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Jan 09

1/9 Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord Jesus Christ

  • January 9, 2017

The Baptism
of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Baptism of Christ, window by Edward Burne-Jones

 

 With this Feast, Christmas ends liturgically, though it continues on in spirit and as a liturgical cycle until Candlemas when we recall Mary’s post-birth Purification and Our Lord’s Presentation in the Temple.

On this, the Octave of the Epiphany, we continue to focus on the Mysteries that entered our hearts on Twelfthnight and the Epiphany, but today more specifically with regard to the Baptism of Jesus by St. John the Baptist in the River Jordan. He Whose birth we just celebrated now shows us how to be born again or “born from above.”

The marvelling at the Theophany continues in pondering the meaning of His Baptism, a meaning made more apparent by the Gradual, Alleluia, Offertory, Preface, and Communion prayers of today’s Mass, all of which allude to the Magi and their recognition of Jesus as King and God. The Gospel reading comes from the first chapter of John, verses 29-34:

The next day, John saw Jesus coming to him, and he saith: Behold the Lamb of God, behold Him Who taketh away the sin of the world. This is Scallop, a symbol of BaptismHe, of whom I said: After me there cometh a man, who is preferred before me: because He was before me. And I knew Him not, but that He may be made manifest in Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.

And John gave testimony, saying: I saw the Spirit coming down, as a dove from heaven, and He remained upon him. And I knew Him not; but He Who sent me to baptize with water, said to me: He upon Whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining upon Him, He it is that baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and I gave testimony, that this is the Son of God.

St. John the Baptist, the prophet whom prophets foretold, heralded the Christ during Advent, and now, at the end of the liturgical Christmas season, gives testimony once again. He gives this witness not only by being in the spirit of Elias (IV Kings 1:3-8), but by the place he chose as the site of his baptisms: the River Jordan, where Elias (Elijah) was last seen before he was taken up to Heaven, and the waters of which were healed by Elias’s son, Eliseus (Elisha): IV Kings 2:11-19-22 And as they [Elias and Eliseus] went on, walking and talking together, behold a fiery chariot, and fiery horses parted them both asunder: and Elias went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Eliseus saw him, and cried: My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the driver thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own garments, and rent them in two pieces. And he took up the mantle of Elias, that fell from him: and going back, he stood upon the bank of the Jordan, And he struck the waters with the mantle of Elias, that had fallen from him, and they were not divided. And he said: Where is now the God of Elias? And he struck the waters, and they were divided, hither and thither, and Eliseus passed over…

…And the men of the city said to Eliseus: Behold the situation of this city is very good, as thou, my lord, seest: but the waters are very bad, and the ground barren. And he said: Bring me a new vessel, and put salt into it. And when they had brought it, He went out to the spring of the waters, and cast the salt into it, and said: Thus saith the Lord: I have healed these waters, and there shall be no more in them death or barrenness. And the waters were healed unto this day, according to the word of Eliseus, which he spoke.

But more importantly than this witness, the Father Himself and the Holy Ghost give testimony. St. Matthew’s account of this Divine testimony is more explicit. From the third chapter of his Gospel:

And Jesus being baptized, forthwith came out of the water: and lo, the heavens were opened to him: and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon him. And behold a voice from heaven, saying: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

This revelation of His glory was predicted in Isaias 40:3-5: 3

The voice of one crying in the desert: Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the wilderness the paths of our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough ways plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh together shall see, that the mouth of the Lord hath spoken.

This Feast is like that of the Pentecost in its revelation of the Trinity, and even more is it like the Feast of the Transfiguration which commemorates the events that took place on Mt. Tabor, when Christ’s Divinity was evident in His glorious Light, when the bright cloud overshadowed Him, and when the words of the Father echoed what was heard at the River Jordan:

Matthew 17:1-5
And after six days Jesus taketh unto him Peter and James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart: And He was transfigured before them. And His Face did shine as the sun: and His garments became white as snow. And behold there appeared to them Moses and Elias talking with Him. And Peter answering, said to Jesus: Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles, one for Thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. And as he was yet speaking, behold a bright cloud overshadowed them. And lo, a voice out of the cloud, saying: This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye Him.

This Divine manifestation helps explain why Jesus — the Sinless One, the Pure and Unspotted Lamb — would be baptized at all: so that He would be known for Who He is, so that He would be made manifest.

In addition to this reason, St. Thomas Aquinas (d. 1274), in his Summa Theologica, gives us three other reasons for the fittingness of St. John baptizing Christ. One is so that Christ might sanctify Baptism, a sentiment expressed by St. John Chrysostom (d. 407) when he wrote “In truth, Christ needed not baptism, neither his nor any other; but rather baptism needed the power of Christ.” Another is so that John, by baptizing, “might accustom men to the Baptism of Christ.” And the last is so that “by persuading men to do penance, he might prepare men to receive worthily the baptism of Christ.” Here he quotes the Venerable Bede:

…the baptism of John was as profitable before the baptism of Christ, as instruction in the faith profits the catechumens not yet baptized. For just as he preached penance, and foretold the baptism of Christ, and drew men to the knowledge of the Truth that hath appeared to the world, so do the ministers of the Church, after instructing men, chide them for their sins, and lastly promise them forgiveness in the baptism of Christ.

Permanent link to this article: https://luisapiccarreta.com/19-feast-of-the-baptism-of-our-lord-jesus-christ/

Jan 07

1/8 Eve of the Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord

  • January 7, 2017

 

Feast of the Epiphany of The Lord

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(Click the following link for Home Blessing on Epiphany)
BLESSING OF A HOME AT EPIPHANY

Epiphany, the 12th day after Christmas, celebrates the visit of the three kings or wise men to the Christ Child, signifying the extension of salvation to the Gentiles.
Traditionally celebrated on January 6th, In some dioceses it is celebrated this Sunday, January 8, 2017

What a beautiful time to pray the Rosary!

Joyful Mysteries

Luminous Mysteries

Sorrowful Mysteries

Glorious Mysteries 

The Virgin Mary in the Kingdom of the Divine Will
Day Twenty-Three 

The Blessed Mother to the Servant of God, Luisa Piccarreta the Little Daughter of the Divine Will:

Now, My daughter, another Surprise: a new star shines under the vault of the heavens, and with its light, it goes in search of adorers, to lead them to recognize and adore Baby Jesus. Three individuals, each distant from the other, are struck by it, and invested by Supreme Light, they follow the star, which leads them to the grotto of Bethlehem, to the feet of Baby Jesus. What was not the astonishment of these Magi Kings, in recognizing in that Divine Infant the King of Heaven and earth—He who had come to Love and Save all? In fact, in the act in which the Magi were adoring Him, enraptured by that Celestial Beauty, the Newborn Baby made His Divinity Shine forth from His Little Humanity, and the grotto changed into Paradise; so much so, that they were no longer able to detach themselves from the feet of the Divine Infant—not until He again withdrew the Light of the Divinity within His Humanity. And I, exercising the Office of Mother, spoke at length of the Descent of the Word, and fortified them in Faith, Hope and Charity, symbolized by their gifts offered to Jesus; and, full of Joy, they withdrew into their regions, to be the first propagators.

The Virgin Mary in the Kingdom of the Divine Will
Meditation Four

The Blessed Mother to the Servant of God, Luisa Piccarreta the Little Daughter of the Divine Will:

… Now, My blessed daughter, the Divinity, which can deny nothing to the one who Loves It, makes a New Star, more beautiful and luminous, arise under the azure heavens; and with its light, it goes in search of adorers, to say to the whole world, with its mute twinkling: “He who has come to Save you is Born. Come to adore Him and to know Him as your Savior.”

But—human ingratitude!—among many, only three individuals paid attention, and heedless of the sacrifices, put themselves on the way to follow the Star. And just as a star guided their persons along the journey, so did My Prayers, My Love, My Yearnings, My Graces—for I wanted to make known the Celestial Baby, the Awaited One from all centuries—descend into their hearts like many Stars, illumine their minds, guide their interiors, in such a way that, without yet knowing Him, they felt that they loved Him whom they were looking for, and they hastened their steps in order to reach and see Him whom they so much loved.

My dearest daughter (Luisa), My Heart of Mother (the Blessed Mother) rejoiced at the faithfulness, correspondence and sacrifice of these Magi Kings, to come to know and adore My Son (Jesus). But I cannot hide from you a secret Sorrow of mine: among many, only three. And in the history of the centuries, how many times is this Sorrow of mine and this human ingratitude not repeated! My Son (Jesus) and I (the Blessed Mother) do nothing but make Stars arise, one more Beautiful than the other, to call some to know their Creator, some to sanctity, some to rise again from sin, some to the heroism of a sacrifice. But do you want to know what these Stars are? A sorrowful encounter is a Star; a truth that one comes to know is a Star; a love unrequited by other creatures is a Star; a setback, a pain, a disillusion, an unexpected fortune, are as many Stars that shed light in the minds of creatures. And caressing them, they want to make them find the Celestial Infant, who fidgets with Love, and shivering with cold, wants a refuge in their hearts to make Himself known and loved. But, alas, I who hold Him in My arms, wait in vain for the Stars to bring Me creatures, in order to place Him in their hearts, and My Maternity is constrained, hindered. And while I am the Mother of Jesus, I am prevented from being the Mother of all, because they are not around Me, they do not look for Jesus; the Stars hide, and they remain in the Jerusalems of the world, without Jesus. What Sorrow, my daughter, what Sorrow! It takes correspondence, faithfulness, sacrifice, to follow the Stars; and if the Sun of the Divine Will rises in the soul—how much attention does it not take. Otherwise, one remains in the darkness of the human will.

Now, my daughter (Luisa), as the holy Magi Kings entered Jerusalem, they lost the Star, but in spite of this they did not stop looking for Jesus. However, as they (the Magi Kings) went outside the city, the Star reappeared and led them, festive, into the grotto of Bethlehem. I (the Blessed Mother) received them (the Magi Kings) with Love of Mother, and the Dear Baby looked at them with Great Love and Majesty, letting His Divinity shine forth from His Little Humanity. And so, bowing down, they knelt at His feet, adoring and contemplating that Celestial Beauty; they recognized Him as True God, and remained enraptured, ecstatic, while enjoying Him; so much so, that the Celestial Baby had to withdraw His Divinity into His Humanity, otherwise they would have remained there, without being able to move from His Divine Feet.

Then, as they (the Magi Kings) came round from their rapture, in which they offered the gold of their souls, the incense of their belief and adoration, the myrrh of their whole being and of any sacrifice He might want of them, they added the external offering and gifts, symbol of their interior acts: gold, incense and myrrh. But My Love of Mother was not yet content; I wanted to place the Sweet Baby in their arms, and—O! With how much love they kissed Him and pressed Him to their breasts. They felt Paradise in advance within them. With this, My Son bound all the gentile nations to the knowledge of the True God, and placed the Goods of Redemption, the return to Faith of all peoples, in common for all. He constituted Himself King of the rulers; and with the weapons of His Love, of His Pains and of His Tears, Ruling over everything, He called the Kingdom of His Will upon earth. And I, your Mama, wanted to be the first Apostle. I instructed them, I told them the story of My Son—His Ardent Love; I recommended that they make Him known to all, and taking the first place of Mother and Queen of all the Apostles, I blessed them, I had them Blessed by the dear Baby, and, happy and in tears, they departed again for their regions. I did not leave them; I accompanied them with Maternal Affection, and to repay them, I let them feel Jesus in their hearts. How Happy they were! You must know that only when I see that My Son has the Dominion, the Possession, and forms His Perennial Dwelling in the hearts that search for Him and love Him—then do I feel a True Mother.

Now a little word to you, My daughter: if you want Me to act as your True Mother, let Me place Jesus in your heart. You will make Him Happy with your love; you will nourish Him with the Food of His Will, because He takes no other food; You will clothe Him with the sanctity of your works. And I will come into your heart, I will raise My Dear Son again together with you, and will perform the Office of Mother for you and for Him; in this way I will feel the Pure Joys of My Maternal Fecundity. You must know that anything which does not begin from Jesus, who is inside the heart — be they even the most beautiful external works—can never please Me (the Blessed Mother), because they are empty of the Life of My dear Son.

The soul to her Celestial Mother:

Holy Mama, how I must thank You for wanting to place the Celestial Baby into my heart—how happy I am. O please! I pray You to hide me under Your mantle, that I may see nothing but the Baby who is inside my heart; and forming of all my being one single act of Love of Divine Will, I may make Him grow so much, to the point of filling myself completely with Jesus, and nothing may be left of me but the veil that hides Him.

Little Sacrifice:

Today, to honor Me (the Blessed Mother), you will come three times to kiss the Celestial Little One (Jesus), giving Him the gold of your will, the incense of your adorations, the myrrh of your pains; and you will pray Me (the Blessed Mother) to enclose Him (Jesus) in your heart.

Ejaculatory Prayer:

Celestial Mama, enclose me within the wall of the Divine Will, that I may nourish my dear Jesus.

Posted in g January 2012, Prayers, Novenas and Feast Days, The Divine Will of God

 

Blessing of the Home on the Feast of the Epiphany of Our Lord

20 C + M + B 17
May Christ bless this House…
All who dwell and pray in it…
And All Whom they Welcome in His Name

BLESSING OF A HOME AT EPIPHANY

Epiphany, the 12th day after Christmas, celebrates the visit of the three kings or wise men to the Christ Child, signifying the extension of salvation to the Gentiles.  Epiphany is traditionally celebrated on January 6th. In some dioceses it is celebrated this Sunday, January 8, 2017

V. On entering the house the Magi found the child Jesus with Mary his mother.

R. They did him homage and presented to Jesus symbolic gifts: gold to the great king, incense to the true God, and myrrh as a foreshadowing of his suffering and death. Let us pray, God, our Father, by the guidance of a star, you revealed your only Son as the Savior of all nations. Grant that we who already know you by faith, may be brought to the contemplation of your glory in our heavenly home. We ask this through Christ your Son Our Lord. Amen.

All may recite the Canticle of the Blessed Virgin Mary (The MAGNIFICAT) by which Mary praised God at the time of her Visitation to the house of Elizabeth. St. Luke’s Gospel Chapter 1, verses 46-55.

My soul glorifies the Lord, 
my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior.
He looks on His servant in her lowliness;
henceforth all ages will call me Blessed. 

The Almightly works marvels for me.
Holy is His Name!
His Mercy is from age to age,
on those who fear Him.

He puts forth His arm in strength
and scatters the proud-hearted.
He casts the mighty from their thrones
and raises the lowly.

He fills the starving with good things,
sends the rich away empty.

He protects Israel, His servant,
remembering His Mercy,
the Mercy promised to our fathers,
to Abraham and his sons forever. 

V. Be enlightened, O Jerusalem, and shine forth for your light has come.
R. And upon you is risen the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ born of the Virgin Mary.
V. All nations shall walk in your light and kings in the splendor of your birth.
R. And upon you is risen the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ born of the Virgin Mary.

Reading of the Gospel for the Solemnity of the Epiphany of Our Lord. St. Matthew’s Gospel, Chapter 2, verses 1 to 12

V. Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, has appeared and been revealed to the nations.
R. The prophets foretold his coming, and the angels and shepherds adored him.
V. The Magi rejoiced to find him and they lay their treasures before him.
R. All you nations and peoples, come and adore him.

All recite the OUR FATHER as the rooms of the house are sprinkled with holy water.

Let us pray.
Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation. Through your goodness we have received all benefits.

Come, visit and bless + this house so that it may be a shelter of health, chastity, self-conquest, humility, goodness, mildness, obedience to the Commandments, – and thanksgiving to God, – The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit.

May the love and blessings of God, + The Father, and + The Son, and + The Holy Spirit, descend upon this house, all those who reside within it, and upon all those whom they welcome in the Name of our Savior, Jesus Christ. And may God’s grace and peace remain with all of them forever. Amen.

The initials of the names ascribed by tradition to the Magi (Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar), and the numerals of the current year are written with the blessed chalk upon the entry doors of the house in the following manner:

20 C + M + B 17

 

Some interpret the letters to stand for Christus Mansioni Benedicat! May Christ bless this house! 

Posted in g January 2012, Prayers, Novenas and Feast Days, The Divine Will of God

1/8 Feast of the Epiphany

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J_Wedding at Cana-JuliusSCHNORRVONCAROLSFELD-1819

(See the page on Twelfth Night first
for the basics of the meaning of this Feast)

As described on the page on Twelfthnight, this Feast — also known as the . “Theophany” or “Three Kings Day” — recalls Christ revealing Himself as Divine in three different ways: to the Magi, at His Baptism, and with His miracle at the wedding feast at Cana.

For families who practice traditions involving “the Magi” or “La Befana” leaving gifts for children, the day begins with the wee ones discovering what was left for them while they slept on Twelfth Night.

At today’s Mass, there will be a blessing of gold, frankincense, myrrh, Epiphany Water, and, after Communion, a blessing of chalk. Bring small special items of gold to have with you during the Mass, and they will be blessed if they are exposed as you sit in your pew with them (wedding rings, rosaries, an heirloom piece of gold jewelry, for example).

When Mass is over, you will take some of the blessed chalk, frankincense, myrrh, and Epiphany Water home with you, so it’s good to bring a container to transport Holy Water and one to put some grains of incense and a piece of chalk into. (Note: if you can, take and keep 5 pieces of blessed incense for your Paschal Candle this Easter),

When you get home, sprinkle some Epiphany water (otherwise and afterwards used as regular Holy Water) in the rooms of your house to protect it and bring blessings. This Holy Water recalls the waters of the Jordan, and is a visible reminder of Christ’s Divinity, of Jesus’s revealing Himself as God at His Baptism, when were heard the words from the Father: “This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased.” This rite of blessing the home — led by a priest, if possible, or the father of the house if no priest is available — goes like this:

20 C+M+B 17

UPON ENTERING THE HOUSE:

Priest/Father:

Peace be to this house.

All:

And to all who dwell herein.

P/F:

From the east came the Magi to Bethlehem to adore the Lord; and opening their treasures they offered precious gifts: gold for the great King, incense for the true God, and myrrh in symbol of His burial.

During the Magnificat, the room is sprinkled with holy water and incensed.

All:

My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. For He hath regarded the humility of His handmaiden. For behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For He that is mighty hath done great things to me, and holy is His Name. And His Mercy is from generation unto generations upon them that fear Him. He hath shewed might in His arm, He hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart. He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble. He hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He hath sent empty away. He hath received Israel, His servant, being mindful of His mercy. As He spoke to our Fathers, Abraham and His seed forever.

After this is completed:

All:

From the east came the Magi to Bethlehem to adore the Lord; and opening their treasures they offered precious gifts: gold for the great King, incense for the true God, and myrrh in symbol of His burial.

P/F:

Our Father Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and  forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead and lead us not into temptation,

All:

But deliver us from evil.

P/F:

All they from Saba shall come

All:

Bringing gold and frankincense.

P/F:

O Lord, hear my prayer.

All:

And let my cry come unto Thee.

P/F:

Let us pray. O God, who by the guidance of a star didst on this day manifest Thine only-begotten Son to the Gentiles, mercifully grant that we who know Thee by faith may also attain the vision of Thy glorious majesty. Through Christ our Lord.

All:

Amen.

P/F:

Be enlightened, be enlightened, O Jerusalem, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee– Jesus Christ born of the Virgin Mary.

All:

And the Gentiles shall walk in thy light and kings in the splendor of thy rising, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon thee.

P/F:

Let us pray. Bless, O Lord God almighty, this home, that in it there may be health, purity, the strength of victory, humility, goodness and mercy, the fulfillment of Thy law, the thanksgiving to God the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. And may this blessing remain upon this home and upon all who dwell herein. Through Christ our Lord.

All:

Amen.

After the prayers of the blessing are recited, walk through the house and bless each room by sprinkling with Epiphany water and incensing it.

Take the blessed chalk and first write the initials of the three Wise Men, connected with Crosses, over the inside of your front door (on the lintel, if possible). Then write the year, breaking up the numbers and the year so that they fall on both sides of the initials.

It should look like this:

20  C+M+B  17

with the “20 “being the millennium and century, the “C” standing for the first Wise Man, Caspar, the “M” standing for Melchior, the “B” standing for Balthasar, and the “14” standing for the decade and year. It is also popularly believed that the Kings’ initials also stand for “Christus mansionem benedicat” (“Christ bless this house”).

It is customary in some religious orders to choose a new patron Saint today for the coming year. Families can do this, too, choosing a new Saint by designating someone (e.g., father or mother, etc.) to select the new Patron, by determing by lots who will select the new patron, by having family members write down their choices and choosing at random, by allowing the person to choose who presents the best argument for a particular Patron, etc. It would be very beneficial if the person who chooses teaches the rest of the family about that particular Patron, perhaps looking up the Saint in Butler’s works, finding art work depicting the Saint, etc., and sharing it.

Posted in The Divine Will of God

Permanent link to this article: https://luisapiccarreta.com/18-eve-of-the-feast-of-the-epiphany-of-the-lord/

Jan 05

1/6 The Epiphany of Our Lord

  • January 5, 2017

January 6th , A.D. 2016 – The Epiphany of Our Lord

Calendar for the Traditional Roman Rite

Book of Heaven – January 6 A.D. 1901

Jesus communicates Himself to the three Magi through love, through beauty and through power. As I was outside of myself, I seemed to see the moment when the holy Magi arrived at the grotto of Bethlehem.

As they arrived in the presence of the Baby, He pleased to let the rays of His Divinity shine externally, communicating Himself to the Magi in three ways – through love, through beauty and through power – in such a way that they remained enraptured and engrossed in the presence of Little Baby Jesus; so much so, that if the Lord had not withdrawn the rays of His Divinity internally again, they would have remained there forever, unable to move any more. Then, as the Baby withdrew His Divinity, the holy Magi returned into themselves; they stirred themselves, stupefied, in seeing an excess of love so great, because through that light the Lord had let them understand the mystery of the Incarnation. Then they stood up and offered their gifts to the Queen Mother, and She spoke at length with them, but I am unable to say everything She said. I can only remember that She inculcated into them, strongly, not only their own salvation, but also taking to heart the salvation of their peoples, having no fear even to lay down their lives to obtain the intent.

After this, I withdrew inside myself and I found myself together with Jesus. He wanted me to tell Him something, but I saw myself so cattiva [bad] and confused that I would not dare to tell Him anything. Seeing that I was not saying anything, He Himself continued to speak about the holy Magi, telling me: “By having communicated Myself to the Magi in three ways, I obtained three effects for them, because I never communicate Myself to souls uselessly; rather, they always receive some profit for themselves. So, as I communicated Myself through love, they obtained detachment from themselves; through beauty, they obtained contempt for earthly things; and through power, their hearts remained all bound to Me, and they obtained the bravery to lay down their blood and lives for Me.” Then He added: “And you, what do you want? Tell Me – do you love Me? How would you want to love Me?” Not knowing what to say, as my confusion increased, I said: ‘Lord, I would want nothing but You, and if You say to me, ‘do you love Me?’, I have no words to be able to manifest it. I can only say that I feel this passion that no one may be able to prevail over me in loving You, and that I should be the first in loving You, above everyone, and no one may be able to surpass me. But this does not content me yet; in order to be content, I would want to love You with your own love, so that I may be able to love You as You love Yourself. Ah, yes! Only then would my concerns about loving You cease.’ Content, one could say, with my nonsense, Jesus clasped me so tightly to Himself, that I could see myself transmuted in Him, inside and out, and He communicated part of His love to me. After this, I returned inside myself, and it seemed to me that for as much love as I am given, so much do I possess my Good; and if I love Him little, I possess Him little.

Book of Heaven – December 25 A.D. 1910

Then came the Magi, but no priest showed up, while they should have been the first to form my cortege.

This morning blessed Jesus made Himself seen as a tiny Little One, but so gracious and beautiful as to enrapture me in a sweet enchantment. Especially, then, He rendered Himself more lovable because, with His tiny little hands, He took little nails and nailed me with a mastery worthy only of my always lovable Jesus. Then He filled me with kisses and with love, and so I did with Him.

Then, after this, I seemed to find myself in the grotto of my newborn Jesus, and my little Jesus told me: “My beloved daughter, who came to visit me in the grotto of my birth? Only shepherds were my first visitors – the only ones who kept coming and going, offering Me gifts and their little things. They were the first to receive the knowledge of my coming into the world and, as a consequence, the first favorites to be filled with my grace. This is why I always choose poor, ignorant, abject people, and I make of them portents of grace – because they are always the ones to be more disposed, the ones who more easily listen to Me and believe Me without raising so many difficulties, so many quibbles as, on the contrary, learned people do.

Then came the Magi, but no priest showed up, while they should have been the first to form my cortege. In fact, more than anyone else, according to the Scriptures which they studied, they knew the time and the place, and it was easier for them to come to visit me. But no one – no one moved; rather, while they indicated the place to the Magi, they did not move, nor did they trouble to take one step to follow the traces of my coming. This was a most bitter sorrow for Me at my birth, because in those priests the attachment to riches, to interest, to families and to exterior things was so great as to blind their sight like a glare, harden their hearts, and render their intelligence dazed to the knowledge of the most sacrosanct and most certain truths. They were so engulfed in the low things of the earth, as to never be able to believe that a God could come upon earth in the midst of so much poverty and so much humiliation.

And this, not only at my birth, but also during the course of my life. When I performed the most sensational miracles, no one followed me; on the contrary, they plotted my death, and killed Me on the cross. And after using all of my art in order to draw them to Myself, I put them into oblivion and chose poor and ignorant people as my apostles, forming my Church in them. I segregated them from their families, I released them from any bond of riches, I filled them with the treasures of my graces, and I rendered them capable of governing my Church and souls.

However, you must know that this sorrow of Mine is still lasting, because the priests of these times have banded together with the priests of those times. They have been holding hands in their attachments to families, to interest, to exterior things, and they care very little, or not at all, about that which is interior. Even more, some have degraded themselves so much as to make even secular people understand how unhappy they are with their state, lowering their dignity down to the bottom, and below the secular themselves. Ah! my daughter, what prestige can their word still have among the peoples? Even more, because of them, the peoples keep deteriorating in the faith and into abysses of worse evils, groping their way in darkness, because they see no more light in priests. This is the reason for the necessity of houses of reunion of priests, so that, freed from the mist of darkness by which he is invaded – families, interest, and cares for exterior things – the priest may give out light of true virtues, and the peoples may turn back from the errors in which they have fallen. These reunions are so necessary, that every time the Church has reached the bottom, this has almost always been the means in order to make Her rise again, more beautiful and majestic.”

On hearing this, I said: ‘My highest and only Good, sweet Life of mine, I compassionate your sorrow and I would like to soothe it with my love, but You know well who I am – how poor, ignorant, bad I am, and also extremely taken with my passion for hiddenness. I would love it if You could hide me so much within You, that no one might ever again believe that I existed; and You, instead, want me to speak about these things which so much grieve your most loving Heart, and which are so necessary for the Church. Oh! my Jesus, to me, speak of love, and go to other good and holy souls to speak about these things which are so useful for your Church.’

And good Jesus continued: “My daughter, I too loved hiddenness, but there is a time for everything. When the honor and the glory of the Father, as well as the good of souls, became necessary, I revealed Myself and I did my public life. So I do with souls: sometimes I keep them hidden, other times I manifest them; and you must be  different to everything, wanting only that which I want. Even more, I bless your heart and your mouth, and I Myself will speak in you, with my own mouth and with my own sorrow.” And so He blessed me, and He disappeared.

Fiat!!!

January 6. A.D. 2017 – The Epiphany of the Lord

20 C + M + B 17

May Christ bless this House…

All who dwell and pray in it…

And All Whom they Welcome in His Name

BLESSING OF A HOME AT EPIPHANY

Epiphany, the 12th day after Christmas, celebrates the visit of the three kings or wise men to the Christ

Child, signifying the extension of salvation to the Gentiles.

Epiphany falls on, January 6. A.D. 2017

  1. On entering the house the Magi found the child Jesus with Mary his mother.

  2. They did him homage and presented to Jesus symbolic gifts: gold to the great king, incense to the true God, and myrrh as a foreshadowing of his suffering and death.

Let us pray,

God, our Father, by the guidance of a star, you revealed your only Son as the Savior of all nations. Grant that we who already know you by faith, may be brought to the contemplation of your glory in our heavenly home. We ask this through Christ your Son Our Lord. Amen.

All may recite the Canticle of the Blessed Virgin Mary (The MAGNIFICAT) by which Mary praised God at the time of her Visitation to the house of Elizabeth. St. Luke’s Gospel Chapter 1, verses 46-55.

  1. Be enlightened, O Jerusalem, and shine forth for your light has come.

  2. And upon you is risen the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ born of the Virgin Mary.

  3. All nations shall walk in your light and kings in the splendor of your birth.

  4. And upon you is risen the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ born of the Virgin Mary.

Reading of the Gospel for the Solemnity of the Epiphany of Our Lord.

St. Matthew’s Gospel, Chapter 2, verses 1 to 12

  1. Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, has appeared and been revealed to the nations.

  2. The prophets foretold his coming, and the angels and shepherds adored him.

  3. The Magi rejoiced to find him and they lay their treasures before him.

  4. All you nations and peoples, come and adore him.

All recite the OUR FATHER as the rooms of the house are sprinkled with holy water.

Let us pray.

Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation. Through your goodness we have received all benefits.

Come, visit and bless + this house so that it may be a shelter of health, chastity, self-conquest, humility,

goodness, mildness, obedience to the Commandments, – and thanksgiving to God, – The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit.

May the love and blessings of God, + The Father, and + The Son, and + The Holy Spirit, descend upon this house, all those who reside within it, and upon all those whom they welcome in the Name of our Savior, Jesus Christ. And may God’s grace and peace remain with all of them forever. Amen.

The initials of the names ascribed by tradition to the Magi (Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar), and the numerals of the current year are written with the blessed chalk upon the entry doors of the house in the following manner:

20 C + M + B 17

Some interpret the letters to stand for

Christus Mansioni Benedicat!

May Christ bless this house!

 

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Jan 04

1/4 The Preparation for Two Great Marian Anniversaries

  • January 4, 2017

 

The Preparation for Two Great Marian Anniversaries

 

Console Our Mother’s Immaculate Heart.
(Click here for website)

2017 is the year in which we will celebrate two important anniversaries: the 70th anniversary of the apparition of the Virgin of Revelation at Tre Fontane, Rome, and the Centenary of the apparition of Our Lady of Fatima, in Portugal 1917.

What could be a better way to celebrate these anniversaries than by living more intensely the devotion to Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart and consoling her by offering reparation for the sins of the world just as she asked the children at Fatima?  “Do you want to offer yourselves to God, to endure all the sufferings which he will send you, in an act of reparation for the sins by which he is offended and of supplication for the conversion of sinners?” (Memoirs of Sister Lúcia, I, 162).

To live this devotion to Our Lady’s Immaculate heart three things are necessary: the daily Rosary, the practice of the five first Saturday’s of the Month and then consecration to Our Lady’s Immaculate heart. 

Starting on the 7th January2017, there are exactly five first Saturdays before the 100th Anniversary that will be celebrated on the 13th May 2017.  In this way, the Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary can be celebrated on the actual anniversary of the apparition.  There can be no better means of consoling Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart than to follow her maternal spiritual plan of conversion and renewal.

BXVI at Fatima

In 2010, Pope Benedict XVI visited Fatima and reminded everyone that the message Our Lady’s messages to the little shepherds are more than ever relevant today.  The pontiff said: “We would be mistaken to think that Fatima’s prophetic mission is complete. […] At a time when the human family was ready to sacrifice all that was most sacred on the altar of the petty and selfish interests of nations, races, ideologies, groups and individuals, our Blessed Mother came from heaven, offering to implant in the hearts of all those who trust in her the Love of God burning in her own heart.”  By inspiring a fervent devotion to daily prayer and love of God, Our Lady’s call is ever new and ever relevant even in our own time.

It was the Pontiff’s wish that “The […] centenary of the apparitions hasten the fulfilment of the prophecy of the triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, to the glory of the Most Holy Trinity.”  When we follow Our Lady’s message we help to make the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart a reality in our lives and the more people who do the same the more Our Lady triumphs in the world!

May Our Lady, Queen of Peace bless your preparations!

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Jan 02

1/3 FEAST OF THE MOST HOLY NAME OF JESUS

  • January 2, 2017

 

1/3 Feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus

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What a beautiful time to pray the Rosary!

Joyful Mysteries
Luminous Mysteries
Sorrowful Mysteries
Glorious Mysteries 

The Virgin Mary in the Kingdom of the Divine Will
Day Twenty-Three:

The Blessed Mother to the Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta, the Little Daughter of the Divine Will:

… Now, dear daughter (Luisa), you must know that the eighth day arrived after the Celestial Baby (Jesus) had been Born to the light of the day, and the Divine Fiat sounded the hour of sorrow, commanding us (the Blessed Mother and St. Joseph) to circumcise the charming Little Baby (Jesus). It was a most painful cut which Little Jesus was to undergo. It was the law of those times that all the firstborn had to undergo this painful cut. It can be called the law of sin, but My (the Blessed Mother’s) (Son (Jesus) was Innocent and His Law was the Law of Love; but in spite of this, because He (Jesus) came to find, not the man-king, but the man degraded, in order to make Himself his brother and to elevate him, He wanted to lower Himself, and He submitted Himself to the law.

My daughter, Saint Joseph and I felt a shiver of pain, but intrepid and without hesitating, we called the minister and we had Him circumcised with a most painful cut. At the bitter pain, Baby Jesus cried and flung Himself into My arms, asking for My Help. Saint Joseph and I mixed our tears with His; we (the Blessed Mother and St. Joseph) gathered the First Blood shed by Jesus for Love of creatures, and we gave Him the Name of Jesus—Powerful Name, which was to make Heaven and earth tremble, and even hell; a Name which was to be Balm, Defense, Help for every heart. …

The Virgin Mary in the Kingdom of the Divine Will
Meditation Two:

The Blessed Mother to the Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta, the Little Daughter of the Divine Will:

Now, you must know that only eight days had passed from the Birth of the Divine Infant. Everything was Feast and Happiness; the very Creation, taking a festive attitude, celebrated the Baby Creator. But duty interrupted Our Joys, because in those times there was a law that all firstborn sons were to undergo the harsh cut of circumcision. My Heart of Mother bled with Sorrow in having to submit My Dear Son, My Life, My own Creator, to such a Bitter Pain. O! How I would have wanted to take His place. But the Supreme Volition imposed Itself on My Love, and giving Me Heroism, Commanded Me to circumcise the Baby God. My daughter, you cannot comprehend how much it cost Me; but the Divine Fiat won, and I obeyed, united with Saint Joseph. In mutual agreement, we had My Dear Son circumcised. At the painful cut, I felt My Heart being torn, and I cried. Saint Joseph cried, and My Dear Baby sobbed, and His Pain was such that He shivered, and looking at me, He sought help in Me. What an hour of Painand of spasm for the three of us. It was such that, more than sea, it engulfed all creatures, to bring to them the First Pledge and the very Life of My Son, in order to place them in safety.

Now, blessed daughter, you must know that this cut enclosed Profound Mysteries: first, it was the Seal that impressed in the Little Humanity of the Celestial Baby His brotherhood with the whole human family; and the Blood that He Shed was the first disbursement before Divine Justice in order to Ransom all human generations. The Dear Baby was Innocent, He was not obliged to the law; but He wanted to submit Himself—first, to give the example; and then, to infuse Trust, Courage, and say to all: “Do not fear; I am a Little Brother of yours, similar to you. Let us Love one another, and I will place you all in safety; I will bring you all to My Celestial Father, as My dear brothers.”

My daughter, what an example the Celestial Baby gives: He, who is the Author of the law, Obeys the law. He is Born only eight days ago, and He makes it a duty for Himself, and submits Himself to the harsh cut of circumcision; an indelible cut—as indelible as the Union He came to form with degraded humanity. This says that Sanctity is in doing one’s own duty, in the observance of the laws, and in fulfilling the Divine Will. Sanctity without duty does not exist. It is duty that places Order, Harmony, and the Seal on Sanctity.

Furthermore, My daughter, you must know that as Adam withdrew from the Divine Will, after his brief Life of Innocence, his human will remained wounded, more than by a deadly knife, and through this wound entered sin and passions. He lost the Beautiful Day of the Divine Will, and degraded himself so much as to arouse pity. And My Dear Son, after the Joys of His Birth, wanted to be circumcised, so that this, His Wound, might heal the wound that Adam did to himself by doing his own will; and with His Blood, He prepared for him the Bath to Wash him of all his sins, to Fortify him, to Embellish him, in such a way as to render him Worthy to receive again that Divine Will he had rejected, which formed his Sanctity and his Happiness. Daughter, there was not one Work or Pain that He suffered,which did not seek to Reorder again the Divine Will in the creatures.

Therefore, in all circumstances, even painful and humiliating, may you take to heart doing the Divine Will in everything, because they are the raw material in which It hides in order to Operate in the creature, so as to let her acquire Its Life Acting in the creature.

Now, dearest daughter (Luisa), in so much Sorrow, the Most Beautiful Joy arises, such as to stop our tears. As He (Jesus) was circumcised, we (the Blessed Mother and St. Joseph) gave Him the Most Holy Name of Jesus, wanted by the Angel. In pronouncing this Most Holy Name, the Joy, the Contentment, was such as to sweeten our Sorrow. More so, since in this Name (Jesus), whoever wanted to, would find Balm for his pains, the Defense in dangers, the Victory in temptations, the Hand so as not to fall into sin, the Medicine for all his evils. This Most Holy Name of Jesus makes hell tremble; the Angels revere It, and It sounds Sweet to the ear of the Celestial Father. Before this Name, all bow down and adore. Powerful Name, Holy Name, Great Name; whoever invokes It with faith will feel the Marvels, the Miraculous Secret of the Virtue of this Most Holy Name.

Now, My daughter, I (the Blessed Mother) recommend to you (Luisa): always pronounce this Name, “Jesus.” When you see that your human will, weak, vacillating, hesitates in doing the Divine, the Name of Jesus will make it Rise Again for you in the Divine Fiat. If you are oppressed, call upon Jesus; if you work, call upon Jesus; if you sleep, call upon Jesus; and when you wake up, may your first word be “Jesus.” Call Him always; it is a Name that contains Seas of Grace, but which He gives to those who call Him and love Him.

***

Book of Heaven
The Call of the Creature to the Order, the Place and the Purpose
for which He was Created by God
Volume 30 – January 3, 1932

Certainty of the coming of the Kingdom of the Divine Will upon earth.  How all difficulties will melt like snow before a burning sun.  The human will is the dark room of the creature.

The Servant of God, Luisa Piccarreta the Little Daughter of the Divine Will:

My abandonment continues in the Divine Fiat, but I felt worried by the thought:  “How will this Kingdom of the Divine Will ever be able to come?  Sin abounds, evils get worse, it seems to me that the creatures are not disposed to receive such a great Good; so much so, that there is not a soul, as good as they may be, who truly wants to occupy himself with making known what regards the Divine Will.  If God does not operate a prodigy of His Omnipotence, the Kingdom of the Divine Fiat may be in Heaven, but as for the earth, it is useless to think about it.”

But while I was thinking of this and other things, my beloved Jesus, making His usual visit to my soul, told me:  “My daughter (Luisa), everything is possible for Us (God).  The impossibilities, the difficulties, the insurmountable obstacles of creatures melt before Our Supreme Majesty like snow in front of a burning sun.  Everything is in whether We want it; all the rest is nothing.  Did the same not happen in Redemption?  Sin abounded more than ever; only a small group of people was awaiting the Messiah, and in the midst of this group, how many hypocrisies, how many sins of all kinds—they were often idolatrous.  But it was decreed that I was to come upon earth.  In the face of Our (Triune God) Decrees, all evils cannot prevent what We (God) want to do.  We (God) are glorified more by one act alone of Our Will than We are offended by all the evils and sins committed by creatures, because Our Act of the Will is Divine and immense, and in its Immensity it embraces all eternity, all centuries, it extends to all.  Therefore, it is not of Our infinite Wisdom not to give Life to even just one act of Our Will because of the evils of creatures.  We place Ourselves on Our Divine Side, and We do what We have to do; and the creatures We leave by their human side; and acting as Sovereigns, We lord it over everything and everyone, even over evil,and We put out Our Decrees.

“Now, just as My (Jesus’) Coming upon earth was Our (Triune God) Decree, so is Our (God’s) Decree the Kingdom of Our Will upon earth; even more, it can be said that one and the other are one single Decree, and having carried out the first act of this Decree, We are to carry out the second.  It is true that We pace Ourselves according to the good disposition of the creatures in order to give the great Good that an Act of Our Will can produce, and therefore at most We take time, and We make Our Way in the midst of their evils in order to dispose them.  It is true that the times are sad; the peoples themselves are tired, they see all the ways closed to them, they can find no way out even for the necessary natural means; the oppressions, the demands of the leaders are unbearable—just penalty, since they have elected as leaders godless men, of evil life, without a just right to be leaders, who deserved a prison more than the right of regime.  Many thrones and empires have been overthrown, and those few that are left are all vacillating and about to be overthrown.  So, the earth will remain almost without kings, in the hands of iniquitous men.

“Poor peoples, poor children of Mine—under the regime of men without pity, without heart, and without the grace to be able to act as guides for their subjects.  Indeed, the epoch of the Jewish people is being repeated, as they remained without a king when I was near to coming upon earth, and were under the dominion of an alien empire, of barbarous and idolatrous men who did not even know their Creator.  Yet, this was the sign of My nearing Coming into their midst.  That epoch and this one hold hands in many things, and the disappearance of thrones and empires is the announcement that the Kingdom of My Divine Will is not far.  It having to be a Universal, pacific Kingdom, there will be no need of kings to dominate It—each one will be king to himself.  My Will will be for them Law, Guide, Support, Life and absolute King of all and of each one; and all the arbitrary and rightless leaders will be shattered like dust in the wind.  The nations will continue to fight against one another—some by war, some by revolution, among themselves and against My Church.  They have a fire in their midst that devours them, that gives them nopeace, and they can give no peace.  It is the fire of sin, and the fire of acting without God that gives them no peace; and they will never make peace if they do not call God into their midst, as regime and bond of Union and of Peace.  And I let them do, and I will make them touch with their own hands what it means to act without God.

“But this does not prevent the Kingdom of My Supreme Fiat from coming; this is all creature’s stuff, of the low world, that My Power knocks down and disperses whenever it wants, and it makes the most serene sky and the most refulgent sun arise from the storm.  On the other hand, the Kingdom of My Divine Will is from on high, from the Heavens, formed and decreed in the midst of the Divine Persons—no one can touch It or disperse It.  First We will deal about It with one creature alone, forming the first Kingdom in her; then with few; and then, making use of Our Omnipotence, we will divulge It everywhere.  Be certain, do not worry because evils get worse; Our Power, Our winning Love that has the Virtue of always winning, Our Will that can do everything and, with invincible Patience, knows how to wait even for centuries—but what It wants and has to do is worth more than all the evils of creatures—in the face of Its invincible Power and Its infinite Value, their evils will be like little drops of water, like many trifles that will serve for the Triumph of Our Love and for the greater Glory of Our fulfilled Will.

“And then, when We have the great Glory of forming this Kingdom inside one creature alone, she will be like sun, such that all have the right to enjoy and possess its Light.  More than sun, she will give to all creatures the right to possess a Kingdom so holy; and We, with infinite Wisdom, will abound with Graces, with Light, with Helps, with surprising Means, so that they may let the Kingdom of My Will reign in their midst.  Therefore, let Me do; when it is your Jesus that has told you this, that’s enough—it is as though already done.  All evils and all creatures together have no power and no right over Our Will, nor can they prevent a single Act of Our Will, wanted by Decrees of OurWisdom.”

Then, I continued to think about the Divine Fiat, and my sweet Jesus added:  “My daughter (Luisa), My (God’s) Will is Light, the human will is the dark room in which the poor creature lives.  As My (God’s) Will enters into this dark room, it remains all invested by this Light that illumines everything, even the most remote and little hiding places of the soul.  It makes Itself Light of the thought, of the word, of the works, of the steps—but with a marvelous variety.  The thought takes on a variety of colors animated by the Light; the word takes on another variety of colors; the action, the step, other varieties of colors.  And as she (the soul) repeats the thought, the word, the action, the step, animated by the Light of My (God’s) Will, so are the hues of the Divine Colors formed; and the beauty of it is that they are all colors animated by Light.

“O! how beautiful it is to see the creature animated by the Rainbow of Our (Triune God’s) Divine Colors—it is one of the most beautiful scenes that she (the creature) presents to Us (God) and makes Us enjoy.  We look at her and We see that those are nothing other that the reflection of Our Thoughts, of Our Actions, and so forth, that has formed that variety of Our Divine Colors; and Our Will makes display of Light in the acts of the creature who, with her sweet enchantment, enraptures Us and makes Us the Spectators of Our Acts; and—O! how We await with all Love the repetition of these scenes so beautiful and delightful.”

 Posted in  January 2012, Prayers, Novenas and Feast Days, The Divine Will of God

“She – the Blessed Virgin Mary – gave the Fiat, the total Yes. She is in communion with the Divine Will.”

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Our Lady of Perpetual Help
from Veil of Veronica website

In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph of the house of David. The Virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son and you shall call his name Jesus.” And Mary said to the angel, “How can this be since I have no husband?” And the angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore, the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God for with God, nothing is impossible.” Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.  Luke 1:26-38

Throughout the past several years I have developed a deep devotion to Mary.  She gave the Fiat, the total Yes.  She is in communion with the Divine Will.  I believe this is what the Holy Trinity wants from all of us.  I have stated before that when I invited her into my life, my relationship with Christ became much deeper.  Communion with his Will.  Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  This is not just some empty prayer we pray.  Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta had this revealed to her.

I pray this prayer everyday.  “Make my will one with yours Lord.”  Imagine the whole earth praying this, to make your will one with Love Himself!  My Spiritual Director once told me the difference between the Saints in heaven and those of us on earth is that when God asks the Saints in heaven to do something they do it immediately, fully and joyfully, but this is not so with us.  I thought about how often God has asked me to do something only to have me fight with Him to find a way out of it, or to only do part of what He asked, and feeling so anxious about doing it.  But when you are in a relationship with God, you can only fight so much before a whale swallows you and spits you up on a shore.

And so as we enter into the Holy time of the Christmas Season, and the start of a New Year, I have vowed to do my best to make my Fiat immediate, full and joyful.  I look to Our Lady of Perpetual Help – to, well, HELP me because I have failed so miserably in the past.  She is the example.  I  know that God is asking for absolute trust and abandonment.  And as I look back on the times when I have said yes, I can see how the blessings have abounded.  It’s as if I can see an intricate tapestry of connections woven with the Divine Hand.  He constantly tells me all things are connected and when I look back, I can see that they are.  I can also see how, even in suffering, there was beauty, and that He works all things for the good of those who love him.  So as I look forward, I cannot help but say, “Mother Mary, grab my hand as I step into the unknown with you, knowing we are guided by the Divine Hand, and I have nothing to fear.”

May you all have a very Blessed Christmas and Happy New Year.

 

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