COMMENTS on: Sunday, October 26, 2014. William.Pope Francis

Senor de los Milagros – the Lord of Miracles

+ + + + + + + + + + +  

From William -

Fw: Comment: Mass Homily by Fr. Raymond

On Monday, 27 October 2014, 16:42, William Wardle <williamwardle2bp@btinternet.com> wrote:

Comment (if I may)

Dear Fathers,

Attending Church services and functions over the years, I have sensed in certain stalwarts an expression of confidence in their lives of devotion. They love the Lord their God by their attention to the decrees passed down over the centuries. Their devotion to the Sabbath, for example, produced at one meeting a stunning statement from one that they would never have taken a job that entailed their working on a Sunday (yet in an emergency, would they find the hospital closed? I remained silent).

Rather, I sense that Jesus was not delimiting the love of God to human observance but expanding it so far beyond human limitations as to reveal the full extent of God's love for us! God the Father embraces us, and asks each one of us to respond to His all embracing love.

The commandment is about our response to God's love, not as justified by our own structures of religion, to justify our inadequacy in the face of such overpowering love. We are not left to fall back on our own inadequacy and its justification: Jesus gave us His Spirit which cries out to us and for us.

The ocean of God's love stretches out before us as far as the eye can see. We cannot swim its entire length to reach those distant far shores of devotion and saintliness, but we can delight in the water of life that supports us in our endeavour. Sometimes, I think there is even greater joy in discovering that we are able to float freely upon such waters! Such is the love of God.

Yet dreaming of those far distant shores,

With my love in Our Lord,

William  

    + + + + + + + + + + + + +

Pope Francis: Love of God and neighbour are inseparable

Posted: Sunday, October 26, 2014 10:15 pm

El Senor de los Milagros “Today's Gospel reminds us that the whole law of God is summed up in love for God and neighbour,” said Pope Francis,  during his address to pilgrims before the Angelus in St Peter's Square on Sunday. In his reflections on the day's Gospel readings,  the Holy Father said:  “You cannot love God without loving your neighbour and you cannot love your neighbour without loving God.”   The “novelty” of Christ’s teaching consists in the union of the two commandments, he said.  Pope Francis also recommended the reflection of his predecessor, Benedict XVI. on the teaching, which is found in paragraphs 16-18 of his first Encyclical letter, Deus caritas est. See below* Pope Francis went on to say:  “Jesus completes the law of the covenant, which He unites in himself, in his flesh, divinity and humanity, in a single mystery of love,” and, “In the light of the word of Jesus, love is the measure of faith, and faith is the soul of love: we cannot separate the religious life – the life of piety – from that of service to our brothers and sisters – to those flesh-and-blood brothers and sisters we actually meet.” Following the Angelus, Pope Francis recalled the beatification, on Saturday in Sao Paulo, Brazil, of Mother Assunta Marchetti: the Italian-born co-founder of the Missionary Sisters of St Charles Borromeo, known as “Scalabrinians” after the late 19th century bishop of Piacenza, Giuseppe Scalabrini, who helped found the missionary congregation originally dedicated to maintaining Catholic faith and practice among emigres to the New World, which now focuses its missionary work on migrants, refugees and displaced persons. “Blessed Assunta Marchetti saw Jesus present in the poor, in orphans, in the sick, in migrants, said Pope Francis. “We thank the Lord for this woman,” he continued, “a model of tireless missionary spirit and courageous dedication to the service of charity,” who serves as an example and a confirmation of the truth that we can and must seek the face of God in the brother and sister in need.” Pope Francis also had greetings for pilgrims from all over Italy and from around the world, especially those of the Schoenstatt movement, with whom he met on Saturday, and for the Peruvian community in Rome, which came to the Angelus in procession with an image of El Senor de los Milagros – the Lord of Miracles – an image of Christ crucified that was painted by an anonymous freed slave in the 17th century in Lima, and that has become a focus of deep veneration and intense devotion, especially among Peruvians. Source: Vatican Radio *From Pope benedict's Deus caritas est

St. Cuthbert, child of God (Bede). Youtube, Lindisfarne, (Holy Island) Northumberland

Lindisfarne causeway to the Island

COMMENT:

St. Cuthbert is referred as to ‘child of God’ by St. Bede in his Life of the Miracle of St. Cuthbert of Lindisfarne.

Rerences in the quotations below.

Very usful is the On-line Forham University souce.

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/bede-cuthbert.asp

Medieval Sourcebook:
Bede: The Life and Miracles of St. Cuthbert, Bishop of Lindesfarne (721)

---

Author

Bede was born in 673, in Northumberland, became a monk and died at Jarrow in 735. His modern feast day is May 25. He was one of the most important intellects, and most prolific writers of his time. Among his other accomplishments was in becoming the only Englishman in Dante's Divine Comedy. His most important work his isHistory of the English Church and People, but he wrote many others - biblical commentaries and hagiography in particular.

Saint

Bede's Life of St. Cuthbert, given here complete in the translation by J.A. Giles, recounts the life of Cuthbert, famed in his time as a miracle worker. Cuthbert was probably born in Northumberland circa 634. He was educated by Irish monks at Melrose Abbey. At various times in his life, Cuthbert was a monk, a solitary, and - briefly - a bishop. He died on Farne Island in 687. His feast day is March 20. An early anonymous Life of Cuthbert was written about 700, but the discovery of Cuthbert's uncorrupt body gave a new impetus to the cult, and Bede used the earlier Life to write his own verse Life, around 716, and this, longer, prose Life around 721. This includes ten chapters of new material, derived from Herefrith (3, 6, 8-9, 19, 23, 31, 35, 43, and 46). Both the anonymous (in 7 manuscripts) and Bede's life (in 38 manuscripts) survive. Bede's version was used for two famous 12th-century illuminated [Oxford, Univ. Col MS 165, and Brit. Mus. Yates Thompson MS 26]. [Farmer, 16-17].

Relics

CHAPTER I

HOW CUTHBERT, THE CHILD OF GOD, WAS WARNED BY A CHILD OF HIS FUTURE BISHOPRIC

THE beginning of our history of the life of the blessed Cuthbert is hallowed by Jeremiah the prophet, who, in exaltation of the anchorite's perfect state, says, " It is good for a man, when he hath borne the yoke from his youth; he shall sit alone, and shall be silent, because he shall raise himself above himself." For, inspired by the sweetness of this good, Cuthbert, the man of God, from his early youth bent his neck beneath the yoke of the monastic institution; and when occasion presented itself, having laid fast hold of the anachoretic life, he rejoiced to sit apart for no small space of time, and for the sweetness of divine meditation to hold his tongue silent from human colloquy. But that he should be able to do this in his advanced years, was the effect of God's grace inciting him gradually to the way of truth from his early childhood; for even to the eighth year of his life, which is the first year of boyhood succeeding to infancy, he gave his mind to such plays and enjoyments alone as boys delight in, so that it might be testified of him as it was of Samuel, " Moreover Cuthbert knew not yet the Lord, neither had the voice of the Lord been revealed to him. " Such was the panegyric of his boyhood, who in more ripened age was destined perfectly to know the Lord, and opening the ears of his mind to imbibe the voice of God. He took delight, as we have stated, in mirth and clamour; and, as was natural at his age, rejoiced to attach himself to the company of other boys, and to share in their sports: and because he was agile by nature, and of a quick mind, he often prevailed over them in their boyish contests, and frequently, when the rest were tired, he alone would hold out, and look triumphantly around to see if any remained to contend with him for victory. For in jumping, running, wrestling, or any other bodily exercise, he boasted that he could surpass all those who were of the same age, and even some that were older than himself. For when he was a child, he knew as a child, he thought as a child; but afterwards, when he became a man, he most abundantly laid aside all those childish things.

CHAPTER II

HOW HE BECAME LAME WITH A SWELLING IN HIS KNEE, AND WAS CURED BY AN ANGEL

BUT because to every one who hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance; that is, to every one who hath the determination and the love of virtue, shall be given, by Divine Providence, an abundance of these things; since Cuthbert, the child of God, carefully retained in his mind what he had received from the admonition of man, he was thought worthy also of being comforted by the company and conversation of angels.

Melrose Abbey to

Lindisfarne

St. Aidan Catholic Church

Lindisfarne, (Holy Island) Northumberland.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfyClgRzsSM

Holy Island Lindisfarne

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AIihw1Dem4

Just in Time https: //www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMvwgGBy-4o

The St. Cuthbert's Way ©

Rucksack Rose

Subscribe125

647 views

Add to

Share

More

40

Published on 8 Apr 2013

http://rucksackrose.com

This is a 62 mile (100km) walk from Melrose in the Scottish Borders to Holy Island (or Lindisfarne) off the Northumbrian coast. It forms part of the European E2 route and was created in 1996 to commemorate the life of Saint Cuthbert who lived and worked in the borders. I walked the route in 4.5 days staying over at Melrose, Mounthooly near Bonjedward, Kirk Yetholm, Wooler and Fenwick. I had all four seasons during the walk but it didn't rain or snow. For information I used the new and useful Cicerone guide to this route by Rudolf Abraham and the Harvey strip map.

Wikipedia describes Cuthbert as "a 7th century saint and native of the Borders who spent his life in the service of the church. He began his work at Melrose Abbey. He achieved the status of Bishop, and when he died he was buried on Holy Island. He was called a saint eleven years after his death, when his coffin was opened and his remains found to be perfectly preserved".

Wherever you go stay safe, plan ahead, let people know where you are going, take maps & compass with your gps and follow the country code. It is best to ask permission to camp outside of official campsites although the law for campers is different in Scotland and England.

Soundtrack: Rooks recorded near Maxton in the Scottish Borders.
A full trip report of the walk can be found at: http://rucksackrose.wordpress.com

·         Category

·          

Sancta Maria Abbey: http://www.nunraw.com.uk (Website)    

Blogspot :http://www.nunraw.blogspot.co.uk |

domdonald.org.uk 

COMMENT:Peter Chrysologus' gem.. William

Robert Natkin Farm Street Art

[The theologian's reply to the scientist!]

Dear William,

It is a joy to have your spotlighting of Peter Chrysologus' gem.

Thank you.

Meanwhile, I too had to study your exegesis of the metal  detector's of the Pearl of Great Price. More pondering ....

fr. Donald

Fwd: Pearl of Great Price

On Tuesday, 29 July 2014, 10:14, 

William ... wrote:

Dear Father R and D...

I am delighting in the treasure revealed in your homily! The iPad in Father Donald's hand has proved to be a metal detector!

The separation of the two parables, between the one who 'chanced upon' and the one who 'had been searching', is truly most enlightening, and as with all your homilies, it has set me thinking....I wonder...

 ... the someone who "sells all that he has AND buys that field" has a character fault about him that I don't quite like (!) with regard to the fact that he didn't tell the owner of his discovery and thus acknowledge what the field was really worth given its discovered treasure which he went and hid again (OK it had been hidden and we don't think it belonged to the owner), but buying it as just a field, thus in effect mighty cheaply, was that not just a little fraudulent (perhaps for him, the old adage applied, 'Finders keepers, Losers weepers?') Not a man filled with charitable virtue, but dishonourable! Perhaps Jesus was considering this to be the Pharisee, (mine all mine, let the publican forfeit) - alas, I became very embittered as I had these thoughts, considering the 'someone' a rogue! May he be exposed...or is that what Jesus is doing?

[This may be quite the wrong end of the stick! but it still bothers me]

... whereas, it seems to me, the pearl was acknowledged as a very fine one by both its owner and the merchant, changing the word 'and' to "in order TO buy it" - at its true value, its full cost to himself. This parable tells of the wonderful endeavour, and of the longing, the impetuosity and the excitement at its fulfilment - upon which the highest possible value is placed, its sheer expense acknowledged!

The moment of your Profession, and of your Ordination, these won't have been the result of an 'and' but of an 'in order TO'! 

I have much delighted in your homily, thank you.

With my love in Our Lord,

William

COMMENT: 'On Anxiety' by Sr. Wendy Beckett

COMMENT:

Sister Wendy Beckett. Spiritual Letters, 1213 Orbis Books

The MAGNIFICAT magazine, Meditation of the Day, has the title, ‘Martha’s Anxiety’.

Sister Wendy is gifted in naming the titles her contemplation of paintings, giving the clue to understanding the subject.

Is it that ‘Anxiety’ could be attributed to St. Martha?

In fact, at the end of the book, Sr. Wendy expresses the thought simply “On Anxiety”.

When I see the eight illustrations of the book, the spiritually will be further illuminated

TUESDAY 29th July 2014

Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus 

MEDITATION OF THE DAY – thanks to Magnificat com

Martha's Anxiety

Worry is a canker. And it's self-regarding. Whereas all our real life is in Jesus.

The function of anxiety is surely to alert us to our dependence on him and to the fact that he alone matters. It is a most useful feeling. It says: You are fragile, unrealised, not in charge of your life, in danger of... therefore turn wholly to Jesus. The feeling mayor may not diminish but the direction out of self's narrowness into his love has been conquered. We have to go on and on until finally we live out of self, in him....

The great thing to grasp is that to feel "relaxed/happy" or to feel anxious is unimportant. Feelings only matter as an occasion for love. Happy, secure feelings prompt us to praise him; sad, anxious feelings prompt us to express our faith and pray for him to be all in all to us. The feelings themselves tell us nothing about our "state" which is God's secret and God's work. We don't base anything on ourselves but only on him, on his goodness, knowing, as Paul says, in whom we have believed. Why are we anxious? Let's will to have Jesus as our holiness. Gradually even the feeling vanishes, but that is unimportant.

We can feel that growing in love should make life "easier” – that there is some failure in our fear, temptation, struggle. Not so. In fact the tempest may blow more severely as we near harbour. Jesus could never know a psychic respite, as the Gospels show. But our attitudes change. We cease to be afraid of fear; we open our arms to the will for the Father to give us whatever he will, knowing, in Jesus, that he gives only "good things".

Sister Wendy Beckett

SISTER WENDY BECKETT Sister Wendy Beckett is a South African-born British art expert, a consecrated virgin, and contemplative hermit who lives under the protection of a Carmelite monastery in Norfolk, England.

Mary Magdalene – Poem by Saint Therese of Lisieux

 Tuesday, 22 July 2014

Saint Mary Magdalene - Memorial

PRAYER OVER THE OFFERINGS

Accept, O Lord, the offerings

presented in commemoration of Saint Mary Magdalene,

whose homage of charity

was graciously accepted by your Only Begotten Son.

Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.

COMMUNION ANTIPHON 2 Co 5:14, 15
The love of Christ impels us, so that those who live may live no longer for themselves, but for him who died for them and was raised.

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

May the holy reception of your mysteries, Lord,

instil in us that persevering love

with which Saint Mary Magdalene

clung resolutely to Christ her Master.

Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.

Magnificat com

          MEDITATION   OF THE DAY

Used with permission

Poem by Saint Therese of Lisieux

From the Poem "To the Sacred Heart of Jesus"

At the holy sepulchre, Mary Magdalene,

Searching for her Jesus, stooped down in tears.

The angels wanted to console her sorrow,

But nothing could calm her grief.

Bright angels, it was not you

Whom this fervent soul came searching for.

She wanted to see the Lord of the Angels,

To take him in her arms, to carry him far away.

Close by the tomb, the last one to stay,

She had come well before dawn.

Her God also came, veiling his light.

Mary could not vanquish him in love!

Showing her at first his Blessed Face,

Soon just one word sprang from his Heart.

Whispering the sweet name of: Mary,

Jesus gave back her peace, her happiness.

O my God, one day, like Mary Magdalene,

I wanted to see you and come close to you.

I looked down over the immense plain

Where I sought the Master and King,

And I cried, seeing the pure wave,

The starry azure, the flower, and the bird:

"Bright nature, if I do not see God,

You are nothing to me but a vast tomb."

   

SAINT THERESE OF LISlEUX

Saint Therese of Lisieux (+ 1897) was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1997.

The Poetry of Therese of Lisieux, Donald Kinney, OCD., 1995

Statue of the Little Flower
at the Nunraw Abbey porch court yard  

 http://www.ecatholic2000.com/therese/stter3.shtml#HEART

Not the unabridged translation ...

Poems of SR. TERESA, Carmelite of Lisieux

known as The "Little Flower of Jesus,"

Translated by S.L. EMERY,

Author of the "Inner Life of the Soul."

---

TO THE SACRED HEART

Beside the tomb wept Magdalen at dawn,-
She sought to find the dead and buried Christ;
Nothing could fill the void now He was gone,
No one to soothe her burning grief sufficed.
Not even you, Archangels heaven assigned!
To her could bring content that dreary day.
Your buried King, alone, she longed to find,
And bear His lifeless body far away.

Beside His tomb she there the last remained,
And there again was she before the sun;
There, too, to come to her the Saviour deigned,-
He would not be, by her, in love outdone.
Gently He showed her then His bless~d Face,
And one word sprang from His deep Heart's recess:
Maryl His voice she knew, she knew its grace;
It came with perfect peace her heart to bless.

One day, my God! I, too, like Magdalen,
Desired to find Thee, to draw near to Thee;
So, over earth's immense, stretching plain,
I sought its Master and its King to see
. Then cried I, though I saw the flowers bloom
In beauty 'neath green trees and azure skies:
O brilliant Naturel thou art one vast tomb,
Unless God's Face shall greet my longing eyes."
A heart I need, to soothe me and to bless,-
A strong support that can not pass away,-
To love me wholly, e'en my feebleness,
And never leave me through the night or day.
There is not one created thing below,
Can love me truly, and can never die.
God become man none else' my needs can know;
He, He alone, can understand my cry.

Thou comprehendest all I need, dear Lord!
To win my heart, from heaven Thou didst come;
For me Thy blood didst shed, O King adored!
And on our altars makest Thy home.
So, if I may not here behold Thy Face,
Or catch the heaenly music of Thy Voice,
I still can live, each moment, by Thy grace,
And in Thy Sacred Heart I can rejoice.

O Heart of Jesus, wealth of tenderness!
My joy Thou art, in Thee I safely hide.
Thou, Who my earliest youth didst charm and bless,
Till my last evening, oh! with me abide,
All that I had, to Thee I wholly gave,
To Thee each deep desire of mine is known.
Whoso his life shall lose, that life shall save;-
Let mine be ever lost in Thine alone!

I know it well, -no righteousness of mine
Hath any value in Thy searching eyes;
Its every breath my heart must draw from Thine,
To make of worth my life's long sacrifice.
Thou hast not found Thine angels without taint;
Thy Law amid the thunderbolts was given;
And yet, my Jesus! I nor fear nor faint.
For me, on Calvary, Thy Heart was riven.
To see Thee in Thy glory face to face,-
I know it well, - the soul must pass through fires.
Choose I on earth my purgatorial place, -
The flaming love of Thy great Heart's desires!
So shall my exiled soul, to death's command,
Make answer with one cry of perfect love;
Then flying straight to heaven its Fatherland,
Shall reach with no delay that home above.

               October, 1895.

---

Poem - God's Garden. COMMENT to the Templar Annual Service

Comments, Knights, Poems, 

From Donald

domdonald.org.uk 

Dear William,

One poem leads to picture and poem again.

Families also processed in the Knights Templar celebration.

In the Buffet, talking with a mother and the children, I came to my news' of "God's Garden".  Joan's interest was the instant response of the poem and her  garden, "God's Garden".  She has been fond of the poem, - 

"One is nearer God's heart in a garden

Than anywhere else on earth."

The Blog prompts the happy association of picture and poem above, (the full poem shown below, W,).  

 Thank you ...

Donald. 

  &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&     

Fw: Poem -- 'God's Garden'.  

On Sunday, 25 May 2014, 11:48, William ...
> wrote:

Dear Father Donald,

...  

Edith was thrilled to see her garden photos on your Blog! The garden is her retreat - she often quotes the line from the poem, 'God's Garden': "One is nearer God's heart in a garden than anywhere else on earth" (the full poem is shown below!)

It will be wonderful to celebrate the Ascension with you on Thursday! Such a bonus for me!

Nearly there! DV.

With my love in Our Lord,

William

  

        Poem - God's Garden

THE Lord God planted a garden
In the first white days of the world,
And He set there an angel warden
In a garment of light enfurled.

So near to the peace of Heaven,
That the hawk might nest with the wren,
For there in the cool of the even
God walked with the first of men.

And I dream that these garden-closes
With their shade and their sun-flecked sod
And their lilies and bowers of roses,
Were laid by the hand of God.

The kiss of the sun for pardon,
The song of the birds for mirth,--
One is nearer God's heart in a garden
Than anywhere else on earth.

For He broke it for us in a garden
Under the olive-trees
Where the angel of strength was the warden
And the soul of the world found ease. 

                                 Dorothy Frances Gurney  

A Holy and Illuminating Pasch. Two Easter Engravings by Eric Gill

The unnamed woman at the house of Simon the Leper at Bethany (Mk 14:8) 

Dear Fr. Edward, 

Eastertide - it was joy to hear from you.

I am delighted your Easter greeting on 'A Holy and Illuminating Pasch'.

Associations of Resurrection Blog-spots.  

• Easter Greetings - An Unnamed Disciple

  

• Easter Monday. Chapel of the Apparition of Jesus t...

Yours ..

Donald 

Of the half-dozen texts of a woman anointing the feet of Jesus, the text which best corresponds to the Eric Gill engraving

is that of the unnamed woman at the house of Simon the Leper at Bethany (Mk 14,8), whose anonymity breathes out the highest sincerity.

How well the artist instinctively brings the fullness of Paschal reference. in Jesus',;ght hand the Eucharistic cup containing the whole,

destined to be the Memory-which-makes-present through Millions of celebrations;

the outspread {eft arm and hand embraces the Cross-vacated Calvary and the empty Tomb. In Jesus humanity is added to Divinity in closest Oneness,

and infinitely so!

A Holy and Illuminating Pasch: fr Edward O.P.

 

                                      

Fw: Programme on Cistercian Scotland

            domdonald.org.uk 

On Tuesday, 29 April 2014, 

edward > wrote:

Dear Father Donald,

Thank you for sending the material about the TV programme.

I am always uncertain how to break through the difficulties to pick up a programme like that. I     have tried, but I have failed again this time.

Nevertheless your selection makes it clear to me  about the essence of the programme. Thank you very much for that.

The double canonisation was a literal spiritually touching event. The Sister Superior from here was present, and returns on Friday, and will have met the Pope.

Blessings in Domino,

fr Edward O.P.

--