3/28/2021 Holy Week with Our LadyHoly Week - walking with MaryI thought it is time to write about Holy Week; some of you may not know the order things happened. First of all, of course, we have Palm Sunday. The crowd sees Christ going on a mule through the streets in a procession and they even Hail him as King! Then, a few days later they are crying, "Crucify Him, Crucify Him!" I guess they did not understand the reason Christ really came to us. There would be naysayers or as Dan Lok says "haters". In my own life, I have been abandoned by friends, had people be 'haters' as they were jealous of what I do and keep on doing - hey, making money is a way to hate someone? Really? I don't make much money - but maybe people are just jealous? Anyway, does not matter why the "haters" hate. They are most likely suffering from narcissism. So, how do you define narcissism? Mostly they are self-centered, want attention, make a big scene over things, etc. Read more here: www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/a28690119/what-is-a-narcissist/ Anyway, so back to Holy week - how can we walk this week with Our Lady? Mary our Mother? The Blessed Virgin Mary probably was there or nearby during the Last Supper - I cannot imagine Our Lord not inviting her or at least offering for her to help serve the others coming. Mary has always been kind of in the shadows of Christ when he enters his public life (at least in the Bible). However, Our Lord was making priests during the Last Supper, so I imagine Mary being a type of servant and being there only as a helper. After all, the Last Supper was the First Mass - Christ gave his apostles the power to offer the sacrifice of the Mass; though they may have understood better after His Resurrection. We do not know where Mary was at during the Agony in the Garden. Jesus asked his disciples to watch and wait and they fell asleep! Jesus asked for the cup to pass from Him. However, to do God's will. Perhaps, Our Lady was praying somewhere in her home and this helped Jesus through this time of the Agony in the Garden. I always see Mary as a very prayerful Mother and person in the Gospels. Then, Judas comes and betrays Jesus, then Jesus is brought before Pilot. In the movie, "Passion of Jesus Christ" - Mel Gibson kind of gives a glimpse of what was going on with Our Lady during the time of the Crucifixion. John most likely alerted Mary (or perhaps another person) about Jesus being brought before Pilot. So, this is probably when Mary heard about it, but did not know exactly how to find Jesus. So, now she begins her search of Jesus (again!) Mary may have thought about the time Jesus was lost in the Temple! Now, Mary searches for Christ as an adult. In the meantime, Jesus is scourged and crowned with Thorns. Mary did not find Jesus at these times; but I am sure her heart was already agonizing at this time. Then Jesus was given his Cross to carry. Now, Our Lady meets Jesus pretty quickly on His Way of the Cross. Can you imagine this time? Mary's next sword of Sorrow is thrust into her heart. She sees her son with the Cross, Crown of Thorns, his flesh coming out of his wounds of scourging! Then Mary sees him fall three times as well! Mary follows Jesus to the Golgotha Hill. Then at the Crucifixion, Jesus gives us Mary as our Mother, then he dies. Mary's heart is pierced again. As Jesus is taken down - the "Pieta" - Mary's heart is pierced again. Also, St. Longinus thrusts the sword into Jesus side and His Heart - the water and blood come forth as signifying graces for us. And one more time as they bury Jesus - Mary's last sorrow of burying her son in the tomb. This is our walk with Mary this week. Perhaps, pause and think of Our Lady's final sorrows during this week of Holy Week. Go back and read our fuller article about Our Lady of Sorrows and having a home altar for Mary! We encourage you to keep company with Mary this week and Jesus during this Way of the Cross. May this Holy week bring you joy and peace on Easter Sunday! 3/26/2021 A home altar for Our Lady of SorrowsThe Seven Sorrows Devotion"You can create a simple Altar in your home as you comfort Mother Mary.The main images are always the Virgin of Sorrows and Christ. The surrounding elements represent the suffering felt by the Virgin Mary when she finds out that her son has been condemned to death. The most common elements and their meaning include these: Altar cloths and white flowers: Mary’s purity Purple cloak: pain and penitence Bitter oranges: the Virgin’s sorrow. These oranges are painted gold in order to recall the joy of the resurrection. Fresh chamomile: its colors represent humility (green) and beauty in body and soul (yellow). Sprouting wheat: represents Christ as Eucharistic bread Flavored water: the Virgin’s sweet tears." From Maria Cecila - Catholic Fit Mama Newsletter So, today is Our Lady of Sorrows Feast day - it lands the last Friday of Lent before Good Friday. What are the Seven Sorrows of Mary? They are the following: 1. Simeon's Prophecy. This happened when Mary went to the Temple to present herself to be "purified" (even though she is holiest person alive and did not need this purification) and presented baby Jesus in the Temple as well. Simeon came up after this and made the prophecy; "And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary his mother: Behold this child is set for the fall, and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be contradicted;" [Luke 2:34] 2. Flight into Egypt: This happened after the birth of Jesus and Temple above. Mary and Joseph had been visited by the Three Wise men or Three Kings. So, this passage refers to "they" as being the Three Kings: "And after they were departed, behold an angel of the Lord appeared in sleep to Joseph, saying: Arise, and take the child and his mother, and fly into Egypt: and be there until I shall tell thee. For it will come to pass that Herod will seek the child to destroy him." [Matthew 2:13] 3. Jesus Lost: Mary and Joseph lose Jesus! Can you imagine how they must have felt? "Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom; and when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it ... After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions; and all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers" (Lk 2:41-47). (This passage from this site: http://www.vatican.va/special/rosary/documents/popup/popup05_gau_en.html 4. The Meeting of Mary and Jesus on the Way to Calvary 5. The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus 6. The Piercing of the Side of Jesus, and His Descent from the Cross "Pieta" 7. The Burial of Jesus. So, those are the full seven Sorrows of Mary. You can read more at this site: https://fatima.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/bt020_the_devotion_of_the_seven_sorrows_of_the_blessed_virgin_mary.pdf Let us know if you have anything you would like us to add about this devotion. There is also a bereavement doula course based on the Devotion to Mary of Sorrows. If you want to read more about that go here: http://www.catholicdoula.com/bereavement-updated.html 3/15/2021 A Novena to St. Gabriel (Feast in March)I love novenas, so posting this one to St. Gabriel! Novena in Honor of Saint Gabriel the Archangel. March 15 - 23 . St. Gabriel the Archangel, I venerate thee as the “Angel of the Incarnation,” because God has specially appointed thee to bear the messages concerning the God-Man to Daniel, Zechariah, and the Blessed Virgin Mary. Give me a very tender and devoted love for the Incarnate Word and His Blessed Mother, more like thy own. . I venerate thee also as the “Strength from God”, because thou art the giver of God’s strength, consoler and comforter chosen to strengthen God’s faithful and teach them important truths. I ask for the grace of a special power of the will to strive for holiness of life. Steady my resolutions; renew my courage; comfort and console me in the problems, trials and sufferings of daily living, as thou didst console our Savior in His agony and Mary in her sorrows and Joseph in his trials. I put my confidence in thee. . Saint Gabriel, I ask thee especially for this favor . your request . Through thy earnest love for the Son of God made man and for His Blessed Mother, I beg of thee, intercede for me that my request may be granted, it it be God’s holy will. . Pray for us, Saint Gabriel the Archangel. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen. 3/13/2021 Holy Face and CarmelitesDevotion to Holy Face and Third Orders...Welcome to Little Way of Mary blog. Just in case you do not know the purpose of this blog; Our main intention is to bring to you information that is based in Tradition of the Catholic Church. So, our focus is on the Tridentine Latin Rite of the Mass and devotions that are based in tradition. We may currently post current events as well.
This week's devotion information - The Holy Face of Jesus. This devotion has been around since the time of Christ; since Our Lord wiped his face on the cloth of St. Veronica. Also, the Shroud of Tourin has Jesus' face on it as well. Here's some more info below: Almost one hundred and eighty years ago, Our Lord appeared to a humble cloistered sister of the Carmelite community of Tours, France, Sister Marie St. Peter. This convent was specifically chosen by God to spread devotion to the Holy Face since the Reverend Mother had made a special vow promising God that for a whole year two of the religious in her community would offer their Communions for the special intention that the designs of the Sacred Heart should be accomplished. Through Sr. Marie St. Peter, the world would one day come to know that the designs of the Sacred Heart were to be accomplished through “The Work of Reparation.” Source: https://www.ourladyofgoodsuccess.com/blogs/news/devotion-to-the-holy-face-a-definitive-weapon-to-combat-the-ills-of-modern-society?mc_cid=dff2693736 Sr. Marie St. Peter - A French Carmelite What is meant by “The Work of Reparation”?On August 26, 1843, a terrible storm raged outside of Sr. Marie St. Peter’s monastery. She could not help but think that God was showing His anger for the sins of the world. She asked God if she was imagining this feeling or that in fact, she was feeling His wrath. She began to pray asking for God’s mercy. In her prayer, she offered Our Lord Jesus Christ to the Heavenly Father in expiation for her sins and the needs of the Church -reminding Him of His sacrifice for us. Heaven answered her question in this way. Our Lord spoke to her interiorly: “My Name is everywhere blasphemed! There are even children who blaspheme!” Our Lord said, as well, that only Reparation could disarm the Justice of God because the guilt of men had provoked His anger. Sr. Marie St. Peter writes in her autobiography about the remedy for blasphemy, “The Golden Arrow”: “Our Lord made me visualize the act of blasphemy as a poisoned arrow continually wounding His Divine Heart. After that He revealed to me that He wanted to give me a ‘Golden Arrow’ which would have the power of wounding Him delightfully, and which would also heal those other wounds inflicted by the malice of sinners. The following is the formula of the ‘Golden Arrow’ which is an Act of Praise that our Lord Himself dictated to me, notwithstanding my unworthiness, for the reparation of blasphemy against His Holy Name.” The Golden Arrow Prayer (Prayer to be recited before the Blessed Sacrament or an image of the Holy Face) 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 under the Earth 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. Over the course of several years Our Lord would speak to Sr. Marie and educate her on the many ways He has been offended. Blasphemy was mentioned first, however, the profanation of Sundays and feast days was next on the list. This grieved Him very much! Reparation was therefore needed for all types of the attacks against the Catholic Faith and the Holy Church, since these also constitute a form of blasphemy.” It appears Heaven was asking through this “Work of Reparation” restitution for heretical attacks against the Church which are so numerous and vicious in these times. (Same source as above). Now in our own words: We hope you will pray this prayer against blasphemy everyday if you can remember! Now, I have been looking into Third Orders. There are quite a few of them; but unfortunately most of the ones attached to the Novus Ordo Mass are not going to be any that one could join without comprising your faith. So, I decided to look into third orders of other style - traditional rite related. Also, remember this is my opinion. If you are already a member of a third order that is tied to a Novus Ordo and you are professed already as a member - then I am sure you can still go to a Latin Mass if so desired, etc. However, when one wants to start out in Novus Ordo it would be difficult most likely to be accepted into such a group if you are Traditional. Now, I found out that the Society of St. Pius X has a few third orders. One is their main Third Order that is tied to helping pray for priest of the society, etc. You may read here at this link if you are wanting to learn more: https://sspx.org/en/sspx-third-order-explanation There is also a Third order of St. Francis that is traditional: http://archives.sspx.org/third_orders/tosf/tosf_flyer.pdf Then there is also Dominican - however, I don't find a particular website, but if anyone is interested I can get information to you. There is also a Third Order Traditional Carmelite as well. Right now I am discerning whether to join a Third Order and which one - please say a prayer for your author. Thank you so much. God Bless. |
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