SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY # 318

And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received the half–shekel came to Peter, and said, "Doth not your master pay the half–shekel?" He saith, "Yea." And when he came into the house, Jesus spake first to him, saying, "What thinkest thou, Simon? the kings of the earth, from whom do they receive toll or tribute? from their sons, or from strangers?" And when he said, "From strangers", Jesus said unto him, "Therefore the sons are free." (Matt. 17:24-26)

PETER'S SUPERIORITY: The manner in which Christ associates Peter with Himself in paying the tribute, is most marked and striking. It is a part of the gracious design that our Lord had upon him in the future.

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

FEAST OF SAINT BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX

Love of Bridegroom and Bride - St. Bernard of Clairvaux

Love of Bridegroom and Bride   St. Bernard of Clairvaux   This excerpt from a sermon of St. Bernard (Sermo 83, 4-6; Opera omnia, Edit. Cisterc 2 [1958], 300-302) treats of one of his favorite themes, the love relationship between God as bridegroom and the individual soul as bride, according the the Song of Songs (otherwise known as the Canticle of Canticles or Song of Solomon).  It is used in the Roman Office of Readings for the memorial of St. Bernard of Clairvaux on Aug 20.  St. Bernard of  Clairvaux was clearly one of the greatest preachers of all time.  He was one of the early heroes of the Cistercian order of monks and, as abbot, founded over 40 monasteries and personally attracted hundreds to monastic life, including many of his relatives.  His magnetic preaching and exemplary character changed the lives of thousands and his writing continues today to inspire Christians everywhere.  His words were so sweet that he came to be known as the Melifluous ("full of honey") Doctor.  St. Bernard died in 1153 and was later proclaimed a saint and a Doctor of the Church.  His feast day in the Roman Calendar is August 20.   Love is sufficient of itself, it gives pleasure by itself and because of itself. It is its own merit, its own reward. Love looks for no cause outside itself, no effect beyond itself. Its profit lies in its practice. I love because I love, I love that I may love. Love is a great thing so long as it continually returns to its fountainhead, flows back to its source, always drawing from there the water which constantly replenishes it.   Of all the movements, sensations and feelings of the soul, love is the only one in which the creature can respond to the Creator and make some sort of similar return however unequal though it be. For when God loves, all he desires is to be loved in return; the sole purpose of his love is to be loved, in the knowledge that those who love him are made happy by their love of him. The Bridegroom's love, or rather the love which is the Bridegroom, asks in return nothing but faithful love. Let the beloved, then, love in return. Should not a bride love, and above all, Love's bride? Could it be that Love not be loved? Rightly then does she give up all other feelings and give herself wholly to love alone; in giving love back, all she can do is to respond to love. And when she has poured out her whole being in love, what is that in comparison with the unceasing torrent of that original source? Clearly, lover and Love, soul and Word, bride and Bridegroom, creature and Creator do not flow with the same volume; one might as well equate a thirsty man with the fountain. What then of the bride's hope, her aching desire, her passionate love, her confident assurance? Is all this to wilt just because she cannot match stride for stride with her giant, any more than she can vie with honey for sweetness, rival the lamb for gentleness, show herself as white as the lily, burn as bright as the sun, be equal in love with him who is Love? No. It is true that the creature loves less because she is less. But if she loves with her whole being, nothing is lacking where everything is given. To love so ardently then is to share the marriage bond; she cannot love so much and not be totally loved, and it is in the perfect union of two hearts that complete and total marriage consists. Or are we to doubt that the soul is loved by the Word first and with a greater love?   For more Catholic resources to feed your faith, visit the Crossroads Initiative Homepage.

SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY # 317

And after six days, Jesus taketh with him Peter and James and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves, and was transfigured before them. And his garments became shining and exceeding white as snow, so as no fuller upon earth can make white. And there appeared to them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus. And Peter answering, said to Jesus: "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. And let us make three tabernacles, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias." For he knew not what he said: for they were struck with fear. And there was a cloud overshadowing them. And a voice came out of the cloud, saying: "This is my most beloved Son. Hear ye him." And immediately looking about, they saw no man any more, but Jesus only with them. (Mark 9:1-8)

THE HAPPINESS OF HEAVEN: If one passing glimpse of their Lord's glory could fill the apostles with such rapture, how unspeakable must be the happiness of heaven, where the blessed see God face to face, and rejoice in the company of the Saints and angels. Truly it will be good to be there!

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

Mark Mallett

—Spiritual Food For Thought—

The Present Time

YES, this is the time to truly wait and pray in The Bastion. The waiting is the hardest part, especially when it seems as though we are on the cusp of enormous change… But timing is everything. The temptations to rush God, to question His delay, to doubt His presence—will only intensify as we reach deeper into the days of change.

The Lord does not delay his promise, as some regard "delay," but he is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. (2 Pt 3:9)

Is not this waiting also part of the purification of our souls? It is precisely this "delay" which leads us to surrender, to abandon more and more to God’s mysterious will. When you learn to abandon yourself to Him in absolutely everything, then you will find the secret joy on earth: the will of God is our food. I will consume it, whether it is sweet or whether it is sour, because it will always be the best spiritual food for me. Whether He says go to the left or go to the right or move forward or simply sit still, it doesn’t matter—His will is found within it, and that is enough.

Some of you ask me about "sacred refuges," or whether you should move to the city, or out of the city, or buy land, or get off the grid etc. etc. And my answer is this: The safest place to be is in the will of God. So if He wants you in New York City, then that’s where you need to be. And if you aren’t sure what He is asking of you, and you have no peace, then do nothing. Pray instead, saying, "Lord, I want to follow you. I will do whatever you ask of me. But I am not certain what your will is today. And so, I will simply wait." If you pray like this, if you are open and docile to His holy will, then you have nothing to be afraid of. You will not miss what God intends for you, or at the very least, you are giving Him permission to do whatever He desires. Remember,

All things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. (Rom 8:28)

How hard it is for us to accept His timing! How our flesh recoils at the deep darkness which faith must enter into! How restless we become when God’s agenda is not what we would do if we were in charge. But He looks at us intently with love and says to us this day:

I AM.

That is to say, He is right there, right beside you. He has not forgotten you, your needs, your mission, and His plan for the world. He is not somewhere "out there," but here, now, in the present.

I AM.

LISTEN TO THE HOLY FATHER

After posting Parts I and II of To the Bastion, I came across these words from the Holy Father. Let them be a confirmation of what God is asking of you and I in this present time of change…

The present time is a providential occasion for listening again with simplicity, purity of heart and fidelity to how Christ reminds us that we are not servants but friends. He instructs us in order that we might remain in his love without molding ourselves to the messages of this world. Let us not be deaf to his Word. Let us learn from Him. Let us imitate his way of life. Let us be sowers of the Word. In this way, with all of our lives, with the joy of knowing we are loved by Jesus, who we can call brother, we will be valid instruments for Him to continue drawing everyone to Himself with the mercy that flows from his Cross… —POPE BENEDICT XVI, Message to the Third American Missionary Congress, August 14th, 2008; Catholic News Agency

Published in: DAILY JOURNAL, TIME OF GRACE | on August 19th, 2008 |

SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY # 316

And it came to pass, about eight days after these words, that he took Peter and James and John and went up into a mountain to pray. And whilst he prayed, the shape of his countenance was altered and his raiment became white and glittering. And behold two men were talking with him. And they were Moses and Elias, Appearing in majesty. And they spoke of his decease that he should accomplish in Jerusalem. But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep. And waking, they saw his glory and the two men that stood with him. And it came to pass that, as they were departing from him, Peter saith to Jesus: "Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles, one for thee, and one for Moses; and one for Elias": not knowing what he said. And as he spoke these things, there came a cloud and overshadowed them. And they were afraid when they entered into the cloud. And a voice came out of the cloud; saying: "This is my beloved son. Hear him." And whilst the voice was uttered Jesus was found alone. And they held their peace and told no man in those days any of these things which they had seen. (Luke 9:28-36)

THABOR AND GOLGOTHA: This glimpse of glory was meant to make such an impression on the three apostles, as to prevent their losing courage or faith when, ere long, they saw their Lord in the hour of His deep abasement, and in that fearful state of suffering, when "there was no beauty or comeliness in Him". In fact, the Transfiguration contrasts with the Crucifixion in every respect. In the one, we perceive Christ in wondrous majesty--on either side of Him two Saints--, the revelation of God, and the desciples in rapture. In the other we see our Lord marred and disfigured--on either side of Him two thieves--, abandoned by God and with Him His sorrowing Mother, the grief-stricken John, and the weeping women.

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

Angelus

The Blessed Mother watches over all her children, says Holy Father

Castelgandolfo, Aug 15, 2008 / 04:17 pm (CNA).- Overlooking the courtyard at the Apostolic Palace of Castel Gandolfo, Pope Benedict recited the Angelus with those present for the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  The Pontiff stressed that from Heaven, the Mother of God, continues "to watch over the children that Jesus himself entrusted to Her before dying on the cross."

Noting that Mary's "maternal love is apparent in the many sanctuaries dedicated to her," the Holy Father recalled, the city of Lourdes, "where, God willing, I will go in a month, to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Marian apparitions that took place there."

Read this article here: http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=13536

From Mej.com:

Monday
August 18, 2008

“...God is using a small people, a small group of people.. to reach the ends of the earth...”

Bishop Gabriel Malziare - Sunday, August 17, 2008

Sunday, August 17, 2008
Bishop Gabriel Malzaire from Dominica

My dear friends in Christ.

From the very dawn of creation, God had one single purpose and that was to share Himself with man. Right through the ages as revealed in the Scriptures; we come to unravel the various ways in which our God begins to explain to man that simple purpose, the purpose of salvation. As we read through the Scriptures, we will discover that, that took some time for us to grasp, for man to grasp the fact that God really wanted to share Himself with everyone. Of course, you know how difficult it is to teach one person, let alone many people or many nations. And there was a reason why God chose a particular nation, so that after God had formed them, they would be an instrument of salvation to the rest of the world. In other words, when God called the people of Israel, He called them to mission. And in order to go to mission, we must first be formed. So for two thousand years, the people of Israel were being formed to know God so that they would help the rest of the nations to understand who that God is. God used the patriarchs. He used the judges. He used the prophets. He used the kings. And eventually He used His Son. All during that time, we were simply learning, or man was simply learning how to know God, because of that universal mission. When we read the New Testament, we often take it for granted that we understand that purpose because, first of all, Jesus when He was living with His disciples, He said, “Go out, teach all nations.” But this was not always so evident in the Old Testament.

Today’s first reading from the prophet Isaiah gives one of the most pertinent evidence of that universal mission of the people of God, or the universal mission of God to His people. It says to us that the house of God will be a house of prayer for all nations – a house of prayer for all nations because in the mind of God, He wanted to include everyone. But, of course, God had to transmit His message through man, and sometimes we were not always prepared for it. We are not always prepared to take up the design of God to imitate the demand of God, to understand what God is saying to us. Remember, His original mission was for everyone. As Isaiah tells us that the house of God will be a house of prayer for all nations. Whenever God calls a people, He always calls them to a mission. He always gives them an outward-looking disposition. Throughout the years, God has graced particular groups of people with particular responsibilities. But the graces that God showers on people at different moments in their life, are not meant simply for themselves, as was the case of Israel. It is always meant for the whole world. We could use Medjugorje as an example, can’t we? Six young people saw visions of our Blessed Lady. From that moment, they were commissioned. For the past 27 years, since the apparitions began, many pilgrims have been coming to this place, because God used as His instrument, six young people, to reveal the goodness of His salvation.

Bishop Gabriel gives the final blessing along with his brother priests at Saint James in Medjugorje on Sunday, August 17, 2008.

In today’s Gospel reading, we see Jesus encountering a Canaanite woman who was making a special request of Him. “My daughter is in torment and needs your help.” But she was a Gentile, one that did not belong. Whether Jesus was using some psychology or not, but He said, “My mission is for the lost sheep of Israel. My primary mission is for the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Now, we can interpret that in many ways. It may be presented to us what the focus of Jesus was – it was mission. He had come to form the people of Israel so that He would send them out. Remember in the tenth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, in verse six, where Jesus sends out His disciples and says, “Do not go to Samaritan villages, go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel because this is your mission.” Was Jesus excluding anyone? Was that His purpose? No! The purpose of Jesus was that He was forming the people of Israel, so that after being formed, they would go out. But Jesus was not too successful with that, I’m sure you will admit, because after all His work He had only twelve men, and of course, one of them jumped ship. So if we are to look at the success of Jesus, it came only after Pentecost. The very people that He was trying to form, many of them scattered. So we couldn’t say that Jesus was very successful in His mission. We see the challenge being faced by Paul in today’s reading. He is using the Gentiles as a means to get the Jews jealous. and He says that if the jealousy towards the Gentiles would be a means of getting the Jews to believe, then so be it. So the struggle continued even with Paul, but always with the focus of mission. It was the mission of St. Paul. It was the aim of St. Paul to reach all the different parts of the world. This is why he was so prolific in his writings, writing letters to different peoples that he had encountered, that he had preached to, because there was something burning in the heart of Paul that wanted to reach out to the rest of the nations. And in today’s reading he is saying, “Yes, we realize that there is no need to consider this person as a stranger or that person as a stranger.” All of us at some point were strangers, isn’t that so? All of us at some point were strangers. Yes.

To help us realize that the design of God is to minister and to bless the whole world, why are so many people of every nationality, of every nation, of every language, of every field, of every class finding themselves attracted to a place called Medjugorje? Isn’t that the design of God? Exactly what are you talking about in today’s reading? The design of God is to reach the ends of the earth. And this town has been blessed with the gifts that we encounter or we have been encountering for the past few days. And I am sure there are many of you who have come here several times. Why do you return? Because you want to be blessed by what goes on here. You want to be filled by the Spirit of God. You want to listen to the message of salvation that comes from our Blessed Lady. And I am sure in your heart, you do not want to keep that message to yourself, do you? No. You want to go back to your village, back to your city, back to your town, and tell the people how much you have been blessed by your presence here in Medjugorje. It is a continuation of the mission of the Church to reach the ends of the earth. So, God is using a small people, a small group of people, a people who were poor. God is using those simple hearts to reach the ends of the earth. Now everything is mission. It means that if we have received from God, we have a duty to pass that message to the ends of the earth. So the duty of everyone of us here, when you leave Medjugorje to go back to Ireland, to Africa, to the Caribbean, to North America, to South America – wherever you come from – you are to speak like St. Paul, that we were all once strangers, but now we all belong. Everyone belongs. Every one of us belongs to the mission, the mission of bringing enlightenment to the rest of the world.

In the case of today’s Gospel reading when Jesus said to the woman, “it is not fitting for me to give the gifts to the house dogs, the gifts that belong to the children or to those who belong.” It is not fitting for Me to give to the house dogs. She understood exactly what Jesus was saying. It was not because it wasn’t hard language. In the Church tradition, house dogs were referred to people who were strangers, who didn’t belong. And she responded to Jesus by saying, “Yes, but even the house dogs can enjoy the scraps.” So she was ready to settle for the scraps that fell from the Master’s table. God is giving us more than scraps today, more than scraps. One privilege we have, brothers, as Christians today, one privilege we have for being given the opportunity to come to this holy place, to be filled with the Spirit of God, but with the design and the desire to go out and spread that news of God’s salvation, so that everyone we meet, everyone who encounters us subsequently, will come to a deeper realization of who God is. That God will no longer have difficulty communicating to His people His designs and His salvation by our lives. By your life witness you will be such a testimony that others will be drawn to God and more people will come to Medjugorje. More people will come from your country to see the experiences that you had. And so, brothers, we can pray today that as God wishes that the whole world will be saved, that we see ourselves as instruments of that salvation, each one of us. God is calling each one of us, especially by means to be His witnesses. So, we did not come here for selfish reasons, just to be filled, or to solve our problems. In so far as we have an outward-looking disposition, what we receive simply multiplies. We live the words of St. James, the very last verse of his book. He says, “If you win a soul for the Lord, you won’t lose yours.” “If you win a soul for the Lord, you won’t lose yours.”

Amen.

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SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY # 315

And after six days Jesus taketh unto him Peter and James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart: And he was transfigured before them. And his face did shine as the sun: and his garments became white as snow. And behold there appeared to them Moses and Elias talking with him. And Peter answering, said to Jesus: "Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias." And as he was yet speaking, behold a bright cloud overshadowed them. And lo a voice out of the cloud, saying: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye him." And the disciples hearing fell upon their face, and were very much afraid. And Jesus came and touched them: and said to them: "Arise, and fear not." And they lifting up their eyes, saw no one, but only Jesus. And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying: "Tell the vision to no man, till the Son of man be risen from the dead." (Matt. 17:1-9)

JESUS IS THE MESSIAH AND LAWGIVER OF THE NEW TESTAMENT: The apparition of Moses and Elias proved Jesus to be the Messiah to whom the law and the prophets pointed. They paid homage to Him as their Lord, Who had fulfilled the law and the prophets, and Who by His impending death would release the holy men of the Old Covenant from Limbo, and admit them into heaven. The voice of the heavenly Father proclaimed Jesus to be the Founder and Lawgiver of the New Covenant, the teaching of which all men are bound to believe, and the commandments of which they are bound to obey. This narrative, therefore, reveals Jesus to us as the Messiah, and the Fulfiller of the law and the prophets, the Divine Founder and Lawgiver of the New Covenant, the Redeemer of mankind in all ages, and the center of the history of the world.

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

SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY # 314

And after six days Jesus taketh unto him Peter and James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart: And he was transfigured before them. And his face did shine as the sun: and his garments became white as snow. And behold there appeared to them Moses and Elias talking with him. And Peter answering, said to Jesus: "Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias." And as he was yet speaking, behold a bright cloud overshadowed them. And lo a voice out of the cloud, saying: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye him." And the disciples hearing fell upon their face, and were very much afraid. And Jesus came and touched them: and said to them: "Arise, and fear not." And they lifting up their eyes, saw no one, but only Jesus. And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying: "Tell the vision to no man, till the Son of man be risen from the dead." (Matt. 17:1-9)

THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST IS PROVED:
a) by the testimony of His heavenly Father, Who, at the time of our Lord's Transfiguration, declared for the second time that Jesus was His beloved Son.
b) by the teaching of the apostles, who were eye-witnesses of His divine glory. This glory was visibly manifested at the Transfiguration, and was seen by the three apostles. Therefore St. Peter was able to write in his second epistle (I:16, 17, 18) thirty-five years later: "For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known to you the power and presence of our Lord Jesus Christ: but having been made eye-witnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father honor and glory; this voice coming down to Him from excellent glory: 'This is My beloved Son in whom I have pleased Myself. Hear ye Him!' And this voice we heard brought from heaven, when we were with Him in the holy mount."
c) by our Lord's own prophecy of His Resurrection, when He forbade the apostles to tell what they had seen, till after He had risen from the dead.

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

Today's Gospel for Saturday of the 19th Week in Ordinary Time was a short one. (Matthew 19:13-15).

Children were brought to Jesus that He might lay His hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked them, but Jesus said, "Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." After He placed His hands on them, He went away.

On Saturday's, the Church honors the Blessed Virgin Mary with special Mass prayers and devotions. Many Saints have even fasted on Saturday's in honor of Our Lady. I always try to say some special prayers and meditations too. Here is a nice meditation on this Gospel verse and Our Lady by Caryll Houselander, (+ 1954) who was a British mystic and spiritual teacher.

The Kingdom Belongs to Children

Christ's insistence on the power of children is very striking. Almost more than anything else in the Gospel it proves that in God's eyes being something comes before doing something. He sets a little child among His apostles as an example of what He loves. He says that heaven is full of children. Indeed, the Architect of Love has built the door into heaven so low that no one but a small child can pass through it, unless, to get down to a child's little height, he goes in on his knees. How consistent it is with the incredible tenderness of God that His Christ, the Immortal Child, should be conceived by the power of the Spirit in the body of a child. That a child should bear a Child, to redeem the world. Our Lady was at the most fourteen when the angel came to her; perhaps she was younger. The whole world trembled on the word of a child, on a child's consent. To what was she asked to consent? First of all, to the descent of the Holy Spirit, to surrender her littleness to the Infinite Love, and as a result to become the Mother of Christ. It was so tremendous, yet so passive. She was not asked to do anything herself, but to let something be done to her. She was not asked to renounce anything, but to receive an incredible gift. She was not asked to lead a special kind of life, to retire to the temple and live as a nun, to cultivate suitable virtues or claim special privileges. She was simply to remain in the world, to go forward with her marriage to Joseph, to live the life of an artisan's wife, just what she had planned to do when she had no idea that anything out of the ordinary would ever happen to her. It almost seemed as if God's becoming man and being born of a woman were ordinary.
[From 'The Reed of God', Public Domain]

And so I think we need to imitate Mary and all the Saints who have stayed "little," in virtue and humility, living our lives as God wants us to and not what the world wants. I'm almost 72 but I am looking forward to being in heaven as one of God's children. I hope to meet all of you there too! Maybe we can play some children's games together. I know we will love each other as children do!
Deacon John

Children of Medjugorje August Newsletter

© Children of Medjugorje 2008

Permission is given to spread the text of these reports under two conditions: 1) no words are changed,
2) "Children of Medjugorje" is cited along with our website   www.childrenofmedjugorje.com
Or email address pray@childrenofmedjugorje.com

                                                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                                                                    
August 15, 2008

Dear Children of Medjugorje,
Praised be Jesus and Mary!                                                                                                                                                        

1 - On August 2, Mirjana Soldo received her monthly apparition at the Cenacle. After the apparition she gave us the following message, "Dear children! In my coming to you, here among you, the greatness of God is reflected and the way with God to eternal joy is opening.  Do not feel weak, alone or abandoned.  Along with faith, prayer and love, climb to the hill of salvation.  May the Mass, the most exalted and most powerful act of your prayer, be the center of your spiritual life.  Believe and love, my children.  Those whom my Son chose and called will help you in this as well.  To you and to them especially, I give my motherly blessing. Thank you."

2 - Youth: bombarded and showered!

In the aftermath of a very beautiful Youth Festival, which took place in Medjugorje during the 1st week of August, I can only be filled with wonder. Surely it was a shower of graces for the thousands of youth who came from all over the world!  Again and again when the youth share about their private lives, one sees they have been bombarded in a thousand ways by ordeals, (often unbeknownst to their parents).  They are being tracked down by ubiquitous snares of Evil that relentlessly seek their weakness, their depression, their slavery to destructive and sometimes suicidal passions! Yet, the Mother of God never stops calling them, lifting them up, inspiring them, offering them the perfect path, revealing the true goal of their earthly lives and true peace. It's simply splendid!
Didn't she begin everything in Medjugorje with six young people who lacked a proper education, who were fragile and vulnerable? Why were these young people chosen despite the fact that there were adults in the village who were obviously saints? 
 
I will never forget Fr. Jozo Zovko's words to me one day, "If I had been Our Lady, I never would have chosen these children!"  But Gospa did choose them.  She said, "Such was the will of God!"  Then why should we ask who should be chosen?   God's will is God's will, that's it!  She even told little Jakov that she doesn't necessarily choose the best ones!  So we all have a chance!

God's will was to entrust six children with a fantastic mission: to be the voice of the Queen of Peace in our un-peaceful world.   That's no little news!

What attracts them so strongly to Medjugorje?
There is no question: young people are simply invited!   Such large gatherings of young people for a religious motif, cannot be humanly concocted.  They just happen, because Heaven is in charge and has a plan for them.   If there was a human trick to attract them, then most of the parishes around the world would have jumped on that trick to get their young people back to God!

When I am on a mission somewhere, it strikes me to see how motherly the Gospa is with the youth.  One day, in a remote village of Poland, a group of young people told me with sadness, "We wish to go to Medjugorje, but it's impossible.  Our parents don't even have enough money to pay for our studies!"  Hearing this, my heart sank.  I was thinking of the hundreds of pilgrims who had come from the West many times without any anxiety over money.  I said to Gospa, "Now Mother, you are not going to fail me!  Do you see your children?  Aren't you able to take them to Medjugorje to be converted?  Are you going to let them down just because their parents have no money?  You are a mom, aren't you?"  And I heard myself tell these kids right away, 'No problem at all!  You just have to pray to your Mother in Heaven telling her, 'Mom, you have invited so many to Medjugorje, why not me?  Am I not your beloved child too?  Am I not also in need of conversion?'  And see what happens!  I bet we'll meet there soon!'" Sure enough the following summer a bunch of young people from Poland stopped me near St. James and asked, "Sister, do you recognize us?"  I could hardly believe my eyes!  They were the same kids from that poor village in Poland!  Each one of them had a different story of how the money came to him!

Sometimes, young people ask us, "What is so special here?  I knew in my heart that I had to come.  I traveled non stop to reach Medj., but I still don't know why I am here, or what I should do with myself these days."  The answer is clear, "If you don't know, the Gospa knows!  You'll see for yourself later on, you don't need to be worried!"

I find that the youth are simply being invited, and warmly so!  Our Lady sees their hardships and she has the most powerful keys for their happiness.

A few examples:

-     Mary is a mom, and in Medjugorje many youth experience motherly love for the first time, (especially those who don't have a mom anymore)!  In the face of so much damage from the lack of motherhood today, Gospa's motherly presence is so healing!  It's a vital balm for their hearts!  Mary's motherly love gives young people the sense of security they are longing for.  They are able to experience her constant care and her loving understanding as a mom.   Several young people have told me, "I don't want to leave from this place, I feel I am in my mother's womb here, I need more time with her!"  As a matter of fact, their true identity is strengthened after their pilgrimage.

-     As a mother, Mary comes everyday!  Again this is healing, since faithfulness to being a committed parent is becoming rare.  Often I run across people over 50 who cannot understand why the Mother of God appears every day.  Yet I never hear that complaint from kids.  On the contrary, for them her coming is a sign that she knows their needs and answers them!  Indeed they badly need this security in the midst of so much turmoil.

-    As a mother, Mary comes always at the same hour.   This regularity helps children develop stability!

-    As a mother, Mary speaks simple words from the heart as we do in a family.  In fact, so many youth lack family life and relationships!  Her words are guiding lights for them and points of reference.  In a world of confusion and excess information, Mary is a nurse:  she binds their wounds and simplifies what we make complex.

-     Mary is a demanding teacher and today's kids yearn to find someone who is demanding!   She is not wishy-washy with the youth, and she doesn't compromise with the Gospel.  Unlike many parents, she is not afraid to lose their hearts by being firm.  Like Pope John Paul II, she deeply believes in her children!  She makes them realize how precious their lives are.  Many know they have escaped abortion, and they appreciate to discover that their life is a blessing!  Our Lady tells them, "Thank God the Creator, for He has created you in such a wonderful way!"  They find out with surprise how great they can become if they decide to attend her school.  She doesn't minimize their potential and is not afraid to show them the truth.  She challenges them to become what they truly are, and not what the world tells them to be!   She is bold with them.  She challenges them with a call to holiness.
 
-    In one word, they feel at home in Medjugorje!  They can be themselves!  They can even carry a rosary without being made fun of, because it's normal in Medjugorje!

-    Mary makes them feel that Jesus is not primarily a Judge or a Ruler, but a loving Heart Who awaits them with treasures.

-    Mary is the Queen of Peace, and kids want that true peace; they are tired of false peace, false lights.  She helps them find their way in this world, their vocation.  She gives them so much hope for their future!

-     The Blessed Mother is always inviting new children to her home, so the youth have the opportunity to make friends with likeminded people.  In fact, she calls Medjugorje "a place for encounters of the hearts!"

-      Especially in Medjugorje, Mary is the Refuge of sinners.  The young people can open their hearts and tell all they did in the past without being looked upon or judged.  Then they are open to let Jesus purify them for a new beginning.

-      Mary provides an opportunity for the many kids who live in cities, to reconnect with nature.  In Medj, they see pigs, cows, sheep, hens; they see grapes growing, they pick fresh figs or olives from the trees.  Here the parables of Jesus can come alive for them!
-      Mary makes them discover what it is to be truly catholic, part of the Universal Church.  They open their eyes to see Catholics coming from Asia, Africa, Australia, Europe, North and South America, and they realize they are not alone in their faith.

In 1982 an event that is unique in the history of the Church took place:  Our Lady formed her own prayer group with young people whom she chose.  She asked them to attend her school for four years in a row.  She even gave them a charter that explained how they could belong to her and become a saint!  Today, young people can join together with the adults and participate in night time apparitions that take place on the mountain.  There they can feel her incredible closeness as a mother.

This year, over 440 priests came to minister the young people during the Festival!  They worked until late at night, listening to them and hearing their confession.  It was a wonderful harvest!
 
O loving Mother, bless your most tender and vulnerable children!
Spare them from being bombarded with the viruses of this world!
Wrap them in your mantle and take them to Jesus!
 

Sister Emmanuel +
(Translated from French)

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PS 1 – Check out the DVD section of our website at www.childrenofmedjugorje.com.  There you will find stories like those above to fill your hearts with joy, laughter, wisdom and unforgettable stories from Medjugorje told by Sr. Emmanuel.

PS 2 – Read it.  Spread it!  The Hidden Child of Medjugorje by Sr. Emmanuel.  You won't regret giving this book to a friend as a shower gift, a wedding gift, or as a fall stocking stuffer!  In the US go to our COM store: www.childrenofmedjugorje.com then click "Shop COM".  $19 + postage.  In UK, 7£, Tel +44 2920 460 189. In Ireland, Veritas, Dublin, Tel: +353 1878 8177 - sales@veritas.ie In South Africa, Tel: +27 393 172 825. In Medjugorje at "Devotions", 9€. Tel. +387 36 651 497, or "Phoenix Catholic bookstore", Tel. +387 36 650 917.

© 2008 Children of Medjugorje, Inc  
www.childrenofmedjugorje.com  
PO Box 18430, Denver CO 801218 
877-MIR-MEDJ  

SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY # 313

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

THE INFALLIBILITY OF THE POPE: The infernal spirit of lies would overcome the Church, if he could succeed in diverting her from the true faith, and plunging her into error. If, therefore, the Church is to be invincible through Peter (that is, through the Papacy), the Pope must be an infallible teacher. Even as far back as the third century St. Cyprian writes: "To the rock of Peter no error can obtain access."

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

Friday	August 15, 2008

Our Lady Gives Solution for the Spiritual Renewal of the World

This picture was taken at 8:10 p.m. Already a very large number of pilgrims were gathered, prayerfully preparing for the moment that they would be kneeling before their Queen.

Pilgrims were already journeying to Apparition Hill for the feast of the Assumption as early as 3 a.m. this morning in Medjugorje, with a steady stream of pilgrims through the village and up the Hill all day to pay homage to their Queen on Her feast day. Holy Mass began in St. James Church at 5:00 a.m. and continued on the hour until early afternoon.

Around 7:30 p.m., a large crowd of pilgrims was already gathering to sing and pray in preparation for Our Lady’s apparition to Ivan at 10:00 p.m. on top of Apparition Hill. By 8:15 p.m. when the pre-Rosary songs began, all areas around the top of Apparition Hill and the main pathways to the top of the Hill were filling up fast as groups poured in from all sides to get close to Our Lady. At around 9:15 p.m., when Ivan and his prayer group began the prayer of the Rosary in preparation for Our Lady’s coming, there were wall-to-wall pilgrims as far as you could see from the top of the Hill. There were even small groups of last-minute pilgrims that snuck in at the top of the hill as the second Rosary before the apparition time was concluded. By the time Our Lady appeared to Ivan, there were several thousands of pilgrims packed on Apparition Hill.

This picture was taken just a half an hour after the above picture, at 8:40 p.m. There was a continuous flow of pilgrims coming up Apparition Hill from before 7:00 p.m. until the very moment Our Lady appeared at 10:00 p.m.

Our Lady was truly showing us She was with us on Her feast day, as the wind grew stronger and stronger as the apparition time approached. The entire time Our Lady was with us, the wind was very powerful. She was indeed present tonight in the wind and in Her encouraging words.

Ivan began the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary at 9:15 p.m. and then began the Glorious Mysteries. After the 4th Glorious Mystery, it was announced that it was time for the apparition. Almost everyone on Apparition Hill knelt to receive Our Lady. Our Lady appeared around 10:00 p.m. and the apparition lasted about 8 minutes. The following is a description of Our Lady’s apparition to Ivan during his prayer group meeting on top of Apparition Hill on the Feast of the Assumption.

Tonight Our Lady came exceptionally joyful and happy. When She came She greeted all of us with Her Motherly greeting saying, “Praised be Jesus, my dear children, my dear little children.” She then prayed over all of us with Her hands extended. In a special way She prayed over those who are sick, present on the hill. She then blessed us with Her Motherly Blessing. She blessed all of the religious articles that have been brought for blessing. Ivan recommended all of us, all of our needs, and all of our intentions. In a special way again, he recommended all of the sick. With Her hands extended, Our Lady continued to pray over all of us. And then She said:

“Dear children, also today I call all of you with responsibility to accept my messages. Live, dear children, my messages. Today, in a special way, I call you, renew family prayer. Dear children, only by the renewal of the family prayer can today’s world be renewed spiritually. Spiritual renewal, dear children, is necessary for today’s world. Dear children, know that the Mother prays with you. The Mother intercedes with Her Son for all of you. The Mother loves all of you. Dear children, thank you for having responded to my call.”

Afterwards, Ivan prayed together with Our Lady an Our Father and Glory Be. There was a brief conversation between them. And then Our Lady left in an illuminated Sign of the Cross, with the greeting, “Go in peace, my dear children.”

A Friend of Medjugorje is out of town right now, and when he was read the message over the phone, his comment was that this message is exactly was July 1-5 was about. If we want our Nation healed, it will come only through the family not through the presidents.

July 1-5, we consecrated ourselves, our families, and our Nation to God. For the Consecration Prayers that were prayed July 1-5, for our Families, Click Here...

We encourage everyone to pray the Special Consecration of the Family, especially in light of Our Lady’s message above to Ivan.

As pilgrims gathered on top of Apparition Hill to prepare for Our Lady’s apparition, many were graced with this beautiful sunset as they contemplated that soon the Queen of Heaven would be descending down to earth to give us Her blessing.

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Mark Mallett Continues his Writings: To The Bastion! - Part II

To The Bastion! — Part II

The words in Part I and II of "To The Bastion!" are as relevant, if not more so, than the day they were written. Let us pray for one another without ceasing as the battle quickens and the Day approaches… Also, please note that many people are no longer receiving my emails because they have been pegged as spam by their servers. You have to contact your server and ask them to allow email from markmallett.com. However, all my writings are posted at www.markmallett.com/blog and viewable at any time.

First published September 27th, 2007:

 

TWO small trumpets have been placed in my hands which I feel compelled to blow this day. The first:

That which is built on sand is crumbling!

Continue reading here: http://www.markmallett.com/blog/?p=515

SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY # 312

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

THE POPE: St. Peter became the first Bishop of Rome, and for that reason the Roman Bishop has ever been believed to be the successor of St. Peter in the Primacy. Hence he is called the 'Pope,' i. e. the father of all the faithful. The Papacy therefore is of divine institution.

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

FROM MEJ.COM:

This world has its future but under one condition – it has to go back to God.

Ivan, the Medjugorje visionary, speaking to a group of pilgrims on Tuesday, August 12, 2008. Ivan just returned from the United States where he and his wife welcomed into their family their 4th child, a son born the end of July.

Ivan
August 12, 2008

Dear friends in Christ, at the beginning of this meeting, I would like to greet you all from the bottom of my heart. My wish is that during this short time that we are going to spend together, during this meeting, I share with you the most important things, the things that Our Lady has been inviting us to in the last 27 years. I would like to bring the messages closer to you so that we can understand them better and live the messages. Twenty-seven years ago, Our Lady knocked on the door of my heart. She has chosen me to be Her instrument, an instrument in Her hands and in the hands of God. For me and for my wife, for my family, this for sure has been a great gift, but it is also a great responsibility. I know that God has granted me a lot. I also know that He is asking a lot of me. You know that the one who is given a lot from God, God is looking for a lot from him. It is not easy and it is not simple to be with Our Lady everyday and speaking to Her everyday for 5 or 10 minutes and then after that meeting with Our Lady, come back to the world and live here on the earth. Everyday after the meeting with Our Lady, I need a few hours to come back to the reality of this world. If you could only see Our Lady just for one second, not more than a second, just a second, I don’t know whether your life here on this earth would be interesting to you anymore.

What is the most important that Our Lady has been calling us and inviting us to in all these years? Our Lady has given us many messages, but the most important messages to which Our Lady has been guiding us are the messages of peace, conversion, prayer with the heart, penance and fasting, firm faith, love, forgiveness, the Eucharist, and the message of hope. These messages that I have just mentioned, these are the most important messages, the central messages through which Our Lady has been guiding us. Our Lady, in all these years, has been simplifying these messages to us in order for us to understand them better and to live them better.

At the very beginning of the apparitions back in 1981, Our Lady introduced Herself as the Queen of Peace. The first words She spoke were, “Dear children, I’m coming because my Son is sending me here to help you. Dear children, peace, peace, peace. Peace must reign. Peace must reign throughout the world. Dear children, peace must reign between God and man and among people themselves. Dear children, this world, this mankind, is in great danger and it is in danger to destroy itself.” Those were the first words, the first messages that through us, Our Lady has directed to the world. The Mother has been coming from the King of Peace. Who can know better than the Mother how much peace today’s tired world is in need of? How much peace today’s tired families and young people of today need? How much peace today’s Church is in need of? And the Mother has been coming to us. She has been coming to us because She wants to help us. She wants to encourage us all and She wants to console us. Mother has been coming to us because She wants to point to us the things that are not good so that we can fix what is not good. She has been coming to us and She has been extending Her hands. And She has been guiding us to peace, to Her Son. In one of Her messages, Our Lady said: “Dear children, today more than ever, this world, this humanity is going through difficult moments and difficult crisis.” And the biggest crisis, the greatest one, is the crisis of faith in God, because people distance themselves from God. “Dear children, today’s world, today’s mankind, want to go towards the future without God. Dear children, prayer is not present anymore in your families.” Parents do not pray anymore together with their children. Parents do not have time for their children. Children do not have time for their parents. Mother doesn’t have time for the father, and the father doesn’t have time for the mother. There is no more faithfulness in marriages. There is no more love in families. There is a fall of morality happening. There are so many broken and tired families. There are so many abortions happening today, and the Mother is shedding Her tears because of that.

The Mother has been coming to us. She wants to take us out of this darkness to the light and towards hope. The Mother has been coming as the Mother of Hope. And Our Lady says, “Dear children, if there is no peace in man’s heart, if man is not at peace with himself, if there is no peace in families, dear children, then there can’t be peace in the world. That is why I have been inviting you.” Do not talk about peace, but start living peace. Do not talk about prayer, but start living prayer. “Dear children, only with bringing prayer into your families and bringing peace back into your families, only in that way, your family can be spiritually healed. Today’s world and today’s family are in need of spiritual healing. Today’s world, dear children, is spiritually sick.” And the Mother has been coming to us. She has been bringing us a cure, a divine medicine, a medicine for us and for our pain. She wants to heal our pain, to put bandages on our wounds with so much love, with so much tenderness and Motherly work. The Mother has been coming to us. She wants to lift this sinful mankind up. She has been coming to us because She is worried about our salvation. Our Lady says, “Dear children, I am with you. I come in your midst because I want to bring peace back, but dear children, I need you. With you, I can realize peace. That is why, dear children, decide for good and fight against evil and against sin.”

The Mother has been speaking in a simple way. So many times She has been repeating to us and She doesn’t get tired at all. Like me, in all these years, I have repeated so many times this, what I have just said to you, and I am not tired yet, because I can see that Our Lady, every day, at all, does not get tired of inviting and calling us again and again. Like all of you mothers present here, how many times did you say to your children, behave yourself, be good, study, work, be obedient, don’t do this, that is not good – thousands and thousands of times you have repeated this to your children. Isn’t it so? Are you tired yet? Is there a mother here that can say that she has only had to say something once to her children and never, ever have to repeat it again? No, there isn’t such a mother, because mothers need to repeat. A mother has to repeat so that her children will not forget. It is the same with Our Lady. In all these years, She has been repeating so that Her children do not forget. Our Lady has not come to us to bring us fear, to criticize us, to talk to us about the end of the world, or the second coming of Jesus. Our Lady has been bringing hope – hope in families, hope in the Church. Our Lady said, “Dear children, if you are strong, the Church will be strong too. If you are weak, the Church will be weak too. You are the living Church. You are the lungs of the Church. That is why, dear children, I have been inviting you – bring the prayer back into the families, pray in your families. May your families become the living Church in which people pray, in which people live the word of Christ. Dear children, there is no living Church without the living family.” That is why Our Lady says, “Dear children, this world, this humanity has its future but under one condition – it has to go back to God. It has to go back to prayer.” The world has to place God in the very first place and together with Him, we can walk towards the future.

Ivan, with a translator, about to begin his talk to a group of English-speaking pilgrims in the yellow building behind St. James Church. To the left of Ivan is a picture of Our Lady that Ivan has explained most resembles Our Lady than any other picture he has seen, though it still doesn’t come close to capturing Our Lady and Her beauty. To the right is a picture of our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI.

In a special way, Our Lady has been inviting us to the Holy Mass, the Holy Mass as the very center of our lives. In one of Her messages She says, “Dear children, if tomorrow you have to make a decision whether to come to me, to meet me or go to Holy Mass, children, do not come to me, go to Holy Mass.” Because to go to Holy Mass means to go to meet with Jesus who is giving Himself to us in the Holy Mass to surrender ourselves to Him, to open ourselves to Him, to talk to Him, and to receive Him. In a special way, Our Lady has been calling us to monthly Confession, to adore the Blessed Sacrament, and to venerate the Holy Cross. In a special way, Our Lady has been inviting all priests to start adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in their own parishes. Our Lady has been inviting us to prayer of the Rosary in our families, to read the Holy Scripture in our families. In one of Her messages, Our Lady says, “Dear children, let the Bible be in a visible place in your family home. Read Holy Scripture. Forgive one another. Love one another.” The Mother has been carrying all of us in Her heart. So beautiful and beautifully She has said in one of Her messages, “Dear children, if you only knew how much I love you, you would cry out of joy.” That is how great the love of the Mother is.

But for sure, one of the most important messages Our Lady has been inviting us to a lot is prayer with the heart. So many times Our Lady has repeated, “pray, pray, pray, dear children.” Don’t pray just with words, don’t pray mechanically, don’t pray because it is tradition, don’t pray and look at your watch, waiting for the moment when the prayer is over. To pray with the heart means to pray out of love and with love, to pray with your whole being, so that the prayers we say can truly become a meeting with Jesus, a conversation with Jesus, so that when we end the prayer with the heart we may be filled with joy and happiness. Our Lady said, “Dear children, let prayer become joy for you. Dear children, the one who prays should not be afraid of the future.” That is why we have to decide for prayer, to be enrolled in the school of prayer, to study every day. Our Lady asks of us to pray every day for three hours, not three hours at once, not to pray the Rosary for three hours. When Our Lady asks of us to pray for three hours, She asks that the Holy Mass be included in those three hours, that we read Holy Scripture, that we pray the Rosary, that we pray in the family, that we talk to each other in our families, do good things, and help people and one another. And that is what Our Lady has been asking of us. Once there was a pilgrim who came here to Medjugorje. Then that pilgrim heard somewhere that Our Lady was asking of us to pray for three hours and then she came to me and said to me, “I can’t believe that Our Lady is asking of us to pray for three hours a day. She can’t do that, She can’t ask for that.” I tried to explain to her, but somehow she could not understand. Then the next year she came back. And when she came back, she asked the same question again, “Is Our Lady still asking of us to pray three hours a day?” Then I said to her, “You are a bit late. Our Lady is not asking for three hours, Our Lady is now asking for 24 hours a day.” And do you know what that pilgrim said? She said, “OK, OK, then I will stick to three hours.” You see that sometimes we are somehow selfish when it comes to prayer. Our Lady is not asking of us something that we cannot accept and cannot live. She is giving to us as much as we can receive and accept. Our Lady said, “Dear children, if you want to attend this school of prayer, then you have to know that in that school there are no weekends and there is no rest. You have to attend the school of prayer every single day. And, dear children, if you want to pray better, then you always have to pray more because praying more is always a personal decision, and to pray better is grace, grace given to those who pray more.” Very often, now-a-days, we say we do not have time to pray. We don’t have time to go to Mass. We don’t have time for our children, for our family. Time is always a problem. And Our Lady says, “No, dear children, time is not the problem. The problem is in love, because, dear children, if a man loves or likes something, he will always find time for that. But if a man doesn’t like or love something, he will never, ever find time for that.” That is why Our Lady has been inviting us so much to prayer. And that is why throughout all these years, Our Lady has been waking us up from this spiritual coma. She wants us to be stronger in our faith and in prayer.

This evening, during apparition time, I am going to recommend each one of you, all your needs, your families, all the sick people, and the parishes that you are coming from. I believe and I hope that we will respond to Our Lady’s call, that we will accept Her messages, and that we will become co-creators of one better and more beautiful world, the world which is worthy of children of God. May your coming here be a beginning for you, a beginning of your spiritual renewal, so that when you return home you can continue with that spiritual renewal that you started here, together with your families, with your friends, in your parishes. You try to become a new light, the lantern in your family and the lantern in your parish. Become a living sign and let us pray together with the Queen of Peace for peace in the whole world. Let us decide for God. Only in God can be find the true and only peace. Let it be so. Thank you and may God bless you.

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©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.

[MaryVitamin] Ark of the Covenant

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

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SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY # 311

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

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

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