A beautiful poem.

The Church Triumphant!

I chanced upon this some time ago when I was reading a book. It's a poem by an English poet, Dryden, who has tried, in a beautiful way, to describe the most Holy Roman Catholic Church, the Church that Jesus himself founded, on HIS(JESUS) words,

"Tu es petrus, Et super hanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam."

("Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the powers of hell shall not prevail against it.")

and here's the beautiful poem:

"A milk-white hind, immortal and unchanged,
Fed on the lawns and in the forest ranged;
Without unspotted, innocent within, -
She feared no danger for she knew no sin.
Yet oft was she pursued ... was often forced to fly
And doomed to death, but fated not to die."

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and thus, I will end here for today.

PAX
In Christo et Maria!

The most Holy Sacrifice
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Q: What is the greatest miracle on earth?
Answer in two posts time ...
=)

O Glorious Saint Anne! =)

I'd like to say a few things about my glorious heavenly patron, Saint Anne! because today is her feast day! =)

All information on Saint Anne is taken from a little booklet on her, entitled Good Saint Anne, published by TAN publishers.

From St John Damascene, a Doctor of the Church, he declares in his writing that "Saint Anne, is a generous mother, a compassionate mother, a gracious mother, because the word 'Anne' means 'generous, merciful, gracious'."

This Saint Anne, is the mother of the most Blessed Virgin Mary! How full of sanctity she was to be honoured by God, this singular grace, to be the mother of the mother of God, the Grandmother of the Saviour! This favoured Saint definitely ranks high in merit and glory, near to the Word Incarnate and to His most holy Mother. Certainly, then, St. Anne has great power with God. Yes, assuredly the mother of the most powerful and amiable Virgin is likewise full of power and mercy.

Tradition, the history of the Church and the chronicles of various places of pilgrimage have recorded countless miracles wrought by Christ through the intercession of His sainted grandmother. Nor have they ceased to this day. Yearly, thousands of thousands of persons visit the shrine of St. Anne de Beaupre in Canada alone. (here's a picture of how the interior of the basilica of Saint Anne of Beaupre looks)

A little more about the Church of Saint Anne de Beaupre in Quebec, Canada.

The Church of St. Anne de Beaupre in Quebec, Canada has long been privileged to possess a rare relic of the Saint. It is a fragment of the wrist bone of St. Anne, about two or three inches in length, with the skin and flesh still adhering to the bone and showing the joint near the thumb. When the precious relic arrived in New York from Rome on May 1, 1892, a holy enthusiasm seized the busy metropolis. Crowds of the faithful began to flock to the church of St. Jean Baptisete, where the relic was temporarily deposited for the veneration of the faithful. It was a spectacle never before witnessed in the New World.

After obtaining this relic, the Redemptorist Fathers, guardians of the Shrine of St. Anne de Beaupre, sought to obtain the possession of the forearm from which the wristbone had been detached in 1892. This relic had been venerated for centuries in the Major Basilica of St. Paul-Outside-the-Walls in Rome. In May, 1960, this cherished desire of the Redemptorist Fathers was realised when the Benedictines in charge of the Basilica of St. Paul donated the entire forearm of St. Anne to the Basilica of St. Anne de Beaupre. This relic measures seven inches in length by two inches at the base.

On the occasion of its translation, splendid spiritual celebrations again took place in the church of St. Jean Baptiste in New York and at the Shrine of St. Anne de Beaupre. On July 3, 1960, the first Sunday of the month of St. Anne, the new relic was solemnly enthroned in the Basilica of St. Anne, where it has since been venerated by the crowds of pilgrims who come to the shrine.

(more on St. Anne de Beaupre later ...)

All information on Saint Anne is taken from a little booklet on her, entitled Good Saint Anne, published by TAN publishers.

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Here's an extract of a sermon by Archbishop M. Lefebvre

you can learn a little more about what he has to say about Saint Anne here.

As taken from http://www.sspxasia.com/Documents/Archbishop-Lefebvre/Apologia/Vol_three/Chapter_35.htm

Appologia pro Marcel Lefebvre

Volume 3, Chapter XXXV
Extract from a Sermon pronounced by His Excellency Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre on the Pardon1 at Lanvallay (Brittany), France27 July 1980

My dear friends,
It was with great joy and great satisfaction that a few minutes ago we blessed this chapel dedicated to Saint Anne. We thank God that we are able to provide these places for Catholic worship, and to place this chapel under the protection of St. Anne, heavenly patroness of Brittany. We thank all who have had a part in the establishment of this chapel, in making such places as this truly worthy of the Holy Sacrifice and of the Holy Mysteries which are to be celebrated here, making them worthy of St. Anne.
Since we are honoring St. Anne, Patroness of Brittany, let me say a few words which the occasion calls to mind. It seems to me that St. Anne, by her example, gives us three great lessons: she asks those who are joined in the bonds of matrimony to live as Christians and to have Christian families. St. Anne has set us an example, as we are told in the Gospel. She lived with St. Joachim sine querela (without quarreling) for many years in peaceful marriage. St. Anne and St. Joachim lived in the faith. Where Christian marriage is concerned, they are models for Christian spouses. This is the first important lesson that St. Anne gives us by her example.
And by her example she also shows how Providence blesses Christian homes. Although she was barren, look how God gave her a child in her old age: Mary, who would be the mother of Jesus. This is why St. Anne is often represented, as you see her in this statue here, pointing out in a Bible the passages referring to Mary. She was no doubt inspired by the Holy Ghost to do this: a virgin will have a son. So Mary herself received a profoundly Christian education.
The second lesson that St. Anne gives us is Christian education of children – Christian homes, Christian education.
And finally, a third point: St. Anne gives true priests. For let us not forget that Mary was born and chosen by God to give birth to the Eternal High Priest. St. Anne also had the great privilege, at an advanced age, of having a child who would become the mother of the great High Priest. She was therefore the grandmother of Jesus – Jesus the Eternal High Priest. So St. Anne’s message for us is that, in Christian homes, there are vocations – holy vocations, vocations to the priesthood, to the religious life. This, I think, is the great thing St. Anne teaches us and spreads her blessings over Brittany.

... ... ...

So we beg you to join your prayers to ours; let us pray together for the graces we need from God. Without God we can do nothing, without the graces of Christ we can do nothing. He it is Who saved us on the Cross and gives all graces possible to us.
Let us ask St. Anne, His grandmother, let us ask His Mother Mary to obtain these graces for us, so that we may remain faithful children of Our Lord, of the Blessed Virgin and St. Anne.
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

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yups! =) Have a nice day all!

God Bless!

What a wonderful thing!

My my! I just read something that literally blew me off my seat. (I was in the bus when I read this .. (lol) .. as usual, the bus was jerky and me being the silly engrossed self er..let's put it this way, I was/am/(hope not to be) clumsy.) BUT thing is, after reading this little page from the small book that I was holding, my reaction was a little like .. WOW! you have got to read this.=)

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This is taken from page 13 of St. Alphonsus Ligouri's book, Uniformity with God's Will, translated from the Italian of the Saint, by Thomas W. Tobin, C.S.S.R.

The devout Father John Tauler relates this personal experience: For years he had prayed God to send him someone who would teach him the real spiritual life. One day, at prayer, he heard a voice saying: "Go to such and such a church and you will have the answer to your prayers." He went and at the door of the church he found a beggar, barefooted and in rags. He greeted the mendicant saying:

"Good day, my friend."

"Thank you, sir, for your kind wishes, but I do not recall ever having had a 'bad' day."

"Then God has certainly given you a very happy life."

"That is very true, sir. I have never been unhappy. In saying this I am not making any rash statement either. This is the reason: When I have nothing to eat, I give thanks to God; when it rains or snows, I bless God's providence; when someone insults me, drives me away, or otherwise mistreats me, I give glory to God. I said I've never had an unhappy day, and it's the truth, because I am accustomed to will unreservedly what God wills. Whatever happens to me, sweet or bitter, I gladly receive from his hands as what is best for me. Hence my unvarying happiness."

"Where did you find God?"

"I found him where I left creatures."

"Who are you anyway?"

"I am a king."

"And where is your kingdom?"

"In my soul, where everything is in good order; where the passions obey reason, and reason obeys God."

"How have you come to such a state of perfection?"

"By silence. I practice silence towards men, while I cultivate the habit of speaking with God. Conversing with God is the way I found and maintain my peace of soul."

Union with God brought this poor beggar to the very heights of perfection. In his poverty he was richer than the mightiest monarch; in his sufferings, he was vastly happier than worldlings amid their worldly delights.

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This IS the answer to true happiness!

A good priest told this to me once, (or to this extend the way I remember it) in order to hear/listen to God, and let God enter into your soul, you need to be rid of worldly affections, rid of things that will cause God to be separated from you .. (etc)

Reading that particular page from St. Alphonsus's book and remembering what the good priest told me, I was compelled to put this up.

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Dearest God! my happiness consists in doing everything entirely according to your will!

Dearest Mother Mary, please do help me!

My Patrons: St, Anne and St, Thérèse please pray for me!

A note: tomorrow's the feast day of O the most glorious Saint Anne! =) the mother of the most Blessed Virgin Mary! yay!!

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On a side-note, I've just checked the IVLE site and have realised that they have pre-allocated LSM 2101 - Metabolism and Regulation and LSM 2102 - Molecular Biology! this is good! as it means that next sem, I am officially without any lab practicals! (but I'm now laughing at how I'm going to take sem2.. cos' there will be more labs in sem2) .. deo gratias anyway!! =)

There's also a flip side to this pre-allocation: (!!) I've realised that there's no KL, ZH or Anni with me! They have been pre-allocated the other 2 modules instead .. !! but it's alright =) Let God work his will.

Now, I don't want the hols to end.. haha!

(thing is, God won't grant me this..time has to move on!!)

and so be it! Amen! =)

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PAX

In Christo et Maria!

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Let us learn to be more like HER (Mother Mary) who gave herself, her whole will, and who united everything she did to the will of God! Ave Maria!

Jesus: "It is consummated!"

I really love this picture because it says alot!

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I had a sudden urge to post this up after reading it yesterday, don't ask me why, it seems appropriate though!, especially with the picture as can be seen above.

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The meditation below is taken from St. Alphonsus Ligouri's book on the Passion and the Death of Jesus Christ.

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JESUS HANGING DEAD UPON THE CROSS

Raise up thine eyes, my soul, and behold that crucified man. Behold the divine Lamb now sacrificed upon that altar of pain. Consider that he is the beloved Son of the Eternal Father; and consider that he is dead for the love that he has borne thee. See how he holds his arms stretched out to embrace thee; his head bent down to give the kiss of peace; his side open to receive thee into his heart. What dost thou say? Does not a God so loving deserve to be loved? Listen to the words he addresses to thee from that cross: "Look, my son, and see whether there be any one in the world who has loved thee more that I have."

No, my God, there is none that has loved me more than Thou. But what return shall I ever be able to make to a God who has been willing to die for me? What love from a creature will ever be able to recompense the love of his Creator, who died to gain his love?

O Mary, Mother of love, do thou obtain me love.

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This is the front cover of the March 2005 edition of the Catholic Newspaper I've been blogging about.

Omnia Instaurare in Christo (To restore all things in Christ)

(Little Snippets of Interesting Information Part One)

Christian Greeting outside of the Octave of Easter

Greeting:
Praise be to Jesus Christ!
Response:
For evermore!
Latin:
Greeting:
Laudetur Iesus Christus!
Response:
In aeternum!

*Note: Pope Sixtus V, on 2 July, 1587, granted an indulgence of fifty days to this ejaculation and response.

(you can find out more at this link.)

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Laudetur Jesus Christus! =)

.. alright, this post, as in the previous post, was inspired by another article found in the CATHOLIC newspaper. As in the previous post, here's the link. where you can find the blessed people who publish this newspaper online. :)

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The article is about Matt Talbot, Model of Working Men, Inspiration for the Addicted. As I don't think I can type the whole article down in this blog, here is a link for you to read more about the Venerable Matt Talbot.

Please do go to this link to read more about the life of Matt Talbot.

I've extracted this from the article, which I feel, very practical for all of us to meditate and reflect upon.

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...Two of Matt's sayings have come down to us:

Three things I cannot escape:

1) The eye of GOD

2) The voice of CONSCIENCE

3) The Stroke of *DEATH.

and

In company, guard your tongue,

in your family, guard your temper,

when alone, guard your thoughts.

...

*This will lead us to another discussion on hell

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I love you, my dearest Lord, Help me not to sin again! With thy grace, we can overcome everything!!

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The Holy Family

(J.M.J.)

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PAX
In Christo et Maria!

A little bit of History .. FYI!

Hello all! I've got my latest entry from CATHOLIC, the voice of catholic orthodoxy, a newspaper of catholic tradition. The blessed people who publish this newspaper can be found online at this link.

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What is the Catholic Church?

It is the universal kingdom of God on Earth.

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HOW OLD IS YOUR CHURCH?

by Rev, Fr. John N. McCormick C.S.S.R. (1957)

If you are a Lutheran, your religion was founded by Martin Luther, an ex-monk of the Catholic Church, in the year 1517.

If you belong to the Church of England, your religion was founded by King Henry VIII in the year 1534 because the Pope would not grant him a divorce with the right to remarry.

If you are a Presbyterian, your religion was founded by John Knox in Scotland in the year 1560.

If you are a Protestant Episcopalian, your religion was an off-shoot of the Church of England, founded by Samuel Seabury in the American colonies in the 17th century.

If you are a Congregationalist, your religion was originated by Robert Brown in Holland in 1582.

If you are a Methodist, your religion was launched by John and Charles Wesley in England in 1744.

If you are a Unitarian, Theophilus Lindley founded your church in London in 1774.

If you are a Mormon - a "Latter Day Saint" -, Joseph Smith started your religion in Palmyra, New York State in the U.S.A. in 1829.

If you are a Baptist, you owe the tenets of your religion to John Smyth, who launched it in Amsterdam in 1606.

If you are of the Dutch Reformed Church, then a meeting in Emden, Germany, in 1571 was your starting point. If you are a member of the Reformed Church in America, however, you recognise Jonas Michaelius as founder, because he started your denomination in New York in 1628.

If you are one of the Seventh Day Adventists, then James and Ellen G. White originated your religion in Battle Creek, Michigan in 1863.

If you worship with the Salvation Army, your sect began with William Booth in London in 1865.

If you are a Jehovah's Witness, then the year 1881 saw Charles Taze Russell found the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania.

If you are a Christian Scientist, you look to 1879 as the year in which your religion was born, and to Mrs Mary Baker Eddy as its foundress.

If you belong to a Pentecostal or Charismatic group, then you can trace your spiritual genealogy back to a prayer meeting at Charles Fox Parham's Bethel Bible College in Topeka, Kansas in 1901.

If you belong to such religious organisations as the "Church of the Nazarene", "Pentecostal Gospel", the "Pilgrim Holiness Church". the "Iglesia ni Christo" or the "Assemblies of God", your religion is one of the thousands of new sects founded by men within the 20th century.

If you are a Roman Catholic, you know that your religion was founded in the year 33 by Jesus Christ the Son of God, and that it has not changed since that time.

Even in these strange days, the above enumerated facts are still undeniable.

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And so be it! Amen.

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PAX

IN CHRISTO ET MARIA!

-rachannethérèse-

The epistle of St Paul to the Romans.

The words say it all! Christus VINCIT, Christus REGNAT, Christus IMPERAT!

hello all! =) here's a chunk I pasted off the online bible. It's the epistle of St. Paul to the Romans chapter One. St. Paul, even though he was speaking to the Romans, my goodness! he sure speaks alot about modern day 20th century man too!!

here goes:

Latin Vulgate

Douay-Rheims Bible

Romans 1:

Epistle Of Saint Paul To The Romans

<> Chapter 1 next >

He commends the faith of the Romans, whom he longs to see. The philosophy of the heathens, being void of faith and humility, betrayed them into shameful sins.

1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, 2 Which he had promised before, by his prophets, in the holy scriptures, 3 Concerning his Son, who was made to him of the seed of David, according to the flesh, 4 Who was predestinated the Son of God in power, according to the spirit of sanctification, by the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead; 5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith, in all nations, for his name;

4 "Predestinated"... Christ as man, was predestinated to be the Son of God: and declared to be so (as the apostle here signifies) first, by power, that is, by his working stupendous miracles; secondly, by the spirit of sanctification, that is, by his infinite sanctity; thirdly, by his ressurection, or raising himself from the dead.
6 Among whom are you also the called of Jesus Christ: 7 To all that are at Rome, the beloved of God, called to be saints. Grace to you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 8 First I give thanks to my God, through Jesus Christ, for you all, because your faith is spoken of in the whole world. 9 For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make a commemoration of you; 10 Always in my prayers making request, if by any means now at length I may have a prosperous journey, by the will of God, to come unto you.
11 For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual grace, to strengthen you: 12 That is to say, that I may be comforted together in you, by that which is common to us both, your faith and mine. 13 And I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that I have often purposed to come unto you, (and have been hindered hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles. 14 To the Greeks and to the barbarians, to the wise and to the unwise, I am a debtor; 15 So (as much as is in me) I am ready to preach the gospel to you also that are at Rome.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel. For it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth, to the Jew first, and to the Greek. 17 For the justice of God is revealed therein, from faith unto faith, as it is written: The just man liveth by faith. 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and injustice of those men that detain the truth of God in injustice: 19 Because that which is known of God is manifest in them. For God hath manifested it unto them. 20 For the invisible things of him, from the creation of the world, are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made; his eternal power also, and divinity: so that they are inexcusable.

21 Because that, when they knew God, they have not glorified him as God, or given thanks; but became vain in their thoughts, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 For professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. 23 And they changed the glory of the incorruptible God into the likeness of the image of a corruptible man, and of birds, and of fourfooted beasts, and of creeping things. 24 Wherefore God gave them up to the desires of their heart, unto uncleanness, to dishonour their own bodies among themselves. 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie; and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

26 For this cause God delivered them up to shameful affections. For their women have changed the natural use into that use which is against nature. 27 And, in like manner, the men also, leaving the natural use of the women, have burned in their lusts one towards another, men with men working that which is filthy, and receiving in themselves the recompense which was due to their error. 28 And as they liked not to have God in their knowledge, God delivered them up to a reprobate sense, to do those things which are not convenient; 29 Being filled with all iniquity, malice, fornication, avarice, wickedness, full of envy, murder, contention, deceit, malignity, whisperers, 30 Detractors, hateful to God, contumelious, proud, haughty, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

26 "God delivered them up"... Not by being author of their sins, but by withdrawing his grace, and so permitting them, in punishment of their pride, to fall into those shameful sins.
31 Foolish, dissolute, without affection, without fidelity, without mercy. 32 Who, having known the justice of God, did not understand that they who do such things, are worthy of death; and not only they that do them, but they also that consent to them that do them.
Epistle Of Saint Paul To The Romans<> Chapter 1 next >

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PAX

IN CHRISTO ET MARIA!

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Let us love the Holy Mass! The Sacrifice!

My God and My All!

The Adoration of the Trinity
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[(I do not know why I am suddenly thinking so much about Ironies, esp. after mass today!)
**This rant is purely for ranting purposes. No Harm, No Offence, No Nothing.**
[definition of rant:
to talk or complain in a loud excited and rather confused way because you feel strongly about something]
In this case, I'm treating it as a simple case of talk. This is not a complaint.. =) or so I think? haha.
(just scroll pass this if you don't want to read it)
Why the Irony? -> I THINK: it's because of some Ironical things that have been happening every Sun during the 930am sung mass! (no offence to anyone!!!, if you happen to know what I'm talking about..these are all but just little things that we have to tolerate) but don't you all realise that somehow the noise coming from the opposite [place] happens to be extremely loud or it apparently grows louder and louder during the consecration?? On one end we have the TRUE SACRIFICE (yes! I do believe firmly!) and on the other end, there's the NOISY noise. Distraction is Irritating. But, TOLERANCE is the word and I'm not angry, just ranting!!, as in the definition above.. I'm only human!! - to all reading this, ora pro nobis! gratias!=)
Deus meus, Deus meus, adjuva me! Deo gratias!!]
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now, away from the rant, and back to serious business =)
[actually, the saying, God works in marvellous ways, in ways we all don't anticipate! really holds true!(don't you all agree?)
He allows things to happen because it is His will and because He wants to show us why some things are just the way it is] Deo gratias!=):
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Notice the REAL IRONY!
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(Because He Loves us Infinitely! ...)
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A GOD crucified?
A GOD hung on a tree?
A GOD scourged?
A GOD mortified?
A GOD insulted?
A GOD bruised for our iniquities?
A GOD crowned with thorns?
A GOD mocked?
A GOD treated worse than a slave?
A GOD sold for less than what a slave was worth?
A GOD willing to suffer, His most Sacred Body, defiled, His most Precious Blood, spilled?
-
--and so on an so forth--
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Whosoever on earth would endure all that, just to cleanse us of our iniquity?
I am now reminded of a paragraph I read some time ago in St Alphonsus Ligouri's book on The Passion and the Death of Jesus Christ. I've searched through and I've just found it.
Here goes! =) :
-
(This is taken from Chapter 1: The Love of Jesus Christ in being willing to satisfy the Divine Justice for our sins.)
I.
We read in history of a proof of love so prodigious that it will be the admiration of all ages.
There was once a king, lord of many kingdoms, who had one only son, so beautiful, so holy, so amiable, that he was the delight of his father, who loved him as much as himself. This young prince had a great affection for one of his slaves; so much so that, the slave having committed a crime for which he had been condemned to death, the prince offered himself to die for the slave; the father, being jealous of justice, was satisfied to condemn his beloved son to death, in order that the slave might remain free from the punishment that he deserved: and thus the son died a malefactor's death, and the slave was freed from punishment.
This fact, the like of which has never happened in this world, and never will happen, is related in the Gospels, where we read that the Son of God, the Lord of the universe, seeing that man was condemned to eternal death in punishment of his sins, chose to take upon himself human flesh, and thus to pay by his death the penalty due to man: He was offered because it was His own will - Isa. liii. 7. And his Eternal Father caused him to die upon the cross to save us miserable sinners: He spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all. - Rom. viii.32 .What dost thou think, O devout soul, of this love of the Son and of the Father?
Thou didst, then, O my beloved Redeemer, choose by Thy death to sacrifice Thyself in order to obtain the pardon of my sins. And what return of gratitude shall I then make to Thee? Thou hast done too much to oblige me to love Thee; I should indeed be most ungrateful to Thee if I did not love Thee with my whole heart. Thou hast given for me Thy divine life; I, miserable sinner that I am, give Thee my own life. Yes, I will at least spend that period of life that remains to me only in loving Thee, obeying Thee, and pleasing Thee.
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Notice also this important point: Jesus wanted to do all this, it's because He WANTED to do it for us, because it was HIS OWN WILL! How great is that??! There's nothing on earth greater than this!
-
Going back to the question: Who on earth would endure all that, just to cleanse us of our iniquity?
ONLY GOD, is the answer. He is our MAKER, full of love for His creation.
Thus, by His OWN will, our REDEEMER,
and therefore, our JUDGE.
Most RIGHTFULLY, we all should always THANK HIM and LOVE HIM.
I think it's only natural..
AND not continuing to HEAP more and more insults against Him, our MAKER and SAVIOUR.
-
O My God and My ALL! =) You are definitely marvellous. Deo gratias!
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PAX

In Christo et Maria!

Steps of the Passion - the Gradus Passionis

STEPS of the PASSION

(GRADUS PASSIONIS)

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The Agony of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemani

My sweetest Jesus, who, while praying in the garden, didst sweat blood, wast in agony, and didst suffer a sorrow so great as to suffice to cause Thee death, have mercy on us!

R. Mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us!

The Betrayal of Jesus

My sweetest Jesus, who wast betrayed by Judas with a kiss, and delivered over into the hands of Thine enemies, and then wast taken prisoner by them and bound, and abandoned by Thy disciples, have mercy on us.

R. Mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us!

The Unjust Tribunal

My sweetest Jesus, declared by the council of the Jews guilty of death, and in the house of Caiphas blindfolded with a piece of cloth, and then buffeted, spit at, and derided, have mercy on us.

R. Mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us!

Pilate's Indecision and the Herod's ridicule of Jesus

My sweetest Jesus, led away as a malefactor to Pilate, and then turned by Herod into ridicule, and treated as a madman, have mercy on us.

R. Mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us!

The Scourging at the Pillar

My sweetest Jesus, stripped of Thy garments, and bound to the pillar, and so cruelly scourged, have mercy on us.

R. Mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us!

The crowning with Thorns

My sweetest Jesus, crowned with thorns, covered with a red mantle, buffeted, and in mockery saluted as King of the Jews, have mercy on us.

R. Mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us!

Jesus is Unjustly condemned to Death by Pilate after the people chose Barabbas, a murderer instead of our Saviour

My sweetest Jesus, rejected by the Jews, and placed after Barabbas, and then unjustly condemned by Pilate to die upon a cross, have mercy on us.

R. Mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us!

Jesus accepts his Cross

My sweetest Jesus, laden with the wood of the cross, and as an innocent Lamb led away unto death, have mercy on us.

R. Mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us!

Jesus is Nailed on the Cross

My sweetest Jesus, nailed upon the cross, placed between two thieves, ridiculed and blasphemed, and for three hours in an agony of the most horrible torments, have mercy on us.

R. Mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us!

Jesus dies on the Cross

My sweetest Jesus, dead upon the cross, and in sight of Thy holy Mother, transfixed in Thy side with the spear, from whence there issued forth blood and water, have mercy on us.

R. Mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us!

The Pieta

My sweetest Jesus, taken down from the cross, and placed in the bosom of Thine afflicted Mother, have mercy on us.

R. Mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us!

Jesus Our Lord and Saviour!

My sweetest Jesus, who, torn with stripes and stamped with Thy five wounds, wast laid in the sepulchre, have mercy on us.

R. Mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us!

V. Surely he hath borne our infirmities.

R. And he hath carried our sorrows.

Let us pray.

O God, who, for the redemption of the world, didst will to be born, to be circumcised, rejected by the Jews, betrayed by the traitor Judas with a kiss, bound with cords, led as an innocent Lamb to the sacrifice, and with so many insults taken before Annas, Caiphas, Pilate, and Herod, accused by false witnesses, beaten with scourges and buffetings, overwhelmed with ignominies, spit upon, crowned with thorns, smitten with the reed, blindfolded, stripped of Thy raiment, fastened with nails to the cross lifted up on the cross, numbered amongst thieves, with gall and vinegar given Thee to drink, and wounded with the spear, - do Thou, Lord, by these sacred pains, which I, unworthy, venerate, and by Thy holy cross and death, deliver me from hell, and vouchsafe to conduct me whither Thou didst conduct the thief that was crucified with Thee: Thou who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Spirit for ever and ever. Amen. So do I hope; and so may it be!

Dear Lord, Thy Will be DONE!

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Jesu mitis et humilis corde, Fac cor nostrum secundum cor tuum!

Deus caritas est!

A Love so Great! It's hard to fathom.

God's INFINITE Love for us, to die on the infamous gibbet admist theives!

To endure humiliations!

A GOD scourged, a GOD crucified, a GOD punished.

A GOD INNOCENT!! so innocent, so loving, so merciful and yet so full of justice.

Infinite Majesty, Infinite everything.

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Dear Jesus, we ask for the grace to always keep our faith and the grace of final perserverance!

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In Christo et Maria!

ad majorem Dei gloriam - the Jesuit motto.

Greetings one and all!.. ah!, the title of this little post is AMDG, meaning, for the greater glory of God! It's the Jesuit motto and certainly a very interesting one. Everything for the GREATER glory of God, not just for the glory of God, but the GREATER glory of God. It's certainly very inspiring and encouraging. It makes me remember something that I chanced upon one day while reading the Imitation of Christ (which I must say is a MUST read, top-ten book!). Here it is:

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"Lord, I believe, but make me believe more deeply; I hope in You, but make me hope more firmly; I love You, but make me love more ardently; I am sorry for my sins, but make me repent more sincerely."

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It makes me wonder =) ... The epitome of spiritual life is to want to do MORE for God, everything MORE for God. Many saints have certainly succeeded in doing that. But, you do not just do MORE. You have to look into yourself, change your life and you can just do MORE by doing that. You don't have to do great things, just do things everything that you always do, with love, with great simplicity of heart, with all purity of thought and heart.

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We serve God by conquering our temptations and by resigning ourselves in sufferings.

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To do our everday actions with the right intention is to serve God.

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"All these actions, performed with diligence, bear fruit a hundredfold; but performed negligently, they do not render even tenfold" - Rev. Timothy Giaccardo

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"Let us put great intentions even in our slightest actions, and they will multiply our merits by the hundreds." - Very Rev. James Alberione

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Come, O Holy Ghost, come and make me a saint!

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Which reminds me, here is the novena said for the intention of the general chapter:

It starts with the Veni Creator.

Novena for the General Chapter
Sunday July 2 - Monday July 10

COME, Holy Ghost,

Creator blest,

and in our souls take up Thy rest;

come with Thy grace and heavenly aid

to fill the hearts which Thou hast made.

O comforter,

to Thee we cry,

O heavenly gift of God Most High,

O fount of life and fire of love,

and sweet anointing from above.

Thou in Thy sevenfold gifts are known;

Thou, finger of God's hand we own;

Thou, promise of the Father,

Thou Who dost the tongue with power imbue.

Kindle our sense from above,

and make our hearts o'erflow with love;

with patience firm and virtue high

the weakness of our flesh supply.

Far from us drive the foe we dread,

and grant us Thy peace instead;

so shall we not,

with Thee for guide,

turn from the path of life aside.

Oh, may Thy grace on us bestow

the Father and the Son to know;

and Thee, through endless times confessed,

of both the eternal Spirit blest.

Now to the Father and the Son,

Who rose from death,

be glory given,

with Thou, O Holy Comforter,

henceforth by all in earth and heaven.Amen.

V. Send forth Thy Spirit and they shall be created

R. And Thou shall renew the face of the earth

Let us pray:

O God, Who didst instruct the hearts of Thy faithful by the Light of the Holy Ghost; grant us in the same Spirit to be truly wise and ever to rejoice in His consolation. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us

Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us

Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us

Saint Pius X, pray for us

Fast on Friday July 7
Every priest of the SSPX will celebrate a Mass before July 10 for the intentions of the General Chapter

Here's also the Superior General's letter for you to read:

SUPERIOR GENERAL’S LETTER TO FRIENDS & BENEFACTORS NO. 69

Dear Faithful and Benefactors,
“By celebrating the old Mass, I discovered what the priest is.”
Several times lately we have received this moving testimony from priests who are getting to know us. This short
sentence sums up the essence of the profound mystery that has struck the Church:
1. The Church has been in a crisis since Vatican II because the priesthood has been slighted. This is one of the
fundamental elements of this crisis.
2. One of the most decisive points for the Church’s restoration is and will be the priesthood. Of all the churchmen of
the 20th century, Archbishop Lefebvre was probably the one who understood this most clearly.
3. In founding the Priestly Society of Saint Pius X, he sought nothing but the restoration of the priesthood for the sake
of restoring the entire Church, and
4. to do this by re-establishing the intimate, unsuspectedly profound link that exists between the priest and the Mass.
The priest was the forgotten man of Vatican II, as Fathers of the Council have frankly admitted. In the Constitution on
the Church, Lumen Gentium, while entire chapters were dedicated to the bishops and especially to the laity, one of the great
“discoveries” of Vatican II, only a few paragraphs refer to the priest, and when they do it is to subordinate him to the bishops
or to the universal priesthood of the baptized.
As early as 1971, the International Theological Commission would say: “Vatican II modified the image of the priest in
two regards. The Council treated of the common priesthood of all the faithful before treating of the ministerial priesthood....
Moreover, it highlighted the place of the bishop, the center of each particular Church and member of the universal
college of bishops. The place of the priest in the Church became blurred.”1
Loss of identity, an uncertain place in the Church...and yet the decree Presbyterorum Ordinis gives the same definition
of the priesthood as the Council of Trent! But the context is such that another idea is put forward, that of the priest
as preacher, as Martin Luther would have it, and not the priest as the one who offers the Sacrifice. This would lead Fr.
Olivier, a recognized expert on the subject, to say about the crisis that befell the priesthood after the Council: “The real
problem is so unusual in Catholicism that one can easily understand the instinctive blindness that has allowed a
perception of the cause to be avoided: the will to be faithful to two Councils that completely diverge from each other
is simply impossible.” 2
To this new presentation of the priesthood, a new Mass with an intentionally Protestant savor corresponds perfectly...
The conjunction of these two elements, the definition of the priesthood and the new Mass, have sufficed to provoke the most
severe crisis touching the priesthood in the Church’s entire history.
Let us say it quite simply: the priesthood has been cleverly denatured. The “president” (præesse), the “preacher”
(prædicare) are indeed sacerdotal roles, but they are not the essential: this belongs to the “sacrificare” (the “sacrificer”).
Insofar as the priest has not understood that his reason for being is sacrifice, that his ordination ordains him for the
offering of sacrifice, the sacrifice of Our Lord on the cross, the priest will not truly know what he is or who he is. The priest
without the Mass, without sacrifice, is an eye that sees not, an ear that hears not, feet that do not walk.
The Church’s enemy will never better succeed in striking her heart, for the heart of the Church, that which communicates
supernatural life to the entire Mystical Body, that which diffuses life throughout the whole organism, is the Holy
Sacrifice of the Mass. For a Mass protestantized in the name of ecumenism, according to Bugnini’s very words, a corresponding
priesthood was required...
The priests we quoted at the beginning of this letter have understood this in a lightening flash when they came in contact
with the traditional Mass. And then, they tell me, they are both frustrated and happy. Frustrated, because “they” hid from
them this treasure, they deprived them of it. Happy, inundated with happiness at understanding the extraordinary grandeur
of their vocation, the thrilling reality of their participation in the priesthood of Our Lord Jesus Christ “in persona Christi.”
The priest is associated, immersed even, in the sacrificial act of Our Lord, Sovereign Priest, and he thus participates with his
whole being, which he surrenders to Jesus, priest and victim, for the salvation of souls, for the redemptive act. All of this was
made away with in the New Mass.
Poor priests who know not what they are!
Very dear faithful, we do not doubt that you rejoice with us when priests discover what they are. These are beautiful
victories over the crisis in the Church, strongholds and citadels reconquered for Church Militant, joining ranks with the new
priests Divine Providence gives us every year. This year there will be seventeen, ten in this month of June, and seven in
December. In such occurrences, we see accomplished in a tangible way one of the goals of our Society, whose end is the
priesthood and everything related to it.
It should be the constant concern of the superiors to maintain among the members a lively will to accomplish and to
reach this end. As in every society, from time to time it is necessary to stop and examine the road traveled, to verify if and
how the end of the society is being pursued, and to consider the state of its members. This work is done particularly during
the course of the “Chapter,” an assembly which for us, the SSPX, meets every twelve years. It is also on this occasion that
the capitulants, numbering forty, elect the Superior General, who will lead the Society, assisted by his council, for the next
twelve years.
We have no need to insist upon the importance of such an event for our Society. During the six months preceding the
Chapter, our Statutes command us to offer prayers to obtain from Divine Mercy His grace, His light, and the help of the
Holy Ghost.
We invite you to join our prayers and sacrifices by a novena, and if you can, by a day of fasting. The novena will
commence on July 2. It consists of the prayer of the Veni Creator, three invocations to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and
one to St. Pius X. The day of fasting has been set for Friday, July 7.
Please receive our warmest thanks for your most touching and faithful generosity, without which the Society would not
have the means to develop and to grow, a growth that is somewhat miraculous... We count on your prayers, and ask Our
Lady to obtain for you by her intercession all the graces and spiritual support you need.
May God bless you abundantly.
The Feast of Pentecost
4 June 2006
+ Bernard Fellay

Footnotes
1The Priestly Ministry [French] (Paris: Cerf, 1971).
2Daniel Olivier, The Two Faces of the Priest [French] (Paris: Fayard, 1971), p. 106.

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Alrighty guys.. time to go off now. Till the next time then!

In Christo et Mariae et Joseph et Anna et Thérèse!

PAX

In Christo et Maria,

-rachanne-