St. John Bosco prophecy

Today is the day we honor St. John Bosco. Maybe he saw things concerning the end times.
Could we be in this prophecy, seeing all that is going on today in the world? And, on a side note: Did you see the Pope releasing the doves yesterday for peace in front of two children, only to have them attacked by a crow and a seagull immediately after their release? Maybe this is a sign for him to ponder. Like in the movie "The Passion', when the crow pecks at the head and eyes of the bad thief. Maybe Il Papa needs to step up teaching the Faith in its entirety. You know, the One that comes to us from the Apostles. Things just keep getting curiouser and curiouser.

Don Bosco's Prophecy
of the Two Columns
Most of the prophecies associated with Don Bosco came to him during dreams, but just as in Matthew's Gospel where the process of Joseph being instructed by angels during dreams is described it is clear that Don Bosco's experiences were more than the sort of dreams most of us have when asleep.

Most of his dreams were concerned with the direction both he and his order, the Salesians, were to take in the future, and in particular with the boys who lived at his oratory in Turin. He would often speak to them just before they went to bed, sometimes predicting that one of their number would die within a certain period, but without indicating which.

On 30 May 1862 Don Bosco at his 'Good Night' talk told his boys, and the young clerics he was training, about a dream he had dreamt a few nights previously: he actually described it as a parable or allegory. Strictly speaking a parable is a general story with a deeper meaning, but one in which the points of the story may not all be significant, while in an allegory every detail is important and meaningful. In the case of Don Bosco's dream it is difficult to know just how significant each point is. After some preliminary remarks he went on to describe what he had seen:

"Try to picture yourselves with me on the seashore, or, better still, on an outlying cliff with no other land in sight. The vast expanse of water is covered with a formidable array of ships in battle formation, prows fitted with sharp spear-like beaks capable of breaking through any defense. All are heavily armed with cannons, incendiary bombs, and firearms of all sorts - even books - and are heading toward one stately ship, mightier than them all. As they try to close in, they try to ram it, set it afire, and cripple it as much as possible.

"This stately vessel is shielded by a flotilla escort. Winds and waves are with the enemy. In this midst of this endless sea, two solid columns, a short distance apart, soar high into the sky: one is surmounted by a statue of the Immaculate Virgin at whose feet a large inscription reads: Help of Christians; the other, far loftier and sturdier, supports a [Communion] Host of proportionate size and bears beneath it the inscription Salvation of believers.

"The flagship commander - the Roman Pontiff [the Pope]- seeing the enemy's fury and his auxiliary ships very grave predicament, summons his captains to a conference. However, as they discuss their strategy, a furious storm breaks out and they must return to their ships. When the storm abates, the Pope again summons his captains as the flagship keeps on its course. But the storm rages again. Standing at the helm, the Pope strains every muscle to steer his ship between the two columns from whose summits hang many anchors and strong hooks linked to chains.

"The entire enemy fleet closes in to intercept and sink the flagship at all costs. They bombard it with everything they have: books and pamphlets, incendiary bombs, firearms, cannons. The battle rages ever more furious. Beaked prows ram the flagship again and again, but to no avail, as, unscathed and undaunted, it keeps on its course. At times a formidable ram splinters a gaping hole into its hull, but, immediately, a breeze from the two columns instantly seals the gash.

"Meanwhile, enemy cannons blow up, firearms and beaks fall to pieces, ships crack up and sink to the bottom. In blind fury the enemy takes to hand-to-hand combat, cursing and blaspheming. Suddenly the Pope falls, seriously wounded. He is instantly helped up but, struck down a second time, dies. A shout of victory rises from the enemy and wild rejoicing sweeps their ships. But no sooner is the Pope dead than another takes his place. The captains of the auxiliary ships elected him so quickly that the news of the Pope's death coincides with that of his successor's election. The enemy's self-assurance wanes.

"Breaking through all resistance, the new Pope steers his ship safely between the two columns and moors it to the two columns; first to the one surmounted by the Host, and then to the other, topped by the statue of the Virgin. At this point something unexpected happens. The enemy ships panic and disperse, colliding with and scuttling each other. Some auxiliary ships which had gallantly fought alongside their flagship are the first to tie up at the two columns.

"Many others, which had fearfully kept far away from the fight, stand still, cautiously waiting until the wrecked enemy ships vanish under the waves. Then, they too head for the two columns, tie up at the swinging hooks, and ride safe and tranquil beside their flagship. A great calm now covers the sea."

At this point Don Bosco asked one of the priests present for his views. He replied that he thought that the flagship symbolized the Church headed by the Pope, with the ships representing mankind and the sea as an image of the world. The ships defending the flagship he equated with the laity and the attackers with those trying to destroy the Church, while the two columns represented devotion to Mary and the Eucharist.

He did not mention the death of the Pope and neither did Don Bosco in his reply, in which he agreed with what the priest had said, while adding that the enemy ships symbolized persecutions:

"Very grave trials await the Church. What we have suffered so far is almost nothing compared to what is going to happen. The enemies of the Church are symbolized by the ships which strive their utmost to sink the flagship. Only two things can save us in such a grave hour: devotion to Mary and frequent Communion. Let us do our very best to use these two means and have others use them everywhere."

Not surprisingly this contents of this dream amazed all those listening, and four of those present wrote down what they had heard. Two wrote the next day, 31 May and two some time later, but all four narratives agree substantially. Such small differences as were found can be explained on the basis that it is impossible to get every detail when remembering and writing a spoken narrative.

One point that did cause some argument amongst those who had been present was over whether there had been two popes as commander of the flagship as in the above account, or, as some thought, three. This point was made clearer in 1886 when one of those who had heard the dream recounted in 1862 returned to the Oratory.

At dinner with Don Bosco he began to narrate the dream and was quite certain that two popes had fallen, since he was sure that after the first was struck down the captains of the other ships had said, 'Let's hurry, We can quickly replace him'; on the second occasion he maintained that they had said nothing. Don Bosco seemed to back up this version of events by calling attention to what was being said, and so its probable that we are dealing with three popes in the account.

Those who had written down the dream were convinced that it was a genuine vision and prophecy, although Don Bosco's immediate aim was probably to encourage his boys to pray more fervently for the Church and the Pope, as well as to indicate the importance of devotion to Mary and the Blessed Sacrament.

We may be living part way through Don Bosco's vision, but as in all genuine prophecy before its fulfillment, there is quite a degree of uncertainty and ambiguity, and it would be foolish to attempt to come to definite conclusions at this stage. The important point is the way in which the end of the vision points to what would seem to be the world-wide triumph of the Church, a triumph which will be recognized by all, but one which is only gained after much suffering.

The emphasis on the role of Mary, Help of Christians, and the Blessed Sacrament, are also significant especially with regard to the message given at Fatima when Mary promised a period of peace for the world following troubled times, paralleled by the 'great calm' of Don Bosco's dream.


After all, he is a recognized Saint of the Church, and, contrary to present-day thinking, the Church does NOT canonize those who are detrimental to the Faith in any way. Just sayin'.

IF THE WORLD LOVES YOU...?

Like I said a couple of weeks ago, and Jesus said a couple thousand years ago: "If the world hates you, know that it hated me first." Well, the world LOVES this Pope. You figure it out!
Now it’s a Trifecta

So the Pope has now appeared on the front cover of three American periodicals: Time Magazine, The Advocate, and Rolling Stone. For the first two, the Pope was declared Man of the Year. The caption on the cover of Rolling Stone was “The times they are a-changing”. What does it mean when the Pope is the cover guy for a main stream but very secular American weekly, for the most prestigious, in some sense, gay periodical in the United States, and now Rolling Stone, the print symbol of the hip culture born of the 1970s? All is needed now is for the Pope to appear on the cover of the New York Times Sunday Magazine with an inside article written by the now ubiquitous and never shy representative of ‘70s Jesuitism, Fr. Thomas Reese.

All three periodicals that have featured Pope Francis on their cover and in a lead story, in their own way, are inimical to the teaching of the Catholic Church: Time for the Catholic Church’s audacity to resist the inevitable triumph of secular liberalism; The Advocate for the Church’s teaching that homosexual sex is sinful and disordered and therefore her refusal to join the militant and intolerant chorus extolling the equality of both “forms of sex”, hetero and homo; Rolling Stone, because the Catholic Church is just irrelevant in the post 70s world, a relic of the oppressive past swept away by the revolution of the 1960s and 1970s.

What is it that drove the editors of these three rather disparate periodicals to put Pope Francis on the cover and to celebrate, each in their own way, his accession to the Papacy? Because they see in him evidence that the Catholic Church will become a completely tamed opposition to what they see as the inevitable outcome of history in their image and likeness, that the lion will become a cute cub that is nice to have around, or like the dowager empress that can be trotted out to fulfill religious niceties at important occasions. And they base this on the now famous, or infamous, statements that Pope Francis has made, or not made according to some, in various interviews, chats and homilies about various key topics like life issues, homosexuality, traditional Catholics, sin in general, the nature of the Church, and much more. Whether or not the Pope’s statements have been misunderstood by the editors of Time, The Advocate and Rolling Stone, they are nevertheless using those statements to push their agenda, an agenda that includes if not the destruction certainly the emasculation of the Catholic Church.

The Pope’s press secretary, Father Lombardi, a Jesuit himself like the Pope, spends much of his time explaining away what the Pope has said. Yesterday he had to express his displeasure at the attacks on Pope Benedict in the Rolling Stone article. He said that despite the welcome attention given to the Pope in various media it was not necessary to say scurrilous things about the last Pope in the context of lauding the present Pope. But the fact is that the praise heaped on Pope Francis by the secular press is most often accompanied by a negative, to say the least, assessment of his predecessor, or rather of that Pope Benedict who lives next door to that Pope Francis in the Vatican. The fact is that Rolling Stone said in a much milder and secular based way what some Cardinals, Bishops and priests in Rome and elsewhere are saying about Benedict, those who have chafed and waited for a long time to go back to the 1970s and that peculiar agenda that resulted in the collapse of the priesthood, the religious life, the liturgy and Catholic moral teaching.


It will not be pleasant to have to go through a period in the Church that tries to pick up where Pope John Paul II halted the march to New Church. It will be like being at a Rolling Stones concert, always a bit embarrassing even for their faithful fans, who all have grey hair, are a bit paunchy and are all in their 60s and 70s. But you see, time is always on the side of the Church. The mantra chanted today, even by Catholic politicians, that those who oppose gay marriage, assisted suicide, abortion and all the liberal agenda based on the rights of the insatiable naked self—these are on “the wrong side of history”. But this is not possible for the Church, for her Lord is the Lord of history.


Lord, forgive us our history, but help us in our future. Please?

3rd Sunday after Epiphany

Tomorrow we hear how we are to deal with those who offend us or treat us badly. We're not supposed to seek to get even with them for their actions. You know; 'Love those who hate you'. This is very hard sometimes. We want those people to get their due justice NOW! But, God doesn't see it that way, and we are supposed to be like Him.

EPISTLE (Rom. XII. 16-21.) Brethren, be not wise in your own conceits. To no man rendering evil for evil: providing good things not only in the sight of God, but also in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as is in you, having peace with all men; not revenging yourselves, my dearly beloved but give place unto wrath; for it is written: Revenge is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. But if thy enemy be hungry, give him to eat; if he thirst, give him to drink; for doing this, thou shaft heap coals of fire upon his head. Be not overcome by evil, but overcome evil by good.

"Revenge is no sign of courage," says St. Ambrose, "but rather of weakness and cowardice. As it is the sign of a very weak stomach to be unable to digest food, so it is the mark of a very weak mind to be unable to bear a harsh word." The same saint says: "Are you impatient?, you are overcome. Are you patient?, you have overcome."

When we return him good for evil, for seeing our well meaning towards him, the flush of shame should redden his face for the wrongs he has done us. St. Augustine explains these words thus: "By giving food and drink or doing other kindnesses to your enemy, you will heap coals, not of anger, but of love, upon his head, which will inflame him to return love for love." Learn therefore, from the example of Christ and His saints, not to allow yourself to be overcome by evil, but do good to those that hate and persecute you.

In the Gospel, taken from St. Matthew, we see Jesus healing a leper. The leper knows that only God can heal him, and he asks Jesus to do it. God wills the healing, and Jesus says: "I will, be thou made clean." Therefore, He is God! How much simpler can it get?

Also, we hear the words that we say at every Mass: "Lord, I am not worthy that thou should enter under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant shall be healed." We do a slight variation of this, when, just before our Communion, we ask God to forgive us so that we may receive Him in a worthy state.

It always makes me wonder why Jesus tells these people who are healed not to tell anyone. I figure that it's because they will notice him without him saying a word. However, if those laws at that time required him to do so, Jesus wants him to fulfill the law. But, we all know that those in charge will not, for the most part, acknowledge that this Jesus actually cured him.

With all of this in our mind, I would like to end with yet another prayer we don't hear anymore. It is the Commemoration of the Blessed Virgin Mary for this Sunday, and we are asking her for her help.

O God, who by the fruitful Virginity of Blessed Mary hast given to mankind the rewards of eternal salvation, grant, we beseech Thee, that we may experience her intercession, by whom we received the Author of life, our Lord Jesus Christ, thy Son.

She is the new 'Ark' of the new covenant, which now supercedes that of the old since His death on the Cross.

Anniversary of Roe/vs.Wade

I messed up yesterday. Even though I prayed for the end of abortion, I didn't post anything. It was the 41st anniversary of that horrible/anti-God decision that has killed 60,000,000+ innocents. I am soooo against abortion; mostly because I was adopted a long time ago, and if the parents knew then what would have happened to me with all my medical problems, I would have been aborted then and there. Today I would have been. Thank God they didn't. I had wonderful Parents. Praise God again! Anyway, here is all that I want to say concerning this topic:

"I believe in pro-choice. However, mine is a little different. A woman, or any of us for that fact, has freedom of choice. We either choose to do what God expects of us or NOT!"

Is the following what we really want?



Surgical Abortions: Chemical Abortions • Abortifacient Contraceptives



There are many methods of abortion. The procedure used depends largely upon the stage of pregnancy and the size of the unborn child. Dr. J.C. Willke, in his book, Abortion: Questions and Answers (Hayes Publishing Co. Inc, Cincinnati, 1985), has divided the methods of abortion into three main categories: those that invade the uterus and kill the child by instruments which enter the uterus through the cervix; those that kill the preborn child by administration of drugs and then induce labour and the delivery of a dead baby; and, those that invade the uterus by abdominal surgery.

Dilation of the uterus is required in cervical methods of abortion. The usual method of dilation is to insert a series of instruments of increasing size into the cervix. A set of dilators, metallic curved instruments, are used to open the cervix sufficiently to accommodate the instruments of abortion. In contrast with a normal birth, where the dilation occurs slowly over a period of many hours, the forceful stretching by the abortionist to open the cervix takes a matter of seconds. This premature and unnatural stretching of the cervix can result in permanent physical injury to the mother.

Laminaria (dehydrated material, usually seaweed) is sometimes used to reduce damage to the cervix. Inserted into the cervix the day before the scheduled abortion, it absorbs water and swells, gradually pushing open the cervix in the process.

Eight-week pre-born baby
At Eight Weeks

At eight to nine weeks the eyelids have begun forming and hair appears. By the ninth and tenth weeks the preborn child sucks her thumb, turns somersaults, jumps, can squint to close out light, frown, swallow, and move her tongue.

At this early stage of development, suction abortions are performed using a smaller tube, requiring little dilation of the cervix. This is called "menstrual extraction." However, if all the fetal remains are not removed, infection results, requiring full dilation of the cervix and a scraping out of the womb.
Suction Aspiration

Suction Aspiration: This is the most common method of abortion during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. General or local anaesthesia is given to the mother and her cervix is quickly dilated. A suction curette (hollow tube with a knife-edged tip) is inserted into the womb. This instrument is then connected to a vacuum machine by a transparent tube. The vacuum suction, 29 times more powerful than a household vacuum cleaner, tears the fetus and placenta into small pieces which are sucked through the tube into a bottle and discarded.
Dilation and Curettage (D&C)

This method is similar to the suction method with the added insertion of a hook shaped knife (curette) which cuts the baby into pieces. The pieces are scraped out through the cervix and discarded [Note: This abortion method should not be confused with a therapeutic D&C done for reasons other than pregancy.]

12 Weeks
At Twelve Weeks

By the end of the third month all arteries are present, including the coronary vessels of the heart. Blood is circulating through these vessels to all body parts.

The heart beat ranges during this fetal period from 110 to 160 beats per minute. All blood cells are produced by the liver and spleen, a job soon taken over by the bone marrow. White blood cells, important for immunity, are formed in the lymph nodes and thymus.

Vocal chords are complete, and the child can and does sometimes cry (silently). The brain is fully formed, and the child can feel pain. The fetus may even suck his thumb. The eyelids now cover the eyes, and will remain shut until the seventh month to protect the delicate optical nerve fibers.

14 weeks: Muscles lenghten and become organized. The mother will soon start feeling the first flutters of the baby kicking and moving inside.

15 weeks: The fetus has an adult's taste buds and may be able to savor the mother's meals.

16 weeks: Five and a half inches tall and only six ounces in weight, eyebrows, eyelashes and fine hair appear. The child can grasp with his hands, kick, or even somersault.
Eighteen week pre-born baby

At Eighteen Weeks

The fetus is now about 5 inches long. The child blinks, grasps, and moves her mouth. Hair grows on the head and body.

20 weeks: The child can hear and recognize mother's voice. Though still small and fragile, the baby is growing rapidly and could possibly survive if born at this stage. Fingernails and fingerprints appear. Sex organs are visible. Using an ultrasound device, the doctor can tell if the child is a girl or a boy. The one on the left is a baby girl.
Dilation and Evacuation (D&E)

This method is used up to 18 weeks' gestation. Instead of the loop-shaped knife used in D&C abortions, a pair of forceps is inserted into the womb to grasp part of the fetus. The teeth of the forceps twist and tear the bones of the unborn child. This process is repeated until the fetus is totally dismembered and removed. Usually the spine must be snapped and the skull crushed in order to remove them.
Salt Poisoning (Saline Injection):

Saline Injection: Used after 16 weeks (four months) when enough fluid has accumulated. A long needle injects a strong salt solution through the mother's abdomen into the baby's sac. The baby swallows this fluid and is poisoned by it. It also acts as a corrosive, burning off the outer layer of skin. It normally takes somewhat over an hour for the baby to die from this. Within 24 hours, labor will usually set in and the mother will give birth to a dead or dying baby. (There have been many cases of these babies being born alive. They are usually left unattended to die. However, a few have survived and later been adopted.)
Six month pre-born baby
At Six Months

Seen here at six months, the unborn child is covered with a fine, downy hair called lanugo. Its tender skin is protected by a waxy substance called vernix. Some of this substance may still be on the child's skin at birth at which time it will be quickly absorbed. The child practices breathing by inhaling amnionic fluid into developing lungs.

Prostaglandin Chemical Abortion

Prostaglandin Abortion: This form of abortion uses chemicals developed by the Upjohn Pharmaceutical Co. which cause the uterus to contract intensely, pushing out the developing baby. The contractions are more violent than normal, natural contractions, so the unborn baby is frequently killed by them -- some have even been decapitated. Many, however, have also been born alive.

Hysterotomy or Caesarean Section

Used mainly in the last three months of pregnancy, the womb is entered by surgery through the wall of the abdomen. The technique is similar to a Caesarean delivery, except that the umbilical cord is usually cut while the baby is still in the womb, thus cutting off his oxygen supply and causing him to suffocate. Sometimes the baby is removed alive and simply left in a corner to die of neglect or exposure.

Eight month pre-born baby
At 30 Weeks

For several months, the umbilical cord has been the baby's lifeline to the mother. Nourishment is transferred from the mother's blood, through the placenta, and into the umbilical cord to the fetus. If the mother ingests any toxic substances, such as drugs or alcohol, the baby receives these as well.

32 weeks: The fetus sleeps 90-95% of the day, and sometimes experiences REM sleep, an indication of dreaming.
Partial-Birth Abortion

Five steps to a partial birth abortion:

Partial Birth Abortion: Guided by ultrasound, the abortionist grabs the baby's legs with forceps.

The baby's leg is pulled out into the birth canal.

The abortionist delivers the baby's entire body, except for the head.

Partial Birth Abortion (click for larger image)The abortionist jams scissors into the baby's skull. The scissors are then opened to enlarge the skull.

The scissors are removed and a suction catheter is inserted. The child's brains are sucked out, causing the skull to collapse. The dead baby is then removed.

Newborn baby
At 40 Weeks

The baby, now approximately seven and a half pounds, is ready for life outside its mother's womb. At birth the placenta will detach from the side of the uterus and the umbilical cord will cease working as the child takes his first breaths of air. The child's breathing will trigger changes in the structure of the heart and bypass arteries which will force all blood to now travel through the lungs.


REMEMBER, THE CHOICE IS YOURS. WILL YOU DO WHAT GOD EXPECTS OF YOU OR NOT?

May God Almighty have mercy on us for this horrible act by us.

Clueless Mary?

Our Holy Father, Francis, stated lately about Our Blessed Mother Mary, that she was pretty much kept in the dark concerning all of the things concerning her son, Jesus. This is pure hogwash! She knew all that was going on and what was going to happen at all times. He ought to be ashamed. All I can say is that the world loves him, and Jesus Himself stated to the Apostles that they would be hated by the world, and that it hated Him first. So, if the world loves you, shouldn't that put you ill at ease? Just sayin'. Now, back to what our Mother knew. Here are a few quotes from saints concerning just this subject:


From the editor of the Remnant (Hope Mr. Matt doesn't mind): The following few quotations provide the traditional understanding on the mystery of Mary’s role in the Incarnation and crucifixion of her Son—an understanding which we hope and even presume Bishop of Rome Francis intended to reiterate, if in vain, in his confusing sermon of December 20, 2013. Credit to Rorate Caeli for compiling these quotes:

Venerable Fulton Sheen:“From the moment she heard Simeon’s words, she would never again lift the Child’s hands without seeing a shadow of nails on them; every sunset would be a blood-red image of His Passion.”

St. Ambrose: “His mother stood before the Cross, and, while the men fled, she remained undaunted... She did not fear the torturers... His mother offered herself to His persecutors."

St. Bernard: "But perhaps someone will say, 'Did she not know ahead of time that her Son was going to die?' Yes, undoubtedly."

St Bonaventure: "When she saw the love of the Eternal Father towards men to be so great that, in order to save them, He willed the death of His Son; and, on the other hand, seeing the love of the Son in wishing to die for us: in order to conform herself who was always and in all things united to the will of God to the excessive love of both the Father and the Son towards the human race, she also with her entire will offered, and consented to, the death of her Son, in order that we might be saved."

Fr. Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange: "She is at the foot of the Cross on Calvary, though all the Apostles, St John only excepted, have fled; she stands erect there, firm in her faith that her Son is the Son of God, that He is the Lamb of God Who is even then taking away the sins of the world, that though apparently defeated, He is Victor over Satan and sin, and that in three days He will conquer death by His resurrection. Mary's act of faith on Calvary was the greatest ever elicited on earth, for the hour was unspeakably dark and its object was the most difficult of all – that Jesus had won the greatest of victories by making the most complete of immolations. Her faith was aided then by the gifts of the Holy Ghost. By the gift of Understanding she read far into the revealed mysteries, far into their inner meaning, their harmony, their appropriateness, their consequences. She was particularly favoured in her understanding of the mysteries in which she herself had a part to play, such as the virginal conception of Christ, His Incarnation, and the whole economy of the Redemption. ... It was increased also by the fact that Mary was confirmed in grace and preserved free from every shortcoming – lack of confidence as well as presumption.”

Blessed Simon of Cassia: "While grieving, she rejoiced, that a sacrifice was offered for the Redemption of all, by which He Who was angry was appeased."

Pope Benedict XV: "She offered her Son so generously in sacrifice to satisfy the justice of God, that it may be said with reason that she cooperated in the salvation of the human race along with Christ."

Arnold of Bonneval: "Love for his Mother moved Christ. At that moment, Christ and Mary had but one single will, and both were equally offering a single holocaust to God: she with the blood of her heart; He with the blood of His body."

Alain de Lille: "The disciples' faith failed, but the firmness of the Virgin's faith was not diminished.''


I wish that the Holy Father would stick to the basics and save his private opinions for his own enjoyment instead of causing scandal.

2nd Sunday after Epiphany-2014

I'm sorry that this came out today. I must have had a happy finger which sent it to post. Or maybe, I have the 'Pinball Wizard's' crazy flipper fingers. Anyway, it has happened and I can't do anything about it.

2nd Sunday after Epiphany

Tomorrow is the 2nd Sunday after Epiphany. Remember at the Epiphany when we had a triple play, as it were? The Magi came and adored their King. God the Father called Jesus His Son when He was baptized by John the Baptist, and Jesus acting as God, and not just the son of Mary, turned water into wine at Cana. I will let our beloved Abbot Gueranger explain it to us.



The third Mystery of the Epiphany shows us the completion of the merciful designs of God upon the world, at the same time that it manifests to us, for the third time, the glory of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The Star has led the soul to faith; the sanctified Waters of the Jordan have conferred purity upon her; the Marriage-Feast unites her to her God. We have been considering, during the Octave of Epiphany, the Bridegroom revealing Himself to His Spouse, the Church; we have heard Him calling Her to come to Him from the heights of Libanus; and now, after having enlightened and purified Her, He invites Her to the heavenly feast, where She is to receive the Wine of His Divine Love.

A Feast is prepared (John 2); it is a Marriage-Feast; and the Mother of Jesus is present, for it is just that, having cooperated in the mystery of the Incarnation of the Word, She should take part in all that Her Son does, and in all the favors He bestows on His elect. But, in the midst of the Feast, the wine fails. Wine is the symbol of Charity or Love, and Charity had failed on the earth; for the Gentiles had never tasted its sweetness; and as to the Synagogue, what had it produced but wild grapes (Is. 5: 2)? The True Vine is our Jesus, and He calls Himself by that name (John 15: 1). He alone could give that wine which gladdeneth the heart of man (Ps. 103: 15); He alone could give us that chalice which inebriateth (Ps. 22: 5), and of which the Royal Psalmist prophesied.

Mary said to Jesus: They have no wine. It is the office of the Mother of God to tell Him of the wants of men, for She is also their Mother. But Jesus answers Her in words which are seemingly harsh: Woman, what is it to Me and to Thee? My hour is not yet come. The meaning of these words is that, in this great mystery, He was about to act, not as the Son of Mary, but as the Son of God. Later on, the hour will come when, dying upon the Cross, He will do a work, in the presence of His Mother, and He will do it as Man, that is, according to that human nature which He has received from Her. Mary at once understands the words of Her Son, and She says to the waiters of the Feast, what She is now ever saying to Her children: Do whatsoever He shall say to you.

Now, there were six large water-jars of stone there, and they were empty. The world was then in its Sixth Age, as St. Augustine and other Holy Doctors tell us. During these six ages, the earth had been awaiting its Savior, Who was to instruct and redeem it. Jesus commands these water-jars to be filled with water; and yet water does not suit the Feast of the Spouse. The figures and prophecies of the ancient world were this water, and until the opening of the Seventh Age, when Christ, Who is the Vine, was to be given to the world, no man had contracted an alliance with the Divine Word.

But, when the Emmanuel came, He had but to say, "Now draw out", and the water-jars were seen to be filled with the wine of the New Covenant, the wine which had been kept to the end. When He assumed our human nature—a nature weak and unstable as water—He effected a change in it; He raised it up even to Himself, by making us partakers of the divine nature (2 Pet. 1: 4); He gave us the power to love Him, to be united with Him, to form that one Body, of which He is the Head, that Church of which He is the Spouse, and which He loved from all eternity, and with such tender love, that He came down from Heaven to celebrate His nuptials with Her.

St. Matthew, the Evangelist of the Humanity of Our Lord, has received from the Holy Ghost the commission to announce to us the Mystery of Faith by the star; St. Luke, the Evangelist of Jesus' Priesthood, has been selected, by the same Holy Ghost, to instruct us in the Mystery of the Baptism in the Jordan; but the Mystery of the Marriage-Feast was to be revealed to us by the Evangelist John, the Beloved Disciple. He suggests to the Church the object of this third Mystery of Epiphany, by this expression: This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and He MANIFESTED His glory (John 2: 11). At Bethlehem, the Gold of the Magi expressed the Divinity of the Babe; at the Jordan, the descent of the Holy Ghost and the voice of the Eternal Father proclaimed Jesus (known to the people as a carpenter of Nazareth) to be the Son of God; at Cana, it is Jesus Himself that acts, and He acts as God, for, says St. Augustine, He Who changed the water into wine in the water-jars could be no other than the same Who, every year, works the same miracle in the vine. Hence it was that, from that day, as St. John tells us, His disciples believed in Him, and the Apostolic College began to be formed.

O the wonderful dignity of man! God has vouchsafed, says the Apostle, to show the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which had no claim to, nay, were unworthy of such an honor. Jesus bids the waiters fill them with water and the water of Baptism purifies us; but, not satisfied with this, He fills these vessels, even to the brim, with that heavenly and new Wine, which was not to be drunk save in the kingdom of His Father (Rom. 9; 23). Thus, divine Charity, which dwells in the Sacrament of Love, is communicated to us; and that we might not be unworthy of the espousals with Himself, to which He called us, He raises us up even to Himself. Let us, therefore, prepare our souls for this wonderful union, and, according to the advice of the Apostle, let us labor to present them to our Jesus with such purity as to resemble that chaste Virgin, who was presented to the spotless Lamb (2 Cor. 11: 2).

The Communion Antiphon recalls once more the miracle of the changing of the water into wine. This was only a dim figure of that wondrous transformation which is accomplished on our altars—only a symbol of that divine Sacrament, the food of our souls whereby, in an unspeakable way, is realized our union with God:

The Lord saith: Fill the water-jars with water and carry to the chief steward of the feast. When the chief steward had tasted the water made wine, he said to the bridegroom: Thou hast kept the good wine until now. This beginning of His miracles did Jesus before His disciples.


Our Blessed Mother intercedes, receives what she asks, and tells us to do whatever He tells us to do. Pure and simple as that. We can ask her to intercede for us and she will never let us down.

LORD, THAT WE MAY SEE

REALLY?

I saw this in this past weekend's comics. It might seem funny to those who don't possess the eternal Truth, but to those who do, maybe it's not so funny.

Everyone goes to heaven, right? They might be surprised when they find out the truth. Just sayin'.

This reminds me of a joke of a sort. The devil had three minions with him, and he was about to send them into the world to reap souls for him. He asked the first on what he planned to do to accomplish this, to which he replied: "I will teach them that there is no God". The devil said that it was good, but he wouldn't really get very many souls. He asked the second what he planned to do, to which he replied: "I will teach them that there is no you". The devil replied that this was also was good, but that the numbers won't be what he was intending. He asked the third minion what he planned to do to gain lost souls, and he replied: "I will teach them that they have a lot of time left to think about it." The devil was ecstatic, to say the least.

Sunday after Epiphany--The Holy Family

This Sunday is the Sunday after Epiphany, and also, we honor the Feast of the Holy Family. I haven't felt much like doing anything lately, with all that has been going on. I finally feel like doing this post, especially what we have been through since before Christmas. First of all, we had a power outage due to an ice storm, and lasted 5 days, leaving us in the dark for Christmas. Then, we get our power back, only to have approx. 17 inches of snow the following weekend. Made it tough going to Church. Even had a touch of the flu. Bummer! I even told Our Blessed Mother; I was soooo sick and achy (probably feeling sorry for myself) that I didn't feel like doing a rosary. I promised her that I would try anyway. Amazingly, I finished it somehow, and my aches and chills went away. Just sayin'! Now, we are to have a few days in the upper thirties, with the possibility of a lot of rain leading to flooding in areas. Then, back to the freezing temperatures. Hope we don't get another ice storm, accompanied by power outages. I guess it is just another series of tests. Hopefully, we can pass the exam.

From twelve years old, a Jew was bound each year to keep the three feasts of Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles. In the liturgy for Christmas-tide the whole of our Lord's childhood is put before us and to-day we see Him in the Temple, where for the first time, He shows the Jews that God is His "Father" (Gospel).

"It was by no accident," says St. Ambrose, "that this Child who, even according to the flesh, was full of wisdom and grace of God, forgetting His human parents should wish to be found after three days in the Temple. By this He intimated that three days after the triumph of His Passion,He who was believed to be dead should rise again and so offer Himself as the object of our faith, seated on a heavenly throne in heavenly glory. The truth is, that in His case, there is a two-fold birth: the one by which He is begotten of the Father, the other by which He is born of a mother. The first is wholly divine; by the second He humbles Himself to take our nature". This "Man sitting upon a High throne whom a multitude of angels adore singing together" (Introit) is, therefore, that Divine Child who is shown to us in to-day's Gospel. "Sitting in the midst of the doctors who" were astonished at His wisdom and answers. Moreover since, "as God hath delivered to everyone the measure of Faith", (Epistle) Christian souls form but "one body in Christ" (Epistle), they ought to be penetrated with the wisdom of Him who far from "conforming himself to the maxims of this world," reforms "and rules human life according to the will of God" (Epistle).

"Did you not know that I must be about my Father's business?" said the young boy Jesus. This wholly supernatural wisdom whose guiding principles exceed, without destroying those of the natural order, is beyond our unaided powers. While seeking to curb our flesh by the mortification which such wisdom enjoins, sacrificing at times, even the most lawful affection, in pursuance of a divine call which draws children from their parents' side, the plans of almighty God must needs remain for us hidden mysteries to be accepted without being completely understood. "They understood not the word that He spoke unto them" (Gospel). Following Mary who "kept all these words in her heart", (Gospel) let us meditate on the sublimity of Jesus' words and actions in the Temple. Like this Child whose whole life at Nazareth is summed up in the one word "subjection" (Gospel), let us grow in wisdom so that always we may "perceive what we ought to do," and in strength "to fulfill the same"


He that is Life gives His whole self to us; let us, in return, present Him our hearts, that is, a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing unto God; whose service may be accompanied by a formal intention of offering itself to its Creator. Here again, let us imitate the Magi, who went back another way into their own country--let us not adopt the ideas of this world, for the world is the covert enemy of our beloved King. Let us reform our worldly prudence according to the divine wisdom of Him, who may well be our guide, seeing He is the Eternal Wisdom of the Father. Let us understand, that no man can be wise without Faith, which reveals to us that we must all be united by love, so as to form one body in Christ, partaking of His life, His wisdom, His light, and His kingly character.

I would like to end with another hymn that we will not hear, concerning the Divine Birth, and the Mother who gave Him life.

'Blest light of all heavenly hosts,
Sole hope of them that dwell on earth,
The purest love that ever graced a home,
Did smile upon thy birth.

Mary, dear Mother, who but thee
was ever yet so rich in grace?
Didst nourish Christ upon thy knee
and fold Him in a sweet embrace?

And Joseph, chosen out to guard
the Virgin with thy gentle might,
the Infant Jesus smiled on thee
and called thee father as by right.

You, who to save a guilty race
were born of David's noble line,
O hear the humble prayers of all
today, who gather round your shrine.

The Sun now wends His way to rest
and earth is veiled in shadows gray;
yet hearts afire with joy and love
still bid us linger on to pray.

O may the grace of that sweet home
which held the earthly Trinity,
be shed abroad upon the world
and bless the Christian family.

O Jesu, born of Virgin bright,
Immortal glory be to thee;
praise to the Father infinite
and Holy Ghost eternally. Amen.


We have been asked, as always, to make some kind of offering to our Lord, for all that He has done for us. This offering is not anything material. It is US! We are to give Him a living sacrifice, as it were, of ourselves. Give Him our all; our mind, our hearts, and our souls. This is all He asks of anyone. Also, let us immolate the Magi, who offered Him what they had. We should copy them, who went back another way into their own country by not going back to our old ways, the ways of the world. He will be our Guide, if we but let Him.

EPIPHANY

This is the day which is revered throughout the Church. It is a triple play, as it were, of three key events in our Saviour's life. His manifestation of Who He is to the world. And, they are overwhelmingly thought of by Doctors and saints to have happened on this same day! God truly works in a mysterious way, doesn't He? Anyway, the first of these happenings is when the Magi appeared to adore their God as an Infant, and to bring Him gifts as such to welcome their Divine King, to prepare for His glory and for anointing Him at His death. Secondly, this is the day when John the Baptist baptized Christ in the Jordan River, when the Eternal Father proclaimed Him as His Son. Thirdly, it is the day when Jesus using His Divine power turned water into wine at Cana. According to all the saints, it is impossible to prove that they did NOT occur on this same day. Cool, huh?

I would like to finish with something from the Greek Church, honoring this holy day. It is called IN NATALI DOMINI:

I hear the angels singing at Bethlehem Gloria in excelsis Deo! I hear them tel us that there is peace on earth to men of good will. Oh! see tht Virgin, she is lovelier than the heavens: for from her has risen a light to them that sat in darkness, exalting humble hearts that sing, as did the Angels, Gloria in excelsis Deo!

Rejoice, O Israel! Sing forth praise, all ye that love Sion! The chain of Adam's condemnation is broken; Paradise is opened to us; the Serpent is weakened, for woman, whom he had deceived in the beginning, is now before his gaze the Mother of the Creator. Oh! the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! She that had brought Death, the work of sin, into all flesh, is now, through the Mother of God, made the source of salvation. For of Her is born a Little Child who is the all-perfect God, and who, by his Birth, did but consecrate the Virginity of his Mother; by his swathing-bands he loosened the chains of sin; and by his own Infancy he comforted the pangs of child-birth to sorrowing Eve. Let every creature now keep choir and be glad, for Christ is come that he may reclaim mankind, and save our souls.

Thy Nativity, O Lord our God! brought to the world the light of knowledge; for by it they that had adored the stars, were taught, by a Star, to adore thee, the Sun of Justice, and acknowledge thee as the Orient from on high. Glory be to thee, O Lord!

Eden has been opened in Bethlehem! Come, let us go and see; we shall find the hidden Treasure. Come, let us go and possess in the Cave the things that are in Paradise. Here it is that there has appeared the unwatered Root that has budded forth our pardon. Here is the well not dug by human hand, of whose water David heretofore desired to drink. Here a Virgin has brought forth a Child, by whom she quickly slakes the thirst of Adam and David. Therefore, let us go more hastily to the place where is born the new Babe, who is God before all ages.

Rejoice, ye just; be glad, ye heavens; exult, ye mountains! Christ is born. The Virgin, cherub-like, sits bearing on her lap God, the Word made Flesh. The Shepherds are giving glory to the Babe. The Magi are offering gifts to the Lord. The Angels are singing this hymn: O INCOMPREHENSIBLE GOD! GLORY BE TO THEE!

THE HOLY NAME OF JESUS!

This Sunday is for the Holy Name of Jesus. The following says it all:

Sunday, January 5, 2014
In the Name of Jesus let every knee bow, of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth; and let every tongue confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father. (Phil. 2, 10-11)

Kneeling: For example, bending the knees and kneeling for Holy Communion?!

The following is taken from a 1891 book entitled HALF HOURS WITH THE SERVANTS OF GOD, concerning this day. It was written by a Jesuit, Pere Nouet.

'A true devotion to the Holy Name will help to obtain our own sanctification; for in saving our own souls, we accomplish the greatest desire of our Saviour, and we contribute on our part to do that which adds an additional glory to Him, which is our own salvation.

Our salvation depends, on the one part, on Him; on the other, ourselves. On His part He has abundantly supplied us with all that was necessary to complete the work of that grand, important, and sole hope of a happy eternity. He has cured all our infirmities; He has given us preservatives and wholesome remedies against all our vicious habits; He has delivered us from the power of the devil; He has reconciled us with His Eternal Father; He has paid all our debts; He has surmounted every obstacle to our salvation, and, through excess of love, He has shed His Blood, and after suffering excruciating pains He expired on the Cross. But, after all, if we do not make a good use of His graces, all that He has done and suffered will be in vain, inasmuch as we deprive Him of the glory of His Holy Name...

...Listen, then, to the voice of the Blood of that Redeemer Who beseeches you, by virtue of His Name and the excess of His love, to help Him to make His Name efficacious by saving souls, and by making them partakers of the fruit of His Precious Blood.'

New Year's resolution

We should all try to do this at all times. Maybe this year we can do better.

Thought for this year

The following is taken from a set of books written by the Rev. M. Hamon, S.S. It was written in 1894, and it has some interesting insights into daily living.

MEANS WHEREBY TO SPEND THIS YEAR IN A HOLY MANNER

First, we must attach ourselves to performing our ordinary actions well, even down to the most common amongst them, which appear to be nothing in the eyes of the world; that is, to do them at the proper time and in the right manner; to perform them for God, with an ardent desire to please Him. Therein holiness consists, much more than in the extraordinary actions which, for the very reason that they are extraordinary, are rare. Second, we must always be endeavoring to live better during the present moment than during the one which preceded it. If we have done well we must strive to do still better. True virtue never says: 'It is enough.' In this matter, not to advance is to go back. Always to advance, such is the word of command; always to rise higher, such is the rule of the just. (Ps. 86:5) Third, we must study our besetting sin, and when we know it well, make war to the death against it all the year long, by means of vigilance, of examination of your conscience, of good Confession, and fervent prayer. "If, every year," says the author of the Imitation, "we tear out a vice from our hearts, we shall soon be perfect." (1 Imit. 11:5) Let us be deeply be penetrated with these three means for passing the year holily, and let us make a strong resolution to do so.

The Holy Name of JESUS is announced

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Today, Christ sheds His first precious blood for our salvation, obeying the laws of the day. Our Blessed Mother also is honored this day. A mere mortal has consented and given life to the Lord and Saviour of all. She was told by the prophecies of Simeon and Anna just how important she is to be throughout history. The name of Jesus is confirmed by Joseph.


The Gospel is from the 2nd Chapter of St. Luke:

At that time: When eight days were fulfilled for His circumcision, His Name was called Jesus, the Name given Him by the Angel before He was conceived in the womb..

The Child is circumcised: He is now not only a member of the human race; He is made today a member of God's chosen people. He subjects Himself to this painful ceremony, to this symbol of one devoted to the Divine service, in order that He may fulfill all justice. He receives, at the same time, His Name: the Name is Jesus, and it means a Savior. A Savior! Then He is to save us? Yes; and He is to save us by His Blood. Such is the divine appointment, and He has bowed down His will to it. The incarnate Word is upon the earth in order to offer a Sacrifice, and the Sacrifice is begun today. This first shedding of the Blood of the Man-God was sufficient to the fullness and perfection of a Sacrifice; but He is come to win the heart of the sinner, and that heart is so hard that all the streams of that Precious Blood, which flow from the Cross on Calvary, will scarcely make it yield. The drops that were shed today would have been enough to satisfy the justice of the Eternal Father, but not to cure man's miseries, and the Babe's Heart would not be satisfied to leave us uncured. He came for man's sake, and his love for man will go to what looks like excess—He will carry out the whole meaning of His dear Name—He will be our Jesus—our Savior.



The following is taken from the Greek Church, concerning Mary:

An admirable mystery is this day revealed: the two Natures are united in a new way. God is made Man: he remained what he was, and he assumed what he was not, suffering neither confusion nor division.

When the mystic Vine had produced, without human aid, the Grape-bunch, she carried him in her arms, as the branches their fruit; and she said to him: 'Thou art my Fruit, thou art my Life, and I know from thyself, O my God, that I am what I was: the treasure of my virginity is preserved, the therefore do I confess thee to be the Immutable One, the Word made Flesh. Man I know not; but I acknowledge thee as the Redeemer of lost man. Thy Birth impaired not the purity thou gavest me, for what I was when thou didst leave me at thy Nativity. Therefore is it that every creature sings to me. saying: Rejoice, O full of grace!'