Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary II

"The title of 'Sorrowful' belongs therefore to the Heart of My mother, and more than any other, this title is dear to her because it springs from the union of her Heart with Mine in the redemption of humanity. This title had been acquired be her through her full participation in My Calvary, and it precedes the gratuitous title 'Immaculate' which My love bestowed upon her by singular privilege." Jesus to Berthe Petit, 1920

Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary

"The title of "Immaculate" belongs to the whole being of My mother and not specially to her Heart. This title flows from my gratuitous gift to the Virgin who was to give Me birth. My mother has acquired for her Heart the title of "Sorrowful" by sharing generously in all the sufferings of My Heart and My Body from the crib to the Cross. There is not one of these Sorrows which did not pierce the Heart of My mother. Living image of My crucified body, her virginal flesh bore the invisible marks of My wounds as her Heart felt the Sorrows of My own. Nothing could ever tarnish the incorruptibility of her Immaculate Heart." Jesus to Berthe Petit, 1920.

Easygoing weakness of Catholics

Michael by Albrecht Durer

"In our time more than ever before the greatest asset of the evilly disposed is the cowardice and weakness of good men, and all the vigor of Satan's reign is due to the easygoing weakness of Catholics. Oh! If I might ask the divine Redeemer, as the prophet Zachary did in spirit: 'What are those wounds in the midst of Your hands?' the answer would not be doubtful. 'With these I was wounded in the house of those who did nothing to defend Me and who, on every occasion, made themselves the accomplices of My adversaries.' And this reproach can be levelled at the weak and timid Catholics of all countries." Pope St. Pius X (Beatification of Joan of Arc, December 13, 1908).

I grabbed this wondrous quote at La Salette Journey, go here for the complete post.

What a stark, and horrifying true statement of this time spoken in a time when the lawlessness of Mankind was not nearly as bad as today.

Persevere under discipline

"Persevere under discipline. God dealeth with you as with his sons; for what son is there, whom the father doth not correct?" ~Hebrews 12:7

Courage

"I think modern life, including life in the Church, suffers from a phony unwillingness to offend that poses as prudence and good manners, but too often turns out to be cowardice. Human beings owe each other respect and appropriate courtesy. But we also owe each other the truth—which means candor. " —Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., Rendering Unto Caesar: The Catholic Political Vocation, February 23rd, 2009, Toronto, Canada

Dear Mother of God, please obtain the grace from your Divine Son the grace of more bishops such as this one. Amen+

Defend yourself against the demonic

"Try this: The next time you face a temptation, remind yourself that you're cooperating with the malevolent will of a highly developed insect that hates you yet wants to be with you forever. You'll find your old reliable sins lose a little of their allure."

Go here to read an excellent article by Tom Hoopes about the demonic - those who have experience direct and open assault from the minions of evil and how to combat your spiritual enemies.

Sword of Justice

(photo credit)

Last night in prayer, I was contemplating Jesus as Christ the King, seated in majesty upon His throne. I am a bit of a history buff as well as an admirer of Kings, as a result of this I have grown to have a devotion to Christ the King. In prayer, I will spiritually bow low before my Heavenly King in worship and offer to Him my prayer of awe. Last night and this morning, I imagined Christ's hand resting upon a great sword - His Sword of Justice. Make no mistake, our King is no wimp, no feminine, weak, powerless victim. Oh no, He is all powerful, all knowing - all things are in His hand. He has a right to our devotion, love and worship. We must strive to remember at all times of every word, thought and deed before Him we will give account.

Your Majesty Jesus, my Lord and King, on that terrible day I beg you, have mercy upon me a poor sinner, upon me pass a light judgment. Amen+

She will crush the head of the serpent

"They also oppose the truth–people of depraved mind, unqualified in the faith. But they will not make further progress, for their foolishness will be plain to all." -2 Timothy 3:8

Thought for the weekend, in these times of darkness, where sin seems to rule the world, remember our Mother gathers an army of prayer warriors and with them she will crush the head of the serpent. Those who serve the devil in these times reveal themselves and whom they serve - have nothing to do with them but still pray for them. All sin and evil will be conquered, but first we must pass through the fire. Our Lord and our Lady will not abandon us, they are as close to us as our own breath.

May Mary's prayers go with you always. Amen+

"Shall I see You no more?"

(photo credit)

Can you hear your sorrowful mother say "Beloved Son, shall I see you no more?"

We ought not be afraid of entering into the desert of our own sorrow in loss and trial. The Lord is pleased to thus purify and soften us. To those He loves He gives a portion of His cross, therefore within every suffering there is a great blessing. Let us strive to be not attached to our God's sweetness and consolation for it is in fire that gold is purified.

Lord, in your Sorrowful Mother's Immaculate Heart I place myself forever, there to be purified by the fire of Thy love. Do with me what You will, I surrender myself unto Thee. Amen+

From the Throne of Peter V

"When man has hardened his heart and hate has overrun the earth, when fire and sword convulse the world and make it resound with clash of arms and wailing, when human plans have prove misleading, and when all social well-being is upset, faith and history point to Mary as the only refuge." - Benedict XV, To the Consistory of Cardinals and Bishops, December 24, 1915

From the Throne of Peter IV

"She is the best of Mothers, our safest confidant and in fact the very motive of our hope: she obtains all she asks for and her prayers are always heard." - Pius VII, Exultavit cor Nostrum, November 21, 1851

From the Throne of Peter III

"Almighty God enriched the Blessed Virgin with the gifts of his grace more abundantly than He enriched any other creature. He chose her from all mankind and at the word of an angel elevated her to the ineffable dignity of dignity of the Mother of God." - Benedict XIV, Gloriosae Dominae, September 27, 1748

From the Throne of Peter II

(photo credit - Holy Cards for Your Inspiration)

"...by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, for the honor of the Holy and undivided Trinity, for the glory and adornment of the Virgin Mother of God, for the exaltation of the Catholic Faith, and for the furtherance of the Catholic religion, by the authority of Jesus Christ our Lord, of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and by our own; We declare, pronounce and define that in the doctrine which holds that the most Blessed Virgin Mary , in the first instance of her Conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by Almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin, is a doctrine revealed by God and therefore to be believed firmly and constantly by all the faithful." -Pius IX, Ineffabilis Deus, December 8, 1854

From the Throne of Peter I - She Commands

Central panel of Masaccio's Pisa Polyptych

"When she approaches Her divine Son's throne, as Advocate She begs, as Handmaid She prays, but as Mother She commands." - Pius IX, tanto studio, February 19, 1805

Our Lord Jesus Christ will deny her nothing. Mary Mother of God - ora pro nobis!

God Bless our Holy Father

"The Church… intends to continue to raise her voice in defense of mankind, even when policies of States and the majority of public opinion moves in the opposite direction. Truth, indeed, draws strength from itself and not from the amount of consent it arouses." —POPE BENEDICT XVI, Vatican, March 20, 2006

The First Christian Persecution

The first documented case of imperially-supervised persecution of the Christians in the Roman Empire begins with Nero (37-68). In 64 A.D., a great fire broke out in Rome, destroying portions of the city and economically devastating the Roman population. Nero himself was suspected as the arsonist by historian Suetonius, claiming he played the lyre and sang the 'Sack of Ilium' during the fires. In his Annals, Tacitus (who claimed Nero was in Antium at the time of the fire's outbreak), stated that "to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace"

The Way of Mortification

I have been wracking my simple mind lately about how to restrain my love of comforts. I simply love comfort - my comfortable bed, favorite foods, good wine, computer games...you name it I seek it if its comfortable. Trouble with this is, is hampers all my small efforts to grow in virtue. I have become a slave to my own desires for comfort and therefore am mired in this world. I am unsure if I even have the will to try to give up my comforts but turn instead to prayer asking and begging God to help me at least want to mortify my desires and senses. I came across this reading and plan to meditate upon it. I thought perhaps others may find it helpful as well.

"There is an old principle which goes: "Da mihi sanguinem et dabo tibi spiritum." Woe to those who are enemies of mortification and of the cross of Christ!
In one act of mortification one can practice many virtues, according to the different ends which one proposes in each act, as for example:
1. He who mortifies his body for the purpose of checking concupiscence, performs an act of the virtue of temperance.
2. If he does this, purposing thereby to regulate his life well, it will be an act of the virtue of prudence.
3. If he mortifies himself for the purpose of satisfying for the sins of his past life, it will be an act of justice.
4. If he does it with the intention of conquering the difficulties of the spiritual life, it will be an act of fortitude.
5. If he practices this virtue of mortification for the end of offering a sacrifice to God, depriving himself of what he likes, and doing that which is bitter and repugnant to nature, it will be an act of the virtue of religion.
6. If he intends by mortification to receive greater light to know the divine attributes, it will be an act of faith.
7. If he does it for the purpose of making his salvation more and more secure, it will be an act of hope.
8. If he denies himself in order to help in the conversion of sinners, and for the release of the poor souls in purgatory, it will be an act of charity towards his neighbor.
9. If he does it so as to help the poor, it will be an act of mercy.
10. If he mortifies himself for the sake of pleasing God more and more, it will be an act of love of God.
In other words, I shall be able to put all these virtues into practice in one act of mortification, according to the end I propose to myself while doing the said act.
Virtue has so much more merit, is more resplendent, charming and attractive, when accompanied by greater sacrifice.
Man, who is vile, weak, mean, cowardly, never makes a sacrifice, and is not even capable of doing so, for he never resists even one appetite or desire. Everything that his concupiscence and passions demand, he concedes, if it is in his power to yield or reject, for he is base and cowardly, and lets himself be conquered and completely overcome, just as the braver of two fighters conquers the cowardly one. So it is with vice and the vicious -- the latter is crushed and the slave of his vices. Continence and chastity are therefore worthy of the highest praise, because the man who practices purity refrains from the pleasure which proceeds from nature or passion. Thus, the greater merit will be his the greater the pleasure he has denied himself. His merit will be the greater in proportion to the amount of repugnance he will have in conquering himself, in proportion to the intense and prolonged suffering he will have to undergo, to the human respect he will have to vanquish, and to the sacrifices he will have to make. Let him do all this and suffer all for the love of virtue and for God's greater glory. As to my exterior deportment, I proposed to myself modesty and recollection and in the interior of my soul my aim was continual and ardent occupation in God. In my work I aimed at patience, silence and suffering. The exact accomplishment of the law of God and of the Church, the obligations of my state of life as prescribed by God. I tried to do good to others, flee from sin, faults and imperfections, and to practice virtue."

~Autobiography of St. Anthony Mary Claret

Persecution

"Christ said: In this world you will suffer persecution, but in such wise that the persecution will not overwhelm, and the attack will not overcome you. Against Christ’s army the world arrays a twofold battleline. It offers temptation to lead us astray; it strikes terror into us to break our spirit. Hence if our personal pleasures do not hold us captive, and if we are not frightened by brutality, then the world is overcome. At both of these approaches Christ rushes to our aid, and the Christian is not conquered. If you were to consider in Vincent’s martyrdom only human endurance, then his act is unbelievable from the outset. But first recognize the power to be from God, and he ceases to be a source of wonder." —St. Augustine, Liturgy of the Hours, Vol. 3, p. 1316

Those who say "tolerance" are quickly becoming the least tolerant of all. Often intolerance is a front for heavier things, such as disdain, scorn or even malevolence. Think upon how such things can explode into persecution and how often this has occurred in the past. We must hope for the best, yet prepare for the worst. For myself and my family, I pray for the grace of a strong faith, and perserverance unto death. Amen+

A chilling tile mosiac depicting the Christian persecution under the Roman rule of Nero.

Beautiful Holy Card

Another beauty from Micki at Holy Cards for your Inspiration. This is a very unique nativity scene and one that deserves study and appreciation. Simply breathtaking...

Incredible Artwork

Title: The Trinity with Souls in Purgatory

Artist: Corrado Giaquinto

Date: c. 1743

Medium: Oil on canvas

The original of this painting hangs in the Minneapolis Institute of Arts and is an amazing example of "purgatory art". I have never seen the Holy Trinity depicted with Jesus dead before. I was completely captivated by this painting during my visit there last weekend. My husband and I deducted that this is Jesus, offering His death for the sins of the these souls to the Father who holds His hand over the Holy Souls in benediction.

Two other images of particular beauty: There is a soul grasping the foot of the cross who cannot be seen in this image so well. The face of the man in the lower right is the most striking combination of peace and resignation. As I stood before this important piece of art, I felt I could look at all day.

Works such as these ought to serve and holy reminders to pray for the Church Suffering as is our duty. Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord, let eternal light shine upon them, may they rest in peace. Amen+

Meditation on Our Lady's Sorrows - Day Seven & Final

FRIEDRICH OVERBECK (1789-1869)WATER-COLOUR ON BOARD - Vatican Museum

(photo credit)

The burial of Jesus

"Now there was in the place where He was crucified, a garden; and in the garden a new sepulcher, wherein no man yet had been laid. There, therefore, because of the parasceve of the Jews, they laid Jesus, because the sepulcher was nigh at hand." John XIX, 41-42.
Meditation: Consider the sighs which burst from Mary's sad heart when she saw her beloved Jesus laid within the tomb. What grief was hers when she saw the stone lifted to cover that sacred tomb! She gazed a last time on the lifeless body of her Son, and could scarce detach her eyes from those gaping wounds. And when the great stone was rolled to the door of the sepulcher, oh, then indeed her heart seemed torn from her body!

Say one Ave Maria [Hail Mary

Today offer to place your heart beside Mary's forever in the tomb of her Son. Amen+

Meditation on Our Lady's Sorrows - Day Six

Descent of Jesus from the Cross

"Joseph of Arimathea, a noble counselor, came and went in boldly to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. And Joseph buying fine linen, and taking Him down, wrapped Him up in the fine linen." – Mark XV, 43-46.
Meditation: Consider the most bitter sorrow which rent the soul of Mary, when she saw the dead body of her dear Jesus on her knees, covered with blood, all torn with deep wounds. O mournful Mother, a bundle of myrrh, indeed, is thy Beloved to thee. Who would not pity thee? Whose heart would not be softened, seeing affliction which would move a stone? Behold John not to be comforted, Magdalen and the other Mary in deep affliction, and Nicodemus, who can scarcely bear his sorrow.

Say one Ave Maria [Hail Mary]

Today strive to avoid sin, offer small sacrifices in amendment for the sins of mankind who blaspheme Mary and her Son. Amen+

Meditation on Our Lady's Sorrows - Day Five

The Crucifixion & Death of Jesus

"They crucified Him. Now there stood by the cross of Jesus, His Mother. When Jesus therefore had seen His Mother and the disciple standing whom he loved, He saith to His Mother: Woman: behold thy son. After that he saith to the disciple: Behold thy Mother." – John XIX, l8-25-27.
Meditation: Look, devout soul, look to Calvary, whereon are raised two altars of sacrifice, one on the body of Jesus, the other on the heart of Mary. Sad is the sight of that dear Mother drowned in a sea of woe, seeing her beloved Son, part of her very self, cruelly nailed to the shameful tree of the cross. Ah me! how every blow of the hammer, how every stripe which fell on the Saviour's form, fell also on the disconsolate spirit of the Virgin. As she stood at the foot of the cross, pierced by the sword of sorrow, she turned her eyes on Him, until she knew that He lived no longer and had resigned His spirit to His Eternal Father. Then her own soul was like to have left the body and joined itself to that of Jesus.

Say one Ave Maria [Hail Mary] Today go to the feet of your Mother as she stands at the foot of her Son's cross witnessing His suffering and death. There lay at her feet all your petitions and requests. Amen+

Meditation on Our Lady's Sorrows - Day Four

The stark, unbelieving agony etched in the face of Mary, the mother of Jesus, causes him to avert his gaze in pity. Lead by the disciple John, the holy mother along with Mary Salome and Mary Magdalene have been guided swiftly through the throngs of people by a shorter route to meet him at this turn in the road. Now she confronts him. Frozen in mute horror, Mary realizes fully now the hideous end which awaits his mortal life.

The meeting of Jesus and Mary on the Way of the Cross

"And there followed Him a great multitude of people, and of women, who bewailed and lamented Him." – Luke XXIII, 27.
Meditation: Come, O ye sinners, come and see if ye can endure so sad a sight. This Mother, so tender and loving, meets her beloved Son, meets Him amid an impious rabble, who drag Him to a cruel death, wounded, torn by stripes, crowned with thorns, streaming with blood, bearing His heavy cross. Ah, consider, my soul, the grief of the blessed Virgin thus beholding her Son! Who would not weep at seeing this Mother's grief? But who has been the cause of such woe? I, it is I, who with my sins have so cruelly wounded the heart of my sorrowing Mother! And yet I am not moved; I am as a stone, when my heart should break because of my ingratitude.

Say one Ave Maria [Hail Mary]

Today in your prayers, tell your Mother who never sinned, yet paid a great price for the sins of Man that you are sorry for having grieved her so. Amen+

Meditation on Our Lady's Sorrows - Day Three

The loss of the Child Jesus in the temple

"And having fulfilled the days, when they returned, the Child Jesus remained in Jerusalem; and His parents knew it not. And thinking that he was in the company, they came a day's journey, and sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. And not finding Him, they returned into Jerusalem, seeking Him." Luke II, 43-45.
Meditation: How dread was the grief of Mary, when she saw that she had lost her beloved Son! And as if to increase her sorrow, when she sought Him diligently among her kinsfolk and acquaintance, she could hear no tidings of Him. No hindrances stayed her, nor weariness, nor danger; but she forthwith returned to Jerusalem, and for three long days sought Him sorrowing. Great be your confusion, O my soul, who has so often lost your Jesus by your sins, and has given no heed to seek Him at once, a sign that you make very little or no account of the precious treasure of divine love.

Say one Ave Maria [Hail Mary]

Pray heartily for this grace: On the occasion that the Blessed Virgin Mary

looks upon the earth, searching for those who compassionates her sorrows,

she finds you. Amen+

Meditation on Our Lady's Sorrows - Day Two

The Flight into Egypt

"And after they (the wise men) were departed, behold an angel of the Lord appeared in sleep to Joseph, saying: Arise and take the child and His mother and fly into Egypt: and be there until I shall tell thee. For it will come to pass that Herod will seek the child to destroy Him. Joseph arose and took the child and His mother by night, and retired into Egypt: and He was there until the death of Herod." – Matt. II, 13-14.
Meditation: Consider the sharp sorrow which Mary felt when, St. Joseph being warned by an angel, she had to flee by night in order to preserve her beloved Child from the slaughter decreed by Herod. What anguish was hers, in leaving Judea, lest she should be overtaken by the soldiers of the cruel king! How great her privations in that long journey! What sufferings she bore in that land of exile, what sorrow amid that people given to idolatry! But consider how often you have renewed that bitter grief of Mary, when your sins have caused her Son to flee from your heart.

Say one Ave Maria [Hail Mary] Try to think upon the sorrow your Mother underwent for your sake and offer your prayers in reparation for the neglect and lack of love of many. Amen+

Meditation on Our Lady's Sorrows - Day One

Let us embark today together to a simple seven day meditation on Mary's Sorrows for your intention and also in reparation for the mankind's sins of blasphemy.

The Prophecy of Simeon

"And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary his mother: Behold this child is set for the fall and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be contradicted; And thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that out of many hearts thoughts may be revealed." ~ Luke II, 34-35.
Meditation: How great was the shock to Mary's Heart at hearing the sorrowful words, in which holy Simeon told the bitter Passion and death of her sweet Jesus, since in that same moment she realized in her mind all the insults, blows, and torments which the impious men were to offer to the Redeemer of the world. But a still sharper sword pierced her soul. It was the thought of men's ingratitude to her beloved Son. Now consider that because of your sins you are unhappily among the ungrateful.

Say one Ave Maria [Hail Mary] and strive to compassionate the sorrows of your mother. Amen+

Sleep Holy Babe

Sleep Holy Babe

Sleep, holy babe, upon Thy mothers' breast.

Great Lord of earth and sea and sky,

How sweet it is to see Thee lie in such a place of rest

In such a place of rest!

Sleep, holy Babe, Thine angel's watch around,

All bending low with folded wings before the

Incarnate King of Kings

In reverent awe profound, in reverent awe profound!

Sleep, holy Babe, Ah, take Thy brief repose.

Too quickly will Thy slumbers break

and Thou to lengthened pains awake, that death alone shall close

That death alone shall close!

~Rev. Edward Caswell

Decalogue Against Temptation

(photo credit)

1. Do not forget that the devil exists.

2. Do not forget that the devil is a tempter.

3. Do not forget that the devil is very intelligent and astute.

4. Be vigilant concerning your eyes and heart. Be strong in spirit and virtue.

5. Believe firmly in the victory of Christ over the tempter.

6. Remember that Christ makes you a participant in His victory.

7. Listen carefully to the word of God.

8. Be humble and love mortification.

9. Pray without flagging.

10. Love the Lord your God and offer worship to Him only.
- Dionigi Card. Tettamanzi

I swiped this from my friend Vincenzo at Sancte Pater. I have never seen this list before and with regular use, will in invaluable to anyone seeking Christian perfection.

Our Lady of Kibeho XI - Final

Our Lady of Kibeho in indeed Our Lady of Sorrows as depicted above.

Prayer to Our Lady of Kibeho

Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Word,Mother of all those who believe in Himand who welcome Him into their life,we are here before you to contemplate You.We believe that you are amongst us,like a mother in the midst of her children,even though we do not see You with our bodily eyes.
We bless You, the Sure Way that leads us to Jesus the Saviour,for all the favours which You endlessly pour out upon us,especially, that, in your meekness, You were gracious enoughto appear miraculously in Kibeho, just when our world needed it most.
Grant us always the light and the strength necessary to accept,with all seriousness, Your call to us to be converted,to repent, and to live according to your Son’s Gospel.Teach us how to pray with sincerity,and to love one another as He loved us,so that, just as You have requested,we may always be beautiful flowersdiffusing their pleasant fragrance everywhere and upon everyone.
Holy Mary, Our Lady of Sorrows,teach us to understand the value of the cross in our lives,so that whatever is still lacking to the sufferings of Christwe may fill up in our own bodies for His mystical Body,which is the Church.
And, when our pilgrimage on this earth comes to an end,may we live eternally with You in the kingdom of Heaven.
Amen+

Imprimatur:
Gikongoro, the 25th of March, 2006-05-29
+ Augustin Misago - Bishop of Gikongoro