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Oculi {Third Sunday in Lent}

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OCULI



The following is instruction from Fr. Leonard Goffine, The Church’s Year.

The Introit of this day’s Mass, which begins with the word Oculi, is the prayer of a soul imploring deliverance from the snares of the devil: 

INTROIT My eyes are ever towards the Lord: for he shall pluck my feet out of the snare: look thou upon me, and have mercy on me, for I am alone and poor. To thee, O Lord, have I lifted up my soul: in thee, O my God, I put my trust: let me not be ashamed. (Fs. XXIV.) Glory be to the Father, etc.

COLLECT  We beseech Thee, Almighty God, regard the desires of the humble, and stretch forth the right hand of Thy majesty to be our defence. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, etc.

EPISTLE (Ephes. V. 1-9.) Brethren, be ye followers of God, as most dear children; and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath delivered himself for us, an oblation and a sacrifice to God, for an odor of sweetness. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not so much as be named among you, as becometh saints; nor obscenity, nor foolish talking, nor scurrility, which is to no purpose; but rather giving of thanks: for know ye this, and understand, that no fornicator, nor unclean, nor covetous person, which is a serving of idols, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words; for because of these things cometh the anger of God upon the children of unbelief. Be ye not therefore partakers with them. For you were heretofore darkness; but now light in the Lord. Walk, then, as children of the light: for the fruit of the light is in all goodness, and justice, and truth.

EXPLANATION The apostle requires us to imitate God, as good children imitate their father in well-doing and in well-wishing; besides he declares that all covetousness, fornication, all disgraceful talk and equivocal jokes should be banished from Christian meetings, even that such things should not be so much as mentioned among us; because these vices unfailingly deprive us of heaven. He admonishes us not to let ourselves be deceived by the seducing words of those who seek to make these vices appear small, nothing more than pardonable human weaknesses; those who speak thus are the children of darkness and of the devil, they bring down the wrath of God upon themselves, and all who assent to their words. A Christian, a child of light, that is, of faith, should regard as a sin that which faith and conscience tell him is such, and must live according to their precepts and not by false judgment of the wicked. Should any one seek to lead you away, ask yourself, my Christian soul, whether you would dare appear with such a deed before the judgment-seat of God. Listen to the voice of your conscience, and let it decide, whether that which you are expected to do is good or bad, lawful or unlawful.

ASPIRATION  Place Thy fear, O God, before my mouth, that I may utter no vain, careless, much less improper and scandalous words, which may be the occasion of sin to my neighbor. Strengthen me, that I may not be deceived by flattering words, and become faithless to Thee.

GOSPEL (Luke XI. 14.-28.) At that time, Jesus was casting out a devil, and the same was dumb. And when he had cast out the devil, the dumb spoke, and the multitudes were in admiration at it. But some of them said: He casteth out devils by Beelzebub the prince of devils. And others tempting, asked of him a sign from heaven. But he seeing their thoughts, said to them: Every kingdom divided against itself shall be brought to desolation, and house upon house shall fall. And if Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because you say, that through Beelzebub I cast out devils. Now if I cast out devils by Beelzebub, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. But if I by the finger of God cast out devils, doubtless the kingdom of God is come upon you. When a strong man armed keepeth his court, those things which he possesseth are in peace; but if a stronger than he come upon him, and overcome him, he will take away all his armor wherein he trusted, and will distribute his spoils. He that is not with me, is against me; and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth. When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through places without water, seeking rest; and not finding, he saith, I will return into my house whence I came out: and when he is come, he findeth it swept and garnished. Then he goeth, and taketh with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and entering in they dwell there. And the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. And it came to pass, as he spoke these things, a certain woman from the crowd, lifting up her voice, said to him: Blessed is the womb that bore thee, and the paps that gave thee suck. But he said: Yea rather blessed are they who hear the word of God, and keep it.

Can a man be really possessed of a devil?

It is the doctrine of the Catholic Church that the evil spirit most perniciously influences man in a twofold manner: by enticing his soul to sin, and then influencing his body which he often entirely or partially possesses, manifesting himself by madness, convulsions, insanity, etc. Many texts of Scripture, and the writings of the Fathers speak of this possession. St. Cyprian writes: “We can expel the swarms of impure spirits, who for the ruin of the soul, enter into the bodies of men, and we can compel them to acknowledge their presence, by the force of powerful words.” Possession takes place by the permission of God either for trial or as a punishment for sin committed, (I. Cor. V. 5.) and the Church from her Head, Jesus, who expelled so many devils, has received the power of casting them out as He did. (Mark XVI. 17.; Acts V. 16., VIII. 6. 7., XVI. 18. &c.) She however warns her ministers, the priests, who by their ordination have received the power to expel the evil spirits, to distinguish carefully between possession and natural sickness, that they may not be deceived, (Rit. ROM. §. 3. §. 5-10.) and the faithful should guard against looking upon every unusual, unhealthy appearance as an influence of Satan, and should give no ear to impostors, but in order not to be deceived, should turn to an experienced physician or to their pastor. 

What is understood by a dumb devil?

The literal meaning of this is the evil enemy, who some times so torments those whom he possesses that they lose the power of speech; in a spiritual sense, we may understand it to mean the shame which the devil takes away from the sinner, when he commits the sin, but gives back again, as false shame, before confession, so that the sinner conceals the sin, and thereby falls deeper.

How does Christ still cast out dumb devils?

By His grace with which He inwardly enlightens the sinner, so that he becomes keenly aware that the sins which he has concealed in confession, will one day be known to the whole world, and thus encourages him to overcome his false shame. – “Be not ashamed to confess to one man,” says St. Augustine, “that which you were not ashamed to do with one, perhaps, with many.” Consider these words of the same saint: “Sincere confession subdues vice, conquers the evil one, shuts the door of hell, and opens the gates of paradise.”

How did Christ prove, that He did not cast out devils by Beelzebub?

By showing that the kingdom of Satan could not stand, if one evil spirit were cast out by another; that they thus reproached their own sons who also cast out devils, and had not been accused of doing so by power from Beelzebub; by His own life and works which were in direct opposition to the devil, and by which the devil’s works were destroyed. – There is no better defence against calumny than an innocent life, and those who are slandered, find no better consolation than the thought of Christ who, notwithstanding His sanctity and His miracles, was not secure against calumniation.

What is meant by the finger of God?

The power of God, by which Christ expelled the evil spirits, proved himself God, and the promised Redeemer.

Who is the strong man armed?

The evil one is so called, because he still retains the power and intellect of the angels, and, practiced by long experience, seeks in different ways to injure man if God permits.

How is the devil armed?

With the evil desires of men, with the perishable riches, honors, and pleasures of this world, with which he entices us to evil, deceives us, and casts us into eternal fire.

Who is the stronger one who took away the devil’s armor?

Christ the Lord who came into this world that He might destroy the works and the kingdom of the devil, to expel the prince of darkness, (John XII. 31.) and to redeem us. from his power. “The devil,” says St. Anthony, “is like a dragon caught by the Lord with the fishing-hook of the cross, tied with a halter like a beast of burden, chained like a fugitive slave, and his lips pierced through with a ring, so that he may not devour any of the faithful. Now he sighs, like a miserable sparrow, caught by Christ and turned to derision, and thrown under the feet of the Christians. He who flattered himself that he would possess the whole orbit of the earth, behold, he has to yield!”

Why does Christ say: He who is not with me, is against me?

These words were intended in the first place for the Pharisees who did not acknowledge Christ as the Messiah, would not fight with Him against Satan’s power, but rather held the people back from reaching unity of faith and love of Christ. Like the Pharisees, all heretical teachers who, by their false doctrines, draw the faithful from communion with Christ and His Church, are similar to the devil, the father of heresy and lies. May all those, therefore, who think they can serve Christ and the world at the same time, consider that between truth and falsehood, between Christ and the world, there is no middle path; that Christ requires decision, either with Him, or against Him , either eternal happiness with Him, or without Him, everlasting misery.

Who are understood by the dry places through which the evil spirit wanders and finds no rest?

“The dry places without water,” says St. Gregory, “are the hearts of the just, who by the force of penance have drained the dampness of carnal desires.” In such places the evil -one indeed finds no rest, because there his malice finds no sympathy, and his wicked will no satisfaction.

Why does the evil spirit say: I will return into my house?

Because he is only contented there where he is welcomed and received: those who have purified their heart by confession, and driven Satan from it, but labor not to amend, again lose the grace of the Sacraments by sin, and thus void of virtue and grace, offer a beautiful and pleasant dwelling to the devil.

Why is it said: The last state becomes worse than the first?

Because a relapse generally draws more sins with it, and so it is said: the devil will return with seven other spirits more wicked than himself, by which may be understood the seven deadly sins, because after a relapse into sin conversion to God becomes more difficult, as a repeated return of the same sickness makes it harder to regain health; because by repetition sin easily becomes a habit and renders conversion almost impossible; because repeated relapses are followed by blindness of intellect, hardness of heart, and in the end eternal damnation.

Why did the woman lift up her voice?

This was by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost to shame the Pharisees who, blinded by pride, neither professed nor acknowledged the divinity of Christ, whilst this humble woman not only confessed Jesus as God, but praised her who carried Him, whom heaven and earth cannot contain. Consider the great dignity of the Blessed Virgin, Mother of the Son of God, and hear her praises from the holy Fathers. St. Cyril thus salutes her: “Praise to thee, Blessed Mother of God: for thou art virginity itself, the sceptre of the true faith!” and St. Chrysostom: “Hail, O Mother, the throne, the glory, the heaven of the Church!” St. Ephrem: “Hail, only hope of the Fathers, herald of the apostles, glory of the martyrs, joy of the saints, and crown of the virgins, because of thy vast glory, and inaccessible light!”

Why did Christ call those happy who hear the word of God and keep it?

Because, as has been already said, it is not enough for salvation to hear the word of God, but it must also be practiced. Because Mary, the tender Mother of Jesus, did this most perfectly, Christ terms her more happy in it, than in having conceived, borne, and nursed Him.

SUPPLICATION O Lord Jesus! true Light of the world, enlighten the eyes of my soul, that I may never be induced by the evil one to conceal a sin, through false shame, in the confessional, that on the day of general judgment my sibs may not be published to the whole world. Strengthen me, O Jesus, that I may resist the arms of the devil by a penitent life, and especially by scorning the fear of man and worldly considerations, and guard against lapsing into sin, that I may not be lost, but through Thy merits maybe delivered from, all dangers and obtain heaven.

REMINISCERE {Second Sunday in Lent}

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REMINISCERE

The following is instruction from Fr. Leonard Goffine, The Church’s Year.

The Introit of this day’s Mass, which begins with the word Reminiscere, from which this Sunday derives its name, is the prayer of a soul begging God’s assistance, that she may sin no more: 

INTROIT Remember, O Lord, Thy compassions and Thy mercies, which are from the beginning, lest at any time our enemies rule over us: deliver us O God of Israel, from all our tribulations. To Thee O Lord, have I lifted up my soul: in Thee, O my God, I put my trust; let me not be ashamed. (Ps. XXIV.) Glory be to the Father, etc.

COLLECT O God, who seest us to be destitute of strength, keep us both inwardly and outwardly; that we may be defended in the body from all adversities, and cleansed in our mind from all evil thoughts. Through our Lord, etc.

EPISTLE (I Thess. IV. 1-7.) Brethren, we pray and beseech you in the Lord Jesus, that as you have received of us, how you ought to walk, and to please God, so also you would walk, that you may abound the more. For you know what precepts I have given to you by the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that you should abstain from fornication; that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor; not in the passion of lust, like the Gentiles that know not God: and that no man over-reach nor circumvent his brother in business; because the Lord is the avenger of all these things, as we have told you before, and have testified. For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto sanctification; in Christ Jesus our Lord.

EXPLANATION From these words we see, that the great Teacher of Nations as carefully showed the Christian congregations the sanctity of their calling, as he labored to lead them from the blindness and abominations of heathenism.

ASPIRATION Grant, O God, that I may live an honest, chaste and holy life in accordance with my vocation, and go not after earthly and carnal pleasures, as the heathens who know Thee not.

GOSPEL (Matt. XVII. 1-9.) At that time, Jesus took 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. Then 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. And the disciples hearing, fell upon their face, and were very much afraid. And Jesus came and touched them, and said to them: Arise, and fear not. And they lifting up their eyes, saw no one, but only Jesus. And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying: Tell the vision to no man: till the Son of Man be risen from the dead.

Why was Christ transfigured in the presence of His apostles on Mount Thabor?

To permit them to see the glorious majesty of His divinity; to guard them from doubts when they should afterwards see Him die on Mount Calvary; to encourage the disciples and all the faithful to be patient in all crosses and afflictions, for the bodies of the just at the resurrection will be made like the glorified body of Christ. (Phil. III. 21.)

Why did Moses and Elias appear there?

That they might testify, that Jesus was really the Saviour announced by the law and the prophets, and that the law and the prophets received fulfillment in Him. The former was represented by Moses, the latter by Elias.

Why, did Peter wish to build three tabernacles there?

The delightful sweetness of the apparition in which Jesus made him participator so enraptured him, that he knew not what he said, not considering that glory can be attained only through sufferings, the crown through fight, joy through crosses and afflictions.

ASPIRATION Draw us, O Jesus, to Thee, that by the contemplation of the sacred joys awaiting us, we, by Thy grace, may not be defeated in the spiritual contest, but conquer through Thy grace and carry off the unfading crown of victory.

INVOCABIT {First Sunday in Lent}

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INVOCABIT

The following is instruction from Fr. Leonard Goffine, The Church’s Year.

This Sunday is called Invocabit, because the Introit of the Mass begins with this word, which is taken from the ninetieth psalm, wherein we are urged to confidence in God, who willingly hears the prayer of the penitent: 

INTROIT He shall call upon me, and I will hear him; I will deliver him, and glorify him; I will fill him with length of days. (Ps. XC. 15-16.) He that dwelleth in the aid of the Most high shall abide under the protection of the God of heaven. (Ps. XC. 1.) Glory be to the Father, etc.

COLLECT O God who dost purify Thy Church by the yearly fast of Lent; grant to Thy household that what we strive to obtain from Thee by abstinence, by good works we may secure. Through our Lord, etc.

EPISTLE (II. Cor. VI. 1-10) Brethren, we exhort you that you receive not the grace of God in vain. For he saith: In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in the day of salvation have I helped thee. Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now, is the day of salvation. Giving no offence to any man, that our ministry be not blamed: but in all things let us exhibit ourselves as the ministers of God; in much patience, in tribulations, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in prisons, in seditions, in labors, in watchings, in fastings, in chastity, in knowledge, in long-suffering, in sweetness, in the Holy Ghost, in charity unfeigned, in the word of truth, in the power of God, by the armor of justice on the right hand, and on the left, by honor and dishonor, by evil report, and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastised, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as needy, yet enriching many; as having nothing, and possessing all things.

EXPLANATION The Church very appropriately reads on this day this epistle of St. Paul, in which he exhorts the Christians to make use of the time of grace. A special time of grace is Lent, in which everything invites to conversion and penance, a time, therefore, in which God is ready to make rich bestowal of His graces. St. Anselm says, those do not use the grace who do not cooperate. Let us, therefore, follow St. Paul’s exhortation, and earnestly practise those virtues he places before us, and especially those of temperance, patience, chastity, liberality, love of God and of our neighbor. Let us arm ourselves with the arms of justice at the right and the left, that is, let us strive to be humble in prosperity and in adversity, confident of God’s help. Let us never be led from the path of virtue, by mockery, contempt, nor by persecution, torments, or death.

ASPIRATION Grant, O Jesus, that we may always faithfully cooperate with Thy graces, and employ well the time Thou hast again given for our salvation.

GOSPEL (Matt. IV. 1-11.) At that time, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert, to be tempted by the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterwards he was hungry. And the tempter coming, said to him: If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. Who answered and said: It is written: Not in bread alone doth man live, but in every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God. Then the devil took him up into the holy city, and set him upon the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him: If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down; for it is written: He hath given his angels charge over thee, and in their hands shall they bear thee up, lest perhaps thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said to him: It is written again: Thou shaft not tempt the Lord thy God. Again the devil took him up into a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; and said to him: All these will I give thee, if, falling down, thou wilt adore me. Then Jesus said to him: Begone, Satan, for it is written, The Lord thy God shalt thou adore, and him only shaft thou serve. Then the devil left him; and behold, angels came, and ministered to him.

INSTRUCTION

I. Christ went into the desert by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost to prepare by fasting and prayer, for His mission, and to endure the temptations of Satan, that, as St. Paul says, He might be one tempted in all things such as we are, without sin, and so become for us a High-priest who knew how to have compassion on our infirmities, (Heb. IV. 15.) and to show us by His own example, how we should, armed with the word of God, as with a sword, overcome the tempter. (Eph. VI. 17.) – Let us, therefore, courageously follow Christ to the combat against all temptations, with His assistance it will not be hard to conquer them. He has certainly taught us to overcome the hardest ones: the lust of the eyes, of the flesh, and the pride of life, and if we overcome these, it will be easy to conquer the rest.

II. If Christ, the only Son of God, permitted Himself to be tempted by Satan, even to be taken up on a high mountain, and to the pinnacle of the temple, it should not appear strange to us, that we are assailed by many temptations, or that we should find in the lives of so many saints that the evil spirit tormented them by various images of terror and vexation. This we find in the history of the pious Job, where we also find at the same time, that the evil spirit cannot harm a hair of our head without God’s permission.

III. From the coming of the angels to minister to Christ, after He had conquered Satan, we see that all who bravely resist temptations, will enjoy the assistance and consolations of the heavenly spirits.

INSTRUCTION ON TEMPTATION 

To be tempted by the devil. , (Matt. IV. I.)

What is a temptation?

A  temptation is either a trial for instruction and exercise in virtue, or a deception and incitement to sin. In the first sense, God tempts man; in the second, he is tempted by the devil, the world or bad people, and the flesh, by evil thoughts, feelings, words, or work.

By what are we principally tempted?

By our own evil concupiscence and inclination to sin which adhere to us through original sin, (Fam. I. 14.) on account of which it is said, that the flesh lusteth against the spirit. (Gal. V. 17.)

Does the devil also tempt us?

He does, and is therefore called, in this day’s gospel, the tempter. St. Peter teaches us this, having himself experienced it: Be sober and watch: because your adversary the devil, as a roaring-lion, goeth about, seeking whom he may devour. (I Peter V. 8.) Not all temptations are to be ascribed to the devil, however, they often come from our own corrupt nature, our own incautiousness, or looseness of our senses, by which we expose ourselves to the danger of falling into sin.

How does the devil tempt us to sin?

In a twofold manner: He incites the concupiscence of man to those sins to which he sees him inclined, and then seeks to blind and confuse his imagination, so that he neither reflects, nor properly sees the temporal injury, disgrace, and derision, nor the shamefulness of sin and its eternal punishment. Thus the devil seduced Eve, our first mother, and thus he tempted Christ, with whom he could not, of course, succeed, for He was incapable of sin. He tempts bad people to persecute us, or to try us by their wicked vanities, as he did by the friends of Job.

Can the devil force us to evil?

He cannot; “for as a chained dog,” says St. Augustine, “can bite none but those who go near him, so the devil cannot harm with his temptations those who do not consent to them. Like the dog he can bark at you, but cannot bite you against your will.” Not by force but by persuasion Satan strives to injure, he does not force our consent, but entreats it. Seek, therefore, to subdue your passions and your senses, especially your eyes, and you will either remain free from all temptations, or easily overcome them.

Does God also tempt us?

God does indeed tempt us, but not to sin, as St. James expressly teaches. (Fam. I. 13.) God either Himself proves us by sufferings and adversities, or He permits the temptations of the devil or evil-minded people to give us opportunity to practise the virtues of love, patience, obedience, etc. Thus He said to the Jews through Moses: The Lord your God trieth you, that it may appear whether you love him with all your heart, and with all your soul, or no. (Deut. XIII. 3.)

Does God permit us to be tempted by man also?

He does, and for the same reasons. Thus He permitted the chaste Joseph to be tempted by Putiphar’s wife; (Gen.XXXIX. 7.) Job by his wife and his friends. (Job II. 9.) But He never permits us to be tempted beyond our strength, but gives us always sufficient grace to overcome and even to derive benefit from the temptation. (I Cor. X. 13.)

Are temptations pernicious and bad?

No; they are useful and necessary, rather. “Hard is the fight,” St. Bernard writes, “but meritorious, for although it is accompanied by suffering, it is followed by the crown;”

(Apoc. III. 12.) and Origen says. (Libr. Num.) “As meat becomes corrupt without salt, so does the soul without temptations.” Temptations, then, are only injurious when consent is given, and we suffer ourselves to be overcome by them.

When do we consent to temptations?

When we knowingly and willingly decide to do the evil to which we are tempted; as long as we resist we commit no sin. 

What are the best means of overcoming temptations?

Humility; for thus answered St. Anthony, when he saw the whole earth covered with snares, and was asked “Who will escape?” “The humble;” he who knows his own frailty, distrusts himself, and relies only on God who resists the proud and gives His grace to the humble; (Dam. IV. 6.) the fervent invocation of the Mother of God, of our holy guardian angels and patron saints; the pronouncing of the holy name of Jesus, making the sign of the cross, sprinkling holy water; the remembrance of the presence of God who knows our most secret thoughts, and before whom we are indeed ashamed to think or do that which would cause us shame in the presence of an honorable person; frequent meditation on death, hell, and eternal joys; fleeing from all those persons by whom, and places in which we are generally tempted; fervent prayers, especially ejaculations, as:

“Lord, save me, lest I perish! Lord, hasten to help me!” finally, the sincere acknowledgment of our temptations at the tribunal of penance, which is a remedy especially recommended by pious spiritual teachers.

PRAYER O Lord Jesus! who spent forty days in the desert without food or drink, and didst permit Thy self to be tempted by the evil spirit, give me, I beseech Thee by that holy fast, the grace to combat, during this holy season of Lent, under Thy protection, against intemperance, and to resist the suggestions of Satan that I may win the crown of eternal life. Amen.

The Holy Face of Jesus

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Devotion to the Holy Face of Christ is of ancient origin, reaching back to the fourth century and before. The feast of the Holy Face of Jesus was established throughout the universal Church in 1958 by Pope Pius XII to be observed on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, Shrove Tuesday.

It is an opportunity to make reparation for the outrages that the Holy Face of Jesus received during His Passion, and which He continues to receive.

May we not get carried away with a carnival mentality on this last day before Lent. But further examine ourselves and go to confession to remove any sins that would hinder us from having a holy and fruitful Lent.

“Devotion to the Holy Face was/is to make reparation for the blasphemies and outrages of the ‘revolutionaries’ of that (our) time, the blasphemies of atheists, freethinkers and Masons, and for blasphemy and the profanation of Sundays by Catholics. 

Sister Marie de Saint-Pierre (1816-1848) wrote: 

“Then He unfolded His Heart to me, concentrating therein the powers of my soul, and addressed me thus: ‘My Name is everywhere blasphemed; even little children blaspheme it.’  And He made me understand how that dreadful sin pierced and wounded His Heart more than all other crimes. 

“By blasphemy, the sinner outrages Him to His Face, attacks Him openly, and pronounces upon himself his own judgment and condemnation. Blasphemy is a poisoned arrow, wounding His Divine Heart continually. He told me that He would give me a “Golden Arrow” with which to wound Him delightfully and heal the poisonous wounds caused by sin.” 

Our Lord then dictated to Sr. Mary the following Golden Arrow prayer, assuring her that every time she said it, she would lovingly wound His Heart. 

The Golden Arrow Prayer 

May the most holy, most sacred, most adorable, most incomprehensible and ineffable Name of God be forever praised, blessed, loved, adored, and glorified in Heaven, on earth and in Hell, by all the creatures of God, and by the Sacred Heart of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. Amen.”

Our Lord told Sr. Mary on March 16, 1844: “Oh if you only knew what great merit you acquire by saying even once, ‘Admirable is the Name of God!’ in the spirit of reparation for blasphemy.” 



Prayer of St. Therese of Lisieux to the Holy Face of Jesus

O Jesus, Who in Thy bitter Passion didst become “the most abject of men, a man of sorrows,” I venerate Thy Sacred Face whereon there once did shine the beauty and sweetness of the Godhead; but now it has become for me as if it were the face of a leper! Nevertheless, under those disfigured features, I recognize Thy infinite Love and I am consumed with with the desire to love Thee and make Thee loved by all men. The tears which well abundantly in Thy sacred eyes appear to me as so many precious pearls that I love to gather up, in order to purchase the souls of poor sinners by means of their infinite value. O Jesus, Whose adorable Face ravishes my heart, I implore Thee to fix deep within me Thy Divine Image and to set me on fire with Thy Love, that I may be found worthy to come to the contemplation of Thy glorious Face in Heaven. Amen.

An Account of Your Time

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I meditate on the last four things, regularly and most of the time different promptings are placed on my heart.  But there is one that is steadfast, the account that I will have to give for my time.  

Make no mistake about it — I do not have it all together!  I have many responsibilities as a homeschooling mama of 7 with a married daughter, health ailments, bouts of overwhelmedness that lead to a paralyzation of sorts, my battle of the flesh, and more…so much more.

I give thanks for it all because it brings me to my knees and makes me more dependent on God.  Yet, I know that I must do better with the time that continues to be gifted to me.  

Do you meditate regularly on the Last Four Things? Are you able to give an honest & favorable account of your time?

These necessary reflections lead to my final suggestion for #comingtotradition this Lent (always).

The Rule of Life (ROL) is a must!  It’s not something new or something reserved for religious orders.  It’s for all!  

All the saints and many holy laities will speak to their ROL.  I’ll leave you with the following direction from Monsignor P. Lejeune in his Counsels of Perfection for CHRISTIAN MOTHERS.  

“You must have a (written) rule, otherwise your life will be squandered in a thousand follies and futilities…

…unless you are bound by a rule, your lives will drift unceasingly; …float along guided only by caprice, and the sense of duty will be almost entirely lost. In that case it is your own will that you have followed…and not the will of God.

…what a sad life is that which is not regulated. It is a life which, from a worldly standpoint, may have a certain respectability, but which, from the supernatural side is a mere farce. Will you tell me what that day weighs, in the divine balance, during which you follow your own will with never a thought for the will of God?

I have no hesitancy in saying that a life without a rule, is a life wherein the supernatural, that is, the part of God, has little or no importance.

…first determine the hour of your rising and retiring…place in your rule: morning and evening prayers should be said kneeling…there is hardly one among you who cannot spend a quarter of an hour each day in spiritual reading. Those of you who have the time, and who are unwilling to be satisfied with merely earthly piety, ought to make a meditation every morning, and also to attend Holy Mass each day, or at least several times during the week.

Give your attention, above all to the most important duties. I mean those of your interior, and station in life. Then attend to the less important duties; the remainder of your time may be spent on duties of pure decorum–if any more time remains.

Since your rule has been made for God, it is for God that it should be followed out. This rule is the expression of the will of God in your regard, which must of necessity be very dear to you. Bring, then, to the accomplishment of each of these articles, a true spirit of faith, and a truly supernatural motive, and place yourselves a hundred times daily under the eye of God, saying frequently to Him and love: “All for you, My God.”

Let us meditate on the Four Last Things through Lent and tend to our Rule of Life in efforts to properly order our days throughout the year for the time that God gifts us!

You can find more, here or here.

Divine Office

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The Church structured her official prayer around a framework of the psalms prayed eight times a day so that within one week, all 150 psalms are said.

As laity, we are not required to pray all the hours of the Divine Office. But it is highly recommended to do more as we’re able, starting with Prime & Compline.

Prime is the perfect Morning Prayer, Compline the perfect night prayer, and Sext is for the middle of the day.

This is better than private prayer; it’s the prayer of the entire Mystical Body because you pray with one heart with the millions of other clerics, religious and laymen around the world who have prayed and are praying these exact same prayers, AND because you adopt the intentions of the psalmist as you pray.

Below are a few options for praying the Divine Office.


The Roman Breviary (3 volumes)

$350-$380

Reprint of the 1961 Roman Breviary in English and Latin. Traditional Roman Breviary, in the form approved by Pope Benedict XVI in Summorum Pontificum. Full texts of national feasts for the USA included in the Proper of Saints. National feasts for England & Wales, Scotland and Australasia indicated in the Proper on the dates they occur. Extracts from the Rituale Romanum (including the most commonly used litanies) given in Latin with English rubrics in an Appendix. 

The Monastic Diurnal

$70-90

A republication of the 1963 edition of the Benedictine hours of Prime, Lauds, Terce, Sext, None, Vespers and Compline, in Latin and English for all the feasts and seasons in the traditional Benedictine calendar. The Latin text is the traditional Vulgate psalter

Breviarium Meum App
FREE

This app allows one to pray the traditional (1962) Latin breviary of the Catholic Church from anywhere (via your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad).  

You simply have to select the hour to pray, and begin. 

You can download the texts up to a week in advance, so you can pray even when you don’t have a network connection. 

This is handy even if you have a printed Breviary so you can travel light.  

The app makes praying the Divine Office easy — no flipping requires.  

There are other prayers & blessing and convenient features of this app.  

If you don’t understand the Latin, you can display a parallel English translation.

Those more familiar with the breviary, and especially priests, will be pleased to see we’ve included a selection of prayers and blessings in Latin, such as are normally found in the appendix of a breviary.

The Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary 

$20-$30

This is a wonderful devotion.  It is what I prayed in my earliest years of motherhood.  

It is a shorter form of the Divine Office in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 

It has been used for centuries as the Church’s daily liturgical prayer to Our Lady, by Priests, religious, and the laity throughout the centuries. 

“Lay people used to flock to the great Cathedrals to publicly recite The Little Office during the Middle Ages, and during the great persecution, when the practice of the Catholic Faith was illegal in Great Britain, Bishop Challoner commended The Little Office to his flock.

Through its psalms, antiphons, readings, responsorials, and prayers the Little Office stresses the role Our Lady played in salvation history, and how through her fiat the divine Word took flesh in her womb and achieved salvation for us all; and how Our Lord granted her the first fruits of the general resurrection in her holy and glorious assumption.

All Catholics are called to a consistent prayer life. For those who do not feel called to recite the Divine Office, but still wish to participate in the liturgical prayer of the Church, or for those who have a particular devotion to the holy Mother of God, there is no finer form of prayer than the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary.”

Modesty

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The Good Lord calls us all to modesty and purity.  

The supernatural reason for modest behavior is obedience to the Commandments of God and to preserve the virtue of chastity in/out of marriage. 

It applies to all we have and are…

Heart – do we seek to be most pleasing to our Lord and could we face Him at any moment, unashamed of our dress or speech?

Thoughts – do we offer an ejaculation to call upon Our Lord when a bad thought or image comes into our mind or do we entertain such things? Do we watch bad movies/tv, read indecent books/sites, or listen to inappropriate music? 

Speech – do we curse, use vulgar language, take the Lord’s name in vain directly, by way of modern speech or texting (ie; OM*), or remaining unmoved when it’s done in our presence?

Dress – do you dress to meet the conditions that the Church has always taught —  the needs of hygiene, modesty, and decorum? Do we adhere to the degrees of decency regarding the parts of the body? A traditional priest once broke it down as the honest, less honest, and dishonest parts of the body.  The degree of incentive toward the sensual passions that the parts arouse is the criterion used to establish the above classes.  

We are an image of God and are always in His presence, and that of the angels and saints.  

May we dress & carry ourselves to uphold our greatest dignity, show our love of God and neighbor.

Don’t know where to start but desiring to do so this Lent? Start with the following items which should always be observed in Church but would be most pleasing to Him if it were our constant decorum.

Women: Wear modest dresses or skirts and tops that properly cover the body. Cover yourself in a dignified way to never reveal  “less honest” parts without good reason — by way of lack of clothing, transparent items, short hems, low necklines, tight clothing, clothing which was not originally designed for women, or items intended to be used as undergarments, and never the “dishonest” parts outside of the absolute appropriate times.  Many have been transformed interiorly by making this change. 

Men: follow the suggestions above that apply to men and leave work dress for work, workout clothing for working out, etc… Fathers/husbands guide your daughter/wife in the above.  

All: Pray to have God set watch over your mouth and not speak one word that could offend Him or call upon diabolical influences — no curse words, vulgarities, or gossip.  

All: Inform your conscience – read the writings of Pius XII and other good traditionalist moralists.

May we give glory to God with our clothing, bearing, and way of being, at all times.   May we let nothing cheat us out of our call to holiness, purity, and our eternal salvation.

Tradition.

by Filed Under: Holy Mass, Lent, Pre-Lent Leave a Comment

Let’s talk about returning to TRADITION.  First it’s helpful to define terms.   Here I’m not speaking about fleeting preferences, opinions, or nostalgias. I’m speaking directly to the heart of the faith — the true Mass.  

“The Sacrifice of the Mass is the Sacrifice of the Cross itself; and in it we must see our Lord nailed to the Cross; and offering up his Blood for our sins, to his Eternal Father.” – Dom Prosper Gueranger

Archbishop Lefebvre explained…without sacrifice there is no love; without love, no Christianity nor Catholic society. The reduction or obliteration of the notion of sacrifice breaks up both. For this reason we see the decline in those assisting at Mass, the breakup of marriages and families, the disappearance of Catholic politics. The traditional rite of Mass means submission, obedience, love of God and neighbor. The new rite places humanity and its supposed rights in the center. The old rite means self-denial, giving, and service; the new rite means self-realization.

The following list is not meant to be a list of  “must-dos” but suggestions on how to go deeper into the riches of the traditions of the Faith.  

Start where you can, ideally start with attending the Tridentine Mass (TLM), and work from there as you discern best.  

  • Attend the TLM.  Make all the sacrifices necessary to attend the TLM at a traditonal parish where it is exclusively offered.   Do not be put off by your perception of the people or any other possible barriers. Keep your focus on Christ and but be renewed by the true sacrifice being offered as it has been offered for centuries.  If you already attend, attend the TLM exclusively.  If you already attend the TLM exclusively, work on the following.  
  • Study the Holy Mass
  • Pray the Divine Office — start with Prime & Compline, add other hours as you’re able.  
  • Read from a traditional Catechism such as the Catechism Council of Trent, Baltimore Catechism, and My Catholic Faith.  
  • Read the daily readings from your 1962 (or earlier) Daily Missal and use the Douay–Rheims Bible. Read it from cover to cover.   It is truly all one needs to live the liturgical year, well.  Read the daily readings. 
  • Follow the Traditional Calendar of the Church and read the lives of the saints, daily.  
  • Perform at least 15 minutes of spiritual reading, daily.  Make your selections from the great saints, Fathers, and Doctors of the Church.  

May we work & pray for a full restoration of the Latin Mass. May Christ the King reign! 

Grow in Devotion to Our Blessed Mother

by Filed Under: Brown Scapular, Consecration, Immaculate Heart of Mary, Lent, Pre-Lent, Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary Leave a Comment

This one devotion was a catalyst for so many of our graces and refinements. It transformed us and brought us closer to Our Lord in ways that we never imagined possible. It also brought us to the traditions of the Faith & the Tridentine Mass.

It is why I placed it #1 on my list — devotion to the Blessed Mother. St. Louis de Montfort tells us the following.

“If, then, we establish solid devotion to our Blessed Lady, it is only to establish more perfectly devotion to Jesus Christ, and to provide an easy and secure means for finding Jesus Christ. If devotion to Our Lady removed us from Jesus Christ, we should have to reject it as an illusion of the devil; but so far from this being the case, devotion to Our Lady is, on the contrary, necessary for us…as a means of finding Jesus Christ perfectly, of loving Him tenderly, of serving Him faithfully.”

Here are some ways that you can grow to know, love, and honor Our Blessed Mother.

💙Make a Total Consecration as prescribed by St. Louis de Montfort — Do it as a family if possible.

💙Pray the Holy Rosary daily — If you already pray 5 decades, pray the entire 15 decades. Pray as a family.

💙Consecrate you’re Children to the BVM — We consecrate them in utero and renew at their baptism. They make their Total Consecration when they are old enough as we renew as a family.

💙Begin First Saturday Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary – Our Lady of Fatima said, “I shall come to ask… that on the First Saturday of every month, Communions of reparation be made in atonement for the sins of the world.”

💙Learn about & Enroll in the Brown Scapular and/or the Miraculous Medal – Both are sacramentals given you us by Our Lady, a means of disposing one’s soul to receive grace.

💙Meditate on the Seven Sorrows of Mary – The devotion consists in praying seven Hail Mary’s while meditating on the Seven Sorrows of Mary.

The BVM willingly suffered alongside her Divine Son as he gave his life to save the world, and she felt the bitterness of his passion as only a mother can. This devotion is especially remembered during September, the Month of Our Lady of Sorrows and during the season of Lent, with a specific observance on the Friday of Passion Week.

Our Blessed Mother will take us straight to the heart of Jesus!

AD JESUM PER MARIAM

All for Jesus through Mary

Embrace Tradition in Lent (and always)

by Filed Under: Lent, Pre-Lent, Septuagesima Leave a Comment

Some of the most transformative Lents for my family’s spiritual lives have been the times when we made a move towards the traditions of the Church.  

They have not been easy by any means.  Most of the time they have been met with attacks from the enemy.  We do not question that our Heavenly Father allowed them to try us and refine us.

Lent ‘07 was one of those years for us.  My husband and I believe it was a pivotal point in our lives — filled with immense grace, stripping, heavy crosses, true joy, and refinement that led us closer to Our Lord. 

So, when I’m asked, “where is the best place to start” or what I suggest for a family Lenten plan, I most always refer back to that Lent.  It included all that has been traditionally prescribed for Lent – penance, prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and a separation form the world.

The following is a list of what I suggest for anyone desiring to make a fervent Lent.  It’s the basis of what we followed then/now.  I invite you to use it and join me and others in #comingtotradition 

Pick one item in each category or just pick one category.  Do do it right-ordered — with prayer & discernment, approval of your husband, and with spiritual direction from a solid traditional priest  (especially if it could be considered outside of the norm or extreme).  

  1. Grow in Devotion to Our Blessed Mother 
  2. Return to the traditions of the Church
  3. Offer mortification as reparation for your offenses against modesty or any other sin
  4. Create, refine, or more vigorously live out your Rule of Life 

This list is general so it can be used for all.  For example, the second category could be to attend the TLM or pray the DO if you already attend the TLM, or observe traditional requirements of fasting. One must take into account their current spiritual lives (personal and familial), physical state, duties, and the like.  

I have expanded on all of the above recently and over the years — on my site, posts, or stories.  I’m happy to answer any questions or expand further.  


You can also check out #comingtotradition on Instragram to see how other mamas have journeyed to the Tridentine Mass.  We invite you to share your own journey towards the traditions of the Church or join us in any way.  ALL FOR!

I’ll  leave you with the words of Dom Prosper Gueranger as you continue to discern your Lenten plan or go further enter into your Lenten plan.  

“The institution of Lent is thus brought before us with everything that can impress the mind with its solemn character and with its power to appease God and purify our souls. Look beyond the little world that surrounds us and see how the entire Christian universe is, at this very time, offering forty days’ penance as a sacrifice of propitiation to the offended Majesty of God. Let us hope that, as in the case of the Ninivites, He will mercifully accept this year’s offering of our atonement and pardon us our sins.”


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