Monday, 4 March 2013

Urgent: The Rosary on Good Friday




Good Friday Rosary - halfway through Lent


---- Forwarded Message -----
From: Andy Milwain ...
Sent: Friday, 22 February 2013, 18:51
Subject: Fw: Fwd: 
Good Friday Rosary

Imagine what might happen if every Catholic in the world would pray a Rosary
on the same day! We have an example in October of 1573, when Europe was
saved from the invasion of the mighty Turkish fleet, by the praying of the
Rosary by all Christians!

So, on Good Friday March 29, 201 3 , let us all pray a Rosary for peace in
the world and the return of moral values into our communities. If possible,
please pray your Rosary between Noon and 3:00 PM .

Also, please e-mail this message to every Catholic on your address list, and
ask them to pass it along to every Catholic on their lists. Let's unite in
praying one of the most powerful prayers in existence, for these intentions,
on one of the holiest days in our Church year.






Hi, Andy,
Thank you for the message re Good Friday Rosary.
It is timely as we come halyway through Lent; "We are almost to the half-way point in Lent and many of us are still struggling with our Lenten commitments. As we are heading into the Third Sunday in Lent and are anticipating the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord – these wonderful resources will carry us into the Easter Season and beyond!" 
The Fatima prayers has been regular for these years.
These familiar invocations or aspirations get a great perspective from discovering the lives of the Fatima Children, beginning with the favourite Bl. Jacinta.  The Fatima Prayers are voiced in pages in the 'Bl. Jacinta and Francisco Marto Shepherds of Fatima', above.           
 
Sister Lucia’s memoirs, 'Fatima in Lucia’s Own Words', her personal accouns of the Marto children.   
                   
Fatima Prayers: 

Fatima Prayers: For Reparation for Sins through Mary's Immaculate ...

www.ourcatholicprayers.com/fatima-prayers.html
What's a bigger miracle, world peace or the sun dancing? Fatima prayers remind us that for peace in our streets we must have peace in our hearts, through ...             


Pardon Prayer
My God, I believe, I adore, I hope, and I love You. 
I implore pardon for those who do not believe, 
do not adore, do not hope, and do not love You. Amen.

“Angel of peace” Prayer as taught 
to the “Little Shepherds”
Most Holy Trinity - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - 
I adore You profoundly and i offer You 
the most precious Body, Blood,
Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ, 
present in all the tabernacles of the world, 
in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges, 
and indifferences by which He Himself is offended. 
And by the infinite merits 
of His Most Sacred Heart 
and those of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, 
I beg You for the conversion 
of poor sinners. Amen.

Eucharistic Prayer
Most Holy Trinity, I adore you! My God, 
my God, I love you in the Most Blessed Sacrament.

Sacrifice Prayer
O my Jesus, it is for love of you 
and in reparation for the 
offences committed against 
the Immaculate Heart of Mary
and for the conversion of poor sinners.

Penance Prayer
O My Jesus, I offer this for love of Thee, 
for the conversion of sinners, 
and in reparation for the sins and offences 
committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
[Said when offering up personal sacrifices, 
sufferings and penance.

Decade Prayer
(After each decade of the Rosary)
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, 
save us from the fires of hell,
lead all souls to heaven, 
especially those in most need of your mercy. 

Prayer for the Canonization of
Blessed’s Jacinta & Francisco
Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, 
I adore Thee profoundly with all the powers of my soul 
and I thank Thee for the Apparitions 
of the Most Holy Virgin in Fatima 
which have made manifest to the world, 
the treasures of her Immaculate Heart.
By the infinite merits of the Sacred Heart of Jesus 
and through the intercession 
of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, 
I implore Thee if it should be for 
Thy greater glory and the good of our souls, 
to glorify in the sight of thy Holy Church, 
Blessed Jacinta and Francisco Marto, 
the Shepherds of Fatima, granting us 
through their intercession the grace 
which we now implore. 

Amen


http://childrenoftheeucharist-waf.org/html/canonization_francisco_jacinta.htm 


Soliloquy St. Teresa's Communion Meditations.

Aside; In the Monastic Lectionary, St. Teresa's 'Soliloquy' has three occurrences during Lent - this one about the middle of Lent.
I ask if the Carmelite writer, Sr. Ruth Burrows, includes commentary on the Minor Work, 'Soliloquies'?

Full text of "Minor works of StTeresa; conceptions of the love of God ...

www.archive.org/.../minorworksofstte00tere/minorworksofstte...
The Minor Writings of StTeresa, — Minor because they occupy but little space in print,..... Although not a commentary on the Canticle of Canticles, the Conceptions do ......According to the legend, Catherine saw in a vision the Blessed Virgin ask ..... not because he does not understand Thee " [St. Augustine's Soliloquies. [Allison Peers]

The contemporary reader most often has two complaints about the text of St. Teresa's Life. The first is that her literary style is diffuse and digressive. As Fr. Kieran Kavanaugh, one of the modern translators of the Life, has remarked: "As though her thoughts were jostling with each other for position, her sentences often become highly involved with parentheses and digressions, causing her sometimes to lose the thread -- which never prevents her from leaping forward quickly and easily to a new thought."(2) A second complaint has to do with St. Teresa's focus on, and minute analysis of, supernatural favors and phenomena in the LifeThe author of a recent essay on St. Teresa puts it this way: "Her record of raptures and visions answers to nothing in the experience of most Christians."(3)   http://www.spiritualitytoday.org/spir2day/843631chorpenning.html 

Quote: St. Teresa of Ávila urged her daughters not to rush out after Mass but to treasure the opportunity for thanksgiving:" Let us detain ourselves lovingly with Jesus," she said, "and not waste the hour that follows Communion." St Teresa says that during communion Jesus remains in the soul as on a throne of grace, and says to the soul: "What do you want that I should do to you?" As if saying: "O Christian soul, I am come for the express purpose of giving you my graces. Ask what you wish and you shall obtain it".
Favourite Prayrer of the Fatima Children.:
 Eucharistic Prayer
Most Holy Trinity, I adore you! My God,
my God, I love you in the Most Blessed Sacrament.



Monday, 04 March 2013


Monday of the Third week of Lent

Night Office.
The ‘Soliloquy’ of St. Teresa failed to give light. The Holy Spirit may give grace.
The ‘Soliloquy 2, ICS, Kavanaugh,-Rodriguez, ‘Exclamation’ II, Stanbrook, ‘Exlamation of Soul of God’ II, Allison Peers, was presented as St. Teresa’s meditation in the hour after Holy Communion.
So far the hurdles clear the bars for cognition.
The ‘Soliloquies’ are a complement to the ‘Life’.
Await to understand the genre.
Soliloquies - 9, 2: K. KAVANAUGH and O. RODRIGUES, The Collected Works of St Teresa of Avila vol. I, ICS, Washington 1976, p. 382.
Works ICS. Kavanaugh, Rodriguez, Word In Season, Augustine Press 74           THIRD WEEK OF LENT MONDAY Second Reading From the writings of Saint Teresa of Jesus (Book of Psalms, Soliloquy 93,1-2)  Solitude and thirst for souls
80 MINOR WORKS OF ST. TERESA. Stanbrook Exclamations – compare with Soliloquy  
‘Exclamations’ II

I often reflect, my Lord, that if there is something by which life can endure being separated from you, it is solitude. For the soul rests in the quiet of solitude; yet, since it is not com­pletely free for the enjoyment of solitude, the torment is often doubled. But the torment arising from the obligation to deal with creatures and from not being allowed to be alone with one's creator makes the soul consider that first torment a delight. But why is this, my God, that quiet tires the soul that aims only at pleasing you?

Oh, powerful love of God, how different are your effects from those of the world's love! This latter love does not want company since company would seem to oblige it to give what it possesses. in the case of the love of my God, the more lovers that love knows there are, the more it increases; and so its joys are tempered by seeing that not all enjoy that good.

 O my God, what is this that happens: in the greatest favours and consolations coming from you, the memory grieves over the many there are who do not want these consolations and over those who will lose them forever!
So the soul looks for ways to find company, and willingly sets aside its joy when it thinks it can be of some help that others might strive to enjoy it. But, my heavenly Father, would it not be more worthwhile to leave aside these desires until a time when the soul has less experience of your favours, and now be completely occupied in enjoying you?

O, my Jesus, how great is the love you bear the children of men, for the greatest service one can render you is to leave you for their sake and their benefit - and then you are possessed more completely. For although the will is not so satisfied through enjoyment, the soul rejoices because it is pleasing you. And it sees that while we live this mortal life, earthly joys are uncertain, even when they seem to be given by you, if they are not accompanied by love of neigh­bor. Whoever fails to love his neighbor fails to love you, my Lord, since we see you showed the very great love you have for the children of Adam by shedding so much blood.

1. Often do I think, O my Lord, that if aught can
soothe a life apart from Thee it is solitude, wherein the
soul rests with Him Who is its true repose. Yet, unable
as it is to enjoy Thee with full liberty, its torment often
redoubles. Yet this is a delight compared with that of
being forced to deal with creatures, and thus deprived of
holding converse alone with the Creator. But how is
it, my God, that rest wearies the soul which only seeks
to please Thee ?

2. O sovereign love of God, how different are thine
effects from those of earthly love, which seeks no com-
panion, fearing lest it should lose what it possesses ! Love
for my God increases on learning that others love Him,
and its joys diminish at seeing that all men do not share
its happiness.

3. Therefore, O my only Good, during Thy tenderest
caresses and consolations, I grieve at remembering the
many hearts which do not desire these joys, and still
others who will lose them for ever. Thus my soul seeks
company, gladly leaving its own delight, moved by the
hope that it may incite souls to strive to attain it. But,
O my heavenly Father ! were it not better to defer this
care for others until the soul enjoys less of Thy favours,
and to yield myself now wholly to enjoying Thee ?

4. Oh, my Jesus ! how deep is Thy love for the children
of men ! The greatest service we can render Thee is
to leave Thee, for the sake of loving and aiding them.
Then do we possess Thee most entirely, for, though our
will enjoy Thee less, yet love delights to please Thee a
During this mortal life, all worldly delights are found to
be uncertain even though they seem to come from Thee,
unless the love of our neighbour bear them company.
Who loves not his brethren, loves not Thee, my Lord,
for Thy blood, shed for us, bears witness to Thy boundless
love for the sons of Adam.


Sunday, 3 March 2013

John 4:5-42 A spring of water welling up to eternal life



John 4:5-42 A spring of water welling up to eternal life

Breviary
SECOND READING

From a treatise on John by Saint Augustine, bishop
(Tract. 15, 10-12. 16-17: CCL 36, 154-156)

A Samaritan woman came to draw water

A woman came. She is a symbol of the Church not yet made righteous but about to be made righteous. Righteousness follows from the conversation. She came in ignorance, she found Christ, and he enters into conversation with her. Let us see what it is about, let us see why a Samaritan woman came to draw water. The Samaritans did not form part of the Jewish people: they were foreigners. The fact that she came from a foreign people is part of the symbolic meaning, for she is a symbol of the Church. The Church was to come from the Gentiles, of a different race from the Jews.

We must then recognize ourselves in her words and in her person, and with her give our own thanks to God. She was a symbol, not the reality; she foreshadowed the reality, and the reality came to be. She found faith in Christ, who was using her as a symbol to teach us what was to come. She came then to draw water. She had simply come to draw water, in the normal way of man or woman.

Jesus says to her: Give me water to drink. For his disciples had gone to the city to buy food. The Samaritan woman therefore says to him: How is it that you, though a Jew, ask me for water to drink, though I am a Samaritan woman? For Jews have nothing to do with Samaritans.

The Samaritans were foreigners; Jews never used their utensils. The woman was carrying a pail for drawing water. She was astonished that a Jew should ask her for a drink of water, a thing that Jews would not do. But the one who was asking for a drink of water was thirsting for her faith.

Listen now and learn who it is that asks for a drink. Jesus answered her and said: If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, “Give me a drink,” perhaps you might have asked him and he would have given you living water.

He asks for a drink, and he promises a drink. He is in need, as one hoping to receive, yet he is rich, as one about to satisfy the thirst of others. He says: If you knew the gift of God. The gift of God is the Holy Spirit. But he is still using veiled language as he speaks to the woman and gradually enters into her heart. Or is he already teaching her? What could be more gentle and kind than the encouragement he gives? If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, “Give me a drink,” perhaps you might ask and he would give you living water.

What is this water that he will give if not the water spoken of in Scripture: With you is the fountain of life? How can those feel thirst who will drink deeply from the abundance in your house?

He was promising the Holy Spirit in satisfying abundance. She did not yet understand. In her failure to grasp his meaning, what was her reply? The woman says to him, Master, give me this drink, so that I may feel no thirst or come here to draw water. Her need forced her to this labor, her weakness shrank from it. If only she could hear those words: Come to me, all who labor and are burdened, and I will refresh you. Jesus was saying this to her, so that her labors might be at an end; but she was not yet able to understand.

RESPONSORY
John 7:37-39; 4:13

Jesus cried out: If anyone thirsts,
let him come to me and drink.
Streams of living water will flow
from the heart of whoever believes in me.
 He was speaking of the Spirit
who would be received by those who believed in him.

Whoever drinks the water I shall give
will never be thirsty again.
  He was speaking of the Spirit
who would be received by those who believed in him.

Liturgical Texts:
The Samaritan Woman (4:4-42)
Liturgy/Season
Prayer/Part of Liturgy
Context
ORDER of MASS
Third Sunday of Lent,
Year A
and whenever the Elect are present
Preface"When he had asked the woman of Samaria for water to drink, Christ had already prepared her for the gift of faith. In his thirst to receive her faith, he awakened in her heart the fire of your love."
RCIA
First Scrutiny
Third Sunday of Lent
Intercessions for the Elect B"That, like the woman of Samaria, our elect may review their lives before Christ and acknowledge their sins..."That they may be freed from the spirit of mistrust that deters people from following Christ...
"That, while awaiting the gift of God, they may long with all their hearts for the living water that brings eternal life...
"That, by accepting the Son of God as their teacher, they may become true worshipers of the Father in spirit and in truth...
"That they may share with their friends and neighbors the wonder of their own meeting with Christ..."
 .Prayer of Exorcism A"God of power, you sent your Son to be our Savior. Grant that these catechumens, who,like the woman of Samaria, thirst for living water, may turn to the Lord as they hear his word and acknowledge the sins and wekanesses that weigh them down. Protect them from vain reliance on self and defend them from the power of Satan. Free them from the spirit of deceit, so that, admitting the wrong they have done, they may attain purity of heart and advance on the way to salvation."
 .Conclusion: Exorcism A"Lord Jesus, you are the fountain for which they thirst, you are the Master they seek. In your presence, they dare not claim to be without sin, for you alone are the Holy One of God. They open their hearts to you in faith and confess their faults and lay bare their hidden wounds. In your love free them from their infirmities, heal their sickness, quench their thirst, and give them peace. In the power of your name, which we call upon in fiath, stand by them now and heal them. Rule over the spirit of evil, conquered by your rising from the dead."
 .Prayer of Exorcism B"All-merciful Father, through your Son you revealed your mercy to the woman of Samaria; and moed by that same care you have offered salvation to all sinners. Look favorably on these elect, who desire to become your adopted children through the power of your sacraments. Free them from the slavery of sin, and for Satan's crushing yoke, exchange the gentle yoke of Jesus. Protect them in every danger that they may serve you faithfully in peace and joy and render you thanks for ever."
 .Conclusion: Exorcism B"Lord Jesus, in your merciful wisdom, you touched the heart of the sinful woman and taught her to worship the Father in spirit and in truth. Now, by your power, free these elect from the cunning of Satan, as they draw near to the fountain of living water. Touch their hearts with the power of the Holy Spirit, that they may come to know the Father in true faith, which expresses itself in love."



Samaritan Woman – 5th Sunday of Pascha – John 4:5-42

This well is very deep.

How to acquire the Holy Spirit.

The Lord puts Himself in our path.

Knowledge comes to us by degrees, a little bit at a time.



Saturday, 2 March 2013

St. Teresa 'Exclamation' - incomprehensible

St. Teresa, Solilquies INTRODUCTION, Kieran Kavanaugh O.C.D. comments on the earlier Fray Luis de Leon long descriptive title, "Meditations or exclamations of the soul to God writen by Mother Teresa in theyear 1569 on different days according to the spirit ou Lord gave her after Communion." 
He says, "The collection is also, in  way, a complement to the Life.
Three translations of this one Soliloquy affords an enriching relish of generations of English.
The word, INCOMPREHENSIBLE,  shares significantly in the exclamation spirit in the three columns below.
"Thou art almighty; Thy works are incomprehensible.  Grant, then, Lord, that Thy words may never be absent from my thoughts."
                                               EXCLAMATIONS OF SOUL TO GOD


St. Teresa of Ávila: There is no other time than thanksgiving after Mass when we can so easily enrich our soul  with virtues, or so rapidly advance to a high degree of perfection.


Thanksgiving after Communion - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving_after_CommunionShare
... spiritual practice among Christians who believe in the Real Presence of Jesus Christin the ... Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity, said in the Bible that whoever receives... StTeresa of Ávila urged her daughters not to rush out after Mass but to ... with Jesus," she said, "and not waste the hour that follows Communion.


From the writings of Saint Teresa of Jesus (Collected Works Institute of Carmeite Studies, Washington. D.C.1987, Soliloquy 8, pp. 450-451)
The Complete Works Of Saint Teresa Of Jesus by E. Allison Peers Volume II   (1946)
EXCLAMATIONS OF SOUL TO GOD
Minot Works of St. Teresa, Exclamations, trans. By Stanbrook
Benedictines, Edit Benedict Zimmerman.

We are your handiwork
O Lord, my God, how you possess the words of eternal life,*Jn. 6:67-68, where all mortals will find what they desire if they want to seek it! But what a strange thing, my God, that we forget your words in the madness and sickness our evil deeds cause! O my God, God, God, author of all creation! And what is creation if you, Lord, should desire to create more? You are almighty; your works are incomprehensible. *Rm. 11:33;Jb. 9:10. Bring it about, then, Lord, that my thoughts not withdraw from your words.
2. You say: Come to me, all who labour and are burdened, for I will comfort you.*Mt. 11:28 What more do we want, Lord? What are we asking for? What do we seek? Why are those in the world so unhappy if not because of seeking rest: God, help me! Oh, God, help me! What is this, Lord? Oh, what a pity! Oh, what great blindness that we seek rest where it is impossible to find it! Have mercy, creator, on these your creatures. Behold, we do not understand or know what we desire, nor how we obtain what we ask for. Lord, give us light; behold, the need is greater than with the man born blind, for he wanted to see the light and could not.*4 Now, Lord, there is no desire to see. Oh, how incurable an illness! Here, my God, is where your power must be demonstrated; here, your mercy.
3. Oh, what a difficult thing I ask you, my true God: that you love someone who does not love you, that you open to one who does not knock, that you give health to one who likes to be sick and goes about looking for sickness. You say, my Lord, that you come to seek sinners;*Pr. 8:17; Mt. 7:7; 9:13, these, Lord, are real sinners. Do not look at our blindness, my God, but at all the blood your Son shed for us. Let your mercy shine upon evil that has so increased; behold, Lord, we are your handiwork. May your goodness and mercy help us.

VIII
O Lord, my God, Thou hast indeed the words of life, *2 wherein, if we will seek it, we mortals shall all find what we desire. But what wonder is it, my God, that we should forget Thy words when our evil deeds have made us so infirm and foolish? O my God! God, God the Maker of all things created! And yet what are all things created, Lord, if Thou shouldst be pleased to create more? Thou art almighty; Thy works are incomprehensible. *3 Grant, then, Lord, that Thy words may never be absent from my thoughts.
Thou sayest: "Come to Me, all you that labour and are burdened: and I will comfort you." *4 What more do we want, Lord? What do we ask for? What do we seek? Why are worldly people lost if not because they are seeking repose? O God! O God! What is this, Lord? How sad a pity! How blind of us to seek repose where it cannot possibly be found! Have mercy, Creator, on these Thy creatures. Reflect that we do not understand ourselves, or know what we desire, nor are we able to ask as we should. Give us light, Lord. Behold, we need it more than the man who was blind from his birth," for he wished to see the light and could not, whereas nowadays, Lord, no one wishes to see it. Oh, what a hopeless ill is this! Here, my God, must be manifested Thy power and Thy mercy.
Ah, how hard a thing am I asking of Thee, my true God! I ask Thee to love one who loves Thee not, to open to one who has not called upon Thee *5 to give health to one who prefers to be sick and who even goes about in search of sickness. Thou sayest, my Lord, that Thou comest to seek sinners; these, Lord, are the true sinners. Look not upon our blindness, my God, but upon all the blood that was shed for us by Thy Son. Let Thy mercy shine out amid such tremendous wickedness. Behold, Lord, we are the works of Thy hands *6. Help us by Thy goodness and mercy.
1 St. Luke i, 46.
2 [St. John vi, 69].
3 Job ix, la.
4 St. Matthew xi, 28 [D.V. has "refresh," but the Spanish is consolaT]'
5 St. John ix, 1.
6 ... St Mt. vii, 7.
EXCLAMATION VIII.
1. O Lord my God, truly " Thou hast the words of
life," *l wherein men can find all they crave, if they but
seek it ! But what wonder is it if we forget Thy words,
seeing the state of folly and disorder to which our sins
have reduced us ?

2. O my God ! God ! God and Maker of all Creation !
What is all this creation compared with what Thou canst
create, dost Thou but will ? Thou art omnipotent : Thy
works are incomprehensible. *2 Permit not Thy words
ever to become effaced from my mind : " Come unto Me
all you that labour and I will refresh you." ' What more
can we desire or seek, Lord ? Why are worldlings lost,
save through seeking happiness ?

3. Good God ! Good God ! How is it, Lord ? How
pitiful ! What utter blindness to seek for happiness
where it cannot be found. Have pity, Creator, on Thy
creatures ! Remember, we do not understand ourselves,
or know what we want, nor do we ask aright ! Lord, give
us light ! See ! we need it more than did the man who
was born blind, for he longed to see the light but could
not, while we do not wish to see it.

1 St. John vi. 69 : Domine, ad quern ibimus ? verba vitcB ceternce
habes.
2 Job ix. 10 : Qui facit magna et incomprehensibilia.
3 St. Matt. xi. 28 : Venite ad me omnes qui laboratis et onerati estis, et ego reficiam vos.

4. Oh ! ill past remedy, needing Thee to manifest both
Thy power and Thy mercy. O true God of mine ! How
hard a thing I crave of Thee ! No less than that Thou
shouldst love those who love not Thee : shouldst open to
those who do not knock — shouldst cure those who wish
to ail, and who foster their maladies.

5. Thou didst declare, my Master, that Thou earnest
to seek sinners : *4 these are the real sinners ! Look not
on our blindness, my God, but on the streams of blood
shed by Thy Son for us. Let Thy mercy shine forth
amidst such monstrous wickedness. Remember, Lord,
we are " the work of Thy hands; *6 " succour us by Thy
goodness and mercy !