15th Sunday after Pentecost--The mother in Naim

I'm posting this today, since my wife and I will be going to Detroit, to St. Hyacinth Church, to attend the first Tridentine Mass in over 40 years. It will be celebrated by Fr. Louis Maday from the Orchard Lake Seminary. He is truly in love with this Mass. I have been his server many times, and he has never let us down with his sermons. If anyone is interested, it will be at 1pm, with a get-together afterwards. We are really looking forward to it.

Now, concerning the readings for tomorrow. It used to go under the name of the Sunday of the widow of Naim because of the Gospel from St. Luke, Chapter 7.

As our beloved Abbott tells us, '...the afflicted mother who follows her son to the grave is the Church herself. The first time we saw her under this symbol, of a mother mourning for her child, was in the penitential season of Lent. She was then, by her fasting and prayer (united as those were with her Jesus' sufferings), preparing the resurrection of such of our brethren as were dead in sin. Their resurrection was realized, and we had them, in all the fullness of their new life, seated side by side with us at Paschal Table. What exquisite joy, on that feast of feasts, inundated the mother's heart, as she thus shared in the triumphant gladness of her divine Spouse! Jesus was, by His one Resurrection, twice over the conqueror of death--He rose from the grave, and He gave back the child to the mother. The disciples of this risen Lord, who follow Him closely by their observance of the evangelical counsels, they, and the whole multitude that associated themselves with the Church, glorified Jesus for His wonderful works, and sang the praises of God who thus vouchsafed to visit His people...
...It is the duty of us Christians, who by God's mercy have been preserved from the general decay, to share in the anguish of our mother, the Church; we should humbly but fervently cooperate with her in all her zealous endeavours to reclaim our fallen brethren. We surely can never be satisfied with not being of the number of those senseless sons who are a sorrow to their mothers, and despise the labour of her that bore them. Had we not the Holy Spirit to tell us how he that honoureth his mother is as one that layeth up to himself a treasure, the thought of what our birth cost her would force us to do everything that lies in our power to comfort her. She is the dear bride of the Incarnate Word; and our souls, too, aspire to union with Him. Let us prove that such union is really ours by doing as the Church does; that is, by showing in our acts the one thought, the one love which the divine Spouse always imparts to souls that enjoy holy intimacy with Him, because there is nothing He Himself has so much at heart; the thought of bringing the whole world to give glory to His eternal Father, and the love of procuring salvation for sinners.

I would like to conclude with a prayer from St. Peter Canisius. It is truly needed these days.

Almighty, Everlasting God...make us to stand loyal and resolute on the assaults against our faith, and in the trials of this life, that we may never stray from the way of truth, nor from thy holy commandments. Bless our families in the manifold cares and needs of this our time. Grant to parents grace and strength to fulfill with courage and generosity their holy duties to one another and to their children. Bless our youth who are exposed to many dangers to faith and morals. Grant to young men and women this grace, that in the precious years of their youth, they forget not their Creator and their Saviour, nor lose their purity of heart. Receive under thy special protection the children whom thou welcomed when on earth with such tender love, and didst call them blessed. Amen

Missed a bunch!

I missed a bunch of important days in the Church's history, mostly because I was extremely busy. I hope to catch us today with a few of them. First of all, the Feast of the Seven Dolors of our Lady. It used to be on the third Sunday of September, but was moved to the 15th. ? Who knows why some things are the way are anymore. Here are the Seven Dolors:

1. The prophecy of the aged Simeon
2. The flight into Egypt
3. The loss of the divine Child in Jerusalem
4. The carrying of the Cross
5. The Crucifixion
6. The taking down from the Cross
7. The burial of Jesus

This was the sequence for that day, which I liked very much:

Near the cross, whilst on it hung her Son, the sorrowing Mother stood and wept.
A sword pierced her soul, that sighed, and mourned, and grieved.
Oh! how sad, and how afflicted, was that blessed Mother of an only Son!
The loving Mother sorrowed and mourned at seeing her divine Son suffer.
Who is there that would not weep to see Jesus's Mother in such suffering?
Who is there that could contemplate the Mother and the Son in sorrow, and not join his own with theirs?
Mary saw her Jesus tormented and scourged for the sins of his people.
She saw her sweet Child abandoned by all, as he breathed forth his soul and died.
Ah, Mother, fount of love, make me feel the force of sorrow; make me weep with thee!
Make this heart of mine burn with the love of Jesus my God, that so I may content his heart.
Do this, O holy Mother! deeply stamp the wounds of the Crucified upon my heart.
Let me share with thee the sufferings of thy Son, for it is for me he graciously deigned to be wounded and to suffer.
Make me lovingly weep with thee: make me compassionate with thee our crucified Jesus, as long as life shall last.
This is my desire: to stand nigh the cross with thee, and be a sharer in thy grief.
Peerless Virgin of virgins! be not displeased at my prayer: make me weep with thee.
Make me to carry the death of Jesus; make me a partner of his Passion, an adorer of his wounds.
Make me to be wounded with his wounds; make me to be inebriated with the cross and the Blood of thy Son.
And that I may not suffer the eternal flames, let me be defended by thee, O Virgin, on the day of judgment!
O Jesus! when my hour of death comes, let me, by thy Mother's aid, come to my crown of victory.
And when my body dies, oh! give to my soul the reward of heaven's glory.
Amen.

Then, on the 17th, the feast of St. Francis's stigmata, which we hear nothing about anymore, honors one of the most beloved saints since the 13th century.


Now, as of this day, the Feast day of St. Januarius, Bishop and martyr.

Januarius is ever preaching the Gospel to every creature; for his miraculous blood perpetuates the testimony he bore to Christ. He was Bishop of Beneventum, and brought before the president of Campania about the profession of his Christian faith. Because he refused, he was thrown into a fire, where he came out unscathed. He was chained, and then thrown into the arena with wild animals. He was bowed down to by these same beasts. After all of this, he was beheaded. Even to this day, and on this day, his blood comes to a boil, and appears to have just been shed. Great miracles are attained on this day by this same blood.

'O holy martyrs, and thou especially, O Januarius, the leader no less by thy courage than by thy pontifical dignity, your present glory increases our longing for heaven; your past combats animate us to fight the good fight; your continual miracles confirm us in the faith. Praise and gratitude are therefore due to you on this day of your triumph; and we pay this our debt in the joy of our hearts. In return, extend to us the protection, of which the fortunate cities placed under your powerful patronage are so justly proud. Defend those faithful towns against the assaults of the evil one. In compensation for the falling away of society at large, offer to Christ our King the growing faith of all who pay you honor.'

Pray for us, saints Francis and Januarius, in these times of such turmoil and betrayal. Help us rebuild the Church of Christ.

9-11

NEVER FORGET

2nd day within the octave of our Blessed Mother's nativity

September 9. "Let Us make man to Our image and likeness. And God made man; He modelled him, says Tertullian, 'to the image of God, i.e. of Christ. Wonderful deed, to fashion this slime of the earth! God seems to be absorbed in it; He makes it the work of His hand and of His heart; counsel, wisdom, providence, and above all love, trace the lines. As He forms each lineament of this clay, He has in mind Christ who is to become man. This slime of the earth, stamped with the image of the Christ to come, is not only God's work, it is also His pledge.'
These words were spoken concerning our first parent, Adam; but how much more truly do they apply to the Mother of the God-Man, during these days when He who is to be born of her watches over her growth! As God, He now places in her provisionally what He wills to take from her hereafter. For, as Man, He will receive from her, together with His sacred Body, everything that children naturally inherit from their parents: such dispositions and qualities as arise from the physical complexion; features, ways, habits acquired by imitation or by early education. Such is the ineffable condescension of Him who, knowing all things by infused science, condescends to pass like us through the apprenticeship of life. Jesus is to have no earthly father; He will therefore receive more from His Mother than could any other son. In return, no creature could be so like to Jesus in the order of grace, as she whom He thus deigns to resemble in the order of nature; and our heavenly Father loves every creature in proportion to the degree of that creature's conformity to the image of His divine Son. How exceedingly, then, O Mary, art thou loved! Already in thy sweet features we discern the nobility of the King's daughter, whose glory is from within, hidden beneath the golden fringes and variety of ornaments that bedeck her; for the manifold gifts of the Holy Spirit enhance the grace and beauty that crown thee in thy very cradle. Together with Andrew of Crete, speaking on this day, we thus salute thee:

Hail, mediatrix of the law of grace; seal of the ancient and of the new Alliance; luminous fulfillment of all prophecy; summary of revealed truth; living, immaculate book of God the Word, wherein, without writing or characters, the Word God its Author may be daily read! Hail, first-fruits of our regeneration; term of the divine promises and predictions; sanctuary promised by God to His own glory; liberatrix foretold to the nation!"

The following is from the Greek for today:

Let heaven exult and earth rejoice, for God's own heaven, his bride, is this day born on earth. According to promise, the barren mother suckles her infant Mary; Joachim rejoices in his daughter, saying: "Mine is the branch whereon is to blossom Christ the flower, of the root of David."
Now may Anne say: "Thou hast heard, O Lord, my prayer, giving me this day as fruit, the Virgin chosen among all women and of all generations to be thy spotless Mother."
Eve's sentence is cancelled today; and Adam, released from the ancient curse, cries out at thy birth, 'O immaculate one: In thee we are redeemed from death.'
I hear David singing to thee; 'Virgins shall be brought after thee, they shall be brought into the temple of the King. And I, uniting my voice with his, celebrate thee in my songs, O daughter of the King!'
Come, hasten, all ye barren and fruitless souls; for Anne is now the joyful mother of many children. And ye mothers lead the choirs with the Mother of God.
O prodigy! the fount of life springs from one that was sterile. Rejoice, O Joachim, for among all fathers there is none like unto thee, by whom was given to us the Virgin Mother of God, the tabernacle of the Divinity, the holy mountain.
Exult, O ye people: the nuptial chamber of the light has come forth from her mother's womb; today is born the eastern gate which will soon give entrance to the great High Priest, for the salvation of our souls.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and at the hour of our death.

Whew, I'm exhausted. I have posted three times this week. But, I think it was worth the extra time.

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Today is the Feast day of the Nativity of our Blessed Mother. It is EXACTLY nine(9) months after her Immaculate Conception! The Ark of the covenant has been born! The holy receptacle which is to hold our Lord Jesus Christ has arrived! It is just too awesome to describe. So, as usual, I'm going to let someone else do it for me. This is composed by Fulbert of Chartres and Robert the Pious. France first adopted them, and the whole of Europe soon followed her example. This is from the Second Vespers Responsories:

In order to bring forth the sun of justice, the sovereign King: Mary, the star of the sea, today arose in the heavens.
Rejoice, ye faithful, to behold the divine light. Mary, the star of the sea, today arose in the heavens.
The rod of Jesse produced a branch, and the branch a flower; And upon the flower rests the Spirit of Love.
The Virgin Mother of God is the branch, the flower is her Son. And upon the flower rests the Spirit of love.
At the will of the Lord enriching us with honour: Mary sprang from Judea as the rose from the thorn.
That vice might be overcome by virtue, and sin by grace. Mary sprang from Judea as the rose from the thorn.
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.

Newer looking shed, I've been busy!

I've been busy of late, so I haven't posted much. But, now, maybe I'll have more time. First of all, a picture of the old shed after a rain shower. I usually need to sump pump it, but I put it in a rain barrel for the garden. I have even figured out how to get it here. I have an old computer. One that intruders would NOT want.

Next, the working on the shed, from the roof to siding to new doors. I even threw in a couple of new windows for ventilation and light.

And now, the end product!