Cultivating Our Relationship with the Blessed Mother

Tribulation Times

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: http://www.oneyearbibleonline.com/may.asp?version=63&startmmdd=0101

May 5, 2009    

VIA FATHER CORAPI: Cultivating Our Relationship with the Blessed Mother

As we enter another month of May we can't help but turn our thoughts to Mary, the Mother of the Lord and our dear spiritual Mother. For whatever reason some people have difficulty relating to the Blessed Mother. On the other hand, tens of millions of us love her dearly and can't understand why anyone wouldn't. I have always thought, "If she's good enough for Jesus, She's good enough for you!"

We find ourselves caught in a violent spiritual war today. We need all of the help we can get. One of the greatest aids God has given us is the gift of His own Mother. We are foolhardy indeed if we refuse or fail to avail ourselves of this powerful gift.

Pray the Rosary every day. If we do not do this I'm afraid we'll bear much of the responsibility for the state of the world—which is catastrophic. Can God bless a country that formally and legally embraces such human rights abuses as the genocide of abortion? Can God look fondly on a world that sanctions things such as fetal stem cell research, human cloning, and gay marriage? These things constitute an assault on life itself, yet the average person is apparently too dull witted or morally blind to see this.

At decisive times in human history, when all seemed dark, desperate, and nearly lost, the Church turned to Mary, the Mother of the Lord and our Mother, the Woman Clothed with the Sun. She interceded for poor humanity with her Son and won the day. We are at such crossroads now and this May let's not fail to turn to her in all of our needs. Everything we give to her, all of our prayers, go immediately to Jesus, Who gives them to the Father in the power of the Holy Spirit.

I strongly urge you to totally consecrate yourself to Jesus through Mary, pray the Rosary every day, and have confidence in her maternal intercession. Above all love your Mother, for I promise you—your Mother

MORE ON MARY AND THE MONTH OF MAY

Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J: Devotion of the Blessed Virgin Today

UDayton: May, Mary's Month, Marian Coronation

The Consecration of the Month of May to Mary

Already in the 13th century, the King of Castile, Alfonso X the Wise, had compared the beauty of Mary with the month of May in one of his songs. In the following century, the Dominican Blessed Henry Suso, during the time of flowers, used to weave crowns to offer to the Holy Virgin on the First of May.

In 1549, a Benedictine, Seidl, published a book entitled "The Spiritual Month of May," while St Philip Neri urged young people to show devotion to the Virgin Mary during the month of May, when he gathered children around the altar of the Blessed Virgin to offer her spring flowers.

A few years later, the Jesuits recommended that on the eve of the first of May, families set up an altar to the Blessed Virgin Mary in their homes, decorated with flowers and candles. The idea is that every day of the month, the family would meet to recite some prayers in honor of the Blessed Virgin and then draw lots for a piece of paper indicating the virtue to practice the next day. This Marian devotion is perpetuated throughout the world to this very day. So during this month of May, do not hesitate to act like the children of the middle ages and to offer flowers and prayers to Mary!

MORE FROM "A MOMENT WITH MARY": Where Does the Name "Rosary" Come From?

Ladder of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 15- "On incorruptible purity and chastity"

38. I have seen pride lead to humility. And I remembered him who said: Who hath known the mind of the Lord (Rom 11:34)? The pit and offspring of conceit is a fall; but a fall is often an occasion of humility for those who are willing to use it to their advantage.   

---

Prayer request?  Send an email to: PrayerRequest3@aol.com

This month's archive can be found at: http://www.catholicprophecy.info/news2.html.

SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY #567

And bowing his head, he gave up the ghost. Then the Jews (because it was the parasceve), that the bodies might not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day (for that was a great sabbath day), besought Pilate that their legs might be broken: and that they might be taken away. The soldiers therefore came: and they broke the legs of the first, and of the other that was crucified with him.
But after they were come to Jesus, when they saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. But one of the soldiers with a spear opened his side: and immediately there came out blood and water. (John 19:30-34)

TYPES FULFILLED BY OUR LORD CRUCIFIED:

1. The tree of knowledge of good and evil (Old Testament).

2. Issac, who himself, going up the hill, carried the wood on which his father bound him, to sacrifice him (Old Testament).

3. The paschal lamb (Old Testament).

4. The brazen serpent (Old Testament).

[From 'A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture' by Bishop Knecht, D.D.]

(1899 Douay-Rheims Bible)

“ANGELS & DEMONS” NEEDS DISCLAIMER

Cover of Angels & Demons (Robert Langdon)

Catholic League president Bill Donohue explains why he wants a disclaimer in "Angels & Demons"; it debuts in Rome today and opens in the U.S. on May 15:

"India's Censor Board has asked that a disclaimer be put in 'Angels & Demons' saying the movie is a work of fiction. It has also asked that certain scenes be deleted from the movie. The Board explained its position by saying 'It has its guidelines and its duty, and if it thinks a film, any film, disparages a religious community or hurts religious feelings, it should take action under its code.'

"The Catholic League would like to see the same disclaimer inserted everywhere the movie is shown. The disclaimer is needed because director Ron Howard, drawing on the book by Dan Brown, is playing both sides of the street: he, and Brown, alternate between promoting their work as fact and fiction. Thus, to set the record straight they need to come clean and do for the rest of the world what they have already agreed to do in India—insert a disclaimer indicating its fictional nature. 

"The Catholic League believes that cutting scenes is an infringement on the artistic rights of those associated with the film and therefore does not endorse this approach. But a disclaimer is different: it is nothing more than a va

Cover via Amazon

riant of truth in advertising.

"India is only two percent Christian. If Sony, the film's producer, and Howard have no problem putting in a disclaimer in India, they surely should be prepared to do the same wherever the movie is shown. When Sony released 'The Merchant of Venice' it opened with a disclaimer condemning anti-Semitism. Howard opened 'A Beautiful Mind' with a disclaimer noting how the film contains fictional aspects not found in the book by that name. Catholics, obviously, expect th

Cover via Amazon

e same degree of respect.

"This is where the rubber meets the road: Howard says he is not anti-Catholic. Let's see what he says about my request."

The Fire of My Love "I Am The Good Shepherd" by Rita Ring, January 30, 1994

Image by lara68 via Flickr

I Am The Good Shepherd

January 30, 1994 6:40 a.m.

Jesus: I teach, you listen. I am Jesus, the Son of God. Do you wander a barren desert in search of treasure? Have you found any on your way? Do you ever, on this earth, say, "Oh, now I possess the true treasure and my heart is at rest?"

Restless is your heart until you rest in Me. You search a barren desert, you find a would-be treasure in the field, you possess it for an instant and it is gone. The glow, the wanting, the yearning and then it is over. You seek, you find. You are soon bored. You seek a person, "Oh, this one will make my life happy." You avidly work to attain another's love. You receive, you have, you are bored. "Is that all there is?," you ask. Only the love of Jesus is long lasting. My love is all that is not momentary. You come to Me, you seek Me, you find peace. You know your search is not in vain. You know that your journey has begun to the true treasure. Your heart is ready for what God has to give you and you are not bored. You want more. The more you seek Me, the more you want Me. You crave union with God.

Oh, to know Me a little but not enough, to want to be close, but not be as close as you desire! I am the Good Shepherd. I hold you, I comfort you, I watch you fumble around. You little lambs, I watch you follow even when you do not know where you are going. I watch you on your feeble search for your goal. You wander, you bump into each other, you go to the end of the hill, you roll over. You are little sheep. I stand by your side. I lead you. I am ever present, but you get caught up in your limited vision and you look to those around you for your lead and then you say, "Oh, how did I get so far off course?"

I am the Good Shepherd. I lead. You must follow Me. If you watch the Good Shepherd, you are not lead astray. I love you and I guide you. You watch others and they know no more than you. They are led astray by those sheep around them. Who knows the way, the Shepherd or the sheep?

Keep your eyes on Jesus. Come and find your way in front of the tabernacle. Come and be alone with Me, all day in short periods of silence. Close your eyes at your work and bring your thoughts entirely back to Me. Make a Spiritual Communion.

The sheep that surround you today are very much off their course. They wander aimlessly about and many follow roads that are directly leading to sin. Do not look to your co-workers and your TV. You need Me on your journey each day. Stop often and be in union with Me. If you do not take time to be silent and alone, even at your work, your mind gets cluttered and you may be led astray.

You must be in constant union with Me. To pray to Me is good. You need a deliberate act of silence and time to be absolutely alone with Me. It may be three minutes at work, but those three minutes may save you in such a wayward world.

I am the Good Shepherd. I know Mine and they follow Me. You need My constant care. You need My constant direction. You need constant, uninterrupted periods of silence. At lunchtime you can go somewhere alone for three minutes and feed your soul. Feed your soul as you feed your body. If all you ate were breakfast, you would become crabby. You need this little break with complete silence. It is like eating a snack. It is like eating breakfast, lunch and dinner. Your world is so wayward. Take a few moments of silent time with Me throughout the day. It will keep your focus on Me and give Me a moment to charge you.

I am so loving to you. You need to operate from My love. This is your charge. This is your way. This is to keep you on your course. I am the Good Shepherd. You follow, I lead, not in the morning, then you go it alone all day. I lead all day. Your short periods of silence with Me will keep you on course. Come and be led by the Master. I am He Who loved you to My death. I am He Who does not let you go astray. I am He Whom you seek in this endless search for happiness. I am He Who is, your God, your one, true, love!

http://www.sofc.org/

Zemanta helped me add links & pictures to this email. It can do it for you too.

[MaryVitamin] Month of May

Mary Vitamin for May 4^th

Topic: Month of May

Quote:

"Likewise during the two Marian months of May and October, if we want to imitate Our Lady's true clients, we must not fail to take a part in the special veneration that the Church then pays to the heavenly Mother."

Father Stefano Manelli, FI, Devotion to Our Lady, (Academy of the

Image by Lawrence OP via Flickr

Immaculate), 158.

Meditation:

"St. Maximilian wrote a letter to his brother for the purpose of reminding him of the month of May, and he sent him a booklet that would be useful for every day of that Marian month. The letter was calculated to inspire him with great hopes of gaining very worthy fruits.

If people are faithful in their observance of these two months, they can obtain even extraordinary graces from Our Lady, both for themselves and for others. And most importantly spiritual favors of enlightenment, or renewed strength and devotion, of interior growth, of heavenly consolations, that only the Mother of God knows how to give --- these would not then be lacking."

Father Stefano Manelli, FI, Devotion to Our Lady, (Academy of the Immaculate), 159-60.

Resolution:

It's time to take advantage of the graces available to me during the Month of May. I will make one small effort to do something Marian for this month, every day. Even if it is something as small as keeping a vase with one flower in front of my image of the Blessed Virgin or one extra Hail Mary a day.

(Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy --chapter five on Veneration of the Mother of Our Lord)

Marian Vow:

"One May St. Pio of Pietrelcina wrote his spiritual father, Now at last the month of our beautiful Mother has returned! This dear Mother continues to give me her fond, motherly attention, especially during this month."

Father Stefano Manelli, FI, Devotion to Our Lady, (Academy of the Immaculate), 159.

 
I give this resolution to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Thanks be to God for graces received.

Related sites: Castle of the Immaculate & AirMaria

More suggestions for the Month of May

__._,_.___

Visit Your Group 

__,_._,___

Blessings+
Deacon John

Sent from Mt Dora, Florida, United States

it for you too.

 

SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY #566

Afterwards, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, said: "I thirst." Now there was a vessel set there, full of vinegar. And they, putting a sponge full of vinegar about hyssop, put it to his mouth. Jesus therefore, when he had taken the vinegar, said: "It is consummated." And bowing his head, he gave up the ghost. (John 19:28-30)

PROPHECIES FULFILLED BY THE DEATH OF JESUS ON THE CROSS:
1.  That of David (Ps. 21:17, 19): "They have dug My Hands and My Feet. . . . They parted My garments amongst them, and upon My vesture they cast lots."
2.  That of Isaiah (Is. 53:7): "He was offered because it was His own will, and He opened not His mouth. He shall be led as a sheep to the slaughter, and shall be as dumb as a lamb before his shearer." 
3.  That of our Lord Himself (Matt. 20:19): "They (the Gentiles) shall crucify Him."

[From 'A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture' by Bishop Knecht, D.D.]

(1899 Douay-Rheims Bible)

"I Am with You, My Child"

Written by "Anne, a Lay Apostle"

The messages from "Anne, a Lay Apostle," from the international spiritual movement "Lay Apostles of Jesus Christ the Returning King" have been released for international distribution with the permission of Bishop Leo O'Reilly of the Diocese of Kilmore, Ireland, the diocese in which Anne and the international headquarters of the Lay apostolate reside. They have also been submitted by Bishop O'Reilly to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in Rome. The following message comes from Volume II, entitled Conversations with the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus. I strongly encourage our readers to download these messages and, if possible, read them prayerfully before the Blessed Sacrament in the presence of our Eucharistic Jesus. —Ed. Image by Lawrence OP via Flickr August 28, 2003 Jesus My children, I am with you. You have heard Me say that many times before. Perhaps I have said it so often that you do not really hear it. Today, I want you to both hear these words, and understand them. I am with you. Does that mean I watch you from heaven, hoping all goes well with you? Does it mean I gaze out over My whole world, seeing only the large events? No. I am with you. I am with YOU, My child. That means I see the world from your eyes. I walk your walks and I experience what you experience. I am there when you are hurt. I feel the sting of human unkindness when you experience it. I feel the weakness and pain in your body when you are sick. My compassionate gaze, so filled with love and understanding, rests upon you every minute of every day. I forgive you any sins even before these sins are committed. But you must admit to your sins and ask forgiveness. My child, do not think you have been abandoned. I say with divine solemnity, I am with you. So, begin to focus on the fact that every minute of every day, your Jesus is present. Talk to Me, dear child. I have so much to tell you. I have the answers for your difficulties. I have explanations for things you do not understand. I have love for people that you do not feel. So if you focus on the reality of My presence, you will begin to rely on Me. My child, then the transition can begin. Once you begin to rely on Me, your life will get easier and less stressful. You will walk away from even the most difficult situations and leave them behind, instead of carrying that worry with you into the next area of your life. You will find this to be so liberating that quite quickly it will become your habit. And then, child, it will be Me working through you. And when that goal is reached, there is no limit to what you can do. Again I say to you today, you must practice for something to become a habit. So today, concentrate on My continual presence. Ask Me what I would like you to do. Ask Me what words I would like you to use. Then listen to My answer. My Spirit will speak to you and you will hear the words, resting upon your soul. In this way, We can communicate all day long. Have faith. I give you faith today, as you take these first steps to unity with Me. There is no situation where you should leave Me. Even in the most difficult of circumstances, call upon Me. Even in sinful conditions, or should I say especially in sinful conditions, cry out to Me. I am there anyway, My child. You cannot hide your sin by ignoring Me and hoping I have gone away. So speak to Me. Say, "Lord, help me." You will not be disappointed. I will help you. I bring you these words today so that you may understand that I am with you. I will never leave you. I await your notice and stand by, ready to assure you that you are cherished by Me and that I did not put you on earth to do work that was too hard for you. If your life is too hard, My little soul, it is because you are trying to accomplish it alone. You need Me. And I am here for you. So let us waste no more time. Jesus, your Jesus, is asking for your attention. Once I have your attention, We can proceed. You will never regret having returned to Me. Do not hesitate. Come and sit before Me in the tabernacle and We will begin. For further information regarding the Lay Apostolate of Jesus Christ the Returning King, or to purchase Heaven Speaks booklets, please contact Direction for Our Times on the Web at www.directionforourtimes.com, or mail inquiries to the following address: 9000 West 81st St., Justice, IL 60458, U.S.A.

Image via Wikipedia

Peru: Popular devotion gathers 100,000 pilgrims in Arequipa

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

There was no warning, recommendation or threat able to prevent thousands of pilgrims from arriving to the Chapi Sanctuary, like they do every year, to meet the promises they had made to their Patroness, the Virgin Mary of Chapi.

Pilgrims come from all over the country –some of them get there on foot-- and even from abroad, and meet here to visit their beloved Patroness, either requesting for a favour or expressing their thankfulness for the help already received from her.

This devotion started in 1790 and today the faithful pilgrims take around 15 hours to walk 45 km through the night, leaning on rustic walking staffs to reach the desertic spot located at 2,420 meters above sea level, about 60km from Arequipa City.

Local authorities expected less pilgrims this year, due to the fears of the so-called swine flu, but in fact 100,000 people gathered at the sanctuary, a lot more more than last year.

SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY #565

Now there stood by the cross of Jesus, his mother and his mother's sister, Mary of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalen. (John 19:25)

THE CROSS THE SIGN OF REDEMPTION: It stands upon the earth and raises itself towards heaven, to signify that our Lord, when lifted up and hanging on the Cross, between heaven and earth, purified this sinful earth and reconciled it to heaven. The four arms of the Cross signify the universality of Redemption, all men being saved by Christ crucified. They are symbols of the four parts of the world, pointing, when the Cross is laid down, to the north and south and east and west, and signifying that all men, all over the face of the globe, have a share in the fruits of the Redemption. In the Cross alone is salvation, and from it flow all graces and blessings. Thus it is that in all her benedictions the Church makes use of the sign of the Cross; and whenever a Catholic makes the sign of the Cross, he confesses his faith in the crucified Son of God.

[From 'A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture' by Bishop Knecht, D.D.]

(1899 Douay-Rheims Bible)

The Fire of My Love "Let Go, Surrender to Me" by Rita Ring, January 30, 1994

Image via Wikipedia

Let Go, Surrender to Me

January 30, 1994 6:40 a.m.

Jesus: I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. I am with you constantly. If you have problems, I am by your side. Cling to Me and My Sacred Heart. Are you willing to go to the end of the limb and run the risk of its cracking off because you know I will catch you? This is trust. You cannot think and plan and wonder what is to come. You live minute by minute, assured that this is My plan for you. Trust that I am truly Jesus Christ. I am truly by your side and you truly need to stay constantly fixed in Me.

Your time is coming and it will appear as if you are truly suspended in midair. Your life is not yours. You have rendered yourself to Me. You cannot take back your life now. I will use you for this work and you will touch so many hearts! For the love of Jesus, your job will not be hard. Say, "For the love of Jesus, I do this. I do this for the love of Jesus. I love Jesus. I act for Him."

Say the Prayer for Union. Memorize its contents. This keeps you focused on Me and not yourself. You can no longer operate and think of your actions. You must totally trust in Me and all I send you. Let go. Do not focus on yourself for one moment. You need so much time in silence in front of the tabernacle. You need to sit quietly and be totally alone with Me. No distractions.

Satan is planting distractions in your mind. I am your true love. I am your focus. You operate from love of Me. Any focus on yourself and what you think you want or need is detrimental to the peace in your heart. Your soul craves this time with Me. If you do not spend it, your unrest is so great. You are taunted by Satan. You must surrender all of you and give yourself over to this work. Let Me carry you to heights by becoming selfless. I will carry, you will go. You will not think. I will teach through you. I will operate your mouth. You will speak of My love. You must engulf yourself in Me so you are steadfast in My ardent love.

Your love is steadfast and true. Focus on Me and My Passion. I am ever there helping you to pray in silence. You are too distracted. Only prayer alone with Me will quiet your little heart.

http://www.sofc.org/

Zemanta helped me add links & pictures to this email. It can do it for you too.

Our Lady Queen of Peace of Medjugorje’s May 2, 2009 Message
To Mirjana Soldo on the Day for Unbelievers

Saturday	May 2, 2009

Our Lady Says,
“You are permitting (sin) to master you
and take away your power of discernment...”

Pilgrims began gathering before 5:00 a.m. at the Blue Cross for this apparition on the 2nd of the month. Rosaries were prayed continuously throughout the morning. Several thousand people gathered, surrounding the entire area on the base of Apparition Mountain near the Blue Cross. Mirjana arrived some minutes before the apparition and prayed with a very serious look on her face in preparation. This seriousness continued throughout the apparition. Our Lady came at 8:52 a.m. and stayed for about 3 minutes. The following is an account of the apparition:

Our Lady was very sad. She only gave a message and blessed us.

“Dear children! Already for a long time I am giving you my Motherly heart and offering my Son to you. You are rejecting me. You are permitting sin to overcome you more and more. You are permitting it to master you and to take away your power of discernment. My poor children, look around you and look at the signs of the times. Do you think that you can do without God’s blessing? Do not permit darkness to envelop you. From the depth of your heart cry out for my Son. His Name disperses even the greatest darkness. I will be with you, you just call me: ‘Here we are Mother, lead us.’ Thank you.”

Scary…very scary. Scary when it is the Mother’s children who offer so little resistance to sin in society as to be lethargic, poor in discernment, or with no discernment. It is as what is described in Romans at the end of chapter one: the people tolerated sin. The attitude of a Christian, that “I have my belief system and that is the way I believe,” while respecting with equal weight for another to believe their way, with a “live and let live” mentality, is a deep error for the Christian. Do not mistake what is written as a violation of another’s free will. God Himself has granted free will and everyone has freedom from God to think and believe what they want and even hate God, or hate Christians and Christian principles in society. They, however, do not have a right to prevail in instituting those ideals, ways or thoughts upon others. Why? Christian principles, both in the heart and in our laws, are mandates of truth and not submission to untruth. The simple rejection of truth by man’s free will and his puny laws does not invalidate truth. Truth is always right. Untruth is always wrong. When untruth is made law, man has a right to revolt against it or the systems that make and allow such laws.

The loss of the power of discernment is what is causing the prevailing devastation of society itself. A rejection of God and His law is a rejection of the very things which hold society together and the blessings which ensue, that build a flourishing, happy culture. Instead, a culture of death is prevailing all the while, because Christians have allowed and given the power to kill Christian society to those who despise God and His Commandments. Truth and untruth will not live in equality. One will prevail over the other through law, customs, etc. Christians want to be so tolerant that they accept pagan, evil ways. They say, “It is how they believe even though I don’t believe what they do is right.”  Where is your indignation, O Christian?  Our Lady said today:

“…You are permitting sin to overcome you more and more…”

When we allow sin to prevail in our law and do not reject this by whatever means necessary, we must to reject evil laws, then we allow God to be rejected, which breeds an environment in culture which metamorphoses into a building up of sin that boomerangs back upon our children, our own lives, and any and all holiness in society. We are face to face with new hate laws which will allow laws against natural law. Cicero, a Roman political writer who lived before Christ, was very highly regarded by the American Founding Fathers, and they adopted his philosophies in forming the new republic.

“To Cicero, the building of a society on principles of Natural Law was nothing more nor less than recognizing and identifying the rules of “right conduct” with the laws of the Supreme Creator of the universe…Cicero’s compelling honesty led him to conclude that once the reality of the Creator is clearly identified in the mind, the only intelligent approach to government, justice, and human relations is in terms of the laws which the Supreme Creator has already established. The Creator’s order of things is called Natural Law.”¹

Because of this firm belief, Cicero warned against legislators who passed laws that violated the “laws of Nature and of Nature’s God.”²

“But the most foolish notion of all is the belief that everything is just which is found in the customs or laws of nations…What of the many deadly, the many pestilential statutes which nations put in force? These no more deserve to be called laws than the rules a band of robbers might pass in their assembly. For if ignorant and unskillful men have prescribed deadly poisons instead of healing drugs, these cannot possibly be called physician’s prescriptions; neither in a nation can a statute of any sort be called a law, even though the nation, in spite of being a ruinous regulation has accepted it.” ³

A bill called the Hate Crime Bill made it through the U.S. House on Wednesday, April 29, 2009. Where’s the uproar? Where’s the discernment? Our Lady says what happened to it:

“…You are permitting sin to overcome you more and more. You are permitting it to master you and to take away your power of discernment. My poor children, look around you and look at the signs of the times. Do you think that you can do without God’s blessing? Do not permit darkness to envelop you…”

            The Hate Crime Bill’s real name is the Queer Protection Law. Yes, you read right, and you are surprised or shocked to see the use of the word Queer and judge it as being insensitive? You have lost the power of discernment. You are not shocked by the passage of this law, but your thoughts and words are that this statement is slighting or hurtful. Recently, having dinner in Medjugorje with friends from England, we were discussing this particular sin. They said if you said that in England, you would be arrested for hate crimes! Miss California, who was one step away from being named Miss USA and was a shoe-in to be the winner, was asked a question about marriage, and she simply relayed she supports traditional marriage. She knew she would lose the coveted title of Miss USA because of her answer, and she did. The next day in England, it was reported that a public entertainer called for her murder! He was not arrested. Hate crimes are not intended to protect truth. Hate crimes are intended to protect the rejection of God and truth. Hate crimes force you to accept 30 different gender orientations of which you cannot condemn or insist that your children not be taught these things in the classroom or on television. Hate crime legislation forbids you to resist regulatory rules protecting the sin and its acceptance as normal in the work place.

In the book , The Five Thousand Year Leap, by W. Cleon Skousen, the author traces the influences that formed the minds of the Founders of the United States in structuring the new nation. The “Common or People’s Law,” as opposed to the “Ruler’s Law,” which was identified primarily with a tyrannical monarchy, was most in line with their thinking, and in Thomas Jefferson’s view the American Revolution reclaimed the “birthright” of People’s Lawthat the colonists “had been deprived by a ‘long trend of abuses.’”⁴ The following describes one of the fundamental characteristics of “People’s Law” that the Founders held to.

“There were only four “crimes” or offenses against the whole people. These were treason, by betraying their own people; cowardice, by refusing to fight or failing to fight courageously; desertion; and abominable lifestyles. These were considered capital offenses. ”⁵

This was the truth that all civilized societies accepted, and they knew the death of society would be brought about if this sin was tolerated. It says much that even one of the most vile dictators known to man, Adolph Hitler, found this lifestyle disgusting.  If someone so insidious, who believed in what he believed , yet had in him this disgust, what does this say? How then, have we been led to tolerate it?⁶ It is the want, acceptance and/or tolerance for off-color and ungodly entertainment, music, materialism, and living with a lot of other poisons of the soul that has created a weakness in Our Lady’s children who have lost the power of discernment. Where has the loss of discernment led us? The Blood of Jesus quickly rose up and flowed through His veins at an accelerated rate when He picked up a whip and hit people and animals, driving them out with it. Why hasn’t our blood risen up as Jesus’? Yet we call ourselves a Eucharistic people?  Where is the Blood of Jesus rising up in acceleration in our veins? We have rejected God and accepted, through tolerating evil, degradating and disgusting ways. We have graduated from the college of wimps, several decades of attending this school, too civil to stop abortion, and now we are finding ourselves in forced advanced graduate studies to accept the final death of culture itself, the acceptance of Queerism. Make no mistake – no culture, no nation in history ever, ever survived when the high fever of culture’s temperature topped out at this degree of acceptance. But it is not the abominable who are to blame. We are to blame. It is our mediocrity, our lack of holiness which has little or no indignation over what is happening. Oh yes, many say they do not like it. They are opposed to these things, but are not so opposed as to throw out their TV, their entertainment, and their own sins that now give birth to abomination flourishing in society and the world.

            Four men, two who were NFL players, three months ago went fishing. A storm came up. The boat flipped and one by one they gave up and drowned. Only one, just one out of the four, held on and survived. He was rescued a few days later. He held onto the boat motor. The others could have done the same and would be with their families today. That calculates out to 75% of the four men were lost. That is 750 people out of a 1,000. By what Our Lady says, is there even one in four Christians who are not overcome by the storms of sin hitting society, their families, their being, who do not, throughout their day, give in, “permitting sin to overcome you more and more…permitting it to master you and to take away your power of discernment…”?   Therefore, sin surrounds you, lowering your sensitivity to sin in yourselves and your culture, all the while raising sensitivity that others have a right to impose ways into society that will destroy the culture. It is Our Lady, not Congress; it is your Mother, not San Francisco, who says what is light and what is darkness; what is right and what is wrong. When do we acknowledge this? When they are at Lot’s door? That is the next step coming…But that will be too late. When do we say no more, the game is over? It is She who says to you today:

“…Do not permit darkness to envelop you…”

This is happening. We have allowed it. We are letting go of the boat in the middle of the storm when we are guaranteed rescue. While in the rage that is against you, “From the depth of your heart cry out for ‘Our Lady’s Son…” and recognize “… His Name disperses even the greatest darkness…” She will be “with you,” “just call” Her and say, “…Here we are Mother, lead us…” She will rescue you, your family, your nation, and the world.

No one, no one should miss the opportunity, July 1-5, 2009, to come to the Bedroom and to the Field of Apparitions and say these words, crying out:

“Here we are Mother, lead us.”

No one, no one should be hesitant with their effort, time or their money to spread the opportunity, telling people to come July 1-5, 2009, for five days to hold onto the boat motor, pleading for Our Lady’s rescue.

This is a seize the moment!

We have the power – the power to change everything is in Our Lady’s hands. Everyone should be encouraged, all your family, parish, and friends, to come and put themselves in Her hands.   We will talk more tonight on Radio Wave. Listen in!

                                                                                                            With Love for Our Lady and Peace,
                                                                                                            A Friend of Medjugorje

Endnotes:
1 The Five Thousand Year Leap; 28 Great Ideas that Changed the World, W. Cleon Skousen, American Documents, p. 13
2. Taken from the Declaration of Independence
3.The Five Thousand Year Leap; 28 Great Ideas that Changed the World, W. Cleon Skousen, American Documents, p. 38
4. Ibid., p. 13
5. Ibid., p. 14
6. Inside the Third Reich, Memoirs, Albert Speer, Macmillan Company, 1970
Medjugorje Headline

P.S.  You may be wondering what you can do. Below is something that you can do right now. You can put up a 10’ x 22’ billboards of Our Lady in your home town for only $100.00

 

 

Take action. Do something that will dispel darkness. The people will come. Call 205-672-2000 extension 399 to sponsor one or several billboards in your area or around the country. We will get back to you even today. You can also click here to be contacted with information about sponsoring a billboard in your area.

 

Several thousand pilgrims gathered around the Blue Cross at the base of Apparition Hill to be present for Mirjana’s apparition today, May 2, 2009. The Caritas pilgrimage group left their pansion at 4:15 a.m. and walked through the silent and sleeping village to be among the early arrivals so to spend several hours in prayer before Our Lady’s arrival and in hopes of finding a location that would give them a close view of Mirjana’s face during the apparition. This June will mark the 28th anniversary of Our Lady’s apparitions, and we can see how thousands still come to receive Our Lady’s blessing. If only the world would follow…   Following is a sequence of pictures that show Mirjana before and during today’s apparition of May 2, 2009. At 3:50 a.m. CST, members of the Caritas Community in Alabama were awoken by a phone call from their community brother in Medjugorje, alerting them that the message had been received. On the phone, he only said, “It’s a very serious message.” The founder of Caritas, A Friend of Medjugorje, was immediately alerted who was already in prayer in anticipation of writing what the words of Our Lady inspired in his heart. Our Lady said on June 25, 1993:   “…these times are particular and therefore I am with you to love and protect you, to protect your hearts from satan…” She spoke those words 16 years ago, or as She said today, “Already for a long time…” What must it be like for Mirjana to stare into the beautiful, ageless face of the Virgin Mary, always so full of love, mercy, tenderness and compassion as much as for sinners as for the saints, and hear Her say the words “…You are rejecting me…”? It is difficult enough to read those words from a piece of paper, or on a computer screen, but to hear them from the very lips of Our Lady must be devastating. It makes one think, perhaps it is better not to be a visionary, after all. Mirjana, just after arriving at the Blue Cross today, May 2, 2009, enters into prayer. Her countenance was serious from the start. Did she perhaps have a sense of what Our Lady would speak today? Though surrounded on every side by thousands of people, nothing distracts Mirjana. She knows that in just a moment’s time she will be enraptured by the presence of Our Lady. As the visionaries often testify, once you see Our Lady, what else on Earth could possibly interest you? On March 18, 1996, Our Lady honored Mirjana with the title “my servant.” Mirjana is one of the six visionaries chosen to witness untiringly to the apparitions, and to pray unceasingly, in her case, for the conversion of nonbelievers. She has the knowledge of all ten Secrets. She knows that when the world rejects Our Lady, what then awaits the world. But even with that unimaginable burden, she never fails to inspire hope, joy, confidence and the desire for conversion in the pilgrims who come to hear her witness. One close friend of the community who lives in Medjugorje, commented today after being at Mirjana’s apparition, that in the 16 years that he has witnessed Mirjana before and during ecstasy, never has he seen her face so serious. Mirjana’s tear-washed face reflects, as a mirror, the beauty and pain of our Mother’s face who desperately is imploring “My poor children” to understand the “signs of the times” and reject the dark path the world is traveling down. May we, who claim to be Our Lady’s children , unceasingly pray the words She gave us today, “Here we are Mother, lead us,” on behalf of our “peaceless” world. Pray, be active, come in July and be in Our Lady’s presence.

 

With A Friend of Medjugorje

Tonight, Saturday May 2, 2009

A Radio WAVE^TM broadcast regarding Our Lady of Medjugorje's Second of the Month message, with A Friend of Medjugorje tonight, Saturday, May 2, at 7:00 PM Central USA, here on mej.com. See chart below for your local time. Please be in prayer.

Click Here to Open the Radio WAVE Player to Listen to Tonight’s Live Show

Radio WAVE^TM Show, Saturday, May 2, 2009

Your Time Zone	Online Air Time
Eastern Time	8:00 PM - Saturday (May 2)
Central Time	7:00 PM - Saturday
Mountain Time	6:00 PM - Saturday
Pacific Time	5:00 PM - Saturday
Alaska Time	4:00 PM - Saturday
Hawaii Time	3:00 PM - Saturday
Brazil Time	10:00 PM - Saturday
Sydney, Australia	12:00 PM - Sunday (May 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

To Make Your Comment Click Here

---

Encourage all you know to sign up for MejList FREE in order to be kept updated on the latest and crucial information on Medjugorje.

If you feel our efforts are worthy of your support, please consider making a tax-deductible gift to help us continue. Click Here.

©SJP Lic. mej.com/Caritas • This may be reproduced and redistributed provided that the content is copied in its entirety, including graphics, pictures, captions, etc. and credit given to mej.com and Caritas of Birmingham. Also, permission is granted to quote from blogs, news sources, or other websites as long as it is referenced to mej.com/Caritas of Birmingham.

 

SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY #564

And bearing his own cross, he went forth to the place which is called Calvary, but in Hebrew Golgotha. (John 19:17)

THE REASON WHY OUR LORD CHOSE THE DEATH OF THE CROSS: 

1.  Because He thereby offered the most complete satisfaction for our sins. Man had offended God by a disobedience which sprang from pride, when he desired to "be like unto God." The Divine Redeemer atoned for this pride by choosing the most painful and ignominious of deaths. Under the Old Law, the body of an executed criminal was hung upon a cross as a token that such a man was cursed of God and rejected by the people; and yet Jesus suffered Himself to be hung on the Cross when alive! For this reason St. Paul writes thus (Gal. 3:13): "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law (i. e. from sin), being made a curse for us: for it is written (Deut. 21:23): 'Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree'." By thus dying on the Cross, our Divine Savior abased Himself as far as He could, so as to offer satisfaction for our pride. In like manner He atoned for our disobedience, for He became "obedient unto death, even to the death of the Cross" (Phil. 2:8). 

2. Our Lord chose to die on the Cross to show His unbounded love for us in a way which we could not mistake, and to move our hearts to love Him in return. When on the Cross, our Blessed Lord suffered the severest torments of Soul and Body, pouring out His Blood for our sakes, slowly, and drop by drop. "He hath loved us," writes St. John, "and washed us from our sins in His Blood" (Apoc. I:5). "See," says St. Augustine, "see the wounds of the Crucified, the Blood of the dying, the ransom paid by the Redeemer; His Head is bowed down to kiss us; His Heart is opened to love us; His Arms are spread to embrace us; His whole Body is given to save us!"

[From 'A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture' by Bishop Knecht, D.D.]

(1899 Douay-Rheims Bible)

 

MAY CROWNING

"And when the Prince of the shepherds appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory." (I Peter 5:4)

As we enter the month of May, we remember that this is the month of Mary! We also remember the many May Crownings over the long years of my life. How wonderful it is when Catholics gather around an image or statue of Our Lady to proclaim her Our Queen, our Mother! In this crowning we are repeating in our own small way what Almighty God did for Mary when He crowned her as Queen of Heaven and Earth!

We know that God crowned Mary with justice. The giving of a crown is usually done in recognition of some deed or of some merit. We crown those who win victories. We crown those who have won success. In every way Mary merited great reward. Her whole life was spent in the service of God. What she said to the Angel, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word (St. Luke, 1:38), was the theme and object of her entire life -- the humble, loving service of the Almighty. Furthermore, Mary merited recognition from God by the fact that freely and out of pure love she consented to conceive and bring forth the Redeemer. In this way she gave the Savior to the world. God would recognize this obedience, this cooperation.

The crowning of Mary in heaven proves that God does reward every good deed. It is expressed for us by St. Paul:
"There is laid up for me a crown of justice, which the Lord, the just Judge, will give to me in that day." (II Timothy 4:8).

God crowned Mary with power. King Solomon placed his mother on a throne beside himself, assuring her that he would grant her every request. Christ has placed His Blessed Mother on a throne beside Himself, assuring her of a share in His power. Jesus has power by the fact that He is God; Mary has power by the fact that she is the Mother of God. Only those who never honor Mary make the mistake of thinking that we honor her as a god or a goddess. We honor Mary because God honored her. We crown Mary because God crowned her.

The power with which God crowned her extends to this earth, to those struggling still along the pathway to heaven.

What a consolation, what an encouragement to know that we have a Queen who has received a share in the power of God Himself, power over things of sense, power over things of the spirit!

As we take part in the solemn crowning of Mary, let our hearts fly up to the heavenly throne and the heavenly Queen. The crown we place on Mary's head represents the justice and the glory and the power which Almighty God gave to the Mother of His Son. Oh, as we look at that crown, let it remind us of the justice of Almighty God. Let it remind us of the glory which God will give to those who serve Him. Let it remind us of the power which God has given to His Mother for our sake!

In the spirit of all the citizens of heaven and all Christians of all centuries, you and I who love our heavenly Queen, at the foot of her image, repeat our consecration to her Immaculate Heart: "We want you for our Queen and our Mother! We dedicate our lives for your holy cause upon the earth; the triumph of your Immaculate Heart and the reign of Christ in the hearts of all mankind!" Amen.

Deacon John

Image via Wikipedia

 

The Fire of My Love "For Love Of Us He Suffered" by Rita Ring, January 29, 1994

Image via Wikipedia

For Love Of Us He Suffered

January 29, 1994 5:00a.m.

R. Quietly the Son of Man accepted death. He was led as a little lamb to the slaughter. Mary followed the nightmare path. She did not cry out to stop it. She followed. Jesus complied totally with the will of The Father!

He was God. At any moment He Himself, with all His power, could have stopped it and fixed His attackers. He could have stopped them but He continued on His way in silence and torture. He accepted the will of The Father. He was slain, He was bruised, He was bloodied, He was hit and spit on, He suffered and suffered and suffered, yet He accepted His sufferings without rebuke to His death.

He was the innocent lamb. He was led to the slaughter. He was the victim. He wore a crown of thorns. His face bloodied and beaten, blood pouring down His cheeks, His eyes covered with blood, His ears full of blood, His hair matted up, and He did not say a word! He was the Word! He could have, in an instant, stopped it all but He came to do this and He accepted it all willingly for love of us.

What love He has for us, to go through such torture to a death on the cross! He hung, His arms outstretched in acceptance, nailed down as if not able to move. But He was God. He could have at any moment come off the cross, but He did not. He was silent. He loved us so much!

This is God. Out of greatest love for us and obedience to His Father, He went through this torture in silence and to the point of death. His love so great, His thoughts on us, He gave us His beautiful mother as our mother.

Who are we that God loves us so? Who are we that God came to earth a man and undertook all this for us? Who are we? We are His chosen people. What does He ask of us in return? Only love! He, in His great love, went through such a brutal Passion and death willingly and He asks us to love Him and love one another. He gave love that we may see how to love. He gave His all for love of us.

Who are we that we feel alone and unloved? We only need to see Him hanging on that cross, His hands outstretched, crowned with thorns, nails pounded into His hands and feet, covered with blood, to know how God loved us! God The Father, to send His only Son as a victim, God the Son to suffer so brutally and God the Holy Spirit for His love in the Blessed Mother to bring forth such a child, God-made-man!

God is as He is. He is all loving. Do we understand this love? Never can we, with our feeble minds, understand this love of God. I do not understand His love. It is the love of God and I am a mere human. I know He loves me. I have no idea what the love of God is all about. I cannot understand it, not in my earthly form.

Oh, Jesus, open me to Your love. Let me meditate more on Your Passion to realize how You truly love us. It is in understanding Your love that I am freed. I need worry of nothing when God loves me this much. What more do I need when I see His love? I need not the love of the world. I can give His love back to the world. I see His love. I love Him and I love my brothers. Help me, Lord, to know Your love, to love my brothers and to love You.

The more I realize His love for me, the less I need human love. I need only His love. The more I realize His love, the more I can love my brothers. I do not come from a place of needing love, but from a place of giving love, giving His love to others through me.

Help me, Lord, to be closer and closer to You. Help me to accept my trials and learn of Your love. Do not let me throw back into Your face the opportunities to know You and Your ways better.

Oh, sweet, loving lesson taught from Our Lord! He sits with us at His feet. He is clothed in a white tunic and a red mantle. With His hands outstretched He tells us His beautiful lessons. We, His little ones, sit and listen to His teachings.

Every day in our lives is such a day for His teachings. Every day He sits and every day we can listen and be taught by the Master. Oh, Lord, make me know Your ways more clearly in the teachings You give me every day in my life. Thank You for the little trials which so sweetly teach us Your ways. We are tested in fire. What comes forth is a sinner or a saint. Lord, help me to emerge from Your fire a saint. Let my eyes be opened wide by the Holy Spirit so I have the wisdom and understanding to know all You teach me daily. Open me up. Let my life be an open door for You to come in and use me as You so desire. Mold me, fashion me, teach me, live in me, make me selfless to You, my Lord, so You can operate from me. I am Yours. I give You my all.

Oh, Lord, it is not we who do this work. It is by the fire of Your love that we are tested and emerge as Your vessels. Oh, how I love Thee, Lord, all holy, all magnificent, all good. Who are we to have such a good God. We are His heirs. We have a divine lineage. We are His! If I run to the heavens or to the mountains, wherever I go, I will never be able to run from my God. He begot us to be His and I am fooling myself. Make me Yours, God. I give You my all!

Jesus: You will learn mighty lessons in your trials. I am the teacher, you are My pupil. Walk the Passion with Me, take up your cross, follow Me. The way to Me is the Way of the Cross.

The world is out for the world. It follows idle pursuits. Its main goal is to have instant pleasure. It seeks not for the hereafter. It busies itself with all the details at hand. It operates in a box, unable to see the view in front of it, instant pleasure and gratification.

R. There is before you the unseen world. You can see the workings of the Lord. You can know how real this world truly is, but only by power of the Lord. Lord, make me know Your ways. Holy Spirit, remove the blinders from my eyes and give me clear vision. Take the box from me and let me see with new eyes. Give me Your gifts and open me up.

Jesus: I am Jesus, Son of God. I am present at every moment, by your very side. I am your teacher. I am your love. I am your God. If you do not pray, pray to the Holy Spirit and The Father, you will miss all there is to see.

http://www.sofc.org/

Prayer to Saint Joseph the Workman:

SAINT JOSEPH THE WORKMAN
Foster father of Our Lord Jesus Christ
Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Church has for workmen a complete program of social principles and ideal, in which the dignity of the laborer has a sound basis in the spiritual values of work. In an address called "The Apostolate of the Worker for Workers," Pope Pius XII stressed the Catholic laborer's duty of acquainting his fellow workers with this program. The new feast of Saint Joseph the Workman for May 1, gives the Catholic laborer a powerful patron and model in this vital apostolate. God entrusted His own Son as an apprentice worker to the justice and charity of the humble carpenter of Nazareth. With full confidence the working world can look to Joseph for aid in its efforts to build a better social order, one that has social charity as its soul.

Prayer to St. Joseph

St. Joseph, guardian of Jesus and chaste spouse of Mary, you passed your life in perfect fulfillment of duty. You supported the Holy Family of Nazareth with the work of your hands. Kindly protect those who trustingly turn to you. You know their aspirations, their hardships, their hopes; and they turn to you because they know you will understand and protect them. You too have known trial, labor, and weariness. But, even amid the worries of material life, your soul was filled with deep peace and sang out in true joy through the intimacy with the Son of God entrusted to you, and with Mary, His tender Mother. Amen.
(Blessed Pope John XXIII)