle in Lombardy. He was
educated by Benedictine monks at Monte Cassino, and at the University
of Naples. He secretly joined the mendicant Dominican friars in 1244,
and when his family discovered he had done so, they kidnapped and
imprisoned him for a year to keep him out of sight, and to get him to
give up on the idea of the religious life, but he rejoined his order
in 1245.
He
studied in Paris from 1245 to 1248 under Saint Albert the Great, then
accompanied Albert to Cologne, Germany. Saint Thomas was ordained in
1250, and he then returned to Paris to teach and there he taught
theology at the University of Paris. He wrote defenses of the
mendicant orders, commentaries on Aristotle and Lombard's Sentences,
and some bible-related works, usually by dictating to secretaries. He
won his doctorate, and taught in several Italian cities. Then around
1269 he was recalled to Paris by King Saint Louis IX and the
University of Paris. Around 1272, Thomas was recalled to Naples where
he was appointed regent of studies while working on the Summa
Theologica.
On
December 6, 1273 he experienced a divine revelation which so
enraptured him that he abandoned the Summa, saying that it and his
other writings were so much straw in the wind compared to the reality
of the divine glory. He died four months later while en route to the
Council of Lyons, overweight and with his health broken by overwork.
Saint
Thomas Aquinas' works have been influential to the thinking of the
Church, as they systematized the great thoughts and teachings of the
Church, and combined Greek wisdom and scholarship methods with the
truth of Christianity. Pope Leo VIII commanded that his teachings be
studied by all theology students. He was proclaimed Doctor of the
Church in 1567 by Pope Saint Pius V.
Below
are some quotations from Saint Thomas Aquinas:
Grant
me, O Lord my God, a mind to know you, a heart to seek you, wisdom to
find you, conduct pleasing to you, faithful perseverance in waiting
for you, and a hope of finally embracing you.
Charity
is the form, mover, mother and root of all the virtues.
We
are like children, who stand in need of masters to enlighten us and
direct us; and God has provided for this, by appointing his angels to
be our teachers and guides.
If
you seek the example of love: “Greater love than this no man has,
than to lay down his life for his friends.” Such a man was Christ
on the cross. And if he gave his life for us, then it should not be
difficult to bear whatever hardships arise for his sake. If you seek
patience, you will find no better example than the cross. Christ
endured much on the cross, and did so patiently, because “when he
suffered he did not threaten; he was led like a sheep to the
slaughter and he did not open his mouth.” If you seek an example of
obedience, follow him who became obedient to the Father even unto
death. “For just as by the disobedience of one man,” namely,
Adam, “many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one man, many
were made righteous.” If you seek an example of despising earthly
things, follow him who is “the King of kings and the Lord of lords,
in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Upon
the cross he was stripped, mocked, spat upon, struck, crowned with
thorns, and given only vinegar and gall to drink. Do not be attached,
therefore, to clothing and riches, because “they divided my
garments among themselves.” Nor to honors, for he experienced harsh
words and scourgings. Nor to greatness of rank, for “weaving a
crown of thorns they placed it on my head.” Nor to anything
delightful, for “in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.”
The
only-begotten Son of God, wanting to make us sharers in his divinity,
assumed our nature, so that he, made man, might make men gods.
Posted by
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1/27/2015 10:34:00 PM
Saint Thomas Aquinas, Priest and Doctor of the Church
2015-01-27T22:34:00-05:00
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Friday, January 09, 2015
Stop What You Are Doing, And Pray For Persecuted Christians Around The World
Prayer
for Persecuted Christians
Father
in Heaven, you make your sun shine
on
good and bad alike.
Your
Son Jesus Christ died for us all
and
in his glorious Resurrection
He
still retains the five wounds of his Passion.
With
his divine power he now sustains
all
those who suffer persecution and martyrdom
for
the sake of their fidelity
to
the faith of the Church.
Merciful
and mighty Father,
do
not allow Cain to return again to murder
helpless
Abel, innocent Abel.
May
persecuted Christians around the world
remain,
like Mary, their Mother,
together
at the foot of the cross
of
Christ the Martyr.
Comfort
those menaced by violence
and
those oppressed by uncertainty.
May
your Holy Spirit of love
make
fruitful the witness and the blood
of
those who die forgiving.
Amen.
(From
Aid to the Church in Need
website)
Prayer
To Saint Michael the Archangel
Saint Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle;
be our protection against the
wickedness
and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly
pray:
and do thou, O Prince of the
heavenly host,
by the power of God,
thrust into hell Satan and all
the evil spirits
who prowl about the world seeking
the ruin of souls.
Amen.
Posted by
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1/09/2015 07:13:00 PM
Stop What You Are Doing, And Pray For Persecuted Christians Around The World
2015-01-09T19:13:00-05:00
Steve Smith
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Monday, November 03, 2014
Prayer of Saint Gertrude For The Souls In Purgatory
Prayer
of Saint Gertrude the Great
Our
Lord dictated the following prayer to Saint Gertrude the Great to
release 1,000 Souls from Purgatory each time it is said.
Eternal
Father,
I
offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus,
in
union with the masses said throughout the world today,
for
all the holy souls in Purgatory,
for
sinners everywhere,
for
sinners in the universal church,
those
in my own home
and
within my family.
Amen.
Posted by
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11/03/2014 06:39:00 PM
Prayer of Saint Gertrude For The Souls In Purgatory
2014-11-03T18:39:00-05:00
Steve Smith
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Wednesday, May 28, 2014
The Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord (Goffine's Devout Instructions)
At
the Introit the Church sings the words which were spoken by the
angels to the apostles and disciples, after the Ascension of our
Lord:
INTROIT
Ye men of Galilee, why wonder you, looking up to heaven? allel.: He
shall so come as you have seen him going up into heaven. Allel.,
allel., allel. (Acts I. 11.), Oh, clap your hands, all ye nations;
shout unto God with the voice of joy. (Ps. XLVI. 2.) Glory be to the
Father, etc.
COLLECT
Grant, we beseech Thee, O Almighty God, that we who believe
Thy only begotten Son, our Redeemer, to have this day ascended into
the heavens, may ourselves also in, mind dwell amid heavenly things.
Through the same etc.
LESSON
(Acts I. 1-11.) The former treatise I made, O Theophilus, of all
things which Jesus began to do and to teach , until the day on which,
giving commandments by the Holy Ghost to the apostles ,whom he had
chosen, he was taken up: to whom also he showed himself alive after
his passion, by many proofs, for forty days appearing to them, and
speaking of the kingdom of God. And eating together with them, he
commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but should
wait for the promise of the Father, which you have heard (saith he)
by my mouth: for John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be
baptized with the Holy Ghost, not many days hence. They, therefore,
who were come together, asked him, saying: Lord, wilt thou at this
time restore the kingdom to Israel? But he said to diem: It is not
for you to know the times or moments which the Father hath put in his
own power; but you shall receive the power of the Holy Ghost coming
upon you, and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and in all
Judea, and Samaria, and even to the uttermost part of the earth. And
when he had said these things, while they looked on, he was raised
up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they were
beholding him going up to heaven, behold, two men stood by them in
white garments, who also said: Ye men of Galilee, why stand yon
looking up to heaven? This Jesus who is taken up from you into
heaven, shall so come, as you have seen him going into heaven.
EXPLANATION
This gospel of St. Luke addressed to Theophilus, a Christian
of note in Antioch, contains an account of the life, sufferings, and
death of Jesus up to the time of His ascension into heaven. The
Evangelist continues his account in the Acts of the apostles, in
which he describes in simple words that which Jesus did during the
forty days following His Resurrection, and the manner in which He
ascended into heaven in the presence of His apostles. Rejoice that
Christ today has entered into the glory gained by His sufferings and
death, and pray: I rejoice, O King of heaven and earth, in the glory
Thou bast this day attained in heaven. Sing to God, ye kingdoms of
the earth: sing ye to the Lord: sing ye to God, who mounteth above
the heaven of heavens to the east. Give ye glory to God for Israel,
his magnificence and his power is in the clouds. God is wonderful in
his saints, the God of Israel is he who will give power and strength
to his people, blessed be God. (Ps.LXVII. 33 36.)
GOSPEL
(Mark. XVI. 14-20.) At that time, Jesus appeared to the eleven
as they were at table: and he upbraided them with their incredulity
and hardness of heart, because they did not believe them who had seen
him after he was risen again. (And he said to them: Go ye into the
whole world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that
believeth and is baptized shall be saved: but he that believeth not
shall be condemned: And these signs shall follow them that believe.
In my name they shall cast out devils: they shall speak with new
tongues; they shall take up serpents: and if they shall drink any
deadly thing, it shall not hurt them: they shall lay their hands upon
the sick; and they shall recover.) And the Lord Jesus after he had
spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sitteth on the right
hand of God. But they going forth preached everywhere, the Lord
work-ing withal, and confirming the word with signs that followed.
The
part of this gospel which is within the marks of parenthesis, is the
gospel for the feast of St: Francis Xavier.
Why
did Christ say to His apostles: Go ye into the whole world and preach
the gospel to all creatures?
To show that no one is to assume the office of preaching, but must look for his mission from the lawful pastors of the Church. And when Christ sends His apostles into the whole worlds to all nations without exception, He shows His willingness to save all men. If the designs of God are not fulfilled, the blame is not to be attributed to God, but to man, who either does not accept the doctrine of the gospel, or accepting, does not live in accordance with it, or else renders himself by his obduracy in vice, unworthy of the gospel.
Is faith without good works sufficient for salvation?
No, faith that is not active in love, not fruitful in good works, and therefore not meritorious, (Gal. V. 6.) is not sufficient for salvation. "Such faith," says St. Anselm, "is not the faith of a Christian, but the faith of the devil." Only he who truly believes in Christ and His doctrine, and lives in accordance with it, will be saved.
Is ours then the true faith since all the faithful do not work miracles; as Christ has predicted?
St.
Gregory very beautifully replies to this question: "Because the
Redeemer said that true faith would be accompanied by miracles, you
must not think that you have not the faith, because these signs do
not follow; these miracles had to be wrought in the beginning of the
Church, because faith in her had to be increased by these visible
signs of divine power." And even now when such signs are
necessary for the propagation of the faith, and victory over
unbelief, God gives His faithful power to work them.
Are
miracles wrought now in the Catholic Church?
Yes,
for there have been at all times saints in the Church, who, as seen
from their lives, have wrought miracles, on account of their faith,
which even the heretics cannot deny; for instance St. Francis Xavier,
who in the sight of the heathens, raised several dead persons to
life. In a spiritual manner all pious Catholics still work such
miracles; for, as St. Chrysostom says, "they expel devils when
they banish sin, which is worse than the devil; they speak new
tongues when they converse no longer on vain and sinful things, but
on those which are spiritual and heavenly." "They take up
serpents," says St. Gregory, "when by zealous exhortations
they lift others from the shame of vice, without being themselves
poisoned; they drink deadly things without being hurt by them, when
they hear improper conversation without being corrupted or led to
evil; they lay their hands upon the sick and heal them, when they
teach the ignorant, strengthen by their good example those who are
wavering in virtue, keep the sinner from evil, and similar things."
Strive to do this upon all occasions, O Christian, for God willingly
gives you His grace and you will thus be of more use to yourself and
others, and honor God more than by working the greatest
miracles.
Where and how did Christ ascend into heaven?
Where and how did Christ ascend into heaven?
From
Mount Olivet where His sufferings began, by which we learn, that
where our crosses and afflictions begin which we endure with patience
and resignation, there begins our reward. Christ ascended into heaven
by His own power, because He is God, and now in His glorified
humanity He sits at the right hand of His Father, as our continual
Mediator.
In
whose presence did Christ ascend into heaven?
In
the presence of His apostles, and many of His disciples, whom He had
previously blessed, (Luke XXIV. 51.) and who, as St. Leo says,
derived consoling joy from His ascension. Rejoice, also, O Christian
foul, for Christ has today opened heaven for you, and you may enter
it, if you believe in Christ, and live in accordance with that faith.
St. Augustine says: "Let us ascend in spirit with Christ, that
when His day comes, we may follow with our body.
Yet
you must know, beloved brethren, that not pride, nor avarice, nor
impurity, nor any other vice ascends with Christ; for with the
teacher of humility pride ascends not, nor with the author of
goodness, malice, nor with the Son of the Virgin, impurity. Let us
then ascend with Him by trampling upon our vices and evil
inclinations, thus building a ladder by which we can ascend; for we
make a ladder of our sins to heaven when we tread them down in
combating them:"
ASPIRATION
O King of glory! O powerful Lord! who hast this day ascended
victoriously, above all heaven, leave us not as poor orphans; but
send us, from the Father, the Spirit of truth whom Thou hast
promised. Alleluia.
Why
is the paschal candle extinguished after the gospel on this day?
To
signify that Christ, of whom the candle is a figure, has gone from
His disciples.
–
Goffine's
Devout Instructions
Posted by
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5/28/2014 11:41:00 PM
The Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord (Goffine's Devout Instructions)
2014-05-28T23:41:00-04:00
Steve Smith
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