Ecce Homo! - John, xix. 5

Today, being Passion Friday, also the commemoration of the Feast of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary and on Sunday - Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week, here's a meditation from my favourite book on the Passion and Death of Jesus Christ, by St. Alphonsus Maria de Ligouri:

Pg 442

III. Ecce Homo! – John xix 5

But what is it that the Jews reply, on their beholding that King of Sorrows? They raise a shout and say, Crucify, crucify Him! (Crucifige, crucifige eum!) – John, xix. 6. And seeing that Pilate, notwithstanding their clamor, was seeking a means to release Him, they worked upon his fears by telling him: If thou release this Man, thou art not Caesar’s friend. – John xix 12. Pilate still makes resistance, and replies, Shall I crucify your King? And their answer was, We have no king but Caesar. – John xix 15.

Ah, my adorable Jesus, these men will not recognize Thee for their King, and tell Thee that they wish for no other king but Caesar. I acknowledge Thee to be my King and God; and I protest that I wish for no other king of my heart but Thee, my love, and my one and only good. Wretch that I am! I at one time refused Thee for my King, and declared that I did not wish to serve Thee; but now I wish Thee alone to have dominion over my will. Do Thou make it obey Thee in all that Thou dost ordain. O will of God, thou art my love. Do Thou, O Dearest Mother Mary, pray for me. Thy prayers are not rejected.

O all ye Dearest Angels and Saints please pray for me.
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And from today's Epistle from the Proper of today's most beautiful Mass :)

Friday in Passion Week
Commemoration of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Jer. 17:13-18 EPISTLE

The prophet foretells the sorrows and anguish of Jesus our Lord, Who feels Himself surrounded by such treacherous and relentless enemies.

In those days Jeremias said: O Lord, all that forsake Thee shall be confounded: they that depart from Thee shall be written in the earth: because they have forsaken the Lord, the vein of living waters. Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed: save me, O Lord, and I shall be saved: for Thou art my praise. Behold they say to me: Where is the word of the Lord? Let it come. And I am not troubled, following Thee for my pastor: and I have not desired the day of man, Thou knowest. That which went out of my lips hath been right in Thy sight. Be not Thou a terror unto me: Thou art my hope in the day of affliction. Let them be confounded that persecute me, and let me not be confounded: let them be afraid, and let me not be afraid. Bring upon them the day of affliction, and with a double destruction destroy them, O Lord our God.

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And O how beautiful is the Lamentations of the Prophet Jeremias. I will post the words up tomorrow, but the chant was most enchanting. O how I wish I could put music up on this page. :)

Parce Domine, parce populo tuo: ne in aeternum irascaris nobis.

+ Amor meus crucifixus est.

Mater Dolorosa - Mother of Sorrows.

Notice the 7 swords (representing her 7 sorrows) piercing Her Most Sorrowful Heart, all Compassionate. Her Hands embracing the Crown of Thorns and the Nails. O Mother of Sorrows, I love thee!

Verbum caro factum est - Jn 1:14

Mary's Fiat, humble, submissive, the most important, the most confidential, the most sacred colloquy that ever took place on earth between two created beings!

Here's the post that I promised in my previous post, on the Annunciation of the BVM, when I wrote that I would post more about the Annunciation after my exam on Wednesday :)

From "Alone with God" by Fr. J. Heyrman, S.J. :
March 25
The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin

1. On this day the Church commemorates the most mysterious and the most solemn event in the history of mankind and of the universe. God, whom neither time nor eternity can encompass, enters our created world; He becomes man in the virginal womb of her that is blessed amongst women. This is the central mystery of our Faith. Whatever went before was merely a preparation for this sublime mystery, which links what is highest with what is lowest; whatever comes after is the result, till “the end when He (Christ) shall have delivered up the kingdom to God and the Father, when He shall have brought to nought all principality, and power, and virtue” (1 Cor. 15:24). We may behold Mary in converse with the angel.

2. Petition: The grace “to rise to the contemplation of God made man; to approach this sanctuary in a spirit of humble devotion, striving to gain spiritual knowledge through reverence and love, rather than to gain love through knowledge.

I. Mary, God’s Ultimate Instrument

The first step towards the incarnation of the Son of God was creation itself. For the Son is the “first-born of every creature … for in Him were all things created in heaven and on earth … all things were created by Him and in Him” (Col. 1: 15, 16).

After He had created our material universe, God created man, who is both matter and spirit. “And when the fullness of time was come” the Son of God would unite with the Divinity man’s nature composed of matter and spirit. Then came sin into the world, but man’s sin could not make void the divine decree; because of sin God’s plan was realized in a manner even more sublime. Not only will God’s only-begotten Son become man, but will also be the Saviour and restorer of all things.

Another step towards the implementation of God’s inscrutable design was the election of the Jewish people. Its mission was to preserve faith in the one true God, when all nations had lapsed into idolatry, and to keep alive the expectation of the Saviour: the Messiah was to be born in the house of Abraham. It is noteworthy that the genealogy of Jesus Christ, Son of David, son of Abraham, which we read in the first chapter of St. Matthew, contains the names of not a few that were sinners (how could it be otherwise?), till we come to the name of “Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ” (Mt. 1:16).

We admire the delicate attention with which divine Wisdom prepares the last stage for the incarnation of the Son. God preserves her, who is to be His Son’s Mother, from every stain of sin. Mary was conceived without sin, redeemed in a sublime manner in prevision of Christ’s merits. The fullness of grace, which God had bestowed on her at the beginning, could and did grow steadily. That she had resolved to remain a virgin, and yet to espouse Joseph, we may attribute to a special guidance of the Spirit. Such guidance seems appropriate in the case of one that had been preserved from original sin, and chosen to become the Mother of God.

And thus Mary, though she was not aware of it, became God’s ultimate instrument in the consummation of His great design.

II. The Angel’s Message

On that memorable day, the “Angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth”. The account of St. Luke (who was a physician) (1:26-37), the details of which he must have received from Mary herself, records the most important, the most confidential, the most sacred colloquy that ever took place on earth between two created beings. Let us, with reverence and devotion, read once again those “words”, which Mary kept in her heart, even more religiously than anything else, connected with those sacred events.

The Angel salutes her, allays her fears, does not ask whether she consents, but tells her she shall bear a Son, and yet remain a virgin, “because no word shall be impossible with God”.

Mary hears the message from heaven, thinks it right to ask a question; the angel gives her the answer, which removes every difficulty; and then she gives her consent. We admire her prudence, her wisdom, her sincerity, her humility.

III. Mary’s Answer

“Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word” (Lk. 1:38). Mary’s Fiat was the most powerful word ever uttered by created lips. It was not a command, as when the Creator said, Fiat Lux; it was a Fiat spoken in acceptance of God’s will, a humble Fiat, befitting a creature, even a creature chosen to be the Mother of God, and Queen of Heaven and earth. And yet it was a mighty word, for which God waited to become man. And it was uttered in the fullness of her liberty. “Thou shalt bear a Son,” said the Angel; freely Mary gave her assent. God has been pleased to endow us with free will: that freedom He respects in every man, also in Mary, the holiest and most exalted of all His creatures.

Her Fiat implied the absolute and unlimited acceptance of God’s plan for man’s salvation, and of the part that was reserved for her in that plan. Did God, at that hour, vouchsafe unto her further light as to the manner in which our salvation was to be wrought: through suffering, death, and resurrection? About this, revelation is silent. But we know that, whatever light God was pleased to give her, she still had to walk by faith. “Blessed art thou that hast believed,” said St. Elizabeth. She was and remained the humble “handmaid of the Lord”, abiding by her Fiat all her life, till she stood at the foot of the cross.

Prayer: O God, by whose will Thy Word took Flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the message of Thy angel; grant us, who implore Thee, that we may enjoy the intercession before Thee of her whom we truly believe to be the Mother of God. Through the same Lord (Collect of the Feast).
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Deo gratias et Mariae!

Amor meus crucifixus est.

Mon Dieu, comment je T'aime!

p/s: This link I got from The Beatific Vision's blog, on the Life of Mary compiled by Raphael Brown. Beautiful! I was reading about St. Anne and St. Joachim from the preview of the book in the amazon bookstore. I have the Mystical City of God by Venerable Mary of Agreda, and dear me, it's one of my best books I have on the life of Mary. Do check out the link on the Life of Mary compiled. very beautiful. :)

The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The ArchAngel Gabriel: "... quia non erit impossibile apud Deum omne verbum."

(Because no word shall be impossible with God.)

The Annunciation by Fra Angelico

Dixit autem Maria: "Ecce ancilla Domini, fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum."

(And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me according to thy word.)

Beautiful! Very Beautiful.

From the 1962 Roman Catholic Daily Missal:

This is the great Festival of the Incarnation, commemorating the announcement by the Archangel Gabriel to our Lady that the Divine Sone of God, the Word, (VERBVM CARO FACTVM EST), would take human nature upon Him in her virginal womb. Its date is determined by that of Christmas Day, and as the day which marked the beginning of the Christian dispensation that was for many centuries regarded as the first day of the civil year.

On this day the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, uniting for evermore our human nature to the Divine nature. The mystery of the Incarnation brings vividly before us the boundless condescension and humility of God the Son in stooping to our condition in order to be our Saviour. Equally it proclaims the glory and greatness of Mary, who was chosen to give to the Divine Word human flesh and human birth, and so to co-operate with God in the restoration of mankind. Hence her most glorious title of "Mother of God," which explains all her glories, her sanctity, and her honour.

p/s:

Here's a link to something I blogged awhile ago, on decisions and doing the will of dearest God. In the meanwhile I will post more about the Annunciation after my exam on Wednesday. Do pray for me, =D, I need all the help I can get. Deo volente!

Amor meus crucifixus est!

Parce Domine, parce populo tuo: ne in aeternum irascaris nobis.

O my Jesus, Crowned! with thorns ...

The Passion and the Death of Jesus Christ
By St Alphonsus Maria de Ligouri

Pg 258
The Crowning with Thorns

II.

The divine Mother revealed to the same St. Bridget that the crown of thorns surrounded the whole sacred head of her Son, as low down as the middle of his forehead; and that the thorns were driven in with such violence that the blood gushed out in streams over all his countenance, so that the whole face of Jesus Christ appeared covered with blood.

Origen writes that this crown of thorns was not taken from the head of the Lord until he had expired upon the cross. (Corona spinea, semel imposita, et nunquam detracta). In the mean time, as the inner garment of Christ was not sewed together, but woven all in one piece, on this account it was not divided among the soldiers, like his outer garments, but it was given by lot, as St. John writes: The soldiers, therefore, when they had crucified Him, took His garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part, and also His coat. Now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said then one to another: Let us not cut it; but let us cast lots for it, whose it shall be. (Milites ergo, cum crucifixissent eum, acceperunt vestimenta ejus (et fecerunt quatuor partes, unicuique militia partem), et tunicam; erat autem tunica inconsutilis, desuper contexta per totum; dixerunt ergo ad invicem: Non scindamus eam, sed sortiamur de illa cujus sit.) John, xix. 23,24. As this garment, then, must have been drawn off over the head, many authors write, with great probability, that when Jesus was stripped of it, the crown of thorns was taken from his head, and was replaced before he was nailed to the cross.

In the book of Genesis it is written: Cursed is the earth in thy work; thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to thee. (Maledicta terra in opere tuo . . . ; spinas et tribulos germinabit tibi) – Gen. iii. 17. This curse was inflicted by God upon Adam and upon all his posterity; and by the earth here spoken of we must understand, not only the material earth, but the flesh of man, which, being infected by the sin of Adam, brings forth only the thorns of sin. In order to remedy this infection, says Tertullian, it was necessary that Jesus Christ should offer to God in sacrifice this great torment of the crowing with thorns.

This torture also, besides being in itself most acute, was accompanied by blows and spitting, and by the mockings of the soldiers, as St. Matthew and St. John relate: And plaiting a crown of thorns, they put it upon His head, and a reed in His right hand. And bowing the knee before Him, they mocked Him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And spitting upon Him, they took the reed, and struck His head. And the soldiers plaiting a crown of thorns put it upon His head; and they put on Him a purple garment. And they came to Him and said, Hail, King of the Jews! And they gave Him blows. – Matt. Xxvii. 28-30.

O my Jesus! What thorns have I added to this crown with my sinful thoughts to which I have consented! I would I could die with grief! Pardon me, through the merit of this grief, which Thou didst then accept in order to pardon me. O my Lord, thus bruised and thus despised! Thou hast laden Thyself with all these pains and mockeries in order to move me to have compassion upon Thee, that, at least through compassion, I may love Thee, and no more displease Thee. It is enough, O my Jesus; cease to suffer more: I am convinced of the love that Thou bearest to me, and I love Thee with all my heart. But now I see that it is not enough for Thee; Thou art not satisfied with thorns, until Thou findest Thyself dead with anguish upon the cross. O goodness! O infinite love! Miserable is the heart that loves Thee not.

O dearest Mother, O ye Angels and Saints, please pray for me!

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Parce Domine, parce populo tuo: ne in aeternum irascaris nobis.

Storm Heaven 2!

Mihi autem absit gloriari, nisi in cruce Domini nostri Jesu Christi - Gal. vi.14

Here's an earlier post, on storming heaven :) with of course our prayers and all the masses you can. :)

I need some help, O all ye dear readers of this blog.
Your humble blogger requests your assistance.

She got news that her cousin, Irene, who has Leukaemia and is now undergoing chemotheraphy has taken a slight turn for the worst and might become blind because the blood vessels behind her eyes has burst.

Please pray for her that she might know our Dearest Lord et our Dearest Mother Mary more intimately for she is not Catholic yet, even though her brother is. She is slowly, day by day, getting to know our Lord and now, since last night, our dear Mother Mary, I hope, but she needs all the prayers and support she can get. Please do pray for her.

Jesus, Mary, I love Thee, Save Souls!

p/s:

and now, on the commemoration of St. Benedict (yesterday),

Your blogger spent a nice long day in the lab until 7plus in the evening. She got the call from her daddy about her cousin. And then when on the way to the hospital, she got news that another cousin has just given birth. ;) Here's the picture of a beautiful newborn Charlotte, half an hour or more after she came out of her mother's womb.

Deo gratias et Mariae! :)

And now, dear dinner awaits.

Have a good Lent! :)

Juxta crucem tecum stare,

Et me tibi sociare

In planctu desidero

By the †cross with thee to stay,

There with thee to weep and pray,

Is all I ask of thee to give.

(From the Stabat Mater)

Ferial Day in Lent

I was just checking my mail and I got this (Christendom #10).
There are loads of pictures of the Asian Missions etc. even of the Singapore chapel. :)
and now, back to work for me. argh... (lol :)).

† Amor meus crucifixus est

Sancte Joseph! Ite ad Joseph!

Happy FEAST of Saint Joseph!

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The Hymn from the First Vespers on the Feast of Saint Joseph:

Joseph, pure Spouse of that immortal Bride
Who shines in ever-virgin glory bright,
Through all the Christian climes thy praise be sung,
Through all the realms of light.

Thee, when amazed concern for thy betrothed
Had filled thy righteous spirit with dismay,
An angel visited, and, with blest words,
Scattered thy fears away.

Thine arms embraced thy Maker newly born;
With Him to Egypt’s desert didst thou flee;
Him in Jerusalem didst seek and find;
Oh grief, oh joy for thee!

Not until after death their blissful crown
Others obtain; but unto thee was given
In thine own lifetime to enjoy thy God,
As do the blest in heaven.

Grant us, great Trinity, for Joseph’s sake,
Unto the starry mansions to attain;
There, with glad tongues,
Thy praise to celebrate
In one eternal strain. Amen.

V. He appointed him lord of his house.
R. And ruler of all His possessions.

The Gradus Passionis - Steps of the Passion
(a blogpost I posted last year - I remember, it was during the finals of the world cup 06: Forza Italia! :))

Laetare Sunday (4th Sunday in Lent)

"Deus meus, et omnia!"

The Most Holy Face of Jesus.

from the Shroud of Turin

An excellent replica of the Shroud of Turin is here, it will be in the chapel until the 25th of March.

Father gave a very good talk about the Shroud which was very very informative.

Here is the link to The Sleepless Eye to see very good photos of it. Look out for the "negative" pictures, beautiful.

You can click on the link above to read more about the Shroud, and the different scientific research and evidence that will state that the image on the shroud sincerely, as it was called was: "Not made with human hands". There have been alot of research done and it can be proven that it came all the way from the first century, using scientific and historical (from musicology/art history etc) methods. (*see, my two favourite subjects have loads of important uses! yay! - haha)

Mulier, ecce filius tuus … Ecce Mater tua (John, xix. 26, 27.)

Here is a rather long, but very good :) reading from The Passion and the Death of Jesus Christ by St. Alphonsus Ligouri:

Pg 284
Considerations on the Words of Jesus Spoken on the Cross

III

Mulier, ecce filius tuus … Ecce Mater tua (John, xix. 26, 27.)

“Women, behold thy son … Behold thy mother.”
We read in St. Mark that on Calvary there were present many women, who watched Jesus on the cross, but from afar off, among whom was Mary Magdalen. (Erant autem et mulieres de longe aspicientes, inter quas erat Maria Magdalene) – Mark. Xv.40. We believe, also, that among these holy women was the divine mother also; while St. John syas that the Blessed Virgin stood, not afar off, but close to the cross, together with Mary of Cleophas and Mary Magdalen. (Stabant autem juxta crucem Jesu Mater ejus, et sorror Matris ejus, Maria Cleophae, et Maria Magadalene.) –John. Xix. 25. Euthymius attempts to reconcile this discrepancy, and says that the Holy Virgin, seeing her son drawing nearer to death, came from among the rest of the women close up to the cross, overcoming her fear of the soldiers who surrounded it, and enduring with patience all the insults and repulses which she had to suffer from these soldiers who watched the condemned, in order that she might draw near her beloved Son. Thus also a learned author, who wrote the life of Jesus, says, “There were his friends, who watched him from afar; but the Holy Virgin, the Magdalen, and another Mary stood close to the cross, with John; wherefore Jesus, seeing his mother and John, spoke to them the words above mentioned. Truly it was the mother who not even in the terror of death deserted her Son. Some other mothers fly when they see their children dying; their love does not suffer them to be present at their death without the power of relieving them; but the holy mother, the nearer her Son approached to death, the nearer she drew to his cross.”

The afflicted mother thus was standing close to the cross; and as the Son sacrificed His life, so she offered her pangs for the salvation of men, sharing with perfect resignation all the pains and insults which her Son suffered in his death. A writer says that they who would describe her fainting at the foot of the cross dishonour the constancy of Mary. She was the strong woman, who neither fainted not wept, as St. Ambrose writes: “I read of her standing, but not of her weeping.” (Stantem lego, flentem non lego.)

The pain which the Holy Virgin endured in the Passion of her Son exceeded all the pains which a human heart can endure; but the grief of Mary was not a barren grief, like that of other mothers who behold the sufferings of their children; it was a fruitful grief, and through her love (according to the opinion of St. Augustine), as she was the natural mother of our head Jesus Christ, so she then became the spiritual mother of us who are his faithful members, in co-operating with him by her love in causing us to be born, and to be the children of the Church.

St. Bernard writes that upon Mount Calvary both of these two great martyrs, Jesus and Mary, were silent, because the great pain that they endured took from them the power of speaking. The mother looked upon her Son in agony upon the cross, and the Son looked upon the mother in agony at the foot of the cross, and torn with compassion for the pains He suffered.

Mary and John then stood nearer to the cross than the other women, so that they could more easily hear the words and mark the looks of Jesus Christ in so great a tumult. St. John writes: When Jesus then saw His mother and the disciple standing, whom He loved, he saith to His mother: Woman, behold thy son. (Cum vidisset ergo Jesus Matrem et Discipuum quem diligebat … ) – John, xix. 26 But if Mary and John were accompanied by other women, why is it said that Jesus beheld his mother and the disciple, as if the other women had not been perceived by him? St. John Chrysostom writes that love always makes us look more closely at the object of our love. (Semper amoris oculus acutius intuetur – Sermon 78) And St. Ambrose in a similar way writes, It is natural that we should see those we love before any others. (Morale est ut, quos diligimus, videamus prae caeteris) The Blessed Virgin revealed to St. Bridget that in order that Jesus might look upon Mary, who stood by the side of the cross, He was obliged first to compress His eyebrows in order to remove the blood from His eyes, which prevented Him from seeing. (Nec ipse me adstantem cruci vedere potuit, nisi sanguine expresso per ciliorum compressionem)

Jesus said to her, Woman, behold thy Son! With His eyes pointing out St. John, who stood by His side. But why did He call her woman, and not mother? He called her “woman,” we may say, because, drawing now near to death, He spoke as if departing from her, as if He had said, Woman, in a little while I shall be dead, and thou wilt have no Son upon earth; I leave thee, therefore, John, who will serve and love thee as a son And from this we many understand that St. Joseph was already dead, since if he had been still alive he would not have been separated from his wife.

All antiquity asserts that St. John was ever a virgin, and specially on this account he was given as a son to Mary, and honored in being made to occupy the place of Jesus Christ; on which account the holy Church sings, “To him a virgin He commended his Virgin Mother.” (Cui Matrem Virginem virgini commendavit.) And from the moment of the Lord’s death, as it is written, St. John received Mary into his own house, and assisted and obeyed her throughout her life, as if she had been his own mother. (Et ex illa hora accepit eam Discipulus in sua) – John, xix. 27. Jesus Christ willed that this beloved disciple should be an eye-witness of His death, in order that he might more confidently bear witness to it in his Gospel, and might say, He that saw it has borne witness; (Qui vidit, testimonium perhibuit.) – John, xix. 35. and in his Epistle, What we have seen with out eyes, that we both testify and make known to you. (Quod vidimus oculis nostris …, testamur et annuntiamus.) 1 John, i.1. And on this account the Lord, at the time when the other disciples abandoned Him, gave to St. John strength to be present until His death in the midst of so many enemies.

But let us return to the Holy Virgin, and examine more deeply the reason why Jesus called Mary woman, and not mother. By this expression He desired to show that she was the great woman foretold in the Book of Genesis, who would crush the serpent’s head: I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel. (Inimicitias ponam inter te et Mulierem, et semen tuum et semen illius: ipsa conteret caput tuum, et tu insidiaberis calcaneo ejus.) – Gen, iii. 15. [*additional note: please check your version of the bible, all the words referring to her and woman have been changed deliberately by luther and his gang (forces against the Church) in protestant translations of the old testament. The original Latin vulgate edition (The Douay-Rheims version is given here)] It is doubted by none that this woman was the Blessed Virgin Mary, who, by means of her Son, would crush the head of Satan, - if it be not more correct to say that her Son, by means of her who would bear Him, would do this. Naturally was Mary the enemy of the serpent, because Lucifer was haughty, ungrateful and disobedient, while She was humble, grateful and obedient. It is said, She shall crush thy head, because Mary, by means of her Son, beat down the pride of Lucifer, who lay in wait for the heel of Jesus Christ, which means His holy humanity, which was the part of him which was nearest to the earth; while the Saviour by His death had the glory of conquering him, and of depriving him of that empire which, through sin, he had obtained over the human race.

God said to the serpent, I will put enmities between thy seed and the woman. This shows that after the fall of man, through sin, notwithstanding all that would be done by the redemption of Jesus Christ, there would be two families and two posterities in the world, the seed of Satan signifying the family of sinners, his children corrupted by him, and the seed of Mary signifying the Holy Family, which includes all the just, with their head Jesus Christ. Hence Mary was destined to be the mother both of the head and of the members, namely, the faithful. The Apostle writes: Ye are all one in Christ Jesus; and if ye are Christ’s, then ye are the seed of Abraham. (Omnes enim vos unum estis in Christo Jesu; si autem vos Christi, ergo semen Abrahae estis.) –Gal. iii. 28. Thus, Jesus Christ and the faithful are one single body, because the head cannot be divided from the members, and these members are all spiritual children of Mary, as they have the same spirit of her Son according to nature, who was Jesus Christ. Therefore, St. John was not called John, but the disciple beloved by the Lord, that we might understand that Mary is the mother of every good Christian who is beloved by Jesus Christ, and in whom Jesus Christ lives by his Spirit. This was expressed by Origen, when he said, “Jesus said to Mary, Behold thy son, as if He had said, This is Jesus, whom thou hast borne, for he who is perfected lives no more himself, but Christ lives in him.” (Dixitque Jesus Matri: “Ecced filius tuus: perinde acsi dixisset: Ecce hic Jesus quem genuisti. – Etenim, qui perfectus est, non amplius vivit ipse, sed in ipso vivit Christus.)

Denis the Carthusian writes that in the Passion of Jesus Christ the breast of Mary was filled with the blood which flowed from His wounds, in order that with it she might nourish her children. And he adds that his divine mother by her prayers and merits, which she especially acquired by sharing in the death of Jesus Christ, obtained for us a participation in the merits of the Passion of the Redeemer. (Promeruit ut per preces ejus ac merita, meritum passionis Christi communicetur hominibus)

O suffering Mother! Thou knowest that I have deserved hell; I have no hope of being saved, except by sharing the merits of the death of Jesus Christ; Thou must pray for me, that I may obtain this grace; and I pray thee to obtain it for me by the love of that Son whom thou sawest bow His head and expire on Calvary before thy eyes. O queen of martyrs, O advocate of sinners, help me always, and especially in the hour of my death! Even now I seem to see the devils, who, in my last agony, will strive to make me despair at the sight of my sins; oh! abandon me not then, when thou seest me thus assaulted; help me with thy prayers, and obtain for me confidence and holy perseverance. And because then, when my speech is gone, and perhaps my senses, I cannot invoke thy name, and that of thy Son, I now call upon thee; Jesus and Mary, I recommend my soul unto you.

O all ye dearest Angels and Saints, please pray for me, intercede for me!

DICI #151

and, this is good.

Parce Domine, parce populo tuo: ne in aeternum irascaris nobis.

Mary from Thy Sacred Image ...

Mary from thy Sacred Image with those eyes so sadly sweet

Mother of Perpetual Succour see us kneeling at thy feet

In thine arms thy Child thou bearest;

Source of all thy joy and woe;

What thy bliss, how deep thy sorrows,

Mother thou alone canst know.

On thy face He is not gazing,

Nor on us is turned His glance

For His anxious look He fixes

On the Cross and Reed and Lance

To thy hands His hands are clinging

As a child would cling in fear,

Of that vision of the torments

Of His Passion drawing near.

And for Him thine eyes are pleading

While to us they look and cry:

"Sinners spare my Child your Saviour,

seek not still to crucify."

Yes, we hear thy words sweet Mother,

But poor sinners we are weak;

At thy feet thy helpless children

Thy Perpetual Succour seek.

Succour us in clouds of sadness;

Hide the light of heaven above;

Hope expires and faith scares lingers;

And we dare not think we love.

In that hour of gloom and peril,

Show to us thy radiant face,

Smiling down from thy loved Image,

Rays of cheering light and grace.

Succour us when stormy passion,

Sudden rise within the heart.

Quell the tempest, calm the billows,

Peace secure to us impart.

Through this life of weary exile

Succour us in every need;

And when death shall come to free us,

Succour us ah! then indeed.

p/s:

Deo gratias et Mariae, I'm still surving here I guess :)

Please do pray for me, I haven't been so busy since I started term.

With all the tests and the assignments, Midterms ... lol, the usual! ;)

But nonetheless, Deo gratias et Mariae, for everything, for everything!

3rd Sunday of Lent

O Sacred Head, Surrounded

O Sacred Head, surrounded,
By crown of piercing thorn!
O bleeding Head, so wounded,
Reviled and put to scorn!
Death’s pallid hue comes o’er Thee,
The glow of life decays,
Yet angel hosts adore Thee,
And tremble as they gaze.

I see Thy strength and vigour
All fading in the strife,
And death, with cruel rigor,
Bereaving Thee of life;
O agony and dying!
O love to sinners free!
Jesus, all grace supplying,
O turn Thy face on me!

In this Thy bitter passion,
Good Shepherd, think of me,
With Thy most sweet compassion,
Unworthy though I be;
Beneath Thy Cross abiding,
Forever would I rest,
In Thy dear love confiding,
And with Thy presence blest.
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Superior General's Letter to Friends and Benefactores #70

Wednesday in 2nd Week of Lent, Sancte Thomas Aquinas!

Today's the commemoration of the Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas, being in the 2nd week of Lent.

Here's a little more about St. Thomas Aquinas:

J.M.J.

St. Thomas Aquinas (1225 - 1274)

St. Thomas Aquinas was born in 1225, in the Castle of Rocca Secca, high up in the mountains near the town of Aquinas, in Italy. His Father was Count of Aquinas and his Mother was Countess.

Before St. Thomas was born, a holy hermit known as Buono, went to the Castle of Rocca Secca and made a great prophecy to his Mother. While speaking to the Countess he pointed to a picture of St. Dominic, saying, "Lady be glad, for you are about to have a son whom you will call Thomas. You and your husband will think of making him a monk in the Abbey of Mount Cassino (Benedictines), where lies the founder, St. Benedict, in the hopes that your son will attain to its honours and wealth. But God has disposed otherwise, because he will become a Friar of the Order of Preachers (Dominicans). And so great will be his learning and sanctity, that there will not be found in the whole world, another person like him!"
Countess Theodora was amazed at the prophecy and falling on her knees exclaimed, "I am most unworthy of bearing such a son, but God's will be done according to His good pleasure!"
A few miles to the south of Rocca Secca, stands the Abbey of Mount Cassino. From the age of five to about the age of thirteen, Thomas went to school there. The Benedictine Monks liked his modest, sweet and gentle nature. They realized that Thomas had special talents and virtues, and encouraged his Father to send him to University.
Thomas was brought home from Mount Cassino for a short vacation, before going to University. At home Thomas did not become spoiled, because the Monks had trained him well. He remained the same gentle boy: serious, studious, and prayerful. His greatest delight was to give alms to the poor. He even gave his own food to the poor! The Countess feared that Thomas might loose his innocence at University but his Father thought differently, and sent him to the University of Naples. His only joy was study and prayer. He really wanted to become a saint and longed to give himself more completely to God. Gradually the desire grew in his heart, to join the Dominicans. As soon the Count heard about his son's plans, he commanded Thomas to put the idea out of his head. But Thomas had his mind made up to do the Holy Will of God, so one day when he was seventeen, he took the habit in the Dominican Monastery of Naples.

His Mother used tears, promises and threats, to make her son leave the Dominicans but Thomas had made up his mind to remain in the Order. He was then imprisoned in one of the castle towers, where he had to suffer cold and hunger, and had to do without many things. Thomas was kept a prisoner for over one year, and during this time, he memorized the whole Bible as well as the four books of the "Sentences", (Theological textbook of the time).

When Thomas' two brothers came home from the army, they decided to teach their brother a lesson. They sent an evil woman into the tower to tempt him towards sin! But Thomas grabbed a piece of burning wood from the fireplace, and drove the wicked woman from the tower. He then traced a cross upon the wall with the burning wood and kneeling down, begged God to grant him the gift of Purity until his death. Suddenly, Thomas went into ecstasy! Two Angels appeared and tied a cord tightly around his waist saying, "We have come from God to give you this cord of Chastity and God has heard your prayer. God has granted you the gift of Purity until your death!" This cord, which was worn by St. Thomas until his death, is now kept as a relic, in the Monastery of Chieri in Piedmont, Italy.

After a year or two passed, the Pope and Emperor learned about Thomas. They were very displeased at the way he had been treated. At last the Countess became more merciful. The Dominicans came to rescue Thomas, and one of his sister's helped him to escape by letting him down in a basket, from the tower. In 1244, the General of the Dominican Order took Thomas to Cologne, Germany, where St. Albert Magnus was teaching. Thomas gave full attention to his studies, seeking to learn all he could for the greater honour and glory of God. He even went without sleep, in order to have more time to study his books.Because of his humility, St. Thomas hid his learning from others. But one day St. Albert found a paper that Thomas had written, explaining the answer to a very difficult question. The next day, Albert asked Thomas some questions in public and then exclaimed, "We call Br. Thomas the Dumb Ox! But I tell you that one day he will make his bellowing (loud voice), heard through the whole world!" In 1245, St. Albert went to the University of Paris, to obtain the Degree of Doctor, taking St. Thomas along as his companion. They set out on foot and in time reached the Dominican Monastery of St. James, in Paris. Here, St. Thomas became the model of the whole Monastery because of his deep Humility, his Spirit of Prayer, his perfect Obedience, and his great Charity. Heavenly grace glowed from St. Thomas, and some said they only had to look at him to become more fervent!

In Paris, St. Thomas met another holy monk known now as St. Bonaventure, who was a Franciscan. They studied together for three years and became the closest of friends. They both obtained the Degree of Bachelor of Theology in 1248.In November 1248, Albert went back to Cologne and took St. Thomas with him.

Thomas became a teacher under the direction of St. Albert, and the new school in Cologne soon overflowed with students. Thomas always used these five basic ideals, when he was teaching; (1) Clearness (2) Brevity {Short} (3) Utility {Useful} (4) Sweetness (5) Maturity {Complete}.

Soon after his return to Cologne, Thomas became a priest. He became yet closer to the good God, and spent many hours of the day and night, praying in Church. He loved God so much, that he would shed many tears while saying Holy Mass. In 1252, St. Thomas was ordered by the General Chapter (special meeting) to go to Paris to obtain his degree as a Doctor. In those days, one had to be at least thirty-five to teach Theology, but his learning was so extraordinary, that he was allowed to be a Professor at twenty-five. When he was in Paris, his success in teaching was so great, that crowds of people came to the Monastery of St. James to hear him. Later on St. Thomas and St. Bonaventure were asked to defend the truths of the Faith in the Papal Courts, because someone had written a heretical book. They were victorious and on October 23, 1257, both monks received their Doctor's degree.St. Thomas taught in Rome for a while and in 1269, he went to Paris to teach. At the time, here was a disagreement among the Doctors at the University, about the Holy Eucharist. They presented their questions to Thomas. After praying for a long time about the question, he wrote his opinion on paper. In great Humility he brought it to the Church and laid it on the Altar of the Blessed Sacrament. Thomas then prayed, "Lord Jesus, Who art truly present and who works wonders in the adorable Sacrament, I beg Thee, if I have written the truth, please enable me to teach it. But if some of the things I have written are not true, then please do not allow me to talk about it." Then the Monks who were watching, saw Our Lord Himself come down and stand upon the written paper, They heard Jesus say these words: "Thomas, thou hast written well concerning the Sacrament of My Body." St. Thomas suddenly went into ecstasy! His soul was filled with joy and he floated in the air, eighteen inches above the ground! In 1271, St. Thomas returned to Italy and began to teach in Rome. During the following Holy Week he preached in St. Peter's on the Passion of Our Lord, and those who heard him were moved to tears, and cried until Easter Sunday. And at Easter, a miracle took place when a sick woman kissed the hem of his mantle, and was immediately cured! The whole soul of St. Thomas was filled with love for the Holy Eucharist. He only wanted God, and one day as he was praying at Naples after he had finished writing the first part of the Summa, Jesus spoke from the Crucifix: "Thou hast written well of me, what recompense dost thou desire?" Thomas humbly answered, "None other than Thyself, O Lord." He wished to continue having Our Lord, as his greatest love forever! One of his fellow Dominican's once asked him, what he considered to be the greatest gift that God had given him after Sanctifying grace itself. After a few moments St. Thomas replied: "I think that of having understood whatever I have read." He had an ability to remember all that he heard, so that his mind was like a well stocked library. On December 6, 1273, St. Thomas stopped writing. That day while saying Mass, he went into ecstasy and received a revelation. Fr. Reginald urged Thomas to continue to write, but he replied, "The end of my labours is come. All that I have written appears to me as so much straw, after the secrets that have been revealed to me! I hope in the Mercy of God that the end of my life may soon follow the end of my labours." He wanted to give himself entirely to God and prayer. St. Thomas was suffering from some illness, when he was ordered by Pope Gregory X to attend the General Council at Lyons, France. The purpose of the Council was to unite the Greek and Latin Churches. So on January 28, 1274, Thomas set out with some of his Dominican Brothers. On the way his condition became much worse, and he was taken to the home of his niece. However, the Cistercian Monks of Fossa Nuova urged Thomas to come to their Monastery. Upon arrival at the Monastery, St. Thomas went straight to the Church, to adore Jesus. Thomas was very ill for a month. During this time, the monks were very kind to him. There was no hope for the holy monk to get better, so he made his General Confession. He then received the Last Rites and when Holy Communion was brought to him, tears came to his eyes as he made this Profession of Faith. "I firmly believe Jesus Christ, True God and True Man, Son of God and Son of the Virgin Mary, is in this Sacrament. I receive Thee the price of my Redemption, for whose love I have watched, studied and laboured, preached and taught." He died a little after midnight March 7, 1274.

SUMMARY:

The teaching in philosophy and theology as developed by St. Thomas Aquinas is called Thomism. His philosophy is known as Scholastic philosophy. St. Thomas had a special talent for bringing together human knowledge from the best of sources that had gone before him. Using human reason, this saint helped the Church come to profound conclusions as to understanding in greater depth the true faith of the Church. He teaches us all this necessity to love the truth, to seek it and to put it into practices. Holiness in the mind of St. Thomas was nothing other than the love of God put into practice. In other words, the living out of the reality or truth that we have to come to learn. While faith is a free gift of God, nevertheless faith and reason are two different ways of realizing the knowledge of truth. By using reasoning correctly, we can arrive at a greater understanding of the true faith given us by God. St. Without a correct use of reason, such as shown us by St. Thomas Aquinas, members of the Church can become confused as to what is true faith. Thomas Aquinas did much for the Church, and his work is still of great value today. The authority of the Church exercised by Popes and Church Councils has repeatedly stated that the clear principles of St. Thomas, which give us a solid grasp of both faith and reality, should be what guides us in the education and formation of students.

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In the 1962 missal, St. Thomas Aquinas' feast day is celebrated on March 7, the day of his death.
OLRL offers the 37 page booklet "St. Thomas Aquinas - Universal Doctor of the Church" (olrl.org/books/auinas.shtml) for 65 cents ea.
Please review our catalog/order form at olrl.org/library/oform.shtml.

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Here's a link from the St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary, SSPX, with a very good flash intro I like very much. :)

oh Sancte Thomas Aquinas, ora pro nobis!

Deo gratias et Mariae! :)

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From The Passion and Death of Jesus Christ by St. Alphonsus Ligouri:

The fall of Peter, who denied Him, and even swore that he never knew Him, added to the sufferings of Jesus. Go, my soul, go to that prison where my Lord is sorrowful, mocked, and abandoned; thank Him and console Him by thy repentance, for thou also hast despised and derided Him. Tell Him that thou wouldst wish to die of sorrow, at the thought of having hitherto caused so much bitterness to the sweet heart of a God who has loved thee so tenderly. Tell Him that now thou dost love Him, and dost desire nothing else than to suffer and die for the love of Him.

Ah, my Jesus, forget all the displeasure that I have given Thee, and look on me with that love with which Thou didst look on Peter after he denied Thee; after the look which Thou didst then cast upon him, he did not cease to bewail his sin until he ceased to live. O great Son of God, O Infinite Love, who dost suffer for the very men who hate and maltreat Thee, Thou art the glory of paradise; Thou wouldst have done great honour to men by merely permitting them to kiss Thy feet. But, O God! What has reduced Thee to such a degree of ignominy as to become the sport of the vilest rabble? Tell me, O my Jesus, what I can do in order to compensate the honour which Thy enemies take from Thee by their insults and reproaches. I hear Thee answer: Bear insults for my sake, as I have borne them for the love of thee. Yes, my Redeemer, I wish to obey Thee. My Jesus, despised for the love of me, I am willing, and desire to be despised for Thee as much as Thou pleasest.

Oh dearest Mary, my Mother, all ye Angels and Saints please pray for me!

Amor meus crucifixus est!

Parce Domini, Parce populo tuo: ne in aeternum irascaris nobis.

Have a good LENT!

First Friday, Ember Week in Lent

Amor meus crucifixus est.

By St. Alphonsus Ligouri in his book, The Passion and Death of Jesus Christ

“Oh, if thou didst know the mystery of the cross,” (O! si scires mysterium crucis!) said St. Andrew to the tyrant. O tyrant (it was his wish to say), wert thou to understand the love which Jesus Christ has borne thee, in willing to die upon a cross to save thee, thou wouldst abandon all thy possessions and earthly hopes, in order to give thyself wholly to the love of this thy Saviour. The same ought to be said to those Catholics who, believing as they do, the Passion of Jesus, yet do not think of it. Ah, were all men to think upon the love which Jesus Christ has shown forth for us in his death, who would ever be able not to love him? It was for this end, says the Apostle, that He, our beloved Redeemer, died for us, that, by the love He displayed towards us in His death, He might become the possessor of our hearts: To this end Christ died, and rose again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living; therefore, whether we live, or whether we die, we are the Lord’s Rom. Xiv.9 Whether, then, we die or live, it is but just that we belong wholly to Jesus, who has saved us at so great a cost. Oh, who is there that could say, as did the loving martyr St. Ignatius, whose lot it was to give his life for Jesus Christ, “Let fire, cross, beasts, and torments of every kind come upon me; let me only have fruition of Thee, O Christ.” (Ignis, crux, bestiae. Et tota tormenta in me veniant; tantum te, Christe, fruar.) Let flames, crosses, wild beasts, and every kind of torture come upon me, provided only that I obtain and enjoy my Jesus Christ.

O my dear Lord! Thou didst die in order to gain my soul; but what have I done in order to gain Thee, O infinite good? Ah, my Jesus, how often have I lost Thee for nothing! Miserable that I was, I knew at the time that I was losing Thy grace by my sin; I knew that I was giving Thee great displeasure; and yet I committed it. My consolation is, that I have to deal with an infinite goodness, who remembers his offences no more when a sinner repents and loves him. Yes, my God, I do repent and love Thee. Oh, pardon me; and do Thou from this day forth bear rule in this rebellious heart of mine. To Thee do I consign it; to Thee do I wholly give myself. Tell me what Thou dost desire; wishing, as I do, to perform it all. Yes, my Lord, I wish to love Thee; I wish to please Thee in everything. Do Thou give me strength, and I hope to do so.

O Dearest Mother, all Angels and Saints, please pray for me, intercede for me.

Parce Domini