"Mary, mother of Christ, mother of the Church" - Augustine

COMMENT:  
 The Mass this morning had the Gospel, Luke 8:19-21.
In fact the commentary of St. Augustine last night  internet of Daily Gospel, the title of the quotation set me pondering, 
"Mary, mother of Christ, mother of the Church".

At the Introduction, Fr. commented at the Mass;
'Jesus said - whoever keeps my Father's will in my brothers and sister and mother.
Here he underlines the primacy of spiritual relationship over blood relationships.
However when both blood and spirit combine them we have the perfect relationship with God.'  

DAILY GOSPEL "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." John 6:68 Tuesday, 22 September 2015 Tuesday of the Twenty-fifth week in Ordinary Time See commentary below or click here Saint Augustine : Mary, mother of Christ, mother of the Church Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 8:19-21. The mother of Jesus and his brothers came to him but were unable to join him because of the crowd. He was told, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside and they wish to see you." He said to them in reply, "My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it." Commentary of the day : Saint Augustine (354-430), Bishop of Hippo (North Africa) and Doctor of the Church On holy virginity, 5 Mary, mother of Christ, mother of the Church He who is the fruit of one holy Virgin is the glory and honor of all the other holy virgins; for like Mary, they are themselves the mothers of Christ if they do the will of his Father. The glory and happiness of Mary in being the mother of Jesus Christ shines forth above all in the Lord’s words: “Whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is brother and sister and mother to me.” (Mt 12:50) Thus he shows the spiritual relationships that attach him to the people whom he redeemed. His brothers and sisters are the holy men and women who partake with him in the heavenly inheritance. His mother is the entire Church, because by God’s grace, she brings forth the members of Jesus Christ, that is to say, those who are faithful to him. His mother is also every holy soul who does the will of his Father and whose fruitful charity is made manifest in those whom it brings forth for him until he himself is formed in them (Gal 4:19)… Mary is certainly the mother of the members of the Body of Christ, that is to say, our mother, because in her charity she cooperated in bringing forth in the Church the faithful who are the members of this divine head, whose mother she truly is according to the flesh. ---------------------------------------- The DGO is sent every day to more than 350.000 subscribers! Do you want to help us maintain this free service? The Daily Gospel is free of charge, but it is not free of cost. Make a donation directly on our website www.dailygospel.org. Thank you and God bless you.

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Donald Nunraw .....
......
Sent: Tuesday, 22 September 2015, 18:27
Subject: Our Lady of Paisley

OK Use for HP

  

 

BY Daniel Harkins | September 18 

 

Our Lady of Paisley ICON on tour

BY Daniel Harkins | May 22- 2016

Our Lady of Paisley icon on tour

Event part of preparations for Easter 2016 diocesan synod

An icon of Our Lady of Paisley will travel to every parish in the diocese over the next year in preparation for the Easter 2016 diocesan synod on laity and evangelisation.

Beginning its journey during the month of Devotion to Our Lady, the icon (right) has spent a week each in St Paul’s and St Peter’s churches in Paisley, and moved to St Cadoc’s in Newton Mearns on Thursday. The icon will finish its journey in St Mirin’s Cathedral on Holy Thursday 2016.

The life-sized icon features Mary standing on a carpet of Paisley pattern and holding the baby Jesus in front of Paisley Abbey and St Mirin’s Cathedral. Above Our Lady are the Greek letter abbreviations for Jesus Christ and The Mother of God and this, along with the halo, are what make the painting a holy icon rather than a work of art.

The icon began life five years ago when artist Bernadette Reilly and Denis Murphy, who would later become a deacon in the diocese, discussed the idea for an icon of Our Lady of Paisley that would tour parishes.

Once Fr John Keenan was appointed Bishop of Paisley, some new ideas were incorporated into the work, including a Latin phrase ‘Hac ne vade via nisi dixeris, Ave Maria,’ which was once written on the walls of Paisley Abbey and translates to ‘Go not this way unless you have said Ave Maria.’

The Canon law that guides diocesan synods requires a preparatory period of catechesis, consultation and prayer, and the pilgrimage of the Our Lady of Paisley icon will form part of that for the diocese. The icon will be welcomed with a Mass as it arrives in each parish and will be sent off at the end of the week with a short parish devotion.

Bishop John Keenan said he believes the icon pilgrimage is the most important part of the upcoming diocesan synod.

“Synod is a great word which means ‘travelling together,’” he said. “So this journey is one that the whole diocese has embarked upon…

“Pope Francis says in Evangelium Vitae that it was Mary’s presence that made possible the Pentecost outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Church. So we consecrated the synod and the whole diocese of Paisley to Our Lady for the bringing in [of] the certainty that She would make possible a new outpouring of the spirit of evangelisation on the whole diocese, clergy and people.”

“Our devotion to Our Lady is under the patronage of Our Lady of Paisley,” the bishop added. “This was a pre-Reformation devotion that arose from the Paisley Abbey, dedicated to Our Lady from the 14th century, that reached to the whole diocesan area.”

—daniel@sconews.co.uk

—This story ran in full in the May 22 edition print of the SCO, available in parishes

 

Sancta Maria Abbey: http://www.nunraw.com.uk (Website)     Blogspot :http://www.nunraw.blogspot.co.uk, Doneword :http://www.donewill.blogspot.co.uk    |domdonald.org.uk,   Emails: nunrawdonald@yahoo.com, nunrawdonald@gmail.com

Pope Angelus in St Peter's Square for Feast of Assumption

  Icon of Our Lady Salus populi Romani

  http://www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=28085 

Pope leads Angelus in St Peter's Square for Feast of Assumption

Sunday, August 16, 2015 11:30 am.

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Icon of Our Lady Salus populi Romani For the first time in more than 60 years, the Angelus for the Feast of the Assumption was prayed in Saint Peter's Square. In recent years, the Popes have generally celebrated the Assumption in the papal summer residence at Castel Gandolfo; last year, Pope Francis was on his Apostolic Visit to Korea during the holiday. The last Pope to celebrate the feast in St Peter's Square was Pius XII. In his reflections on the day's Gospel, Pope Francis said the truest reason for Mary's greatness and blessedness is her faith. Faith is always at the heart of each moment in Mary's life. Although she recognizes the violence of the powerful, the pride of the rich, the hubris of the proud, Mary "believes and proclaims" that God will never abandon His people, the poor and the humble, but "will aid them with merciful care," while "casting down the powerful from their thrones, scattering the proud in the conceits of their hearts." Mary's hymn of praise, the Magnificat, also allows us to see that, if God's mercy is a driving force in Mary's story, He could not allow Mary, who gave birth to the "Lord of Life," to "see the corruption of the tomb." But Mary's Assumption, the Pope said, does not concern Mary alone. Each of us is profoundly touched by this mystery, which reminds us of the end that awaits us. Our life is not a senseless wandering, but a pilgrimage that leads to the house of the Father, who waits for us with love. As we pass through this life, God shows us "a sign of consolation and sure hope," the Blessed Virgin Mary, full of grace, who is blessed because she believed the word of the Lord. As members of the Church, the Pope said, "we are destined to share the glory of our Mother because, thanks to God, we too believe in the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross and, through Baptism, we are inserted into this mystery of salvation." Following the Angelus, Pope Francis greeted the many pilgrims from Rome and around the world, and invited them to pay a visit to the icon of Our Lady Salus populi Romani (Protectress of the Roman people) in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major. Pope Francis then turned his attention to the victims of Wednesday's tragic explosions in the Chinese city of Tianjin. "My thoughts go out, in this moment, to the people of the city of Tianjin, in northern China, where several explosions in an industrial area have caused numerous deaths and injuries, and extensive damage." The Holy Father assured them of his prayers for all those who had lost their lives or who were suffering on account of the disaster. "May the Lord give them comfort and support to all those engaged in relieving their suffering." Source: Vatican Radio

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Tags: Assumption, Our Lady Salus populi Romani, Pope Francis, Tianjin

Pre-Advent Gifts - William

BULLETIN 22/10/2014

Better News - Sr. Patricia

When I phoned Rush this morning , Sister Patricia had a good night's sleep, and was up in her chair for Holy Communion, and breakfast of porridge and tea.  ...

   Thank God !    Sr. N.

______________________________________________________
Pre-Advent Gifts

Entrance to Sacristy

Dear William,

Thank you for pre-Advent gift of your genius manufactured ICON and the super security package.

If I cannot describe the contents. Instead I enjoy the pictorial record of the event to compensate your missing of an Advent Retreat at Nunraw Abbey.

We too, had the high winds, but al fierce at Carlyle. Fr. N.is exercising regular fitness (80+) on a repaired bicycle. He is immensely impressed by your expedites with shopping fore and rear with peddling force! 

Keep pray for Sr. Patricia. By her watching Guardian Angel, as we learn, "she was back from the hospital back her own be, alert for breakfast. She was in the chapel for Mass, and our Sisters are just happy to see her back, thank God."

At Royal Infirmary  

On Wednesday, 22 October 2014, 5:37, 

Donald ...> wrote:

Dear William,
Last evening, emergency visit to friend of the community in the Royal Infirmary.

Later to talk of Postman delivery and Email. .....fr. Donald.

Sent from my iPad

FW: Postman

On Tuesday, 21 October 2014, 14:01, William J Wardle <williamwardle2bp@btinternet.com> wrote:

Dear Father Donald,

I hope that the postman will bring three packages today, three items that I had intended to bring on my pre-Advent retreat: an Advent calendar ... ‘steam engine calendar’ , ...Fr T. and a MYSTERY parcel for you!

As I wrote in my note enclosed for you, sending your mystery parcel eased my disappointment at not being with you, giving me the joy of parcelling it up for you – cardboard, bubble wrap, sponge sheeting, tape and ingenuity!  

Our Lady of Vladimir

  I know that you hold many more ‘items’ than can be framed or put on display, but this item has about it something that I felt might appeal to you.

Gales and rain blew me off my 1950’s ‘ladies’ bicycle this morning, bruised knees and ‘I told you so’ on Edith’s face! I bought it from an offenders rehab centre, a reconstituted bicycle at a knocked-down price, to act as a two-wheeled walking frame! to cart home the shopping, baskets front and rear, and to freewheel whenever I dare (to reach the Cathedral in the Park). I gave away my manly bicycle a few years ago as with my poor sense of balance I fell over under it only too frequently, being unable to dismount, hence the ladies step-through bicycle. I imagine the wind will be whipping around the monastery.

With you in prayerful concern for Sr Patricia, with a sense of love united in prayer within your family, and in spirit across the times of absence, and with my love in Our Lord, William.

 

ICON Our Lady of Vladimir
account from William

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Fr. N.is exercising regular fitness (80+) on a repaired bicycle.
 

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Mary the Burning Bush Icon

BVM Icons ... 

THE BURNING BUSH

A SYMBOL OF THE THEOTOKOS

Moses was a great leader and lawgiver of Israel, who was born in Egypt. He spent forty years in Pharaoh’s court, forty years as a shepherd, and his last forty years leading the people through the wilderness to the Promised Land, which he saw but did not enter.

He reposed at a 120 years. He appeared with Elijah on Mt. Tabor at the Lord’s Transfiguration. His many accomplishments are recorded in his books: Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.

On the Mount of Horeb (Ex. 3), God appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. Moses saw that the bush burned without being consumed, as a type of the Virgin.

St. Gregory of Nyssa, says: “From the image of the burning bush seen by Moses, we learn the Mystery of the Virgin: the Light of Divinity, which through birth shone from her into human life, did not wither the flower of her virginity, just as the burning bush was not consumed.”

In this icon, Moses beholds the bush in awe, while his sandals lay beside him according to God’s command since the ground whereupon he is standing is Holy. In the burning bush we see an image of the Theotokos, for which the bush represents.

http://themotherofgod.wordpress.com/the-burning-bush/

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A Reader's Guide to Orthodox Icons

Feeble words about powerful images

http://iconreader.wordpress.com/2010/12/20/discovering-the-unburnt-bush-icon/

Discovering the Unburnt Bush Icon

Posted on December 20, 2010by iconreader

Russian Icon of the Theotokos "Burning Bush" ("Неопалимая Купина")

The traditions and teaching of the Christian Church often appear to change and evolve over time. Yet from within it can be seen that it is not that the teaching itself changes, but that each generation brings new ways to express their Faith, which itself is eternal and unchanging. A perfect example of this is the Icon of the Theotokos – “Unburning Bush”. Indeed, the Icon in its current form weaves together numerous ancient teachings of the Church – on the Mother of God, the Incarnation, Old Testament Prophecies and Angelology – into a single, stunning composition. Peeling the layers of this Icon are both rewarding and illuminating…

Moses and the Burning Bush
(Byzantine Mosaic)

Moses and the Burning Bush (Byzantine Mosaic)

The name of the Icon, “burning bush” (sometimes “unburnt bush”) derives from the miracle witnessed by Moses on Mount Horeb. As described in the book of Exodus, whilst Moses was tending his Father-in-law’s flock, he witnessed a bush burning with fire, yet unconsumed. Drawing nearer, God called out to Moses from amid the flames, telling him to removes his sandals“for the place where you stand is holy ground” (Exodus 3:1-6). Moses was then called by God to lead the Israelites out of Egypt.  

Burning bush in Panagia Podithou, Galatia, showing the Theotokos (early C16th)

The Church established by Jesus Christ has always looked back on this event and seen the Unburnt Bush on Horeb as a type – a prefiguration – of the Most Holy Theotokos, who gave birth to Christ while still remaining a virgin (burning with fire yet unconsumed). This is found in ancient writings of the Church Fathers, and was afterwards reflected in the hymnography of the Church; for example:

The glorious myst’ry of your childbirth

Did Moses perceive within the burning bush…

…O undefiled and all-holy Virgin.

Therefore we extol you in hymns unto the ages.

(From The Service of the Salutations to the Most Holy Theotokos – 9th Century)

In time, it was also reflected in the Church’s iconography, with the Oranta Theotokos and Christ-child depicted within the burning bush.

Symbolism in the Unburnt Bush Icon

The image of the Mother of God as the Unburnt Bush has developed so that most examples of the Icon now have a rich and intricate symbolism.

The burning bush itself is represented by the two diamonds – one flame-red, one leaf-green – arranged as an eight pointed star in the midst of which the Mother of God and Christ are seated. The number of eight is well established in the Bible as a number symbolizing eternity and super-abundance. In between the eight points there are eight “petals” within which stand eight archangels – the highest ranking of the Heavenly Powers. The green diamond is decorated with more angels – seraphim and cherubim – and is often coloured slightly darker, almost blue, and is arrayed with stars to suggest the heavens. As discussed, green or blue can both symbolize “creation” as opposed to the divine, so the twin use of the blue to represent the bush and the Heavens is appropriate. The divine/flame red diamond is almost always decorated with the angelic tetramorph representing the four Evangelists (and in the above icon the names of the four Gospel writers does appear).

Around the border of the Icon more prefigurations and prophecies of the Incarnation of the Son of God are arranged. Different icons will contain different numbers of scenes, but the four most common scenes, shown clockwise from the top-right of the above icon, are:  

A seraphim feeding a hot coal to the Prophet Isaiah (Is. 6:7). Though burning with fire, the hot coal cleansed the lips of the prophet just as Christ inside of the Virgin cleansed her.

Jacob’s dream of the ladder (Gen. 28:12) in which angels were seen dancing up and down a ladder which stretched from the earth up to Heaven. The ladder is associated with the Mother of God, through whom the glory of God descended from Heaven to earth and was incarnate as Jesus Christ.

Ezekiel’s vision of the temple gate through which the Lord passed and was ever-after sealed (Ez. 44:2). This has always been recognized by Christians as a clear reference to Mary’s ever-virginity.

Finally in the top-left corner is Moses removing his sandals before the burning bush, the revelatory incident upon which the whole icon is based

Not present on all Icons, but seen in the bottom centre of the icon above is a form of the “Tree of Jesse“.

At the centre of all this, surrounded by the angelic powers, is Mary the Mother of God and her Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Besides the Christ-child, our Lady may also hold “Jacob’s Ladder”, or else a symbol of the Gates of the Heavenly Kingdom, or else an unquarried mountain – or perhaps all three. All of these Old Testament symbols point us towards the Mother of God, covered with a garment of Divine Fire, who in turn points us towards the birth or her Son, Our Saviour.

The miracle that Moses witnessed on Sinai in the burning bush
Foretold your virgin childbearing, O pure Mother.
We the faithful cry to you:
Rejoice, O truly living bush!
Rejoice, O holy mountain!
Rejoice, O sanctified expanse and most holy Theotokos!

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BVM Saturday Hagia Maria Sion Abbey New Abbot, Gregory Collins osb

Saturday 30 July of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time.

MASS of the Saturday of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The exciting news of  a monk of Glenstal Abbey elected to the monastery of the Dormition Abbey in Jerusalem.

Fr. Gregory Collins wrote The Glenstal Book of Icons, Praying with the Glenstal Icons. An extract from his Byzantine prayers commemorating Mary is apt for this Saturday Votive Mass.

http://dormitio.net/aktuelles/nachrichten/aktuelles.news.40/index.html    

Father Abbot Gregory Collins OSB

New abbot of the Dormition

With profound gratitude to God and to all who in these days have accompanied our monastic community in their prayers, 
we are happy to announce that on Tuesday, July 26, 2011 the monastic chapter of our Abbey, presided over by Abbot Primate Dr. Notker Wolf OSB, has elected 
Father Gregory Collins of Glenstal Abbey, 
as the sixth abbot of Dormition Abbey on Mount Zion in Jerusalem.

The Monks of Dormition Abbey

Gregory Collins OSB, The Glenstal Book of Icons (Dublin: Columba Press, 2002)

Prayers before the Icons of Mary as Hodegetria, p, 59.

Calling to mind our all-holy, sinless, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Mother of God, and ever-virgin Mary, let us commit ourselves, and one another, and all our life to Christ our God!

(Byzantine prayer commemorating Mary)

Let us magnify the Mother of God, the Mother of the light!

It is truly right to praise you, all blessed and immaculate Theotokos, the Mother of our God! You are higher than the Cherubim and incomparably more glorious than the Seraphim, for without sin you have given birth to God the Word. True bearer of God, we magnify you!

(Byzantine hymns to the Theotokos, adapted)

Lord Jesus Christ, by the prayers of your most pure Mother, purify the eyes of our hearts to see the mysteries of the Father's kingdom!

Lord Jesus Christ, by the prayers of your most pure Mother, open our inner ears to receive your word!

Lord Jesus Christ, by the prayers of your most pure Mother, send the Holy Spirit to guide us into the truth!

What shall we call you, O most favoured one? Heaven, because the sun of righteousness has shown forth through you? Paradise, because your have made the bloom of incorruptibility to spring up? Virgin, because you have remained the undefiled one? Pure Mother, because you have given birth to your Son, the God of all things? 0 pray to him for us that he may save our souls!

(Byzantine prayer to the Mother of God) 

Father Abbot Gregory

Father Abbot Gregory Collins OSB (enlarge picture)Gregory Collins was born in 1960 in Belfast, Northern Ireland and grew up there also. - About himself he says that he was happy to be both an Irishman and Englishman. To overcome barriers between people to a certain extent it is already in the cradle. He feels so deeply the ecumenical idea of reconciliation between the churches and committed.

Prior to 1989 only one in the Irish Benedictine Glenstal (County Limerick) occurred, Gregory Collins is at the Queen's University in Belfast Byzantine studies and scholastic philosophy, and also taught. In 1988/89 he was on a scholarship at the British School of Archaeology in Athens to deepen his studies, he finally graduated in 1991 with a doctorate.