[MaryVitamin] Ark of the Covenant

Mary Vitamin for August 14th   Topic: The Assumption and the Ark of the Covenant   Quote: Pope Pius IX "The Virgin's singular and magnificence triumph, her innocence her exceptional purity and sanctity, her immunity from every stain of sin, and finally her inexpressible richness and greatness in every grace, her virtues, and celestial privileges the holy Fathers contemplated: in the ark of Noah, which built by command of God remained completely secure and intact in the midst of great disaster…" Ineffabilis Deus   Meditation: "Of all the Marian symbols in the Old Testament, certainly the Ark of the Covenant enjoys preeminence. One of the readings used in the revised liturgy of Vatican II for the solemnity of Mary's Assumption body and soul into heaven treats of the Ark of the Covenant. Throughout the centuries, Christian peoples have venerated Mary under the title of Foederis Arca (Ark of the Covenant) in the Litany of Loreto. … In fact, the Ark was the place par excellence of God's presence. The Jews even came to consider the Ark as God Himself (Num 10:35), and God's presence was seen between the cherubim placed above the Ark. But the Ark was only a symbol. Mary, instead, is the reality. In her, God was really present,  so much so as to become her Son. … Finally, in the mystery of Mary's Assumption into heaven, in the splendor of glory, is realized most fully the incorruptibility of the Ark, perennial dwelling place of God." Father Stefano Manelli, FI, All Generations Shall Call Me Blessed, (Academy of the Immaculate: 1989), 59-60.   Resolution: I will try to make one spiritual Communion today thinking about Our Lady as the Ark of the Covenant. I will see her as the fulfillment of the Old Testament image. I will see her traveling to her cousin Elizabeth as the new Ark of the Covenant, carrying within her the Real Presence of Christ. By trying to imitate Our Lady and making a spiritual Communion, she will bring to my soul the image of the Ark of the Covenant, making my soul the fitting receptacle for the presence of God.   Marian Vow: St. Alphonsus di Liguori "After Jesus Christ our Saviour had completed, by His death, the work of redemption, the angels ardently desired to possess Him in their heavenly country; hence they were continually supplicating Him in the words of David: 'Arise…' Come, O Lord, come quickly, now that Thou hast redeemed men; come to Thy kingdom and dwell with us, and bring with Thee the living ark of Thy sanctification, Thy Mother, who was the ark which Thou didst sanctify by dwelling in her womb." Glories Of Mary,(Tan Books: 1977) 389.   I give this resolution to the Blessed Virgin Mary.   Thanks be to God for graces received.   Related sites: Castle of the Immaculate & AirMaria

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SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY # 311

And Jesus answering said to him: "And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven." (Matt. 16:18-19)

PETER IS THE VISIBLE HEAD OF THE CHURCH AND THE VICAR OF CHRIST UPON EARTH: Our Lord built His Church upon the rock of Peter (on the rock which is Peter), giving to it an invincible strength and stability. Thus Peter, according to the will of the Divine Architect, is the immovable foundation of the Church. On him the visible Church, and all its pillars and stones (or to speak without figure, all its members) must, mediately or immediately, rest, and by this support be kept together. Whatever does not rest on this foundation, does not belong to the Church of Christ. We must, therefore, accept the fact that Peter occupies quite a unique position in the Church; that he is its supreme head, and that his office is to keep all other members in the unity of the faith, and that he is, in fact, the supreme authority in the Church. This is to be understood by the power of the keys, which was given to Peter. The giving up to another of the keys of a house is understood by all to be the token of the surrender to that person of supreme authority over the house and its inhabitants. So, when our Lord Jesus gave to St. Peter the power of the keys, He gave him supreme authority over His Church, that is, the authority to teach, to judge, and to make laws. The promise which our Lord on this occasion made to Peter, He fulfilled after His resurrection, when He have him the office of Chief Pastor. By this supreme authority Peter became the visible representative of our Lord Jesus Christ upon earth, and this Primacy of St. Peter must needs continue so long as the Church lasts; in other words, there must be successors of Peter.

[From 'A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture' by Bishop Knecht, D.D.]
(1899 Douay-Rheims Bible)

[MaryVitamin] Our Mother

Mary Vitamin for August 13th   Topic: The "Woman" of the Bible and Our Mother   Quote: "[Mary] is the real, physical Mother of the Messiah; she is the real mystical Mother of the Church, the new people of God. This is the thread, that, without a break in continuity, starts with Genesis and reaches to Revelation, passing through Cana and Calvary." Father Stefano Manelli, FI, All Generations Shall Call Me Blessed, (Academy of the Immaculate: 1989), 356.   Meditation: "On this subject, a passage interesting and rich in insight, accurate as it is delicate, has been written by I. de La Potterie: A very important insight of modern exegesis has brought to light how the mystery of Mary in some way forms a synthesis of all of the preceding revelation about the people of God, about all that which God, through his salvific action, wishes to realize for his people. In Mary are accomplished all of the important aspects of the promises of the Old Testament to the Daughter of Sion, and in her concrete person is anticipated that which will be realized for the new people of God, which is the Church. Now, the history of revelation regarding the theme of the Woman Sion concretized in the person of Mary, and extended to the Church, constitutes a doctrinal bastion, an unshakeable, well-structured ensemble for understanding the history of salvation, from its origins to the last times." Father Stefano Manelli, FI, All Generations Shall Call Me Blessed, (Academy of the Immaculate: 1989), 361.   Resolution: My efforts at imitating Our Lady, at cultivating a habitual relationship with my heavenly Mother (which in the grand scheme of Christianity, specifically when compared to martyrdom, is an easy thing to do.) This simple devotion of Mother/child opens the mysteries of the Old Testament, is a symbol of the church, encourages appreciation of the True God/True Man reality of the Messiah,  sheds light on the profound mystery of the Blessed Trinity and finally provides one with  a greater and more profound desire to worship the Blessed Sacrament, the Son of God who is also the Son of  Mary.   I will try to cultivate a deeper love for my Heavenly Mother, the Queen of Heaven. The more childlike I become in her presence the more the mysteries of heaven and God will be revealed. Today I will repeat "Mother" and realize so much is contained in this one simple word.   Marian Vow: St. Maximilian Kolbe "She is queen also of earth because she is the Mother of God himself, but she both desires and has a right to be freely acknowledged by every heart, be loved as the Queen of every heart, so that through her that heart might become immaculate, similar to her heart and more worthy of union with God, with the love of God, with the Sacred Heart of Jesus." Will to Love, (Marytown Press: 1998), 138.   I give this resolution to the Blessed Virgin Mary.   Thanks be to God for graces received.   Related sites: Castle of the Immaculate & AirMaria

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SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY # 310

And Jesus answering said to him: "And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven." (Matt. 16:18-19)

THE DURATION OF THE CHURCH: "The gates of hell shall not prevail against it." The Church, therefore, can neither be overcome nor destroyed; it will endure till the end of time.

[From 'A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture' by Bishop Knecht, D.D.]
(1899 Douay-Rheims Bible)

MARK MALLETT WRITES:

To The Bastion!

 

 

Be prepared to put your life on the line in order to enlighten the world with the truth of Christ; to respond with love to hatred and disregard for life; to proclaim the hope of the risen Christ in every corner of the earth. —POPE BENEDICT XVI, Message to the Young People of the World, World Youth Day, 2008

First published September 25th, 2007:

 

BASTION: part of a fortification built into a rock or castle which allows defensive fire in several directions.

 

IT BEGINS

These words came to a dear friend of ours during prayer, through a soft voice which spoke to her:

Tell Mark it is time to write about the bastion.

I have spent the past several days soaking in the meaning of this. It is a word which has overwhelmed me and filled me with great joy and anticipation. Accompanying that word were these in my own heart:

It begins.  

Yes, Christ is the Rock upon which we are built—that mighty fortress of salvation. The bastion is its upper room. It is the place where the little ones are now to gather and to pray with intensity. It is the watchtower of prayer, fasting, and waiting—and to do so with commitment, intensity, and all seriousness. For it is coming. The great changes I have spoken about over the course of a year are now here. Those who are entering this upper room, that is, responding to the Gospel call to simplicity, child-like trust, and prayer can hear it: distant drums and an advancing army. 

I wish to shout it to the Church this day:

THE CHANGE OF SEASONS IS AT THE THRESHOLD!

It is time to run to the bastion, to the upper room where Mary awaits you, to pray as she did 2000 years ago with the Apostles for the coming of the Holy Spirit. As Pentecost arrived then with a great wind, so too a great wind will precede this outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The winds of change are already blowing. The winds of war. I hear a soft voice riding aloft the gusts—the voice of a Lady:

Prepare! The Great Battle is here.

Continue reading here: http://www.markmallett.com/blog/?p=513

[MaryVitamin] Rosary of the Seven Glories

Mary Vitamin for August 12th   Topic: The Assumption and the  Rosary of the Seven Glories   Quote: Fr. John A. Hardon  "In the West, the earliest extant testimony is the statement of Gregory of Tours (d.596) that 'The Lord commanded the holy body [of Mary after her death] to be borne on a cloud to Paradise, where, reunited to its soul, and rejoicing with the elect, it enjoys the never-ending happiness of eternity.'" Father John A Hardon, S.J., The Catholic Catechism, (Doubleday: 1975), 154.   Meditation: Fr. Hardon "Summarizing the patristic tradition, we find that four approaches were used, reasoning on dogmatic grounds to Mary's bodily assumption after death. The most fundamental was her freedom from sin. Since the dissolution of the body is a result of sin, and Mary was sinless, she must have been exempt from the common curse, and therefore her body did not corrupt in the grave. Moreover, she was the Mother of God. So that as Christ's body took its existence from her body (Caro Jesus est caro Mariae), she ought to share in his bodily glorification…Some argued from her virginity, that as her body was preserved in spotless chastity, it should not be subject to natural dissolution after death. But the most cogent reason, later on adopted by Pius XII, was the participation by Christ's mother in his redemption of the world. She took a most active part in all that he did on earth and thus deserved, as no one else, to share in the full fruits of the redemption, which consists in the glorification of soul as well as body." Father John A Hardon, S.J., The Catholic Catechism, (Doubleday: 1975), 154-55.   Resolution: The patristic tradition on the Assumption is very similar to the Rosary of the Glories of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Rosary of the Seven Glories, a practice begun and encouraged by the FI, consists of seven mysteries meditated upon while praying one Our Father and seven Hail Marys and one Glory. 1.  Immaculate Conception 2.  Divine Maternity 3.  Perpetual Virginity 4.  Her Universal Co-redemption 5.  Spiritual Maternity (She became the Mother of us all at the foot of the Cross "Woman behold your son.") 6.  Assumption into Heaven both body and soul.  7. Coronation as Queen of the Universe   I will pray this Rosary today to help me prepare for the feast of the Assumption. (Meditations are available at Castle of the Immaculate.)     Marian Vow: "Recommended also is the devotion of the three Marian crowns of the Seven Joys (Thursday), of the Seven Sorrows(Friday) and of the Seven Glories (Saturday). Let the tertiaries become apostles of these Marian crowns, especially the crown of the seven glories which has originated with and been diffused by the FI." Marian Seraphic Pathways, Directory #29.   I give this resolution to the Blessed Virgin Mary.   Thanks be to God for graces received.   Related sites: Castle of the Immaculate & AirMaria

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SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY # 309

And Jesus answering said to him: "And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven." (Matt. 16:18-19)

THE CHURCH OF CHRIST: Our Lord said that He would found a Church (one only), and that this Church could not be overcome. At the same time He elected Peter to be its foundation, and clearly chose the other apostles to be its pillars. Thus the twelve apostles, with Peter as their chief, were the foundation of the Church, upon which and into which all men, like so many stones, had to be built. The Church of Christ is, therefore, visible. She is formed of men, and governed by men, who are armed with the divine power of binding and loosing. The faithful owe obedience to this Church of Christ, and he who refuses to obey her is to be regarded as a heathen, who has no part in the kingdom of heaven.

[From 'A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture' by Bishop Knecht, D.D.]
(1899 Douay-Rheims Bible)

[MaryVitamin] St. Clare and Marianization

Mary Vitamin for August 11th Feast of St. Clare   Topic: St. Clare's following the charism of St. Francis led to her complete Marianization   Quote: St. Clare of Assisi "As the glorious Virgin bore the God-Man within her, so we, if we imitate Mary in her poverty and humility may carry that same Saviour spiritually in our hearts, thus containing in ourselves Him, the Lord who in Himself contains all things." Nesta de Robeck, St. Clare of Assisi, (Franciscan Herald Press: 1980), 108.   Meditation: St. Clare explains her understanding of poverty,   "On one side there is Jesus, lying in the manger in the midst of the utmost poverty and wrapped in miserable clothes. O admirable humility! O stupefying poverty! The King of angels, the Saviour of heaven and earth lies in the manger. In the middle of this mirror you will see holy and humble poverty for love of whom the Saviour consented to suffer so grievously for the redemption of mankind. Then look at the other side which shows that ineffable love which flung the Saviour on to the wood of the cross there to die an infamous death.  Let us put down our mirror on the cross; and we shall understand those words which fall on each of us: 'O all you who pass by this way, stay and see whether there be any sorrow like to Mine.'" From a letter of St. Clare to Blessed Agnes of Prague Nesta de Robeck, St. Clare of Assisi, (Franciscan Herald Press: 1980), 112.   Resolution: St. Francis says the most difficult and important of all poverty is to practice the poverty of one's own will which we see the Lord practice in Bethlehem ("We have no room") and in the Garden of Gethsemane ("Not My Will by Thine be done.")   Today, one time, I will choose something that is not of my will, in order to imitate Our Lady in her poverty and her humility.   Marian Vow: St. Peter Chrysologus, Bishop & Doctor  "Let no man say, 'I have nothing'; since God asks of you, not what you have not, but what you have. For the two brass mites of the widow were received as acceptable to God. Let us be generous to the Creator, that His creation may be generous to us." Volume Four of the Sunday Sermons of the Great Fathers, (Preservation Press),122   I give this resolution to the Blessed Virgin Mary.   Thanks be to God for graces received.   Related sites: Castle of the Immaculate & AirMaria http://www.crossroadsinitiative.com/library_article/182/His_Indescribable_Delights____St._Clare_of_Assisi.html

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SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY # 308

And Jesus came into the quarters of Cesarea Philippi: and he asked his disciples, saying: "Whom do men say that the Son of man is?" But they said: "Some John the Baptist, and other some Elias, and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets." Jesus saith to them: "But whom do you say that I am?" Simon Peter answered and said: "Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God." And Jesus answering said to him: "Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven. And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven." (Matt. 16:13-19)

FAITH IS A GIFT FROM GOD: The natural reason of the people sufficed to make them understand, from His teaching and miracles, that Jesus was a mighty prophet. But, as our Lord expressly said, supernatural light and grace were necessary to enable them to pierce the veil of His human nature, and recognize in this poor Jesus of Nazareth the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. St. Leo the Great writes thus: "By divine inspiration Peter's mind soared above that which his senses could perceive, and with the eyes of his spirit he recognized the Son of the living God, and the glory of His Divinity."

[From 'A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture' by Bishop Knecht, D.D.]
(1899 Douay-Rheims Bible)

SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY # 307

And Jesus came into the quarters of Cesarea Philippi: and he asked his disciples, saying: "Whom do men say that the Son of man is?" But they said: "Some John the Baptist, and other some Elias, and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets." Jesus saith to them: "But whom do you say that I am?" Simon Peter answered and said: "Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God." And Jesus answering said to him: "Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven. And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven." (Matt. 16:13-19)

WITNESSES FOR THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST: 1. Peter testified that Jesus was the Son of the living God. 2. Our Lord accepted and ratified this confession of faith, by calling Himself the Son of the Father who is in heaven, and by calling Peter 'blessed' on account of his faith in His Divinity. 3. Our Lord acted and spoke as God, by giving Peter the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and by promising him a continuous power of binding and loosing--a power which, obviously, only God could give.

[From 'A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture' by Bishop Knecht, D.D.]
(1899 Douay-Rheims Bible)

SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY # 306

And they bring to him one deaf and dumb: and they besought him that he would lay his hand upon him. And taking him from the multitude apart, he put his fingers into his ears: and spitting, he touched his tongue. And looking up to heaven, he groaned and said to him: "Ephpheta," which is, "Be thou opened." And immediately his ears were opened and the string of his tongue was loosed and he spoke right. (Mark 7:32-35)

HEARING AND SPEECH ARE GIFTS OF GOD, and as such should be used rightly. Remember that you have two ears, but only one tongue, doubly enclosed behind lips and teeth! "If any man think himself to be religious, not bridling his tongue, this man's religion is vain" (James 1:26).

[From 'A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture' by Bishop Knecht, D.D.]
(1899 Douay-Rheims Bible)

SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY # 305

And they bring to him one deaf and dumb: and they besought him that he would lay his hand upon him. And taking him from the multitude apart, he put his fingers into his ears: and spitting, he touched his tongue. And looking up to heaven, he groaned and said to him: "Ephpheta," which is, "Be thou opened." And immediately his ears were opened and the string of his tongue was loosed and he spoke right. (Mark 7:32-35)

THE MAN DEAF AND DUMB is a type of the unregenerate. He who is unbaptized is deaf to the supernatural truths of religion and dumb to confess his faith and his own sinfulness. By Baptism the theological virtues of faith, hope and charity are implanted in the soul of man; his spiritual ears are opened to the Divine truth, and his tongue is loosened to confess the faith, and to thank the Redeemer for his benefits. In the rite of Baptism the Church imitates the action of our Lord, the priest (or deacon) touching the child's ears and nose with spittle, while he pronounces the word 'Ephpheta' : 'Be opened!'

[From 'A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture' by Bishop Knecht, D.D.]
(1899 Douay-Rheims Bible)

SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY # 304

And they bring to him one deaf and dumb: and they besought him that he would lay his hand upon him. And taking him from the multitude apart, he put his fingers into his ears: and spitting, he touched his tongue. And looking up to heaven, he groaned and said to him: "Ephpheta," which is, "Be thou opened." And immediately his ears were opened and the string of his tongue was loosed and he spoke right. (Mark 7:32-35)

THE MEANING OF CEREMONIES: In healing the deaf-mute our Lord made use of several signs and ceremonies wherewith to enable the man to understand what was the matter with him, and to whom it was he owed his cure, inducing him thereby to have faith in Him. 1. The gazing up to heaven was meant to show him that God alone could help him. 2. The sigh breathed by Jesus was to make him realize what a miserable condition he was in, and to induce him to sigh to heaven for relief. 3. The touching and anointing of his ears and tongue was intended to show him plainly that he owed his cure to Jesus. In her services and in administering the holy sacraments the Church follows the example of her Divine Lord, and makes use of outward and visible signs, whereby to raise our hearts and minds to the supernatural, and make plain to us the invisible effects of the holy sacraments.

[From 'A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture' by Bishop Knecht, D.D.]
(1899 Douay-Rheims Bible)

America Needs Fatima Exceeds 2,000 Captains Milestone for Rosary Rally on October 11 HANOVER, Penn., Aug. 6 /Christian Newswire/ -- America Needs Fatima along with tens of thousands of Catholic volunteers are preparing to pray the Public Square Rosary for America on October 11, 2008. The goal is three thousand rallies nationwide, almost 1,000 more than last year. America Needs Fatima is promoting rosary rallies in public places to send a clear message to a suffering Nation: human solutions aren't working. We must turn to God by praying the Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, begging for His help and guidance. At the group's campaign headquarters near Topeka, Kansas, coordinator Francis Slobodnik announced that they had reached a milestone of 2,013 Rosary Rally Captains. "Over two thousand people have agreed to organize these rallies. There are rally captains in every state, and in Puerto Rico. People are really excited about it and momentum is snowballing," noted Mr. Slobodnik. "Participants will proclaim their faith publicly, pray for America, and send a clear message to secularists who want to ban God from the public square." "The office is buzzing with activity. Rosary volunteers and staff are busy contacting new rosary captains, answering questions and sending out supplies. Our biggest challenge is to find time to speak with all the people who want to join," Mr. Slobodnik said. "More volunteers just arrived to help handle calls." "More and more people are looking to the Fatima message because men aren't solving the moral crisis in society." Mr. Slobodnik continued. "In other words, prayer, penance and conversion are God's answer to our problems." To join other Rally Captains and help organize a rally in your town, contact the America Needs Fatima headquarters at 866-584-6012 or check out www.anf.org. You can also write to anf@americaneedsfatima.org.

SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY # 303

And behold a woman of Canaan who came out of those coasts, crying out, said to him: "Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David: my daughter is grievously troubled by a devil." Who answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying: "Send her away, for she crieth after us:" And he answering, said: "I was not sent but to the sheep, that are lost of the house of Israel." But she came and adored him, saying: "Lord, help me." Who answering, said: "It is not good to take the bread of the children, and to cast it to the dogs." But she said: "Yea, Lord; for the whelps also eat of the crumbs that fall from the table of their masters." Then Jesus answering, said to her: "O woman, great is thy faith: be it done to thee as thou wilt": and her daughter was cured from that hour. (Matt. 15:22-28)

FAITH AND HUMILITY of the woman of Chanaan. PERSEVERANCE IN PRAYER: This woman did not give way to discouragement, although for a time Jesus would not hearken to her. His sole response to the intercession of His apostles was to say that He was sent only to the Israelites, and His reply to herself sounded very like an absolute refusal. This shows us that we ought never to weary of prayer, even though it seems as if God would not hearken to us.

[From 'A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture' by Bishop Knecht, D.D.]
(1899 Douay-Rheims Bible)

Mark Mallett

—Spiritual Food For Thought—

Changing of Seasons

"My Secret Place", by Yvonne Ward

DEAR brothers and sisters,

Warm greetings in the love and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

For almost three years now, I have been writing on a regular basis the words which I feel the Lord has placed in my heart for you. The journey has been a remarkable one, and has affected me deeply.

I have received a number of requests throughout this time for these writings to be presented in a book form. The spiritual director of these writings has also urged me to do so. His advice is to take the heart of this broad work and present it in a more distilled form. In this way, you will have a more concise picture of what the Lord is trying to convey through so weak a vessel as I. And so, I have begun to write this book and compile the writings accordingly. If God wills it, it will be published.

It so happens that this has converged with the completion of the 10 part series, The Seven Year Trial. That series, in some regards, is a distillation in itself of the past two years, combining the Church Fathers, the teaching of the Catechism, and the Book of Revelation into one. I can tell you that the after-effects of the battle which ensued during their writing still remain. I am tired. But the Lord continues to send me "angels" to strengthen me when I feel I cannot go on any further. My mission is not yet finished; television may also be a part of my missionary work once the book is completed: a documentary summary of the writings… but one step at a time. We are drawing ever closer to the heart of this present Storm, and the Lord will not forsake us by remaining silent (Amos 3:7). To those who seek, they will find. To those who knock, the door will be opened. To those who listen, they will hear.

As in the past, if the Lord gives me a specific word or teaching to pass on to you, I will certainly do so. But most of my focus now will be upon the book—and the changes which He is bringing to my family…

Continue reading here: http://www.markmallett.com/blog/?p=731

IN HONOR OF OUR LADY OF THE SNOWS
TODAY'S FEAST DAY

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SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY # 302

And behold a woman of Canaan who came out of those coasts, crying out, said to him: "Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David: my daughter is grievously troubled by a devil." Who answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying: "Send her away, for she crieth after us:" And he answering, said: "I was not sent but to the sheep, that are lost of the house of Israel." But she came and adored him, saying: "Lord, help me." Who answering, said: "It is not good to take the bread of the children, and to cast it to the dogs." But she said: "Yea, Lord; for the whelps also eat of the crumbs that fall from the table of their masters." Then Jesus answering, said to her: "O woman, great is thy faith: be it done to thee as thou wilt": and her daughter was cured from that hour. (Matt. 15:22-28)

BOTH MIRACLES WERE WROUGHT ON GENTILES: Our Lord wished to show that, provided they would believe, the Gentiles had a share in the kingdom of the Messiah, even if the Israelites, by reason of their election as God's people, had the first claim.

[From 'A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture' by Bishop Knecht, D.D.]
(1899 Douay-Rheims Bible)

SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY # 301

For a woman as soon as she heard of him, whose daughter had an unclean spirit, came in and fell down at his feet. For the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophenician born. And she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter. Who said to her: "Suffer first the children to be filled: for it is not good to take the bread of the children and cast it to the dogs." But she answered and said to him: "Yea, Lord; for the whelps also eat under the table of the crumbs of the children." And He said to her: "For this saying, go thy way. The devil is gone out of thy daughter." And when she was come into her house, she found the girl lying upon the bed and that the devil was gone out.
And again going out of the coasts of Tyre, he came by Sidon to the sea of Galilee, through the midst the of the coasts of Decapolis. And they bring to him one deaf and dumb: and they besought him that he would lay his hand upon him. And taking him from the multitude apart, he put his fingers into his ears: and spitting, he touched his tongue. And looking up to heaven, he groaned and said to him: "Ephpheta," which is, "Be thou opened." And immediately his ears were opened and the string of his tongue was loosed and he spoke right. (Mark 7:25-35)

THE OMNIPOTENCE OF OUR LORD: The first miracle related, i. e. the curing of the woman of Chanaan's daughter, was worked by our Lord at a distance from her who was possessed, and by the sole power of His Almighty will. In the second miracle, the "Ephpheta" and its instantaneous effect remind us of God's great creative words: "Let light be!" and their instantaneous effect: "And light was."

[From 'A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture' by Bishop Knecht, D.D.]
(1899 Douay-Rheims Bible)

Become a Small Part of Marian History

By Mark Miravalle

Thank God for Our Holy Father! Thank God for his Marian witness! Dear Friends in Jesus and Mary, sometimes I think we fail to appreciate the Holy Father whom Jesus has given us right now to guide His Church, and the love this Holy Father has for Jesus' Mother and our Mother. Since Pope Benedict has become the Vicar of Christ on earth, his love for Our Lady has only grown and flourished yet more. This Holy Father has truly followed the stellar example of his Totus Tuus predecessor, Servant of God Pope John Paul II, in his "entirely yours Mary" faith and witness. While in Brazil in May 2007 at the canonization of St. Antônio de Santa'Ana Galvão, Pope Benedict testified to Our Lady's universal mediation of graces by saying, "There is no fruit of grace in the history of salvation that does not have as its necessary instrument the mediation of Our Lady. … Let us give thanks to God the Father, to God the Son, to God the Holy Spirit from whom, through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, we receive all the blessings of heaven …" In his February 11, 2008, World Day of the Sick message, our beloved Holy Father describes the unique co-suffering of Mary with Jesus at Calvary: Associated with the Sacrifice of Christ, Mary, Mater Dolorosa, who at the foot of the Cross suffers with her divine Son, is felt to be especially near by the Christian community, which gathers around its suffering members who bear the signs of the passion of the Lord. Mary suffers with those who are in affliction, with them she hopes, and she is their comfort, supporting them with her maternal help. In his May 24, 2008, prayer to Our Lady of Sheshan for the day of prayer for the Church in China, Benedict XVI summarizes the central mystery of Marian coredemption in a few simple but profound words: When you obediently said "yes" in the house of Nazareth, you allowed God's eternal Son to take flesh in your virginal womb and thus to begin in history the work of our redemption. You willingly and generously cooperated in that work, allowing the sword of pain to pierce your soul, until the supreme hour of the Cross, when you kept watch on Calvary, standing beside your Son, who died that we might live. From that moment, you became, in a new way, the Mother of all those who receive your Son Jesus in faith and choose to follow in his footsteps by taking up his Cross. Mother of hope, in the darkness of Holy Saturday you journeyed with unfailing trust towards the dawn of Easter. Grant that your children may discern at all times, even those that are darkest, the signs of God's loving presence. And now Pope Benedict continues his extraordinary Marian witness in action by journeying to Lourdes this upcoming September in once again directing the attention of the world to the powerful presence of Our Lady and to her ongoing intercession for the human family amidst its sickness, its wounds, its woes. In fact, on September 15, the feast of the Mother of Sorrows, which is in essence the liturgical feast which honors Our Lady's role as Co-redemptrix with Jesus for all humanity, our inspired Holy Father will visit the oratory of the hospital at Lourdes. Later that morning, he will offer Mass at the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary at Lourdes. His quintessential love and witness continues to the spiritual mother of all humanity. What a Christian example of filial love and devotion to the Mother of God he continues to be and calls us to imitate. This feast day and the Holy Father's presence in Lourdes also brings to mind the international Catholic petition to our Holy Father for the solemn papal definition of Our Lady's spiritual motherhood under its three essential aspects as Co-redemptrix, Mediatrix of all graces and Advocate. While this international Catholic petition movement actually began in the 1910s and early 1920s with Cardinal Mercier of Belgium and St. Maximilian Kolbe, in just the past 15 years over 7 million petitions have been sent to the Vatican in humble petition for this fifth dogmatic proclamation in honor of the Mother of Jesus. Most recently on January 1, 2008, five cardinals made world news by requesting every cardinal and bishop in the world to join them in a specific petition to Pope Benedict from numerous brother cardinals and bishops for the infallible papal declaration of the existing Church doctrine that Mary is the spiritual mother of all humanity. My friends in Jesus and Mary, if you believe, like I believe, that a solemn papal declaration of Our Lady's universal spiritual motherhood would constitute the appropriate continuation of our beloved Holy Father's inspired example of Marian love and witness, then I invite you to join me in doing the following: Send the Holy Father a personal letter, from your heart to his, telling him that you would support him if it were his desire to solemnly define Our Lady's motherly roles as Co-redemptrix, Mediatrix and Advocate. He is our spiritual father. Write to him honestly and sincerely, with respect for his office, but in full awareness of his love and openness to each one of us as his spiritual children. Express to the Holy Father your own heartfelt conviction if you believe that now is the time to proclaim this full truth about Our Lady, which will allow her to fully enact these intercessory roles for humanity at our present time, where world crises, natural disasters, and moral challenges appear to be unprecedented. Your personal letter to Pope Benedict can be two lines, "Holy Father, I think now is the time to proclaim the fifth Marian dogma. We love you!", or as long as your heart desires. Just take five minutes, out of gratitude for the Mother who is so good to us, and inspired by the intercession of Our Lady's parents, Sts. Anne and Joachim, to complete this small letter-writing labor of love for Our Mother and Queen. My friends, in speaking for myself, I will be honored to tell my children's children that I had the unique historical privilege of being part of Marian history by sending in my letter to Pope Benedict for the fifth Marian dogma. Even if you were one of those 7 million who sent in a petition to Pope John Paul II, I would encourage you to send a personal letter to Pope Benedict. Each pope will have to follow his own discernment as to the appropriateness of the fifth dogma for Our Lady during his own particular time of leadership for the Church and would appreciate hearing from you, as part of the sensus fidelium, for your input, and most of all your love, support, and obedience for his ultimate discernment. Become a small part of Marian history. Write your own personal letter to Pope Benedict to the following address in support of the fifth Marian dogma, if this is also your conviction and peace of heart. To His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI C/o Rev. Msgr. Gänswein, Private Secretary Private Secretary Apostolic Palace 00120 Vatican City State EUROPE I believe Our Lady will be forever grateful and so will you.

SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY # 300

"As the living Father hath sent me and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, the same also shall live by me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Not as your fathers did eat manna and are dead. He that eateth this bread shall live for ever." These things he said, teaching in the synagogue, in Capharnaum. Many therefore of his disciples, hearing it, said: "This saying is hard; and who can hear it?" But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at this, said to them: "Doth this scandalize you? If then you shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? It is the spirit that quickeneth: the flesh profiteth nothing. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life." (John 6:57-63)

OUR LORD'S PROPHECY: In His discourse on the Blessed Sacrament, our Lord, distinctly and without using any figure, foretold the atoning Sacrifice of His death, telling those present that He would give His Flesh for the life of the world. He foretold with equal clearness His Ascension, when He said that the Son of Man (the Incarnate Son of God who came down from heaven) would (as the Son of Man, and therefore with His human nature) return to where He was before His Incarnation.

[From 'A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture' by Bishop Knecht, D.D.]
(1899 Douay-Rheims Bible)

SKATEBOARDING FRIAR FOR MOTHER MARY

Saturday	August 2, 2008

“...In My coming to you... the greatness of God is reflected...”

Mirjana greets pilgrims as she enters the building before the apparition this morning, August 2, 2008. Our Lady said today, “…In my coming to you, here among you, the greatness of God is reflected…”, but for millions they look to the faces of the visionaries to see the physical reality of that reflection, and it is a great joy to have the opportunity to see or touch the hand of one who has encountered Heavcn.

The preparation in prayer for Mirjana’s August 2, 2008, message began at 12:00 midnight in Medjugorje as pilgrims literally camped outside the gate of the building where Our Lady would appear to Mirjana today.

At about 4:45 a.m. this morning in Medjugorje, after a loud shout, thousands of pilgrims rushed full speed ahead into the building where Our Lady would be appearing this morning. Most of the crowd, which numbered at least 30,000 pilgrims, stood for four hours to be in the presence of Our Lady and in anticipation of Her words to us because of the seriousness of Her messages in these days to Mirjana.

Our Lady appeared to Mirjana around 9:00 a.m. and Our Lady stayed with us approximately 4 -5 minutes.

During the apparition, Mirjana’s head nodded and shook several times during her conversation with Our Lady.

The crowd moving to go to the apparition and leave after the apparition was at a literal standstill, as there were so many longing to be close to Our Lady.

The following is Our Lady's message to Mirjana:

“Dear children; In my coming to you, here among you, the greatness of God is reflected and the way with God to eternal joy is opening. Do not feel weak, alone or abandoned. Along with faith, prayer and love climb to the hill of salvation. May the Mass, the most exalted and most powerful act of your prayer, be the center of your spiritual life. Believe and love, my children. Those whom my Son chose and called will help you in this as well. To you and to them especially, I give my motherly blessing. Thank you.”

Our Lady blessed all those present and all the religious articles brought for blessing.

Our Lady gives hope in Her words today even while the world rushes towards devastation. Join A Friend of Medjugorje in tonight’s Radio WAVE broadcast as he looks deeper into the threats facing our world’s future and brings greater clarity as to why God sent Our Lady for our time. You won’t want to miss it.

This picture was taken just moments before Our Lady came and stood in Her physical presence before the vast crowd who gathered today for Her apparition of August 2, 2008. Some of those who couldn’t fit into the building pressed themselves against the outside windows hoping to catch a glimpse of Mirjana in ecstasy.

Mirjana in ecstasy. We can only imagine, after reading Our Lady’s message today, what it would be like to see the Virgin Mary while She was speaking such words of encouragement to us. In the midst of our own trials, we so often allow ourselves to feel that God is not near. But Our Lady challenges us to believe and to have faith. “…Do not feel weak, alone or abandoned…” What better words can we receive from our Mother to show us that She is near?

There will be a broadcast tonight, Saturday August 2nd here on Radio WAVE. See chart below for your local times, and Click Here to Open the Radio WAVE Player

Your Time Zone	Online Air Time
Eastern Time	8:00 PM - Saturday (August 2)
Central Time	7:00 PM - Saturday
Mountain Time	6:00 PM - Saturday
Pacific Time	5:00 PM - Saturday
Hawaii Time	3:00 PM - Saturday
Brazil Time	10:00 PM - Saturday
Sydney, Australia	12:00 PM - Sunday (August 3)
Seoul	9:00 AM - Sunday
Beijing, Singapore	8:00 AM - Sunday
Calcutta	7:30 AM - Sunday
Baghdad, Moscow	4:00 AM - Sunday
Jerusalem, Athens, Cairo	3:00 AM - Sunday
Warsaw, Paris, Prague, Rome, Berlin, Medjugorje	2:00 AM - Sunday
London, Dublin	1:00 AM - Sunday

Prayer for Nonbelievers Come Mary, Come tomorrow again and again. We will pray with You. Bring back our loved ones Who have left the Church, Those who have left God. We will join You on the second of each month. We will pray for greater graces To be attached to Your intention. We will pray that the dam of love, Of God’s mercy, will break forth, That Your new prayer be released soon. We will pray that it will flow out As a river to all the nations, That as the rivers fill the oceans, Your love of God will fill the earth. We wait. We anticipate that great day, And we call You as You have called us, To add our prayers, fasting, and sacrifices To Mirjana’s in order that You may Obtain all Your wishes for the world. O loving Mother, Thank You for the gift That the world is on the brink of receiving! - A Friend of Medjugorje ©SJP Lic. Caritas of Birmingham

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SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY # 299

The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying: "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"
Then Jesus said to them: "Amen, amen, I say unto you: except you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you shall not have life in you. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath everlasting life: and I will raise him up in the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed: and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me: and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, the same also shall live by me." (John 6:52-58)

THE BLESSED SACRAMENT THE TOUCH-STONE OF FAITH: He who does not believe in the Real Presence of our Lord in the Holy Eucharist, has no part in Him, because he has no firm belief in the Divinity of Christ. The true believer does not ask, as did the Jews: "How can this be?" but believes the words of Christ unconditionally, because he knows that Christ is the Son of God, and that with God all things are possible.

[From 'A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture' by Bishop Knecht, D.D.]
(1899 Douay-Rheims Bible)

Monthly message as given to Anne, a lay apostle.

On the first of every month, Our Lord gives Anne a new message about His call to service.

August 1, 2008

Jesus

 My dear ones, I am with you in your struggles. How can I help you to understand that your struggles are necessary to your holiness? Perhaps you should simply trust Me and view your struggles as evidence that I continue working to perfect your soul. If there were no struggle, My little apostles, there could be no possibility of advancement. This is a time to make great gains in holiness but gains are only possible with effort. I am making every effort toward you. Are you making efforts to move closer to Me? Ask yourself today and each day, 'Where is God asking me to be holier today?' Perhaps it is charity, perhaps patience, possibly trust, maybe you should practice concentrating on your holiness and refrain from examining the work needed in other souls. Oh, My dear apostles, if you could only see how desirable holiness is to heaven. If you could only see how beautiful you are when you are looking up to heaven with an honest desire to become holier. When you become distracted, My heart sighs. And yet I am patient with you. I know that My little ones want to serve Me. I know that My little ones struggle to absorb the truth about holiness. And that is why I am patient. I am patient because you are trying. Continue trying, dear apostles. Walk bravely into holiness. Be fearless in examining your condition. If you do so, I will surround you with love so that you do not become discouraged but emboldened. You will become emboldened to strive for greater and greater heights of holiness and greater and greater heights of humility. How heaven will rejoice as the King's apostles relinquish their ties to the world and attach themselves more fully to heaven's work. Heaven's work will always involve two goals, one, the holiness of the
apostle, two the coming of the Kingdom. My apostles must concern themselves primarily with their holiness and then I, the King, can best see to the coming of God's Kingdom. Be at peace. Rejoice. I am with you and My plan is advancing.

FROM H2O News:

Home of the Mother: an emerging apostolic entity

A short video here:
http://www.h2onews.org/_page_videoview.php?id_news=985&lang=en#

SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY # 298

Then Jesus said to them: "Amen, amen, I say unto you: except you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you shall not have life in you. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath everlasting life: and I will raise him up in the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed: and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me: and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, the same also shall live by me." (John 6:53-58)

THE EFFECTS OF HOLY COMMUNION are rich in blessings. He who receives the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ worthily has, in His own words, everlasting life, and will be raised up by Him at the last day. "He abides in Me, and I in him. He will live in Me!" says our Lord. The Body of Christ is a living bread, which gives us supernatural and everlasting life, and is a pledge to our bodies of a glorious resurrection. Evan after the sacred species have disappeared, a nourishing and vivifying strength is left in our souls, which is none other than the divine strength of the Son of God (Grimm). St. Cyril expounds the interior union which exists between our Lord and him who receives Holy Communion by the following simile: "Even as melted wax unites itself to wax, mingling with it, and becoming one with it, so does he who receives the Body of the Redeemer become one with Him, so completely is he united to Him."

[From 'A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture' by Bishop Knecht, D.D.]
(1899 Douay-Rheims Bible)