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| A Most Efficacious And Relevant Prayer For Our Times Pope Leo XIII’s |
Mother Mary said at Fatima: "My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and the sure way which will lead you to God." St. Thomas Aquinas said: "The things we love tell us who we are!" With that in mind, I will try to post each day something about Our Blessed Lady, items about the Holy Roman Catholic Church, and public domain Catholic books too! I pray you enjoy my ministry! Below are two albums of pictures that I created: 1. Our grand daughter Adrianna. 2. Tears of Mary!
Friday, January 04, 2013
A Most Efficacious And Relevant Prayer For Our Times
[Video] Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton
Mary TV Daily Reflection 1/4/2013
Open your hearts to me!
J.M.J.
January 4, 2013
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton
Dear Family of Mary!
"Dear children, with much love and patience I strive to make your hearts like unto mine. I strive, by my example, to teach you humility, wisdom and love because I need you; I cannot do without you my children. According to God's will I am choosing you, by His strength I am strengthening you. Therefore, my children, do not be afraid to open your hearts to me. I will give them to my Son and in return, He will give you the gift of divine peace. You will carry it to all those whom you meet, you will witness God's love with your life and you will give the gift of my Son through yourselves. Through reconciliation, fasting and prayer, I will lead you. Immeasurable is my love. Do not be afraid. My children, pray for the shepherds. May your lips be shut to every judgment, because do not forget that my Son has chosen them and only He has the right to judge. Thank you."(January 2, 2013 Mirjana)
Think how hard Our Lady must be working to make our hearts like hers! She must be constantly looking after us, praying for us, encouraging us, teaching us, and leading us into holiness. We know how far away from perfect our hearts are! She has a lot of work to do!! But she is patient as she says. She has much love. She won't give up. She has chosen us, according to God's plan, and she will keep at it until we are like her!
God revealed to St. Louis de Montfort the amazing "Age of Mary" that it seems we are living in now. God showed St. Louis how the Blessed Virgin Mary would come to reign in the last days. And it would happen through her children whose hearts would be like hers! Listen to St. Louis' inspired vision of our day:
Fifth Effect - Communication of the Soul and Spirit of Mary
217. The soul of Mary will be communicated to you to glorify the Lord. Her spirit will take the place of yours to rejoice in God, her Savior, but only if you are faithful to the practices of this devotion. As St. Ambrose says, "May the soul of Mary be in each one of us to glorify the Lord! May the spirit of Mary be in each one of us to rejoice in God!" "When will that happy day come," asks a saintly man of our own day whose life was completely wrapped up in Mary, "when God's Mother is enthroned in men's hearts as Queen, subjecting them to the dominion of her great and princely Son? When will souls breathe Mary as the body breathes air?" When that time comes wonderful things will happen on earth. The Holy Spirit, finding His dear Spouse present again in souls, will come down into them with great power. He will fill them with His gifts, especially wisdom, by which they will produce wonders of grace. My dear friend, when will that happy time come, that age of Mary, when many souls, chosen by Mary and given her by the most High God, will hide themselves completely in the depths of her soul, becoming living copies of her, loving and glorifying Jesus? That day will dawn only when the devotion I teach is understood and put into practice. Ut adveniat regnum tuum, adveniat regnum Mariae: "Lord, that your kingdom may come, may the reign of Mary come!"
Our Lady is striving to make our hearts living copies of her heart. We are in the day St. Louis longed for so very much, the age when Mary would come to prepare the world for her Son, by making hearts fit for Him to enter. She is with us, through Medjugorje, to accomplish this incredible miracle of restoration!
And so she tells us, "Therefore, my children, do not be afraid to open your hearts to me." She is with us to transform us. The time is now. She needs us. Now! This is the day of Our Lady's victory, when her Son will be lifted up in purified hearts like her heart! And the world will be changed!
Do not be afraid!
In Jesus, Mary and Joseph!
Cathy Nolan
© Mary TV 2013
Wednesday, January 02, 2013
This New Year is Something Many Will Be Afraid of. Why?
Mirjana is seen here from her apparition last year on January 2, 20”12”. Another year begins with Our Lady continuing to appear in Medjugorje. Medjugorje visionary Marija relayed after her December 25, 2012 message in which it was Baby Jesus who spoke and not Our Lady, that she momentarily wondered if the apparitions of Our Lady were ending for her. The three remaining visionaries who continue to see Our Lady everyday, which includes Ivan, Vicka and Marija, live with the knowledge that on any given day it could be their last daily apparition. This is true also for Mirjana’s second of the month apparitions. We who follow Medjugorje so often take for granted Our Lady’s daily appearances through Medjugorje and Her messages that come so regularly every month. One day the news will come that Our Lady has stopped appearing. What will console our hearts the most on that fateful day will be that we had listened to Her calls and tried to respond to them month after month and year after year.
December 25, 1989
“…little children, accept with seriousness and live the messages for your soul not to be sad when I will not be with you anymore and when I will not guide you anymore like an insecure child in his first steps. Therefore, little children, read everyday the messages I gave you and transform them into life…”
Above is Our Lady’s message from January 2, 20”12”, written out on plain notebook paper after being dictated by Mirjana just after her apparition at the Blue Cross. From this paper it would be spread throughout the world—electronically, by fax, through word of mouth, audibly recorded, through printing presses, handwritten by some—teachings and guidance directly from Heaven for today’s man. We all have heard the maxim, live today as if it were your last. It is good advice also for Our Lady’s messages: live this message of Our Lady given today, as if it were the last message She was to give. Take a moment to thank Our Lady for Her continuing benevolence on behalf of our world that continues to be so in need of Her love and guidance. She was once asked by the young visionaries of Medjugorje how long would She continue to appear. She gave this answer:
June 29, 1981
"As long as you will want me to, my angels."
Don’t enter this New Year with a cold heart to Our Lady. As She said today, “…my children, do not be afraid to open your hearts to me. I will give them to my Son and in return, He will give you the gift of divine peace…” Who today is not hungry for the gift of divine peace? Before the New Year gets too much underway, renew your consecration to Our Lady and ask for a reinvigorated and sensitive heart for every word She continues to give to us, Her children, in this year of 2013.
Our Lady Queen of Peace of Medjugorje’s January 2, 2013
Apparition and Message Given to Mirjana on the Day for Nonbelievers
The following is Our Lady's message given today, January 2, 2013 on the day of prayer for nonbelievers:
“Dear children, with much love and patience I strive to make your hearts like unto mine. I strive, by my example, to teach you humility, wisdom and love because I need you; I cannot do without you my children. According to God’s will I am choosing you, by His strength I am strengthening you. Therefore, my children, do not be afraid to open your hearts to me. I will give them to my Son and in return, He will give you the gift of divine peace. You will carry it to all those whom you meet, you will witness God’s love with your life and you will give the gift of my Son through yourselves. Through reconciliation, fasting and prayer, I will lead you. Immeasurable is my love. Do not be afraid. My children, pray for the shepherds. May your lips be shut to every judgment, because do not forget that my Son has chosen them and only He has the right to judge. Thank you.”
This New Year is Something Many Will Be Afraid of. Why?
A Friend of Medjugorje
Arriving after being invited to Russia to meet with some priests and bishops about Medjugorje in the early 1990’s, a very disconcerting situation developed. After being picked up at the airport and arriving at a very drab office building, the presence of an oppressive spirit remaining from communist days could still very much be sensed and felt. Upon arrival, 20-30 people were waiting and immediately an argument broke out amongst them of where this guest was to be taken. The argument escalated, divided into two contentious groups vying in a struggle of who would win. Just as suddenly, one group prevailed and a course was set to go to the Ukraine. This battle, and it was a heated battle within a people still inculcated with the affects of a communist mentality, was unnerving in that the one being struggled over felt the power of both sides pulling one apart, and wondered if things were going to end in disaster. Knowing this country’s history and being placed in this uncomfortable situation immediately upon arriving into Russia, made one want to just go back to the airport and leave.
We are in a great struggle between two factions who strive for us. It is not a walk filled with pleasantries. In fact, Our Lady told us several times, including two additional times today, “Do not be afraid.” The Russian experience came directly after spending a week with Marija in Italy. Marija asked Our Lady to bless an icon obtained as a gift for one of the Russian bishops in which Our Lady, during the apparition, blessed the icon and the trip for Russia’s conversion. It was not surprising that because Our Lady blessed the trip; for while it was very uncomfortable and disconcerting and could have been an experience that would have been a cause to “be afraid,” having being fortified with prayer and fasting, peace prevailed.
Our Lady said last month, December 2, 2012, “I strive.” Today, January 2, 2013, Our Lady says twice, “I strive.” The word ‘strive’ clearly is in opposition to darkness and its struggle for us. Webster Dictionary 1828 Edition defines more clearly just how much we are in contention for between the light and the dark.
Strive:
1. To make efforts; to use exertions; to endeavor with earnestness;
to labor hard.
2. to contend; to contest; to struggle in opposition to another; to
be in contention or dispute.
3. to oppose by contrariety of qualities.
4. To vie; to be comparable to; to emulate; to contend in
Excellence
Our Lady’s words, “I strive,” defines more clearly this great battle over us, through Our Lady’s August 2, 1981 message we have, repeatedly through the years, quoted you.
August 2, 1981
“…A great struggle is about to unfold. A struggle between my Son and satan. Human souls are at stake."
Last month’s December 2, 2012 message, Our Lady said:
“…help me in my motherly battle…”
We are being striven for, battled over, struggled for and many do not realize the magnitude of what is in our midst. We are in the throes of one of the most contentious fights for the population of the whole world, unlike anything the world has experienced in its history from the beginning. It is why Our Lady says:
April 4, 1985
“…Today is the day when I wished to stop giving the messages because some individuals did not accept me. The parish has been moved and I wish to keep on giving you messages as it has never been in history from the beginning of the world…”
Near here, at Caritas, in the 1800’s, a frontier mother had gone down to the creek to wash clothing. While there, she heard her infant screaming. She ran back to her cabin and saw a large raccoon trying to kill her child. The woman, not having anything at hand, attacked the raccoon with her bare hands. A battle ensued. Anyone who has had experience with a large raccoon could imagine how difficult it would be for a strong man to fight a raccoon with his bare hands – how much more so for a woman! The woman’s arms were slashed and bitten up and down, but a mother protecting her child cares not for herself. The woman literally choked to death the raccoon with her hands, all the while it was slashing her arms with its sharp claws. The man who recorded this story learned of it a couple of weeks later when he was passing by. He witnessed the slashes up and down her arms still “festering up” as he described the wounds the woman suffered while striving to protect her child in a motherly battle.
Our Lady’s words of December 2, 2012:
“…I strive to bring all of my stray children into my motherly embrace and to show them the way of faith. My children, help me in my motherly battle and pray with me that sinners may become aware of their sins and repent sincerely…”
The mother did battle with the evil raccoon. The Mother does the same to crush the serpent’s head under Her heel. Do not think She is not wounded in her heart, as Mirjana has said, “if you saw just one tear of Our Lady, you would never want to sin again.” It is the snake who strikes at “Her heel” that wounds Our Lady as the coon battled back against the mother to take the child.
This New Year is something many will be afraid of. Why? Because there is a lot to be afraid of in a great struggle unfolding. However, it is through prayer and fasting that you will be fortified to fear not. For those who are not spiritually fortified, fear will reign. Tyranny has come to reign and after this inauguration of January 21, 2013, in a few days, evil will be released from the starting gate. It may take some time for it to manifest after the inauguration, but the full release now of what will begin to unfold will manifest in the coming months and years.
February 2, 2012
“…evil has come to rule…”
Evil has amassed its power not only spiritually, but temporally into invalid laws without basis, imposing these invalid laws on God’s people. These laws are without authority. Laws must have the authority of God to be obeyed. Christians are commanded to obey these laws no matter how unjust they may be. But with the exception that they fall in the order of Natural Law. When laws step outside of Natural Law, Christians are obligated to defy the invalid laws. Will we have to give Our Lady our lives to follow our conscience to remain holy and in the grace of God? Our Lady said:
November 25, 1997
“…Holy martyrs died witnessing: I am a Christian…”
In Jakov’s annual Christmas apparition, Our Lady said:
December 25, 2012
“…give the gift of your life to me…”
“…give the gift of your life to my Son…”
Will you give a Christian gift of your life to Our Lady? Anyone who has devotedly followed Our Lady has realized to the degree you give Our Lady your life is to begin a rigorous life of trials, commencing accordingly. It would be easier to accept martyrdom, than to live out the calling, for to follow Our Lady’s way goes against the tide of society. For those who attempt to fully live Our Lady’s way, everything will contradict and assault you to keep you from spreading Our Lady’s messages and a way of life. Why? If we persevere and we begin to grow in numbers, into enough numbers to begin to threaten and redirect society’s evil direction, society will not only persecute, but will physically martyr you, rather than give up its evil hold.
When Our Lady says “give the gift of your life,” She means to give your life, to sacrifice your life for the salvation of the world. Don’t delude yourselves in thinking society will just roll over and die without a fight for its life. It is Our Lady who said in Jakov’s apparition on Christmas Day, and who repeats to you today in the January 2, 2013 apparition:
“…‘I strive’ to make your hearts like unto mine…”
“…‘I strive’, by my example, to teach you humility, wisdom and love because I need you; I cannot do without you my children…”
“…by His strength I am strengthening you…”
“…give the gift of your life to me…” December 25, 2012
“…give the gift of your life to my Son…” December 25, 2012
“…He will give you the gift of divine peace…” January 2, 2013
“…you will give the gift of my Son through yourselves…” January 2, 2013
It cannot be stressed strongly enough to read, or reread if you have already read, They Fired the First Shot 2012. Entering 2013, unarmed without understanding and praying for wisdom is as walking right into battle defenseless. For you who understand this statement, having read the book, 2013 is a call to action, spiritually and physically. There is no more time left for inactivity.
With Love for Our Lady’s Guidance,
“The world won’t have any peace until we put Him, Jesus, at the first place"
Sr. Emmanuel: Focus on Jesus’ message
By Jakob Marschner on Jan 1, 2013
Comments have been many since the Infant Jesus spoke on Christmas Day. But they are unnecessary, as the message of the Child is very clear, the famous French nun Sister Emmanuel says after 23 years in Medjugorje. Simply listen and live the Commandments, she advises.
Sister Emmanuel Maillard
Personal interpretations abound after the unexpected Medjugorje message on Christmas Day when the Infant Jesus stood up on the Virgin Mary’s lap and gave the message, saying: “I am your peace. Live my Commandments”. But keeping focus on what Jesus actually said would be better, the Medjugorje-based nun Sr. Emmanuel Maillard writes in the newsletter of her organization, Children of Medjugorje.
“After this special event of December 25th, many people started to extrapolate with all sorts of interpretations, even apocalyptic ones. No one actually knows – not even the visionaries – if the end of the apparition is close. Of course, every 24 hours brings us closer to that day” Sister Emmanuel writes.
The Infant Jesus stood up on the Virgin Mary’s lap and gave the message to visionary Marija Pavlovic-Lunetti on December 25. The Virgin Mary kept silent during the entire apparition, Marija said after the event that was never seen in Medjugorje before
“Let us not be distracted by unsure interpretations; let us rather go right to Jesus’ words, because His call is short, simple and crystal clear! I guess my role is to tell people: “Just do it!” she adds.
In spite of her caution, Sr. Emmanuel acknowledges that the event of the Child Jesus speaking is very significant.
“Have you ever heard a newborn speak? This is an amazing event for Medjugorje! It has never happened before, during 31 years of apparitions. (…) This is serious! Now we can’t help but ask ourselves,”Why all this?” I don’t know. But one thing all of us should know is that if God, as a baby, had to speak out so clearly, it is because the whole world needs to hear Him!” she writes.
“The world won’t have any peace until we put Him, Jesus, at the first place. And in order to have that precious peace we yearn for so desperately, we need to go back to living the commandments of God. Simple!” Sr. Emmanuel adds.
Marija Pavlovic-Lunetti – overwhelmed by her Christmas experience, the visionary could hardly speak to the translators. Photo: Daniel Miot, guardacon.me
Translating the monthly message into French, Sr. Emmanuel is among the first persons visionary Marija Pavlovic-Lunetti talks to after receiving a message. On Christmas Day, Marija could barely uphold this routine, Sr. Emmanuel further tells.
“She was so overwhelmed that, after the apparition, she could hardly speak to us.”
The Medjugorje-based nun also informs that the Virgin Mary kept quiet during the whole length of her apparition to Marija on December 25, not only during the time when she would usually have given her message.
Attend an apparition – travel with Medjugorje Today
January 2, 2013 Message through Mirjana
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ENCODED -- The Shroud of Turin Face is Encoded within the Sistine Chapel Frescoes
RALEIGH, N.C., Jan. 2, 2013 /Christian Newswire/ -- The Last Judgment fresco and a portion of the Ceiling fresco by Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel contain the encoded image of the face of the Man of the Shroud of Turin, the traditional burial cloth of Jesus Christ. A brief video clip which graphically demonstrates the encoded face is now available at:
www.datument.com/encoded-poc-video-clip-pr.html.
DATUM ENTERPRISE, LLC
Post Office Box 18372
Raleigh, NC 27619-8372
siped@datument.com
919-839-8779
Mary TV Daily Reflection 1/2/2013
Happy Birthday to Jesus!
J.M.J.
January 2, 2013
St. Basil the Great, St. Gregory Nazianzen
Dear Family of Mary!
"Dear children, give the gift of your life to me and completely surrender to me so that I may help you to comprehend my motherly love and the love of my Son for you. My children, I love you immeasurably and today, in a special way, on the day of the birth of my Son, I desire to receive each of you into my heart and to give a gift of your lives to my Son. My children, Jesus loves you and gives you the grace to live in His mercy, but sin has overtaken many of your hearts and you live in darkness. Therefore, my children, do not wait, say `no' to sin and surrender your hearts to my Son, because only in this way will you be able to live God's mercy and, with Jesus in your hearts, set out on the way of salvation."(December 25, 2012, Jakov)
"My children, I love you immeasurably and today, in a special way, on the day of the birth of my Son, I desire to receive each of you into my heart and to give a gift of your lives to my Son." Our Lady is a good Mother, an attentive Mother. All mothers anticipate the birthdays of their children, planning the birthday party, and buying gifts, inviting friends and family, and serving the cake and ice cream. Mothers love to celebrate birthdays! Our Lady is no different. She loves to celebrate Jesus' birthday.
And through this message she reveals to us the gift she wants to give to Jesus for this birthday! She wants to give Him us!
She knows that He thirsts for us. That He longs for us to be united to Him in love and joy. Jesus loves us so much. And so, as a good Mother, Mary is striving to unite us to Jesus, through her Heart. This is the essence of consecration. We enter Mary's Heart and she brings us to Jesus. We are His birthday presents!
As we approach the feast of the Epiphany, let's do as Our Lady asks. Let's say "no" to sin, and "yes" to love. Let's enter Mary's Heart and allow her to give us to Jesus, gifts for the Epiphany!
In Jesus, Mary and Joseph!
Cathy Nolan
©Mary TV 2013
PS. The message of the 2nd through Mirjana will come soon. I will send it as quickly as I can!
[Video] BENEDICT XVI: WHERE DOES JESUS COME FROM?
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Tragedy in Newtown and a New Year’s Resolution for Our Town BY FR. GORDON J. MACRAE
Two weeks after the Newtown tragedy, the Church recalled Herod’s Massacre of the Holy Innocents at Bethlehem. Against such grief, faith is the only guardrail left. Twelve days before Christmas, a horrific tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut took the lives of 28 people, 20 of them small children. It was an evil visited upon that small [...]
Read more here: http://thesestonewalls.com/gordon-macrae/tragedy-in-newtown-and-a-new-years-r...
Tuesday, January 01, 2013
The Greatest New Year's Resolution
If we did only one thing next to daily Mass and the Rosary well said, it would be meditating for at least 5 minutes a day on the Passion of our dear Lord. Daily meditation on the Holy Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ produces the pearl of rare price for those who do meditate so every day.
This loving return to Jesus produces sincere and precious repentance for one's sins...a repentance that is genuinely felt and lived, but not from fear of punishment but out of pure love of God....and this daily thinking on God's folly of love for us through His suffering accelerates our purpose: perfect union with God. If you commit the short time each day, God will give the gift of tears and you will finally understand the beatitude..."Blessed are they who mourn".
Based upon the Meditations of St. Hannibal di Francia (please google him and download his Meditations on the Passion)
You can receive complimentary materials to make your Consecration to God through Mary’s Immaculate Heart ( important spiritual protection at this time in salvation history) at myconsecration.org... where you can also learn about Our Lady of Las Lajas.
You can learn more about our Lady of Fatima at www.wafusa.org.
God Bless you and your work,
Deacon Bob Tony
Deacon Bob Ellis Anthony Mullen
Executive Director MyConsecration.org
World Apostolate of Fatima, USA 647 Edmonds Avenue
A Pontifical Association of the Faithful Drexel Hill, PA 19026
visit us at: www.wafusa.org visit us at: www.myconsecration.org
[MaryVitamin] The Holy Mother of God
Monthly message from Anne, a lay apostle
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From The Friars eLetter: Newtown Youth Prayer Gathering
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| This past week, a few of the Brothers and I visited the St. Rose of Lima Youth Group in Newtown, CT. The parish will have 8 funerals this next week due to the tragic shooting that happened the Friday before at the local elementary school. At times like this no words can really do justice to provide the comfort and consolation that so many long to receive. Our goal at the youth gathering was just to be there. We prayed, comforted, and tried to bring hope in such a desperate situation. I experienced the intensity of the situation as we arrived and were greeted by Police Officers in the parking lot as well as the Knights of Columbus providing security at the front door. As soon as the Holy Hour started I remember being moved by how many of the youth were there but also by the spirit of fear that was in the room. This gathering was supposed to be the night before but due to a threat during the Sunday masses the day before, the event was cancelled. Needless to say many hearts were afraid. Thank God no press was allowed in the gathering. Large signs in the parking lot and on the building made it very apparent that the Press was not welcome. The shooting has certainly been the story for days now, and even though we don’t have TV I am aware of what those in the media world are talking about. Of course every one is looking for answers and asking all the questions of how something like this could happen. And there are legitimate conversations that must happen about guns and violence, but being there with the young people that night I couldn’t help but wish for one moment that a news camera could be recording live so the whole nation could experience for one moment what I did that night. The Lord came. And everyone in the room reached out to Him. My heart was filled with the realization and wanted to exclaim: “This is the answer!” The young people full of fear and carrying the burdens of so much violence and despair, reached out to Jesus. He is the answer and they hungered for Him in this moment. As the Holy Hour continued I couldn’t’ help but experience the fear being lifted as many experienced the comfort of Jesus who comes to bring consolation and peace to those who mourn. As Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament was processing around the room the young people literally had their hands raised and extended in the direction of our Lord. They reached out to Him. And He comforted them. In the room that night, so many young people, including their parents, experienced the true message of Advent and the brilliance of Christianity. Our God comes to us. In the joys of life but even more so in the trials and the times where nothing makes sense. Jesus comes to us and He brings us the peace and consolation that we need and also gives meaning and purpose to our suffering. Words cannot explain what happened last week but the presence of Jesus gives us hope. We don’t know the reason’s why things happened the way they did but we do know that Jesus is Lord of our lives and he was that Lord of those in that room that night. Experiencing this, I know in my heart that these young people will be OK. Through the fear and the tears and the questions they encountered Jesus who broke into their suffering and proclaimed, “I am here.” Leaving the gathering that night I experienced so many emotions. But more then anything a hope filled conviction that Jesus is with us. Our Father in Heaven is watching over us and leading us despite the horror filled situations and tragedies of life. The truly moving encounter of the evening for me was to experience the hunger and longing these young people had for Jesus. It is like they were tried of all the things in life that haven’t worked. Tired of the media who couldn’t give them answers to their questions and tired of the endless updates on Facebook and Twitter that just reminded them of the horror. They were afraid and they went in search to find meaning and purpose to what they were feeling, and in their search they found our God who had come in search of them. Kneeling down, with their hands raised and extended to the real and true presence of Jesus, they cried out for Him. For the first time in my whole life I feel like I sincerely experienced the true meaning of Advent. Jesus comes to those who seek Him and comes every moment we turn our hearts to Him. He is the hope that our hearts long for and this He is the answer to all our questions. I myself was renewed in my desire to cry out to the Lord to come in a more powerful way into my life. This is the cry of Advent. This is the cry of our hearts when nothing else makes sense or satisfies us. For weeks to come we will hear many opinions about how to recover and how to prevent something like this from happening again. There is no question that many bright and qualified people will take part in the conversation and propose a way for the future. But what gives me hope are the young people and the choice they made that night. Maybe, just maybe, we can learn from them. In the end, Jesus is the answer. Jesus is our hope, He is our victory, and He is our peace. And truly blessed are those who mourn and reach out to Him and hunger for Him in this time, for they will truly be satisfied. Come Lord, do not delay. Br. Angelus Immaculata Montgomery, CFR Most Blessed Sacrament Friary Newark, NJ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ We need your help! To make a donation click here |
Mary TV Daily Reflection 1/1/2013
I desire to receive each of you into my heart
and to give a gift of your lives to my Son
J.M.J.
January 1, 2013
Feast of the Mother of God!
Dear Family of Mary!
"Dear children, give the gift of your life to me and completely surrender to me so that I may help you to comprehend my motherly love and the love of my Son for you. My children, I love you immeasurably and today, in a special way, on the day of the birth of my Son, I desire to receive each of you into my heart and to give a gift of your lives to my Son. My children, Jesus loves you and gives you the grace to live in His mercy, but sin has overtaken many of your hearts and you live in darkness. Therefore, my children, do not wait, say `no' to sin and surrender your hearts to my Son, because only in this way will you be able to live God's mercy and, with Jesus in your hearts, set out on the way of salvation."(Message through Jakov Colo on December 25, 2012)
This beautiful message given through Jakov on Christmas Day, is the perfect message for us at the beginning of the New Year. Why? Because it is all about abandoning ourselves completely to God, through Our Lady. This is the incredible secret of St. Louis de Montfort. This is the childlike way of St. Therese of Lisieux. This is the joyful way of St. Maximilion Kolbe. Total trust, total giving over of our lives to Jesus, through Mary.
My friend, Susan, left a message on my answering machine yesterday, asking me to talk about abandonment of our lives to God. She thought it would help us enter the New Year! I agree. But I would like to quote someone who understands it much better than me, Caryll Houselander. Her words clear up a lot of confusion about abandonment to God:
It is of absolute necessity for our peace that we surrender ourselves wholly to God. Most people want to do this, but they do not because they are afraid. [Boy, is she right about that!]
If, in their rasher moments of fervor, they have made heroic self-offerings, they go about their business afterwards distinctly uneasy, fearful that some catastrophe will overtake them in order to detach them from the earthly affections which they suppose to be hindering their perfection.
If, to seek reassurance, they turn to those saints who are said to have sanctified themselves through leading "ordinary" lives, they are even more perturbed by the extraordinary way in which they did so.
To give one example, the very thought of the hourly, even momentary, little sacrifices made by St. Theresa of Lisieux opens up a terrifying prospect, all the more so because such lives are secret and without even the encouragement of friends. To think of oneself going on and on, denying self, giving up all the tidbits, refusing oneself the relief of a little complaining or a little flattery, spending one's life in small coin down to the last penny: this is beyond the power of human nature --- or at least of our human nature.
Both these anxieties can be put to rest by a little thought about God's approach to us, His way with human beings.
It is not a way of detachment but of attachment; not a way of indifference but of love. He approaches not by catastrophes, but by gentleness; not demanding our surrender but winning it, if we put no obstacle, almost before we realize who it is that sues for our love.
An obstacle would be a refusal of any love, a shutting of the door on those who want to come into our life. To put no obstacle is to have the door always open to everyone who has any need of us.
"Behold!" our Lord says, "I stand at the door and knock."(Rev. 3:20) An obstacle to surrendering to Him would simply be not to open the door. If we opened it and saw who it is that knocks, we should not find it a difficult or a frightening thing to give Him what He asks of us.
The Old Testament, which many imagine to be the revelation of a terrifying God, is full of the gentleness of His approach. He comes as a "still, small voice", He covers His face lest it should wither away the light of a man's eyes by its majesty. He is compared to the coming of morning light and to rain falling upon the thirsty earth: "We shall know and we shall follow on, that we may know the Lord. His going forth is prepared as the morning light, and He will come to us as the early and the latter rain to the earth. (1 Kings 19:12)
Sometimes, indeed very often, His approach to us coincides with a catastrophe and is in the midst of it, and for that reason is hardly noticed. We are too intent on the din of the disaster to hear the "still, small voice," or we drown it with noisy tears. Disasters are not God's will; they are the result of sin and opposed to God's will; but in His mercy He does allow the suffering resulting from them, although never the sin that caused them, to be caught up into His love and do good. Thus Christ's first coming on earth was in the midst of the disaster of the world's suffering caused by sin, and it was precisely to take hold of this suffering and transform it by love that He came.
How small and gentle His coming was! He came as an infant. The night in which He came was noisy and crowded; it is unlikely that, in the traffic of the travelers to Bethlehem, the tiny wail of the newly born could be heard.
God approaches gently, often secretly, always in love, never through violence and fear. He comes to us, as He Himself has told us, in those who we know in our own lives. Very often we do not recognize Him. He comes in many people we do not like, in all who need what we can give, in all who have something to give us, and for our great comfort. He comes in those we love, in our fathers and mothers, our brothers and sisters, our friends and our children. Because this is so, we must not be content ever to love with only natural love. We must also love everyone with a supernatural, sacramental love. We must love Christ in them with Christ's love in us. It would be well if those seeking perfection ceased trying so painstakingly to learn how not to love and learned instead how to love well. (Caryll Houselander. "The Way of the Infant Jesus." Sophia Institute Press. 1995. P. 53-56)
As we enter 2013, let's let Caryll's words help us to look for the Infant Jesus, entering our lives so gently and sweetly, to capture our hearts, to command our love, to attach us to Himself. This is abandonment to Him. We don't lose anything, we receive everything. We receive our God, who attaches Himself to us as we attach ourselves to Him. It is a bond of love that develops as we choose Him at each moment. It is a love that will fill us to the full. This is surrender. It is surrender to love. And the key to that love, is recognizing our God, our Lord Jesus, as he waits for us in each person in our life. He exists in each person, waiting for our love, waiting to love us! This is abandonment to Jesus. This is surrender to Mary. It is the surrender to love!
Happy, blessed, joyful, glorious, and fruitful New Year to each of you!
In Jesus, Mary and Joseph!
Cathy Nolan
©Mary TV 2013
