Sunday, September 8, 2019

Principal Catholic Practices - Chapter 16 - Devotion to Sacred Heart

Chapter 16 - History of the Devotion to the Sacred Heart. Manner. Reward.

The world is sick. She suffers from a most serious malady, one that foreshadows death. And the nature of the disease? It is apostasy from Christ. He, the Saviour, who came to befriend the world, to bring to mankind the greatest gifts within the power of an omnipotent God, has been banished from our public life. The nations have decreed that the name of Jesus has no place in public records; that it should not be mentioned in covenants and treaties; and that, for all practical purposes, Christ might just as well be non-existent.

Not only has God been driven out of our public life, not only has He been banished from the schools, but He is refused entrance into the homes; yes, even the hearts of men are barred against Him. His religion has been dissected by the erring hands of human beings, and under the guise of Christianity rationalism, materialism and atheism have taken the place of the eternal truths.

Truly the world is sick. Her sickness is no longer a secret. Countless symptoms, such as the restlessness of peoples, the absence of any hope for lasting peace, the hatred, jealousy, rivalry and greed of nations and individuals are but manifestations of the dread nature of the terrible malady. Is there a cure? There is one - the remedy offered by the Great Physician, Christ Himself. Many years ago He saw the unmistakable trend of society, and He proposed to the world the wonderful devotion to His Sacred Heart.

We might truthfully say that the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is as old as the Church. For, beginning with the love of Saint John for this Great Heart, we might trace the devotion throughout the centuries. It must be admitted, however, that the great devotees of the Sacred Heart who lived before the time of Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, such as Saint Gertrude and Saint Francis de Sales, never penetrated into the full meaning and wealth of this devotion.

As the Lord usually chooses the most humble of His children as the instruments of His works, so also we find that He sought out the simple nun in the convent of Paray le Monial in France. This was about the middle of the seventeenth century.

Now what is the object of our adoration in this devotion? Is it the heart itself, or is it the great love of Jesus? For answer, let me narrate to you the story of the first apparition of Our Lord to Saint Margaret Mary. She had lived many years in the convent, when one day, as she was praying before the Blessed Sacrament, Our Lord appeared to her and allowed her to behold His Sacred Heart as it shone radiantly in His open breast. It was completely surrounded by flames, as brilliant as the sun and as transparent as crystal. Around it was wound a crown of thorns; while a cross surmounted the whole. Revealing the miracles and mysteries of His unbounded love. He addressed her as follows: "My heart is so full of love for mankind that it can no longer contain its flames of love. It must, through thy instrumentality, pour them forth and make them known to men, in order to enrich them with the treasures which it contains. I will make known to thee the wealth of these treasures; they are wholesome and sanctifying graces, which alone can rescue men from the abyss of ruin."

It will be seen at once that the object of the devotion is not merely the great love of Jesus; nor only the heart of flesh; but that it is the love and the heart that we adore: the love as contained in His great heart, and the heart as the symbol of that love. One might ask: Is the human heart of Jesus a worthy object of adoration, or do we incur the guilt of idolatry? Indeed this heart is worthy of adoration, and we may confidently adore it. For in Christ the humanity and divinity are so intimately united in the one person, that the heart of Jesus is, in truth, a divine heart, and thus a most worthy object of adoration.

It would take us too far to recount here the many wondrous revelations made by Our Lord to Saint Margaret Mary. Suffice it to say that He desired and demanded that this devotion be spread far and wide as the means of saving society from sin and apostasy. Throughout the many revelations there always recurs the bitter complaint of the ingratitude of mankind. And Our Saviour demands reparation for the many offenses against His Sacred Heart, for the coldness and indifference toward His Church, His sacraments, and, above all, the Holy Eucharist. Accordingly the devotion consists chiefly in acts of love and reparation to the Sacred Heart. The fact that from this devotion a great number of prayers and forms of adoration have arisen is proof sufficient that it has found a hearty welcome in the Catholic world. We have the holy hour, acts of love, a scapular, a rosary of the Sacred Heart, a society for the Communion of Reparation, the League of the Sacred Heart, litanies, novenas, and prayers without number.

It will be apparent that no one is expected to join every association that honors the Divine Heart; neither must we strive to take part in all the forms of prayer. What appeals to the one, may not be suited to the individuality of the other. We should practice those devotions whereby we can best fulfill the wishes of Our Lord.

Aside from the fact that the widespread devotion to the living Heart of Jesus cannot but have a most wholesome effect upon the whole world and elevate the standards of morality, as well as bring God back into the hearts of men, this devotion carries with it such a wealth of promises as never before accompanied an act of adoration. There are principally twelve promises made by Our Lord to Saint Margaret:

1. I will give them all the graces necessary for their station in life.

2. I will give peace to their families.

3. I will console them in all their sufferings.

4. I will be their sure refuge in life, and especially at their death.

5. I will pour abundant blessings over all their undertakings.

6. Sinners will find in My Heart the source and the infinite sea of mercy.

7. Careless souls will become zealous.

8. Zealous souls will rapidly attain great perfection.

9. I will bless the homes in which the picture of My Sacred Heart is erected and venerated.

10. To priests I will give the grace to move even the hardest hearts.

11. The names of those who try to spread the devotion shall be inscribed in My Heart, and never be erased therefrom.

12. (The so-called great promise.) In the overflowing mercy of My Heart I promise thee that My all-powerful love will grant the grace of penitence at the end of life to all those who, on the first Fridays of nine consecutive months, receive Holy Communion. They will not die without grace, nor without the sacraments, for in this last moment My Sacred Heart will be their sure refuge.

What a wealth of grace and blessing is here promised to all who promote the devotion to the Sacred Heart! Can there still be a doubt whether or not you, dear reader, will become a most zealous apostle of this thoroughly Catholic practice?

The things of earth are so small and trivial when compared to the things of God. Lack of time or lack of inclination must not keep us away from this splendid means of sanctifying ourselves and of promoting the well-being of the world about us.

- from The Principal Catholic Practices: A Popular Explanation of the Sacraments and Catholic Devotions by Father George Thomas Schmidt, 1920


Click on the below links for previous chapters 


at No comments:

Saturday, September 7, 2019

Principal Catholic Practices - Chapter 15 - The Way of the Cross

Chapter 15 - The Way of the Cross
Its History. Manner of Observance.
Without a doubt the Way of the Cross is a most acceptable devotion in the eyes of God. It is said that Our Blessed Lady daily visited the scenes of her Son's passion and death. Quite naturally, too, the pious Christians who could do so made pilgrimages to Jerusalem, to visit the places made sacred by the suffering Saviour. The Church could not do otherwise than encourage a devotion so fruitful and wholesome for the souls of men. Accordingly she granted numerous rich indulgences to those who visited the sacred scenes of Christ's passion, and meditated upon the sufferings of the Lord. However, very many Catholics were unable to go to Jerusalem, and when the Franciscan Fathers, in 1686, petitioned the Holy Father, Pope Innocent XI, for permission to erect indulgenced stations of the cross in their churches, the request was granted. Subsequently this privilege was extended to all Christians, so that today there are very few churches or chapels without the stations of the cross. In our churches we gain the same rich indulgences that were granted to the pilgrims who visited the actual scenes of the passion.
Of course, in order to gain the indulgences one must be in the state of sanctifying grace. But even if we should be unfortunate enough to be in mortal sin, this should not deter us from making the stations. On the contrary, there is all the more reason to undertake the pious little pilgrimage. For no man can devoutly meditate on the passion of Our Lord, portrayed as it is so vividly in the stations, and still desire to remain in sin. Indeed, as those scenes of suffering are reenacted before your eyes, the greatness of God's love is forcibly brought home to you. Your sins are no longer looked upon as defects of human nature, but they loom up before you in their true light, examples of monstrous ingratitude and selfishness.
The fourteen stations of the cross represent the following episodes in that original way of the cross:
Christ condemned to death;
the cross is laid upon Him;
His first fall;
He meets His Blessed Mother;
Simon of Cyrene is made to bear the cross;
Christ's face is wiped by Veronica;
His second fall;
He meets the women of Jerusalem;
His third fall;
He is stripped of His garments;
His crucifixion;
His death on the cross;
His body is taken down from the cross; and
is laid in the tomb.
The indulgences are not attached to the pictures, but to the crosses above the pictures. Consequently the pictures are not necessary, but serve to aid the Christian in meditating devoutly. Neither is it necessary to say any particular prayers at the various stations. But there should, if possible, be a separate meditation on every one of the fourteen scenes.
We begin at the first station, try to picture to ourselves the scene it represents and its significance. The lesson that it teaches may apply to ourselves and may reveal to us the malice of some fault. Then we kneel down and say some prayer, for instance, the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory be to the Father, Every prayer-book contains prayers suitable for making the way of the cross. But no certain form of prayer is prescribed.
From the first station we go to the second, meditating again and praying, and thus from station to station until we have completed the entire course. Knowing that very rich indulgences are attached to this devotion, we should previously strive to dispose ourselves properly by an act of perfect contrition and by making the intention to gain all the indulgences.
Thus far we have presumed that the individual is making the way of the cross alone. But during Lent, and sometimes during missions, the priest, accompanied by two or four altar boys, goes from station to station, whilst the faithful remain in their pews. However, they gain the same indulgences, by devoutly following the meditation and prayer of the priest, that they would obtain if each and every one made the stations individually.
Realizing that the sick, the aged, and many others who cannot go to church would be deprived of one of the richest devotions of our religion, the Church, our benevolent mother, has provided also for these. A crucifix blessed for the purpose by a priest having the faculties is indulgenced just as are the stations of the cross. The conditions are that you hold the crucifix in your hand and say the Our Father, and Hail Mary fourteen times, then the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory be to the Father five times, then again once each for the Pope's intention. If one person holds the crucifix, others present may, by fulfilling the same conditions, gain the indulgences. What a boon this indulgenced crucifix is to Catholic prisoners, soldiers, mariners, and invalids!
It is a very salutary practice to say the stations of the cross frequently. No better preparation can be made for holy communion. Indeed, the fact that we know that the Church has enriched this devotion with richer indulgences than any other pious practice, demonstrates that it is considered one of the most beneficial for the soul. If only we could frequently lead the men and women of the world on the journey of our Lord's sorrows, how much better they would be, and how much more happy and peaceful would be this world of ours! We Catholics, at least, ought often to be seen making the stations of the cross. There we are strengthened to withstand the temptations that daily assail us. There, too, we can repair the wrong that hourly is being done to the Sacred Heart of Jesus by the wholesale crimes of a material, unbelieving world.

at No comments:

Friday, September 6, 2019

Principal Catholic Practices - Chapter 14 - The Benediction

Chapter 14 - The Benediction Ineffable
The Blessing of Our Eucharistic Lord of the Tabernacle
To this day the memory of a blessing clings to me as vividly as on the day it was bestowed. I was preparing to leave home to finish my studies at a European university. When the day of leave-taking finally arrived, my father, taking holy water, made the sign of the cross on my forehead. Somehow the dread of a great journey and of the prospects of a long sojourn far away from home seemed to vanish. I felt convinced that the blessing of my father accompanied me and clung to me until I was able to return home as a priest of God.
It is only reasonable to suppose that a blessing properly given and with the right motives is countenanced and approved by God. The blessing of Jacob by his aged father was productive of vast results. But above all, the blessing of priests, who have a special commission to bless and consecrate, will bring the benign benediction of God upon the people and things that they bless. And thus we bring our sacred images, our rosaries and various other articles to the priest to be blessed. In many countries the priests are requested by the faithful to bless their homes, their acres, and their cattle. And not seldom the Catholic priest will journey a great distance to lay his hands upon a sick child.
However, it is of another blessing or benediction that this chapter deals - I mean the Benediction Ineffable, the priceless blessing of Our Eucharistic Lord of the tabernacle. It cannot be possible that Catholics realize the grandeur and value of this benediction, else our churches would be filled to overcrowding at the afternoon and evening services.
It all looks so simple - a few burning candles on the altar, the monstrance containing the Sacred Host on the throne, the priest kneeling in prayer or incensing the Blessed Eucharist, while from the choir loft the solemn and inspiring notes of the O Salutaris and Tantum Ergo rise and fall in rhythmical modulation. And yet, what a glorious privilege it is to kneel there and look pp to the Blessed Host with faith and love supplanting what the eyes cannot see! Can we doubt but that the angels of heaven are hovering about the altar - that they too breathe forth a celestial O Salutaris and Tantum Ergo? Do we not believe that they rejoice in the privilege of being present in our churches and about our altars?
Oh, if we could lift the veil that hides the majesty and magnificence of the glorified Saviour! But no; our eyes would be dazzled, our hearts filled with fear at the sight of the majestic God whom we so often have offended. Fear and trembling would seize us. Our happiness it shall be some day to see this Beatific Vision with eyes that are no longer bound in the flesh. But now, thank God that He has covered His majesty with the veil of the sacramental species. For om* faith tells us that He is there; and we know that we could not see His glory and live. Far better for us that we cannot behold His splendor. For now we can confidently prostrate ourselves before His altar; now we can look up to Him, speak to Him, beseech Him for His guidance, and receive His answers in our heart.
The exquisite hymn of praise, the Tantum Ergo, is finished. The priest arises to chant the Panem de coelo praestitisti eis - "Thou hast given them the Bread from heaven." To which the choir responds: "Omne delectamentum in se habentem" - "Containing in itself every sweetness." Thereupon the priest chants the following oration:
"Let us pray. O God, who in this wonderful sacrament hast left us the memory of Thy passion: Grant us the grace, we beseech Thee, so to venerate the sacred mysteries of Thy body and blood, that we may fully perceive the fruit of Thy redemption, who lives and reigns world without end."
As the last note of the "Amen" dies out, the eyes of the faithful turn expectantly to the altar, where the priest, wearing the benediction veil over the cope, ascends the altar steps and takes down the monstrance from the throne. Covering his hands with the ends of the veil, for not he but Christ is blessing, he raises the monstrance aloft, making with it the sign of the cross. What a beautiful act of faith is here made, as silently and reverently the faithful bow their heads to receive Christ's own blessing. As the light clouds of fragrant incense ascend to our God and King, the angels, too, are spreading before Him the sweet odors brought with them from heaven. Not a friend or father is blessing us, not a priest, but God Himself, from whom all blessings flow.
How fitting that on Sunday, the first day of the week, we should seek the blessing of God! Those of the faithful who forego some pleasure or relaxation in order to attend Benediction - will they not take home with them the sweetness of God's blessing to lighten the burdens of the coming week and to make fruitful their endeavors?
Now I am asked, Is there any obligation to attend Benediction? Absolutely none. The blessing of the Saviour is given us unattended by commandment or precept. It is ours if we want it. But what must be the caliber of that man's religion who goes to church only when commanded under pain of mortal sin? Can our faith in the Real Presence be so weak and so anemic that we must needs be compelled to visit the house of God?
O sinful, material world, where is thy love? Where is thy faith? Where is thy desire for the soul's salvation, that thou canst so stupidly ask if there is an obligation to attend Benediction?
The almighty God in heaven, before whom as Judge you will one day stand as culprit, deigns to shower upon you His personal blessing in order that your trial before His tribunal may be less severe. Take advantage of the glorious privilege. Go as often as possible to church when He is enthroned above the tabernacle and is lifted up to bless you. The memory of that sweet benediction will cling to you throughout the week. It will accompany you to your home and to your work. God will be with you.
at No comments:

Thursday, September 5, 2019

Principal Catholic Practices - Chapter 13 - The Rosary

Chapter 13 - The Thermometer of Christianity
Origin of the Rosary. Its Nature and Beauty.
If you would gauge the quality of any Catholic's religious convictions, inquire about his attitude toward the Rosary. For although there is no obligation to say the Rosary, this wonderful prayer has, in truth, become a thermometer whereby we can know if a man's religion is warm and active, or cold and sluggish. You may be sure that the home in which the Rosary is loved and frequently recited is a home which bears the unmistakable signs of God's benediction. And, conversely, where the Rosary is despised, you will discover unhappiness, religious indifference, and sinful discord.
What, then, is this wonderful prayer that exercises such potent influence in the life of a Christian? Every Catholic knows that the Rosary is made up of our most common prayers. But not every Catholic knows its full beauty and value. Accordingly, we will strive to learn more about the Rosary so that it may be as dear to us as it has been to the saints, as also it was to the beloved devotee of the Mother of God, Pope Pius IX.
Saint Dominic is given credit for its origin. It is said that in olden times the hermits, who could not recite the psalms of the Holy Office, instead said one Our Father and Hail Mary for each psalm. In order to note the number, they made use of little pebbles or other small objects like seeds. One hundred and fifty Our Fathers and Hail Marys were substituted for the one hundred and fifty psalms. Naturally enough, some one, probably Saint Dominic, conceived the idea of stringing the beads on a cord. And thus our Rosary came into existence.
Now Saint Dominic, about the year 1200, was commissioned by the Pope to preach against the heresies of the Albigenses, who had created much havoc in Christian circles in southern France and northern Italy. Meeting with little success, the saint appealed to the Helper of Christians. She commanded him to use the Rosary and to spread the devotion. From that day to the present the Rosary has grown in popularity, so that today every genuine Catholic carries his beads with him, and finds in this prayer a most powerful weapon against sin and a sweet consolation in distress.
Why should the Rosary be so pleasing to God and so beneficial to us? Because it contains the best and most beautiful prayers, and because it is most admirably suited to Christian needs, for in it we have, in reality, a compendium of the Gospel truths.
We begin with the sign of the cross - the cross, so dear to every true Christian, the emblem of our salvation, the Christian's badge, of which it is said, "in this sign thou wilt conquer." After you have kissed the crucifix and blessed yourself with it, you proceed to the profession of faith, the Apostles' Creed, The Rosary is a garland of most beautiful roses which we weave together of our repeated Aves. But the roses must bloom on the tree of faith. If your faith is lost, or if it is weak and anemic, the roses that you try to pluck will be devoid of beauty and fragrance. Roses cannot thrive on withered and worm-eaten branches. And oh, how necessary it is in our days that we frequently renew our profession of faith! In a hundred different ways the arch-fiend approaches us in order to rob us of our birth-right. Let him hear his condemnation: Credo, I believe; my holy Faith above all things on earth. Indeed, a more fitting opening prayer for the Rosary could not be found. After reciting the Glory Be to the Father, the Our Father, and three Hail Marys for an increase of the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity, we come to the body of the Rosary. We are to say one Glory Be to the Father, one Our Father and ten Hail Marys for every decade of the Rosary, meditating the while upon the sublime mysteries of the religion of God. The ordinary beads used by Catholics have five decades. But there are three sets of mysteries upon which we meditate, accordingly as we wish to say the Rosary of the joyful, sorrowful, or glorious mysteries.
Let us begin with the joyful mysteries. While reciting the Hail Marys of the first decade, we meditate upon the mystery called the Annunciation. Our mind takes us back to that humble little home in Nazareth, where the archangel Gabriel found the Virgin Mary in prayer, and announced to her the glad tidings that she was chosen by God to be the mother of the Redeemer. We fancy we see the chaste young maiden as she protests against anything that might violate her vow of chastity. And as the wonderful plans of God are unfolded to her, we see her humbly acquiesce in the will of the Lord.
In the next mystery, the Visitation, we accompany her on the hazardous journey over the mountains to her cousin Elizabeth. Our knowledge of God's ways assures us that the Virgin is protected against the roving bands of brigands that infested the hills. And as she arrives at the house of Zachary and Elizabeth, we see her hasten to meet her cousin and confide to her the glorious news. In turn we note the look of exultation that comes over the countenance of Elizabeth as she realizes that the child which she bears has been sanctified by the presence of the Mother of God with her precious burden. We hear Elizabeth's salutation, "Blessed art thou among women," and the prophetic response, the Magnificat from the lips of the Blessed Virgin.
As we pass on to the third decade, the sweet mystery of the Nativity is thrown on the screen of our heart. How gladly the true Christian welcomes the joyous sounds of Christmas bells! And with what happiness he hurries to church to live over again the happiness and sweetness of this great mystery! Truly the third decade of the Rosary of the Joyful mysteries will be replete with beautiful and wholesome thoughts. In spirit we are carried to the fields of Bethlehem. We watch with the shepherds by their flocks; we, too, see the splendor of the angels and hear their message. And with the humble shepherds we hurry to the grotto to prostrate ourselves before the crib which holds the heavenly Infant.
Our ten Hail Marys finished, we begin another decade and the meditation of the Presentation in the Temple. The scenes of Bethlehem vanish. In their stead we find ourselves in the spacious vestibule of the one-time magnificent temple of Jerusalem. Joseph and Mary have made the journey to comply with the law. Poor though they are, they have brought with them a pair of doves as an offering. Then from somewhere in or about the temple come two old persons - ^the one Anna, a prophetess; the other Simeon, a good and holy man. Tears of joy are streaming down the cheeks of the silver-haired man of God. For the Holy Ghost had promised him that he would see the Redeemer; and now it was made known to him that the happy hour had arrived. Lovingly and gently he takes the Divine Infant in his arms, and inspired by the Holy Ghost, prophesies His future greatness, as also Mary's sorrows.
The fifth decade, the Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple, takes us to a later period in Our Lord's life. He is twelve years old and accompanies His parents to Jerusalem. And alas, when the festivities are over, and the visitors have already covered a considerable part of the journey from Jerusalem to their homes, it is discovered that the child Jesus neither is to be found among the relatives and friends, nor does any one remember to have seen Him among the travelers. What anguish fills the hearts of Mary and Joseph! Can we imagine their feverish haste as they go hither and thither, searching everywhere and not finding Him? Finally, worn and tired, they return to the temple, and behold, there the boy is seated among the doctors and learned men, teaching and explaining the Scriptures. And with the Blessed Virgin we recall again the message of the archangel at the Annunciation: "He shall be the Son of God."
The second series of meditations is called that of the sorrowful mysteries. Quite another set of scenes passes before us. You pray through the Blessed Virgin to Christ in order that you might obtain strength and assistance to travel your way of the cross, and before the vision of your soul there passes another Man of Sorrows, the Blessed Redeemer. You follow Him to Gethsemani, where you witness the Agony in the Garden, which is the first mystery. With the eyes of His omniscience you too see the sufferings that await Him - the cruel scourge, the crown of thorns, and the cross. And, like Him, you know that for thousands, yes, for millions, this suffering will be in vain. Present and future generations will despise the One who called Himself the King of the Jews. Only a small part of the world's inhabitants will rejoice and thank Him for redemption. You now realize the cause of the agony and bloody sweat. But also you are overwhelmed with the proof of His divine love.
You follow Him as He is taken prisoner, and you soon see Him fastened to the pillar to be scourged. This is the second mystery. Robbed of His garments and exposed to the vulgar gaze of drunken soldiers, He is to be crushed under the vicious lash of the scourge. First a few small streams of blood trickle down over His body; but soon that sacred body is covered with blood flowing from numberless gaping wounds. As we pray, this picture is indelibly imprinted upon our soul, to be our strength in the time of temptation.
And as you say the Our Father of the third decade, you are prepared for the scene that is to follow, the third sorrowful mystery, the Crowning with Thorns. What vain and sinful thoughts sometimes occupy the human mind! To atone for these a plaited crown of thorns is placed upon the Saviour's brow, the sharp points piercing His sacred head. As you pass from bead to bead devoutly reciting your Aves, this scene of your crowned Lord grips your heart and lends the greatest devotion to your prayer.
You pass on to the fourth mystery, the Carrying of the Cross. Devoutly you follow in the bloody imprints of His feet. And as you see Him plunge to the earth, borne down by the weight of the cross, you think of your frequent relapses into sin. Oh, if your prayer is fervent, and your meditation devout, will not the recital of the Rosary purify your soul and elevate you above the sordid things in life to the sublimity of the things of God?
You have arrived at Calvary, and you begin the meditation of the fifth of the sorrowful mysteries, the Crucifixion. In spirit you are taken back to the Calvary of old. You see the Blessed Mother standing near, though with eyes averted so as not to see the anguish suffered by her Son, as the iron nails are driven through His hands and feet. Anon you see the cross raised aloft bearing the Holy Redeemer. The tortures of those last hours are vividly pictured in your mind. You hear His final cry and see His head fall upon His breast in death. Never again will you crucify your Lord by your sins.
But the wealth of the Rosary is not yet exhausted. The glorious mysteries offer a most fruitful theme for meditation and prayer. We have beheld the wondrous workings of God's plans in the birth and childhood of Our Lord. We walked with Him to Gethsemani; accompanied Him to the pillar; and followed in His footsteps on the sad journey to Calvary, where we heard His last cry as He died on the cross.
Let us now view His and His Mother's exaltation in the glorious mysteries. Whatever sadness may linger in our hearts from a contemplation of the sorrowful mysteries is at once dispelled by the first glorious mystery, the Resurrection. As we pray our Aves there appears to us the risen Master, even as He appeared to Mary Magdalene and to the apostles. He has vanquished death, and has proven His divinity beyond all doubt. How consoling the thought that if I live according to His precepts, I too shall rise from the grave glorified and exceedingly happy! The thought of that resurrection gives me strength to shoulder the cross and joyfully assume His burdens.
In passing I see the fruitfulness of the great Forty Days after the Resurrection, and the second mystery presents to me the picture of the Ascension. With the apostles I accompany the Blessed Redeemer to the Mount of Olives. I hear His injunction to "teach all nations"; I see Him raise His hands in benediction, whilst He ascends into heaven. My heart is filled with yearning to go Home as He went Home, to the Father, to peace and to rest.
And again the scene is changed. The third mystery, the Descent of the Holy Ghost, recalls the wonderful things that transpired in Jerusalem on the first feast of Pentecost. I see the apostles filled with the fire of the Holy Ghost, as they throw off their cowardice as one would cast aside a cloak, and fearlessly go forth to establish the kingdom of God on earth. What wondrous power is given to those who receive the Holy Ghost.
And now my prayerful meditation leads me to a consideration of the glories that crowned the sorrowful life of my Mother, the Virgin Undefiled. The fourth glorious mystery recalls her Assumption into heaven. I do not see her die; for hers was a peaceful sleep from which she awoke with body and soul in heaven. I picture to myself the welcome she received in the celestial realms from the angels and saints, whose Queen she was. With what tender love her Son received her and led her to the Father and to the Holy Ghost.
Quite naturally I continue my meditations in the fifth glorious mystery, the Coronation of the Blessed Virgin in Heaven. I see her enthroned over the angels and saints. I hear the angelic choirs filling the heavens with marvelous melody, singing the praises of the eternal God and of the Queen of heaven.
And now, dear reader, do you understand why we say that the Rosary is the most beautiful form of prayer? Do you realize the potency of this prayer to cleanse and purify the soul? Then, let the Rosary be your dearest possession. Recite it daily if possible, and you may be assured that its sweet consolation and the many blessings attached to it will amply repay any loss of time. The saintly Pope Pius IX was so greatly devoted to this form of prayer that he once declared that, in the whole of the Vatican, there was no greater treasure than the Rosary. His last words to the Christian world were: "Let the Rosary, this simple, beautiful method of prayer, enriched with many indulgences, be habitually recited of an evening in every household. These are my last words to you; the memorial I leave behind me."
- from The Principal Catholic Practices: A Popular Explanation of the Sacraments and Catholic Devotions by Father George Thomas Schmidt, 1920
(The above article mentions three mysteries as it was written in 1920. The fourth mystery "Luminous Mystery" was added on October 16, 2002, the day marking the beginning of the twenty-fifth year of his pontificate of our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II)

Chapter 1 - The first and most necessary Sacrament

Chapter 2 - Confirmation

Chapter 3 - Confession

Chapter 4 - Attending Mass

Chapter 5  - Eucharist

Chapter 6 - Matrimony

Chapter 7 - Extreme Unction

Chapter 8 - Priesthood

Chapter 9 - Sacramentals

Chapter 10 - Indulgences

Chapter 11 - Remembering the Dead

 Chapter 12 - Our Mother
at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

23-DEC-'24, Monday of the Fourth Week of Advent

Monday of the Fourth Week of Advent Lectionary: 199 Reading 1 Malachi 3:1-4, 23-24 Thus says the Lord GOD: Lo, I am sending my messenger to ...