He writes poems without words
Music without sound
Paints without a brush
Yet He says more than can be captured in words, or music or visuals,
The medium is His Love which is not received by many who see only fragments of incidentals,
Had I not eyes to see nor ears to hear, His same Love would capture me for it is in this medium that I have true sight and true hearing. He animates my soul by the instrument of the Tree, and the media of his Heart.
Note to a friend who has never attended the traditional, Latin Roman Rite Mass:
You should go to a Latin Mass. Actually, first you should 'google' a comparison between the Novus Ordo Missae and the traditional Roman Rite. The traditional Roman Rite is called, informally, "traditional" because it came from tradition in the Church. St. Francis of Assisi loved this rite from Rome so much that he had to go to Rome to ask for permission to be able to use it. He obtained permission for his order, and priests that would celebrate it with them. It then became codified. Then in 1969, thanks to a Freemason named, Bugnini, they made a Mass partly from the tradition, but removed those signs of solemnity that offended our "absent brethren" (Protestants), and replaced it with an emphasis on the people rather than God and his transcendence, replacing the focus from the very, essential nature of the mass: Christ's sacrifice. I am not putting the Novus Ordo down: It it is what the men of the council openly admitted to doing as this was their aim.
I'm not sure how successful their endeavor was, though, in terms of attracting Protestants,. I think Protestants just rather attend their own communities, rather than a Catholic Mass that had adopted their early practices during the Reformation.
The reason for the Latin, by the way, which is only a liturgical Latin (which was never spoken as a common Latin) was because the Church recognized early on that it was for the entire world. Since languages are different and reflect customs, ideals,. nuances, etc., and could change the meanings from country to country, or even region to region or whomever was writing down the words of scripture or the formulas for sacred rites, etc., they needed a language for the Church to be used worldwide. This was used for official documents, as well, as the prayers of different liturgical rites under the (religious) Roman Rite. This way, the original intent of the words as first interpreted from their initial state as given to us by divine origin, would be preserved, celebrated and spread throughout the entire world. Priests could easily teach to the laity what was being said regularly. and what was new for that day could also be read in their vernacular, without any risk of distorting the sacred form of the liturgy.
Today, when people attend the new liturgy, they have, along with the Novus Ordo Missae itself, lost the sense of the sacred. They look to "get something out of it", showing they they have no idea of the actual intent of the Mass itself and why it exists in the first place. They look to be entertained, amused, understood, etc., a miss the nature of the Catholic Mass. Yes, the Holy Eucharist is the crucified and resurrected body of Christ, but this comes at the cost of sacrifice --- a holy sacrifice, which is done once, but re-created in a spiritual and physical reality at every (valid) Catholic Mass. In an effort to find worldly relevancy to 'get with the times', as they say, the most profound holiness and significance of the sacrifice for all ages has been obscured, and some may say, utterly lost. Rather than "welcome our absent brethren", the new rite has succeeded in confusing those that celebrate it into strange doctrines more in line with a type of neo-Ariansm, seeking to remove the divine Son of God from the Crucifix, and even the tabernacles from the altars.
Evidence of the Novus Ordo Missae promoting an neo Arianism is in how few Bishops will stand up to the gravest public scandals of the Church's history. In nations where the people are not in danger of losing their lives, Bishops and priests refuse to stand up to political leaders who promote the most abominable sins, And in the land of the Protestant apostates, who ironically (falsely) claim to be "bible-based"* (*then why did they redact it to form a new religion?) hurl public insults at those who promote what teachings that came directly from Christ's mouth: "[6] But he that shall scandalize one of these little ones that believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he should be drowned in the depth of the sea." Matthew 18:6 Also ," [4] He who saith that he knoweth him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. " --- 1 John 2:6
But even in defense of the most defenseless lives, the majority are silent. Yet, when we have a high-ranking prelate, even a Cardinal, speak out of the rights of God in His Church, he is imprisoned and worse, and yet, has the Pope spoken out on his behalf? Has the Pope spoken out on God's behalf? Has the Pope put God's rights as a priority in the duties of his office? If the answer is, "no", then he, too, is guilty of grave scandal.
Humanism is at the core of the New Order, including the New Order Mass. It basically says that the highest good is what man can do for man, rather than God, himself. It obscures the transcendence of God and replaces it with a man-centered worship and theology. It hides and demeans the need for the sacred and replaces it with the ever-changing inclinations of a wounded society with its fickleness and creates a false 'god' in its own image. It says that God's grace no longer transforms but at best "covers", lowering the bar of what Christ has commanded (and he would not command the impossible). It is religion of sentimentality and lies, to accommodate worldliness, more or less, with out putting the Christ at the center of the heart of man, or at the heart of society, or even at the heart of his church.
+AMDG+
“Throughout that nine-year period, from my nineteenth year to my twenty-eighth, I was astray myself and led others astray, was deceived and deceived others in various forms of self-assertion, publicly by the teaching of what are called the liberal arts, privately under the false name of religion; in the one proud, in the other superstitious, in both vain. On the one side of my life I pursued the emptiness of popular glory and the applause of spectators, with competition for prize poems and strife for garlands of straw and the vanity of stage shows and untempered lusts; on the other side I was striving to be made clean of all this same filth, by bearing food to those who were called elect and holy, that in the factory of their own stomachs they should turn it into angels and deities by whom I was to be set free. And I followed out this line of conduct; and so did my friends who were deceived by me and with me. Let the proud of heart deride me now and all who have never been brought low and broken by Thee unto salvation, O my God; it is only for Thy glory that I confess to Thee all my ingloriousness. Grant me, I beseech Thee, to retraverse now in memory the past ways of my error and to offer Thee a sacrifice of rejoicing. For without Thee, what am I but a guide to my own destruction? Or at my best what am I but an infant suckled on Thy milk and feeding upon Thee, O Food incorruptible? What indeed is any man, seeing that he is but a man? Let the strong in their own power mock on, I in my weakness and neediness will confess unto Thee.”
This consists of beginning with a Hail Mary, then meditation on each one of the 7 sorrows (a Hail Mary for each), then ending with The Memorarae:
Hail Mary full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed are thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help or sought your intercession, was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto you, O Virgin of Virgins, my Mother. To you do I come, before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in your clemency, hear and answer me. Amen
The First Conversion of St. Mary Magdalene was when she was in a fearful moment of being brought to our Lord Jesus by the scribes and Pharisees. Remember, that a penalty for adultery back then would have been stoning to death. We do not know what caused the spiral of bad choices that led this poor sinner down such a path, but God wishes us to learn first of the depth of Christ's compassion.
[1] And Jesus went unto mount Olivet. [2] And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came to him, and sitting down he taught them. [3] And the scribes and the Pharisees bring unto him a woman taken in adultery: and they set her in the midst, [4] And said to him: Master, this woman was even now taken in adultery. [5] Now Moses in the law commanded us to stone such a one. But what sayest thou?
[6] And this they said tempting him, that they might accuse him. But Jesus bowing himself down, wrote with his finger on the ground. [7] When therefore they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said to them: He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. [8] And again stooping down, he wrote on the ground. [9] But they hearing this, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest. And Jesus alone remained, and the woman standing in the midst. [10] Then Jesus lifting up himself, said to her: Woman, where are they that accused thee? Hath no man condemned thee?
[11] Who said: No man, Lord. And Jesus said: Neither will I condemn thee. Go, and now sin no more. [12] Again therefore, Jesus spoke to them, saying: I am the light of the world: he that followeth me, walketh not in darkness, but shall have the light of life. -- John 8:1-12
Jesus could read hearts, and knew that this was a teaching moment for this notorious sinner, who would later, in her tremendous contrition, bathe the Lord's feet with her copious tears and anoint his feet in oil, even in front of others, for she knew the terrific number and gravity of sins which he had wiped from her once unclean heart.
What we might learn: St. Mary Magdalene, was forgiven much and, therefore, she learned by Christ, to love much. For this, by the operation of Christ, Our Lord used the saint as an example, even providentially while he had been teaching in the temple. By this example, countless souls from that point on have been converted to Christ.
And there were there many women afar off, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him:
[56] Among whom was Mary Magdalen, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee. [57] And when it was evening, there came a certain rich man of Arimathea, named Joseph, who also himself was a disciple of Jesus. [58] He went to Pilate, and asked the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded that the body should be delivered. [59] And Joseph taking the body, wrapped it up in a clean linen cloth. [60] And laid it in his own new monument, which he had hewed out in a rock. And he rolled a great stone to the door of the monument, and went his way. -- Matthew 27:56-59
The Second Conversion of St. Mary Magdalene was when the saint remained with the Blessed Virgin Mother, along with other holy women, after having followed Christ through his Passion and to the Cross on Calvary. Her strength of spirit came from tending to the Blessed Mother and to the other women.
And there followed him a great multitude of people, and of women, who bewailed and lamented him. [28] But Jesus turning to them, said: Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not over me; but weep for yourselves, and for your children. [29] For behold, the days shall come, wherein they will say: Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that have not borne, and the paps that have not given suck. [30] Then shall they begin to say to the mountains: Fall upon us; and to the hills: Cover us. -- Luke 23:17-30
Here our Lord seeks to give encouragement to the women --- both the mothers and those who had not had the blessing of children, to emphasize that there also exists a spiritual motherhood, also sacrificial in nature. How are either ministry fulfilled when following the Passion of Our Lord? Their strength is found in staying close the Blessed Virgin Mother and in support of one another in this mystical walk of Calvary.
Men, incidentally, can learn from St. Mary Magdalene here, for she whose life was saved by Christ, now risks her life to be associated with through the greatest spiritual suffering. Both the St. Mary Magdalene and St. John the Apostle were given graces of strength of heart and fortitude even protection of their bodies to fulfil their lives' ministries by remaining close to Christ through maintaining close proximity to his Blessed Virgin Mother.
The Third Conversion.
[11] But Mary stood at the sepulchre without, weeping. Now as she was weeping, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, [12] And she saw two angels in white, sitting, one at the head, and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been laid. [13] They say to her: Woman, why weepest thou? She saith to them: Because they have taken away my Lord; and I know not where they have laid him. [14] When she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing; and she knew not that it was Jesus. [15] Jesus saith to her: Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, thinking it was the gardener, saith to him: Sir, if thou hast taken him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. -- John 20:11-15
Ahhhh!!! Holy Audacity! This dear saint, with reason clouded by grief, thinks she can carry the dead body of her Lord, Jesus. After a long week of witnessing the Greatest Suffering known to mankind, she finds that the body of Christ is now missing from the sepulchre. Yet, she sees two angels, and rather than be comforted in the slightest even by the spiritual blessing of seeing them, she responds to their inquiry of the reason for her weeping at the site of the empty tomb, "Because they havve taken nawayy my Lord; and I know not where they have laid him." St. Mary Magdalene then looks at Jesus standing near by, watching her weeping, who then asks, 'Woman, why are you crying? For whom do you seek?" And really, what an ironic question, since St. Mary Magdalene was seen peering into the empty tomb! To which the confused saint responds, "Sir, if thou hast taken him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away."
John 20 continues:
[16] Jesus saith to her: Mary. She turning, saith to him: Rabboni (which is to say, Master). [17] Jesus saith to her: Do not touch me, for I am not yet ascended to my Father. But go to my brethren, and say to them: I ascend to my Father and to your Father, to my God and your God. [18] Mary Magdalen cometh, and telleth the disciples: I have seen the Lord, and these things he said to me.
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At the moment Jesus says the name of St. Mary Magdalene, a first name which, in itself, when said with devotion, is a sacramental, St. Mary Magdalene recognizes Christ, whom she thought initially was the gardener. He calls her by her name and then tells her to not touch him, then commissions her to witness to the others to see that he has, in fact, resurrected form the dead. Christ tells Mary Magdalene not to touch him because this is the spiritual commission, to witness to Christ's death and resurrection. Jesus tells Mary Magdalene not to act by her emotions to desire to touch him to find consolation. It was not for her faith that she desired to touch our Lord, as it was with St. Thomas, but for her own consolation in the fact that our Lord has resurrected. However, had she touched our Lord, she would have been led by her emotions and not her reason, and missed the point of Jesus's resurrection from the dead, which was to have others witness to his Ascension, which, in turn, would open the gates to Heaven, and bring forth the ability for the supernatural graces to come from the Sacraments of His Bride.
Therefore, St Mary Magdalene's third conversion was the culmination of the first two: firstly, receiving God's mercy through God the Son. Secondly, following the Passion and Death of Christ by remaining close to his Mother. Lastly, she is reminded by Jesus to not allow her devotion to be moved by emotions, but rather, by her spiritual duties, first alluded to in the first two conversions. These conversions might have been revisited in the daily mental prayer of the saint, reminded of the forgiveness of our Lord, the suffering and death of our Lord, and now the commission to rely on hearing his 'voice'* (*if even only in prayer and meditation on scripture), and trusting in Christ's promise of Heaven.
An Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Mary
Since the Apostolic Age, Christians have turned with great confidence to the Blessed Virgin Mary for spiritual and temporal help. Knowing that theMother of God is also our spiritual Mother, Christians have sought her maternal aid and intercession with the Divine Majesty. And Mary Immaculate, being the marvelous Mother that she is, often comes to help her children before they even come to implore her avail, sometimes before they are even aware of their particular need. Our Lady’s solicitude at the Wedding Feast at Cana manifests this maternal trait of anticipating the needs of her children. Remember: Mary notices that the young couple had run out of wine at their marriage feast. No one had said a word about it to her, yet she mentions the plight of the married couple with tact and delicacy to her Son. And Our Lord hears and answers her prayer!
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The tradition of this advocation goes back to 1571, when the whole of Christendom was saved by Mary Help of Christians when Catholics throughout Europe prayed the Rosary. The great battle of Lepanto occurred on October 7th 1571. For this reason this date has been chosen as the feast of the Holy Rosary. In 1573 Pope Pius V instituted the feast in thanksgiving for the decisive victory of Christianity over Islamism. Pope St. Pius V inserted the title of Help of Christians in the litany of Loreto in 1571 in thanksgiving to Our Lady for the victory of the inferior Christian fleet over the Muslim Turks at the Battle of Lepanto.
Near the end of the 17th century, Emperor Leopold I of Austria took refuge in the Shrine of Mary Help of Christians at Pasau, when 200,000 Ottoman Turks besieged the capital city of Vienna, but a great victory occurred thanks to Mary Help of Christians: on September 8th, Feast of Our Lady's Birthday, plans were drawn for the battle. On September 12, Feast of the Holy Name of Mary, Vienna was finally freed through the intercession of Mary Help of Christians. All Europe had joined with the Emperor crying out "Mary, Help!" and praying the Holy rosary.
Centuries later Pope Pius VII, held captive by Napoleon’s forces at Savona, organized a Rosary Novena among the faithful to Our Lady Help of Christians for his liberation. In 1815, Pius VII established the feast of Our Lady Help of Christians in gratitude for his release from captivity.
In 1809, Napoleon's men entered the Vatican, arrested Pius VII and brought him in chains to Grenoble, and eventually Fontainbleau. His imprisonment lasted five years. The Holy Father vowed to God that , if he were restored to the Roman See, he would institute a special feast in honor of Mary. Military reverses forced Napoleon to release the Pope, and on May 24th 1814, Pius VII returned in triumph to Rome. Twelve months later, the Pope decreed that the feast of Mary Help of Christians, be kept on the 24th of May.
St. John Bosco and Our Lady Help of Christians
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St. John Bosco (1815 - 1888) was a dynamic priest who founded the Salesian Order in the XIX century in Italy. His many prophetic dreams, beginning atage nine, guided his ministry and gave insights on future events.
On May 14, 1862, Don Bosco dreamed about the battles the Church would face in the latter days. In his dream, the Pope of those days anchors the 'ship' of the Church between two pillars, one with a statue of Mary (Auxilium Christianorum or 'Help of Christians') and the other with a large Eucharistic Host
St. John Bosco wrote about his congregation, the Salesians: "The principal objective is to promote veneration of the Blessed Sacrament and devotion to Mary Help of Christians. This title seems to please the august Queen of Heaven very much."
Prayer to Our Lady Help of Christians
Most Holy Virgin Mary, Help of Christian,
how sweet it is to come to your feet
imploring your perpetual help.
If earthly mothers cease not to remember their children,
how can you, the most loving of all mothers forget me?
Grant then to me, I implore you,
your perpetual help in all my necessities,
in every sorrow, and especially in all my temptations.
I ask for your unceasing help for all who are now suffering.
Help the weak, cure the sick, convert sinners.
Grant through your intercessions many vocations to the religious life.
Obtain for us, O Mary, Help of Christians,
that having invoked you on earth we may love and eternally thank you in heaven.
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