Feast Day: August 2nd
When I was in my teens, we belonged to a parish run by Franciscan Capuchin Friars. It was a tradition to celebrate this feast day by attending Mass at our parish church. We would also gain plenary indulgences for that day, for attending Mass at a Franciscan church, when accompanied by the other requirements such as praying for the intentions of our Holy Father and going to confession as soon as possible.
New Advent
"A town and parish situated about three-quarters of a mile from Assisi. The town, numbering about 2000 inhabitants and officially known as Santa Maria degli Angeli, has grown up around the church (basilica) of Our Lady of the Angels and the adjoining Franciscan monastery. It was here that on 24 Feb., 1208, St. Francis of Assisi recognized his vocation..."
To learn more about this feast day and the indulgences requirement, click above.
Hat tip to Sts. Peter and Paul Church for this one.
A man with a nagging secret couldn't keep it any longer. In the confessional he admitted that for years he had been stealing building supplies from the lumberyard where he worked.
"What did you take?" his priest asked.
"Enough to build my own house and enough for my son's house. And houses for our two daughters and our cottage at the lake."
"This is serious," the priest said. "I shall have to think of a far reaching penance. Have you ever done a retreat?"
"No, Father, I haven't," the man replied. "But if you can get the plans, I can get the lumber."
Source: 2 Hearts Network
Picture: Unknown source: Portugese
1. THE DAILY ROSARY FOR PEACE:
“Pray the Rosary every day in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary to obtain peace in the world . . . for she alone can save it.” (Our Lady—July 13, 1917)
“God has placed peace in her hands, and it is from the Immaculate Heart that men must ask it." (Jacinta—shortly before her death)
“When you pray the Rosary, say after each mystery: ‘O Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who have most need of your mercy.' " (June 13, 1917)
(Every Rosary increases Mary’s power to crush the head of the Serpent and to destroy his evil power in the world.)
2. DEVOTION TO THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY:
"Jesus wishes to establish devotion to my Immaculate Heart in the world. I promise salvation to those who embrace it." (June 13, 1917)
3. FIRST SATURDAY DEVOTIONS, which include:
reception of Holy Communion, and Confession (within 8 days before or after) pray five decades of the Rosary spend 15 minutes in meditation on the mysteries of the Rosary.
(All the above to be offered up in reparation for sins and ingratitude against the Immaculate Heart of Our Lady.)
4. OFFERING IN REPARATION THE SACRIFICES, TRIALS AND CROSSES OF LIFE
especially those sacrifices involved in keeping God’s Commandments, and in fulfilling the duties of one’s state in life — offering them through the Immaculate Heart of Mary in reparation to the Divine Majesty so offended by sin, and for the conversion of sinners.
“Sacrifice yourselves for sinners and say often whenever you make a sacrifice: ‘O Jesus, it is for love of You, for the conversion of sinners, and in reparation for the offenses committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.' " (Our Lady—July 13, 1917)
“Pray much and make sacrifices for sinners, for many souls go to hell because there is no one to make sacrifices for them." (Our Lady—August 19, 1917)
5. CONSECRATION TO THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY. Any formula may be used which expresses a sincere confiding of oneself without reserve.
Are We Actually Doing What She Requests?
1. Are you offering up your daily tasks as a sacrifice in reparation?
2. Are you praying the Rosary daily?
3. Are you wearing the Brown Scapular as a sign of personal consecration--and making acts of consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary?
4. Are you fulfilling Our Lady's First Saturday's Communion request?
5. Are you making frequent visits to church--adoring Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament? Mass--Communion?
6. Are you making a Holy Hour at least once a week in reparation for the sins of the world and for the conversion of sinners?
Today our family got up for early Mass again. No big enthusiasm on our part. We won't admit it but we were all probably looking forward to going back to sleep when we got home.
What we didn't expect was to hear the homily given by a visiting priest today. Father looks like a kindly priest, whose age is hard to gauge. Although I don't recall the beginning of his homily, I do remember listening a little closer when he started talking about how we don't appreciate the Eucharist or the celebration of Mass like we should. He started talking about some people who went to Saturday evening Mass just to get it over with. He also mentioned those of us who come to Mass late or leave early just to beat the parking crowd.
The Saturday evening mass reference made me squirm in my seat. There have been many times when we did just that.
He went on about how we just don't make time for Christ. That some of us will attend Mass if it fits into our schedule.
Listening to Father really made me ashamed of myself. Oh no, we are never late for mass nor do we leave early but do we...rather, do I really appreciate what the Mass is? Probably not. If I did, I would look forward to it with all my heart and soul. Instead I find myself yawning or thinking about what to make for dinner.
Thankfully, I do realize the sacredness of the Consecration so I do pay full attention then.
Anyway, Father finished the homily by telling us a little story of a Maryknoll priest who had to travel two days by mule with a companion, in order to get to a little town in Mexico. When they arrived they found a little house with swept floors and nothing else. The floors had been swept clean by the villagers in preparation of their arrival.
They were greeted enthusiastically by all the people of the village. And one of them told the priest that their prayers had been answered with his arrival. The priest asked him how many months they had prayed for a priest to be send to their village. "Months Father?" responded one of them. "We have been praying for thirty years!".
Father went on to tell us how reverently these humble people attended Mass with such love and awe.
One day the priest found a list of women's names on a paper on the church door. One of the women explained to him that all the women had signed up for turns to keep our Lord company in adoration. They would never let Him be alone. They would do this in so that they would not ever lose the gift of having a priest there.
That is faith!
Although I post entries about liturgical abuses, one thing I am trying not to do is to openly criticize any priest. I realize they are human too but since they represent Christ, the Devil does seem to attack them more than usual with temptations to mislead the flock.
I am therefore reminding myself by posting the following which is found in the Pieta Prayer booklet. This is Our Lord's revelations to Mutter Vogel.
"One should NEVER attack a priest, even when he's in error, rather one should pray and do penance that I'll grant him My grace again. He alone fully represents Me, even when he doesn't live after My example!"
"When a Priest falls we should extend him a helping hand through prayer and not through attacks! I Myself will be his judge, no one but I!"
"Whoever voices judgment over a priest has voiced it over me; Child, never let a priest be attacked, take up his defense."
(Feast of Christ the King 1937)
"Child, Never judge your confessor, rather pray much for him and offer every THURSDAY, through the hands of My blessed Mother, Holy Communion [for him]. (18.6. 1939)
"Never again accept an out-of-the-way word about a Priest, and speak no unkind word (about them) EVEN IF IT WERE TRUE! Every Priest is My Vicar and My heart will be sickened and insulted because of it! If you hear a judgment [against a Priest] pray a HAIL MARY."
(28. 6. 1939)
"If you see a Priest who celebrates the Holy Mass unworthily then say nothing about him, rather tell it to Me alone! I stand beside Him on the alter!"
"Oh pray much for my priests, that they'll love purity above all, that they'll celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass with pure hands and heart. Certainly the Holy Sacrifice is one and the same even when it's celebrated by an unworthy priest, but the graces called down upon the people is not the same!" (28. 2. 1938)
The Cure' D' Ars said:
"One ought to pray earnestly, especially at the Ember Seasons, that God will give us good priests. If they are saints, what good they are able to do! But, whatever they are, never speak against them."
or should we refer to them as his baditudes.
Mahalo to Marcella for sharing these.
If the Devil were to write his Beatitudes, they would probably go something like this:
Blessed are those who are too tired, too busy, too distracted to spend an hour once a week with their fellow Christians in Church -- they are my best workers.
Blessed are those Christians who wait to be asked and expect to be thanked -- I can use them.
Blessed are the touchy, with a bit of luck they may stop going to church -- they are my missionaries.
Blessed are those who are very religious but get on everyone's nerves -- they are mine forever.
Blessed are the troublemakers -- they shall be called my children.
Blessed are those who have no time to pray -- they are easy prey for me.
Blessed are the gossiper -- for they are my secret agents.
Blessed are those critical of church leadership -- for they shall inherit a place with me in my fate.
Blessed are the complainers -- I'm all ears for them.
Blessed are you when you read this and think it is about other people and not yourself -- I've got you.
Author unknown.
by Father Rawley Myers
Our noisy, rush-around world badly needs silence. We need to kneel silently before the silent Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.
When Jesus was born there was a hush of silence all around. And then there was heard the quiet cooing of a little Baby. And the angel said, "Peace on earth to those who are of good will."
In our busy, busy society we need peace of soul - the peace of that first Christmas night.
The first thirty years of the life of Jesus are wrapped in silence. Silence is more profound than words, especially idle chatter.
During His fake trial, Jesus stood silent. As the prophet said, "Like a sheep led away to the slaughterhouse, a lamb that stands dumb while it is shorn, no word from him."
In the Eucharist Jesus remains with us in silence. The noise, confusion, and endless running around in our society are pulling many people apart.
We need silence so that we can pray. The grain in the fieldl grows in silence.
Why did Jesus live in silence most of His life? In order to pray, Jesus now awaits us to come to Him in church where He remains with us in the tabernacle. Jesus our Lord and Savior remains with us in silence, so we can visit Him and receive His blessing.
From Hearts Aflame Catholic Youth Magazine
Jubilee 2000: No. 4
Hat tip to Michael for posting this.
Photo and source courtesy of Saint Charbel
Figures, I would have to miss daily mass today.
Today I found out that St. Charbel was from Lebanon. How appropriate that his feast day falls during the fighting going in that country.
Saint Charbel was born in 1828
at Beqa-Kafra, Lebanon
May he make us understand, in a world largely fascinated by wealth and comfort, the paramount value of poverty,
penance and asceticism, to liberate the soul in its ascent to God..."
Pope Paul VI, October 9, 1977
"O God,
who are glorified in your saints,
and who inspired the monk
and hermit Charbel
to follow Jesus
heroically in poverty,
chastity, and obedience:
we beg you the grace
to love and serve you
as he did.
And as you have already shown
the power of his intercession
by many miracles and favors,
graciously grant us the favor
that we ask, if it be your will.
Amen."
For more information
on Saint Charbel.
Official website of the Saint Maron-Annaya monastery (Tomb of Saint Charbel)
Today is the feast of Saint Charbel... a saint from Lebanon. Let us pray for his intercession in these very hard times for the people of Lebanon and Israel.
Source: 2 Hearts Network
Remember, O most loving Heart of Jesus, that they for whom I pray are those for whom You prayed so earnestly the night before Your death. These are they to whom You look to continue with You in Your sorrows when others forsake You, who share Your griefs and have inherited your persecutions, according to Your word: That the servant is not greater than his Lord.
Remember, O Heart of Jesus, that they are the objects of the world's hatred and Satan's deadliest snares. Keep them then, O Jesus, in the safe citadel of Your Sacred Heart and there let them be sanctified in truth. May they be one with you and one among themselves, and grant that multitudes may be brought through their word to believe in You and love You. Amen.
Today my son and I were discussing whether or not God blesses people who don't believe in Him. He made the observation that there are people with lots of money and other material wealth that are not practicing their faith or have any faith at all, yet they seem happy. That let to a discussion on why some people who love God so much, also suffer so much. Well, I found the following in my files. It was originally shared by Sue.
Source: Missionaries of the Blessed Sacrament
John of God - Three Reasons why God allows SUFFERING
Copyright, Missionaries of the Blessed Sacrament
Meditation on Psalm 119 SUFFERING
Suffering, like fire-tried gold, transforms us into the Heart of Christ. God never intended nor wanted man to suffer. Man fell through disobedience from the paradise God created. Christ's sufferings on the cross give our sufferings value, purpose, and meaning until the day when paradise is restored.
We unite our sufferings now, no matter how great or small, to Jesus truly present before us in the Blessed Sacrament. He takes them and offers them to His Heavenly Father in union with those He suffered for us on Calvary. He purifies them with His Blood and gives them unspeakable beauty by offering them with the love with which He endured His Passion.
God uses sufferings for three purposes. One is to purify us from self-love, ego, and pride so that our disposition may always be that of the psalmist: "I bind myself to do Your Will." The freedom of heart is given when we "run the way" of God's Holy Will. Otherwise we are enslaved by our own selfishness.
Just before he died, Bishop Sheen was asked by a television reporter what the difference was between the young Father Fulton Sheen, just ordained, and the eighty-year-old Bishop with whom he was talking. The answer was "wisdom acquired through suffering."
The second purpose of suffering is that it creates a compassionate heart. Through suffering, one becomes sensitive to the cries and needs of others.
The third purpose is that it has a redemptive value when we accept it and offer it to God in union with the Passion of our Lord. The Will of God is that all His children be saved. For this end, He allows human suffering in order that one man may merit necessary graces for another who otherwise would be lost. Like St. Paul, through our suffering we make up for what is wanting in the Mystical Body of Christ.
The word that revives us is the Person of Christ, the Incarnate Word of God, continuing His saving mysteries in the Blessed Sacrament.
The threefold purpose of suffering therefore is: purification of self, creates a compassionate heart and is redemptive in that it causes propitiation for sins in union with Christ's passion and thereby enables another soul to gain the graces necessary for salvation - purification, compassion, salvation.
Psalm 119:25-32
Keep me from the way of error and teach me Your law.
I have chosen the way of truth with Your decrees before me.
I bind myself to do Your Will; Lord, do not disappoint me.
I will run the way of Your commands; You give freedom to my heart.
My soul lies in the dust; by Your word revive me.
I declared my ways and You answered me; teach me Your statues.
Make me grasp the way of Your precepts and I will muse on Your wonders.
My soul pines away with grief; by Your word raise me up.
