CATHERINE OF SIENA, DOMINICAN TERTIARY

The above icon is from Monastery icons. Catherine is extraordinary. She was illiterate and yet was an advisor to Popes and now a Doctor of the Church. In her we find a deep devotion to and knowledge of Christ and the Trinity. She was woman who deeply loved the Church and suffered for its unity. We need another Catherine!

Now, then, do we wish to have that glorious hunger which these holy and true shepherds of the past have felt, and to quench in ourselves that fire of self-love? Let us do as they, who with fire quenched fire; for so great was the fire of inestimable and ardent charity that burned in their hearts and souls, that they were an-hungered and famished for the savour of souls. Oh, sweet and glorious fire, which is of such power that it quenches fire, and every inordinate delight and pleasure and all love of self; and this love is like a drop of water, which is swiftly consumed in the furnace! Should one ask me how men attained that sweet fire and hunger--inasmuch as we are surely in ourselves unfruitful trees--I say that those men grafted themselves into the fruitful tree of the most holy and sweet Cross, where they found the Lamb, slain with such fire of love for our salvation as seems insatiable. Still He cries that He is athirst, as if saying: "I have greater ardour and desire and thirst for your salvation than I show you with My finished Passion." O sweet and good Jesus! Let pontiffs shame them, and shepherds, and every other creature, for our ignorance and pride and self-indulgence, in the presence of so great largess and goodness and ineffable love on the part of our Creator! He has revealed Himself to us in our humanity, a Tree full of sweet and mellow fruits, in order that we, wild trees, might graft ourselves in Him. Now in this wise wrought that enamoured Gregory, and those other good shepherds: knowing that they had no virtue in themselves, and gazing upon the Word, our Tree, they grafted themselves in Him, bound and chained by the bands of love. For in that which the eye sees does it delight, when the thing is fair and good. They saw, then, and seeing they so bound them that they saw not themselves, but saw and tasted everything in God. And there was neither wind nor hail nor demons nor creatures that could keep them from bearing cultivated fruits: since they were grafted in the substance of our Tree, Jesus. They brought forth their fruits, then, from the substance of sweet charity, in which they were united. And there is no other way.

From a letter to Pope Gregory XI.

THE PRESENTATION OF OUR LORD IN THE TEMPLE

Fourth Mystery
THE PRESENTATION IN THE TEMPLE
Our Father...
1. When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord" ), and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: "a pair of doves or two young pigeons." Hail Mary...

2. Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. Hail Mary...

3. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. Hail Mary...

4. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:"Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. Hail Mary...

5. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel." Hail Mary...

6. The child's father and mother marveled at what was said about him. Hail Mary...

7. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too." Hail Mary...

8. There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. Hail Mary...

9. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Hail Mary...

10. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. Hail Mary...

Glory be to the Father…

The Mother of God and St. Joseph come to the Temple to present God to God, the Son to the Father but as if he were a sinner like all others. In His humility the Word is carried as the man-child, full of wisdom beyond His years, to have His life redeemed with two doves. He is priced this cheaply as a baby because He is a poor man and as a poor man He will be sold cheaply for thirty pieces of silver. At least here is not unrecognised; inspired by the Spirit Simeon recognizes the Lord, the True High Priest, as He enters His Temple carried in the arms of His Mother, who made a Temple for Him in her body, He who is to establish the Temple of His Church by uniting man to the Temple of His Body. A long life of service is crowned with the King's arrival, the Priest approaching at last the altar of sacrifice. Here is prophesied that this saving sacrifice is not just for the Jews but for the Gentiles together they are to form a new Israel.
This is not without pain. For His Mother her heart will be pierced. What does this mean? Tradition says it refers to the sorrow that will come to her from the suffering of Her Son and God. Her heart will be pierced with Her Son's side. She is the midwife of the Church, an icon of the Church and its first and noblest member. In the earthly Jewish temple she presents God to God as she will present Him to the Father at the foot of the Cross. Joseph, ever-faithful, stands by her, a model of silent contemplation and obedience. In the fresco above Anna appears in a window/tower proclaiming from on high the wondrous actions of God.
Let us accompany the Mother of God as St. Joseph did and in the temple, as at the foot of the Cross, offer ourselves in union with Him so that He will 'buy us back' and give us eternal life.

THE NATIVITY of OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

The Third Joyful Mystery
THE BIRTH OF CHRIST
Our Father…

1. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born. Hail Mary...

2. Mary gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths. Hail Mary...

3. She placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
Hail Mary...

4. There were shepherds living out in the fields nearby. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. Hail Mary...

5. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Hail Mary...

6. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Hail Mary...

7. Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests." Hail Mary...

8. Magi from the east came to Jerusalem. The star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. Hail Mary...

9. They saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. Hail Mary...

10. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. Hail Mary... Glory be to the Father…

The icon of the Nativity of Our Lord is from the wall of an Orthodox Cathedral in Texas (I think). In the centre we have the Mother of God lying on her bed and with her arms embracing the swaddled Christ-child. Above them the Uncreated Light of the invisible God shines down. His manger is like the tomb he will rise from on Easter Sunday morning. This is emphasized by the blackness of the cave behind. Creation, symbolized by the ox and donkey, looks on with eager longing for the liberation that is to come. At the upper left the angels look on in amazement and praise God while on the right on bears the good news to the shepherds. It is the outcasts and despised who are the first to hear of God's saving intervention and worship Him incarnate. On the left the Magi, the wise men, foreigners who are also excluded from Israel's worship bring their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Jew and gentile gather at the foot of Christ. On the bottom left Joseph is spoken to by an old man usually taken to be the devil who tempts him to doubt the Mother of God and, by extension, God Himself. But Joseph is a righteous man and overcomes. On the bottom right the women bath the newborn Christ, an affirmation of His humanity and an anticipation of both His baptism in the Jordan and His descent into the tomb so that our baptismal washing will bring salvation and union with the True Man, Christ.
At Greccio, not long before he died St. Francis had the Nativity scene reconstructed. He himself served the Mass as deacon. The Christ child Himself was seen to appear. From long contemplation of this mystery Francis gained a deep love for the humility of Christ. he could have chosen to be born in a better place, at a better time, in better conditions. 'Better' would be by our standards. It was in God's own time when He judged it appropriate that the Almighty Word and Image of the Father took flesh in the womb of the Virgin and was born. There were no crowds to hail Him, no bands, no welcoming parties. He chose obscurity and accepted the homage not of His own people who 'received Him not' but that of strangers and outcasts. He is born in the midst of sinners as He will be buried among them. The again we are all sinners; we have all fallen short of the glory of God. He embraces the matter of His creation to lift it not just out of the fall but into the very heart of the Trinity. His path is through littleness, rejection, suffering and death but does not end there. He will conquer and we will live forever. It is He who brings the true gift.

VISITATION OF OUR LADY TO ELIZABETH

I know this not the feast of the Visitation but for a number of years I have toyed with the idea of promoting the rosary using icons and scripture, with a commentary/meditation, in combination. Now I think that the best way to actually do this is to blog it and perhaps then seek to put it in book form.

The Second Joyful Mystery
THE VISITATION
Our Father…
At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth. Hail Mary

When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Hail Mary

In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favoured, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Hail Mary

Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!" Hail Mary

And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. Hail Mary

From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me--Hail Mary

holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. Hail Mary

He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. Hail Mary

He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. Hail Mary

He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers." Hail Mary

Glory be to the Father…


(Text of Luke's Gospel is from New International Version

What strikes me first is that Mary, the Theotokos, the Birth-Giver of God, goes to Elizabeth when she hears of her pregnancy. The Incarnation of the Word's first fruits are compassion, generosity and charity. John leaps at Mary's greeting. His leap of the Anawim - of those poor in spirit who hope in God - is a response to Mary's greeting. Her greeting therefore is already a proclamation of the Gospel, of the Good News of the Incarnation. It is her greeting that brings down the Holy Spirit on John. As St. Francis called her, she is 'Virgin made Church'. The moment of the greeting is portrayed in the icon. The Mother of the New Covenant greets the mother of the Old Covenant's last prophet. He who concludes the one and announces the other leaps with joy at the coming of the new and the mothers are filled. In an age where the unborn are denied personhood and the right to life this mystery speaks to us of the sacredness of human life and its Divine origin. God has made each of us for a purpose. He sent His Son to reveal His love and mercy and John leapt at His coming. May we too leap!

ST. FIDELIS OF SIGMARINGEN

Fidelis was born in Sigmaringen, Germany, in 1578 and martyred in Seewis, Grison, Switzerland, in 1622. The tribute to him by Pope Benedict XIV says it all.

The abundance of his charity led him to care for the bodily needs of his neighbours: he gathered all who suffered into his fatherly embrace, and supported a great number of poor people by collecting alms for them from many sources.
He relieved the loneliness of widows and orphans by arranging help for them from powerful men and princes; he assisted prisoners by all the means, physical and spiritual, that were in his power; he was tireless in visiting the sick in order to comfort them, to reconcile them to God, and to prepare them for their last agony.
He was never more fruitful in works of mercy than when the Austrian army, stationed in the Alps was struck by an epidemic and presented a miserable spectacle of pain and death.
Not only was he filled with such great charity. Being a man faithful in name and in deed, he was a notable defender of the Catholic faith, which he tirelessly preached. A few days before he sealed his faith with his blood, in his last speech, as though in a will, he spoke of the Catholic faith in these words:
“O Catholic faith, how stable, how firm you are, how well-rooted, how well-founded on a strong rock. Heaven and earth will pass away, but you can never perish. From the beginning the whole world has spoken against you, but you have triumphed mightily over all.
For this is the victory which overcomes the world, our faith; this is what has brought the most powerful kings under Christ’s rule and made peoples the servants of Christ.
What was it that made the holy apostles and martyrs undergo fierce struggles and terrible agonies, if not faith and above all faith in the resurrection?
What was it that has made hermits spurn pleasure, honour and wealth, and live a celibate life in solitude, if not living faith?
What is it that in these days causes true Christians to turn aside from what is easy and pleasant and undergo hardship and labour?
Living faith working through love – this is what leads men to put aside the goods of the present in the hope of those of the future, and to look to the future rather than to the present.”

Elogium of St. Fidelis, by Pope Benedict XIV

RATZINGER'S FAITH

I am reading this fine book by Tracey Rowland at the moment (I am a magpie when it comes to books - I jump from book to book following whatever catches my eye). There's a good review of it by Fr. Schall SJ here. It prompts me to comment that the Holy Father is so much more learned and insightful, nuanced and balanced than some of his followers (and I am one). It's a delight to encounter a thinker who so often elicits a 'yes' from one's soul (this goes for Ms. Rowland and the Holy Father). He reminds me at times of the Gregory of Nazianzen so beautifully described in Fr. McGuckin's Saint Gregory of Nazianzus an Intellectual Biography, a man of supreme intellect, a peacemaker but surrounded by those who did not always understand how deep his theology was. Thanks be to God we have such a Pope, a worthy successor to John Paul the Great.

DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY

I never recorded where I got the above icon of Christ the Divine Mercy. It looks like the work of English Iconographer Aidan Hart. Apologies if offence is given in using work without permission but it's one of the better icons out there. On this Sunday that ends the octave, the eight days that anticipate the fullness and completion of time when our eternity with God will begin, it is fitting that we remember that God is merciful. Merciful not in the sense that He ignores our sins nor in that He creates a legal fiction of innocence for us but merciful in that He loves us so much that He sends the Son to reveal that Mercy to us, to make it real, concrete and effective for us so that it transforms us into Him. In the Son the Father's ever-faithfulness is revealed and made present and He reaches into the depths of our misery, He embraces it, transfigures, transubstantiates it, so that we who are mere passing dust become immortal diamond and are lifted up onto the Father's throne with and in the Son. Divine Mercy isn't just absolution, it's Divinization.