The Most Holy Rosary
by St. Alphonsus
Maria de Liguori
It
is well known that the devotion of the Rosary was revealed to St. Dominic by
the Blessed Mother Herself. This
occurred at a time when the saint was troubled and bemoaning to Our Lady the
fact that the Albigensian heretics were doing a great
deal of harm to the Church. The Blessed Virgin said to him: "This land
will always be sterile until rain falls on it." St. Dominic was then given to understand that
this rain would be devotion to the Rosary, which he was to propagate.
This
he proceeded to do, preaching the new devotion everywhere until it was embraced
by Catholics all over the world. So successful was he, that even today there is
no devotion more widely practiced by the faithful of all classes than the
recitation of the Rosary. What is there that heretics -- Calvin, Bucer, and others - have not said to discredit the use of
the beads? But the extraordinary good that this precious devotion has brought
to the world is too well known. How many souls have been delivered from sin by
means of the Rosary! How many have been converted to a holy life; how many have
died a good death and are now saved! To be convinced of this, all we have to do
is read any of the numerous books on the subject. It is enough to know that this devotion has
been approved by the Church and that the sovereign pontiffs have enriched it
with many indulgences. Principal among
these is the plenary indulgence, which may be gained when the Rosary is recited
in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, either exposed or in the tabernacle,
provided one goes to confession and receives Holy Communion.'
The
Rosary should be recited as devoutly as possible. And here we may call to mind
what the Blessed Virgin said to St. Eulalia: that She was more pleased with five decades said slowly and
devoutly than with fifteen said in a hurry and with little devotion. It is well
to say the Rosary kneeling, before an image of the Blessed Virgin; and before
each decade, to make an act of love to Jesus and Mary, and to ask Them for some special grace. It is also preferable to say it
with others rather than alone.
Many
indulgences have been granted to those who recite the Little Office of the
Blessed Virgin, and the Blessed Virgin has shown many times how pleasing this
devotion is to Her. This is brought out especially in
the little work by Father Auriemma.
Mary
likewise is very much honored when we recite the Litany of Loreto which is also
indulgenced. The hymn Ave Maris Stella pleases Her too. She recommended that St. Bridget recite it every
day. The canticle Magnificat is very dear to Her because these are the very words She Herself used to
praise God.
__
The Man Born Blind
John 9 : 1 - 41
A six part
meditation on
A
week had passed since the great theological battle in which Jesus clearly
claimed His Divinity. Jesus and the
Apostles spent every night outside the city.
As they came into the
DEAR
LORD, what a lesson in faith and hope. You teach me here. You let us know that
this terrible affliction was really a blessing and not a curse or an accident
as though God had forgotten this man. The whole thing was planned from all
eternity - planned right down to the last detail. His blindness was to teach
him humility and courage, and to engender in him deep thoughts and recollection
so that he would be ready for the moment of grace -- ready for his sight and
courageous to be a witness to You before the entire
Sanhedrin. What a warm, comforting realization to know that You
love and care for us with the same carefulProvidence.
AND
YET, my Lord, although I acknowledge this truth of Divine Providence with my
mind, though I know You taught it, though I see logically that a dependent
being must be constantly sustained by his Creator * still I live by it so
little. I have anxieties and fears - just as though I didn't have a Father. I
resent sufferings and trials and failure, just as though these were defects
instead of instruments my Father uses to make me holy, deep, and ready for the
moment of grace. Lord, open my eyes! Let me see!
ADORATION OF GOD.
Once
he realized that he could see, the cured man just stood still for a few minutes
and looked around him. He stared at the water and the people; he looked down at
his own hands and his clothing. It was almost too good to be true! His lips
moved in prayer to Yahweh. His heart swelled with joy. It was almost harder
finding his way home now that he could see. He watched people as they passed by
and almost expected them to stop him and question him. Then he entered his
little house. He looked at his mother, mending. So this is what she looked like! And the
little one-room house! "Mother," he called, "look at me!"
She gasped when she saw the eyes that were once blank looking with loving care
into hers. Then he told her the whole story. She embraced him and cried for
joy. He must show his neighbors, too, he thought. It made him so happy to see
their quizzical look, and then the shy retreat as though he were some strange
creature, and then his recognition of their voices when they spoke and he
called them by name. Soon a big crowd surrounded him questioning, wondering,
congratulating. He was so happy that the tears came to his eyes. And it pleased
him so much to tell them about Jesus. It was Jesus Who did all this for him. He
wanted to shout His Name from the rooftops.
MY
KING, the cured man was performing a beautiful act of adoration at that moment, Adoration is recognizing Your Beauty and Goodness
and rejoicing in it in our hearts. As a cook is pleased when we enjoy her
dinner, so You are pleased and praised when we take delight in Your gifts and
sing of Your goodness in our hearts.
O
MY gracious and bountiful Lord, how little adoration do I give * I who am
surrounded by examples of Your Beauty, Goodness, and Truth! I see so much
loveliness in the children I see * their innocence, their laughter, their
devotion in Church. Teach me to
recognize Your image there and praise You. There are so many sterling and beautiful
persons around * persons who are generous, unselfish, pure as angels,
thoughtful, zealous for Your glory. I cannot help but love them! Let the love be filled with recognition of You, and as I enjoy them, let my joy be praise of You. Open for me the key to the world*s secrets
and beauty, my King. Let all things tell
me of You, and let me love and adore You in them!
To be
Continued...
Satan's Complaint
Saint
Antony tells us the following example: "One day someone knocked very loudly at
the the gate of the monastery. I went to see who it
was. When I opened it, I was very much frightened because standing there was a
man of great stature. When I asked who he was, he replied, "I am
Satan." When I asked what he wanted here, he replied, "I want to know
why it is that not only you monks, but all Christians curse me at times of
misfortune." I answered, "They have great reason, for you are always
tempting them, and laying snares for them, to drag them into sin." Satan
replied, "I am often not so much to blame as you think, for people are
often the cause of their own ruin, by seeking the occasions of sin, hoping that
they will not fall, although they may know their frailty. As for myself, from the time that God became man I
have lost my power over them, for they have been given such strong weapons
against me. I never could overcome them,
if they used the weapons God has put in their hands. So they need not blame me,
nor curse me so much, since it is entirely their own fault that they are
lost."
Catholic Poetry Corner.
Macarius the
Monk.
In days of old, while yet the Church was
young,
And
men believed that praise of God was sung
In
curbing self as well as singing Psalms,
There
lived a monk, Macarius by name,
A
holy man, to whom the faithful came
With hungry hearts to hear the wondrous word.
In
sight of gushing springs and sheltering palms
He
lived upon the desert; from the marsh
He
drank the brackish water, and his food
Was
dates and roots -- and all his rule was harsh,
For
pampered flesh in those days warred with good.
From those who came in scores, a few there
were
Who
feared the devil more than fast and prayer,
And
these remained and took the hermit's vow.
A
dozen saints there grew to be; and now
Macarius,
happy, lived in larger care.
He
taught his brethren all the lore he knew,
And
as they learned, his pious rigors grew.
His
whole intent was on the spirit's goal:
He
taught them silence - words disturb the soul;
He
warned of joys, and bade them pray for sorrow,
And
be prepared today for death tomorrow.
To know the human life alone was given
To
test the souls of those who merit heaven,
He
bade the twelve in all things be as brothers,
And
die to self, to live and work for others.
*For
so," he said, "we save our love and labors,
And
each one gives his own and takes his neighbor's."
Thus
long he taught, and while they silent heard,
He
prayed for fruitful soil to hold the word.
One
day, beside the marsh they labored long--
For
worldly work makes sweeter sacred song--
And
when the cruel sun made hot the sand,
And
Afric's gnats, the sweltering face and hand
Tormenting
stung, a passing traveler stood
And watched the workers by the reeking flood.
Macarius, nigh,
with heat and toil was faint;
The
traveler saw, and to the suffering saint
A
bunch of luscious grapes in pity threw.
Most
sweet and fresh and fair they were to view,
A generous cluster, bursting-rich with wine.
Macarius
longed to taste. "The fruit is mine,*
He
said, and sighed; "but I, who daily teach,
Feel
now the bond to practice as I preach."
He
gave the cluster to the nearest one,
And,
with his heavy toil, went patient on.
And he who took, unknown to any other,
The
sweet refreshment handed to a brother.
And
so, from each to each, till round was made
The
circuit wholly; when the grapes, at last,
Untouched
and tempting, to Macarius passed.
" Now,
God be thanked ! " he cried, and ceased to toil;
~'
The seed was good, but better was the soil.
My
brothers, join with me to bless the day."
But,
ere they knelt, he threw the grapes away.
WHY MODESTY?
After
W.W.I, the cultural revolution took a gradual
malevolent hold on Christian culture in the fields of manners, modesty,
architecture, art, music, social and moral ethics, old monarchies,
aristocracies, and families. In these
areas, the revolution*s aim was to have nothing to do with the Catholic
past. History shows the rapid effects of
this revolution in the 20th century.
Photos in our history textbooks or via the internet demonstrate that
changes took place in the above mentioned fields.
After
war, man wants to forget about war. It
so happened that after W.W.I, the media was in full bloom thanks to television
being added to the already valuable mediums of radio and press. The liberal media claimed that life through
the media provided a new way of life *easier* and better than that of the past.
Unfortunately, in the situation after W.W.I. & II., these wars did not
result in advancements for Catholic culture but rather for their destruction,
though their destruction was not total and to this day is still being felt. The
superstitious media moguls would never permit, before and after the war, that the message of Our Lady of Fatima confirmed with
the Miracle of the Sun be brought to the world via their channels that war is
caused by sin, sins of the flesh and those of the intellect. This must not have been important news for them. Rather, the secular media wished for a
liberation of man from the *idea of sin and from the Catholic culture.* Here is the plan
put into effect by those who would have nothing with Our Lord, Jesus Christ*s
Kingship of Christ over society:
Monarchies,
Aristocracies, Families**replaced with**democracies
Social
and Moral Ethics** replaced
with**done away with
Manners** replaced
with**spontaneous attitude
Architecture
** replaced
with**lines so simple that buildings
look like huge
tubes or shoeboxes
Art** replaced
with**artist*s imagination alone
Modesty** replaced
with**immodesty
Music** replaced
with**left path of harmony to
progressive cacophony -the *subjugation
of harmony and melody to *rhythm
In
regards to modesty, it can be said that the lady is the main target of the Cultural
Revolution. Why? Have we heard the old adage that goes like
this, *As the women go, so goes the nation.* Or another yet that says, *She who
rocks the cradle, rules the world.*
Modesty protects the *Lady.* If a
man bows his head slightly and tips his hat at the sight of a lady then society
has dignity. Modesty brings human
dignity. However, if instead, all of a man*s base sensual instincts are aroused
then we have impure scandals and the nation*s dignity is compromised. A man should be able to look at a lady
respectfully while admiringly, to see the *lady* first and *the woman*
second. When a lady is a woman and lady
to one man alone, her husband, and a lady to all others, society holds
dignity. Otherwise, if she is a woman to
all, we can expect only aberrations.
True femininity is modesty in body and soul.
What
are the characteristics of a lady? A
lady is the nearest thing to an angel that the earth produces on a regular
basis. A lady is everything delicate and
light, decorative and enhancing, refining and influencing, soothing and more
spiritual. A man may rule the mind, but
a lady rules the heart. Her very modesty
and unobtrusiveness guarantees acceptance and influence? How is that?
Well, we can notice this if we think about it. Our minds take in hard facts, but it is the
heart that needs inspiration. Many a
time what is said indirectly is more direct than what is said directly? Why?
This is only because it is the heart that is the seat of the will. What is said indirectly whether by word or
bearing goes to the mind via the heart, the seat of wisdom. This gift given to ladies is more commonly
known as *womanly intuition.* To be a
lady, therefore, to use our *womanly intuition,* that even the least
intelligent lady has, means practicing humility, modesty, patience and
intelligence in action and speech.
A
lady by her very nature is the creature of fashion. She wants to look beautiful and decorate
society. Fine things in her closet help
her feel finer. If she is given a
modest, stylish and beautiful dress she will feel elevated and protected
whereas if she is given tight dungarees and clingy shirts she will feel
diminished and vulnerable. Many have lost
this *sense of modesty* primarily because from their earliest years, as young
girls, they wore so little that when they became adults they simply do not feel
the difference! Even the natural law
written on every man*s soul that gives one the sense to know when something is
good or bad may not be felt in these deadened souls. It is necessary to bring up the story here of
the murderer brought up as a murderer.
In this case, the murderer brought up in a den of murderers is taught
that murdering people is fine. He grows
up and no one tells him differently.
What happened? He thinks
murdering is not any different from shopping or anything else for that
matter. Now, let us remember, Our Lord
said in the Gospel, *Beware of ye who kill the body but even more so those who
kill the soul.* So
immodesty can be very well a more serious crime than those who kill the
body. Anything that feels good should
not go. We have no excuses. God has given us free will. We need to examine ourselves to see if what
we think feels good is good. So, in the
case of the sin of immodesty, we must honestly examine ourselves and see that
just because one is accustomed to being immodest and has become indifferent to
the bad effects of this sin on one*s soul and that of others does not excuse
us. Sin is not relative. A sin is a sin because God has said so
through his natural law written on every man*s soul and confirmed by the laws
of His Holy Church, the writings of the
Church Fathers and the saints. In our
day and age, when experience is all that matters or exists, some dress
immodestly because they want to copy what relatives, friends, advisors or the
world say helps one experience success with the successful. Would one call
successful those who compromise in the most important area of modesty, humility
and fear of the Lord.
If
we are interested in saving our souls and not being a cause of sin to others,
modesty is very important. Catholic
women must look to the rules of the Church on modesty and apply them to their
own time to choose items that complement femininity, enhance womanhood,
correspond with today*s styles without compromising Catholic morals. As Catholics, we can learn from the modesty
of Our Lady, the Queen of Heaven and earth.
This does not mean that we literally dress like the Blessed Virgin Mary
but rather that we ask Our Lady that she help us know how to dress modestly
using material available that is modest and appropriate for the occasion one is
occupied with whilst at the same time contemporary. Modesty does not mean wrapping ourselves in a
blanket. As has been stated, we can
re-instate the above by saying that with modesty, one must have taste.
*With
all things considered, modesty is the correct attitude that women, the heart of
society, should have in respect to their bearing, whether in body or soul, in
speech, action or dress. As true feminists let us show it to those who wish to
destroy femininity. We ladies are
reclaiming our womanly dignity as ladies in the Catholic sense of the word
through the use of our *womanly intuition* or *sixth sense,* as some call it,
that God has given us. When there is a
will, there is a way. It is only through
following Our Lord and Our Lady*s helpful teachings that we can be the unique,
beautiful ladies that they want us ladies to be. Based on Michelle Taylor*s, *The Lady- A Higher Concept of Modesty*
Spotlight on Heresy : MODERNISM
By Rev. Jerome
Scott
At
present we hear a great deal about modernism. Pulpit, press and platform
resound with discussions on political, social and religious modernism. What is
modernism? Let me begin by saying that the word modernism is not happily chosen
to designate what it stands for. Some people might think that those who oppose
modernism are opposed to modern progress. But this is far from being the case.
Modernism,
as a term at present applied to religious matters, designates a movement that
is subversive of the principles and practices of Christianity. Modernism in
religion is a revolt against authority. It is the substitution of personal
views for authoritative and divine teaching. It means the denial of Christian
dogma as promulgated once for all by Jesus Christ the divine Founder of the
Christian religion. Modernism logically carried out would destroy Christianity.
In brief, the purpose of modernism in religion is to change the unchangeable
truth revealed by Christ, and make it conform to modern tendencies, instead of
making these tendencies conform to the eternal truth revealed to mankind by
Jesus Christ the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
Modernism
would strip Jesus Christ and His revelation of their supernatural character and
reduce the Christian religion to the level of a system of philosophy. But
Christianity is not a school of philosophy. It is the eternal truth proclaimed
to mankind by God Himself. Christianity is a divine command. Christianity is
the Voice of the Ruler of the World proclaiming His ordinances to mankind.
There
have been wise men and philosophers before and after Christ. These sages
proposed systems of thought and conduct and gave arguments to show that their
principles were reasonable. They were men speaking to men, arguing with men,
endeavoring to convince men. Their systems of thought and conduct had no
authority to oblige mankind to accept them. The various schools of philosophy
and morality were speculative, persuasive, and argumentative.
Not
so the teaching of Jesus Christ the Eternal Son of God. His teaching was not
speculative. It was divine truth. He did not explain His doctrine nor argue
about it. He commanded mankind to accept it under penalty of incurring divine
chastisement for refusal. He first demonstrated by divine deeds that He was what
He proclaimed Himself to be, the Creator and Ruler of the World, and then
demanded the same respect for and obedience to His doctrine which should be
shown to the commands of God Almighty.
Christ
knew He was making the most tremendous claims ever made in this world, and
consequently made it clear that He was what He declared Himself to be, by
presenting divine credentials for His mission. He said: "If you do not
believe Me; at least believe the works which I
do." (Jn. x. 38). He gave sight to the blind, made the lame to
walk, cleansed the leper, raised the dead to life, and foretold the
future. After thus demonstrating that He
was God in the true sense -- the Creator of the World, Jehovah -- He spoke with
the authority and power of God. He never explained His doctrine but only
proclaimed it, as was befitting God. He wanted to be obeyed as God, not argued
with as man. Hence He did not explain His doctrine but proclaimed it.
Christ
did not explain the Trinity, but proclaimed it, commanding His Church to baptize
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. (
Son
of Man, and drink His blood, you shall not have life in you." (Jn. vi. 54). When some of His followers
left Him because this was hard of belief, He did not retract nor explain, but
repeated the doctrine with emphasis. At the Last Supper, He instituted
the Blessed Eucharist as the means by which He was to give Himself to His
lovers. But He did not explain the mystery of the Eucharist.
Christianity,
therefore, is not a system of philosophy. Christianity is a divine command to
mankind. It is the will of the Ruler of the Universe declared to His rational
creatures - mankind. Christ did not
propose His teaching for debate, He imposed if for
acceptance, solely on His divine authority.
Christ spoke with power. The Jews observed this, and said: "Never
did man speak like this man." (Jn. Vii.
46). And again, after the Sermon on the
Mount, the Gospel states: "And it came to pass when Jesus had fully ended
these words, the people were in admiration at His doctrine. For He was teaching them as
one having power, and not as the Scribes and Pharisees." (
...To be continued.