Choir (Of Angels) Members

Today marks the feast of the Archangels St. Michael (Who is like God?), St. Gabriel (God is my strength), and St. Raphael (God has healed).

Fr. John Zuhlsdorf at What Does The Prayer Really Say gives a brief synopsis of the origins of today (and from where I found the photo--fedora doff to the good priest).

At the 'blog of Ignatius Press is a re-post (see, I am not the only one who does this) from an excerpt of a book by Dr. Peter Kreeft, a professor of philosophy at Boston College.

Speaking of priests, Fr. Philip Neri Powell, OP, who has his own 'blog (Domine, da nihi hanc aquam!) shares his homily.

Finally, there is my post from 2006 which links to a post from the Happy Catholic.

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Originally posted 9/29/2012.
Re-posted 9/29/2015.
Re-posted 9/29/2016.

Re-posted 9/29/2017.

Re-posted 9/29/2020.

Re-posted 9/29/2021.

Holiday PSA

There are only 99 shopping days until Christmas.

(Just a friendly reminder, for all you looking to beat the rush.)

UPDATE 9/15/2015:  That was back when there wasn't the glut of stores being open on Thanksgiving Day. Now it seems that day must be counted as well.

Anyway, there are only 100 shopping days until Christmas.

Avoid that last-minute rush.

**********

Originally posted 9/15/2008.
Updated and re-posted 9/15/2015.

Re-posted 9/15/2018.

Re-posted 9/15/2020.

Re-posted 9/15/2021.

"...You Yourself Shall Be Pierced With A Sword..."

The Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows follows the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Once again, like the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the liturgical calendar shows us that we, like Mary, should be close to Jesus. We also must be ready to share the sorrows of both.

Many of you sing the following during the Stations of the Cross. A 13th. Century hymn, it was suppressed as a sequence by the Council of Trent, only to be restored by Benedict XIII in 1727. Its use in the Ordinary Form of the Mass is optional. The English translation is by Edward Caswall.

Stabat mater dolorosa

juxta Crucem lacrimosa,

dum pendebat Filius.

Cuyus animam gementem,

contristatam et dolentem,

pertransivit gladius.

O quam tristis et afflicta

fuit illa benedicta

Mater Unigeniti.

Quae moerebat et dolebat,

Pia Mater cum videbat

Nati poenas incliti.

Quis est homo qui non fleret,

Matrem Christi si videret

in tanto supplicio?

Quis non posset contristari,

Christi Matrem contemplari

dolentem cum Filio?

Pro peccatis suae gentis

vidit Jesum in tormentis

et flagellis subditum.

Vidit suum dulcem natum

moriendo desolatum,

dum emisit spiritum.

Eia Mater, fons amoris,

me sentire vim doloris

fac, ut tecum lugeam.

Fac ut ardeat cor meum

in amando Christum Deum,

ut sibi complaceam.

Sancta mater, istud agas,

crucifixi fige plagas

cordi meo valide.

Tui nati vulnerati,

tam dignati pro me pati,

poenas mecum divide.

Fac me tecum pie flere,

crucifixo condolere,

donec ego vixero.

Iuxta crucem tecum stare,

et me tibi sociare

in planctu desidero.

Virgo virginum praeclara,

mihi iam non sis amara:

fac me tecum plangere.

Fac ut portem Christi mortem,

passionis fac consortem,

et plagas recolere.

Fac me plagis vulnerari,

fac me cruce inebriari,

et cruore Filii.

Flammis ne urar succensus

per te Virgo, sim defensus

in die judicii

Christe, cum sit hinc exire,

da per matrem me venire

ad palmam victoriae.

Quando corpus morietur,

fac ut animae donetur

Paradisi gloria.

Amen.

++++++++++

At the cross her station keeping,

Stood the mournful Mother weeping,

Close to Jesus to the last.

Through her heart, His sorrow sharing,

All His bitter anguish bearing,

Now at length the sword had pass'd.

Oh, how sad and sore distress'd

Was that Mother highly blest

Of the sole-begotten One!

Christ above in torment hangs;

She beneath beholds the pangs

Of her dying glorious Son.

Is there one who would not weep,

Whelm'd in miseries so deep

Christ's dear Mother to behold?

Can the human heart refrain

From partaking in her pain,

In that Mother's pain untold?

Bruis'd, derided, curs'd, defil'd,

She beheld her tender child

All with bloody scourges rent.

For the sins of His own nation,

Saw Him hang in desolation,

Till His spirit forth He sent.

O thou Mother! fount of love!

Touch my spirit from above;

Make my heart with thine accord.

Make me feel as thou hast felt;

Make my soul to glow and melt

With the love of Christ our Lord.

Holy Mother! pierce me through;

In my heart each wound renew

Of my Saviour crucified.

Let me share with thee His pain,

Who for all my sins was slain,

Who for me in torments died.

Let me mingle tears with thee,

Mourning Him who mourn'd for me,

All the days that I may live.

By the cross with thee to stay,

There with thee to weep and pray,

Is all I ask of thee to give.

Virgin of all virgins best,

Listen to my fond request

Let me share thy grief divine.

Let me, to my latest breath,

In my body bear the death

Of that dying Son of thine.

Wounded with His every wound,

Steep my soul till it hath swoon'd

In His very blood away.

Be to me, O Virgin, nigh,

Lest in flames I burn and die,

In His awful Judgment day.

Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence,

Be Thy Mother my defence,

Be Thy cross my victory.

While my body here decays,

May my soul Thy goodness praise,

Safe in Paradise with Thee.

Amen.

**********

Originally published 3/21/2008 (Good Friday).

Re-posted with image 9/15/2018.

Re-posted without image 9/15/2020.

Re-posted 9/15/2021.

A Stumbling Block

Refrain:
Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim,
Till all the world adore His sacred Name.

Led on their way by this triumphant sign,
The hosts of God in conquering ranks combine.

(Refrain)

Each newborn servant of the Crucified
Bears on the brow the seal of Him Who died.

(Refrain)

O Lord, once lifted on the glorious tree,
As Thou hast promised, draw the world to Thee.

(Refrain)

So shall our song of triumph ever be:
Praise to the Crucified for victory.

(Refrain)

But may I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. (Galatians 6:14)

I include my post from 2006 as well.

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Originally posted 9/14/2007.
Re-posted 9/14/2011.
Re-posted 9/14/2012.
Re-posted 9/14/2014.
Re-posted 9/14/2015.
Re-posted 9/14/2016.
Re-posted 9/14/2017.
Re-posted 9/14/2018.

Re-posted 9/14/2020.

Re-posted 9/14/2021.

In Hoc Signo Crucis Vinces

Let us not then be ashamed to confess the Crucified. Be the Cross our seal made with boldness by our fingers on our brow and in everything; over the bread we eat, and the cups we drink; in our comings in, and goings out; before our sleep, when we lie down and when we awake; when we are in the way and when we are still. Great is that preservative; it is without price, for the poor's sake; without toil, for the sick, since also its grace is from God. It is the Sign of the faithful, and the dread of evils; for He has triumphed over them in it, having made a shew of them openly; for when they see the Cross, they are reminded of the Crucified; they are afraid of Him, Who hath bruised the heads of the dragon. Despise not the Seal, because of the freeness of the Gift; but for this rather honor thy Benefactor.

St. Cyril of Jerusalem, A.D. 315 - 386

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee;
R. Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

++++++++++

En ego, O bone et dulcissime Iesu, ante conspectum tuum genibus me provolvo, ac maximo animi ardore te oro atque obtestor, ut meum in cor vividos fidei, spei et caritatis sensus, atque veram peccatorum meorum poenitentiam, eaque emendandi firmissimam voluntatem velis imprimere; dum magno animi affectu et dolore tua quinque vulnera mecum ipse considero ac mente contemplor, illud prae oculis habens, quod iam in ore ponebat tuo David propheta de te, o bone Iesu: Foderunt manus meas et pedes meos: dinumeraverunt omnia ossa mea. Amen.

++++++++++

Behold, O good and most sweet Jesus, I fall upon my knees before Thee, and with most fervent desire beg and beseech Thee that Thou wouldst impress upon my heart a lively sense of faith, hope and charity, true repentance for my sins, and a firm resolve to make amends. And with deep affection and grief, I reflect upon Thy five wounds, having before my eyes that which Thy prophet David spoke about Thee, o good Jesus: "They have pierced my hands and feet, they have counted all my bones." Amen.

**********

Originally posted 9/14/2006.
Re-posted 9/14/2017.
Re-posted 9/14/2018.

Re-posted 9/14/2020.

Re-posted 9/14/2021 with current image.

When I Was Seventeen

This infinitesimal corner of the universe celebrates only two events directly related to it host. The first is, naturally, the host's natal day. The other is the birth of this collection of pixels created by the host.

Yes, this my 'blogiversary.

Has 'blogging gone out of fashion? I would say, given the development of other social media, that answer leans toward the affirmative. Yet there are still very predominate and influential  people who include this as part of their virtual footprint. I still think it has a purpose.

Perhaps that is why this is still around. I have never claimed to be proficient or that profound, despite a promising beginning. I always work toward being thoughtful and relevant, although being part of the news cycle has never been a fabric in this outfit. (And there have been plenty of things upon which to comment.) I don't mind being a "small, quiet voice". It is my hope that my words give you a point of departure for contemplation.

So once again, I renew my commitment to keep this going. It has never been on life support; rather, I would think it is more in hibernation. Yes, there will be the usual re-posts and monthly reminders. I just need to move the spirit and post on what interests me and upon which I can expound from my limited background, knowledge, and experience. For now, that it how I am defining how successful this is.

Do continue to come and visit; I enjoy your company.

The welcome mat is still out.

"Remember, Remember..."

 

 "...the eleventh of September."

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. 

George Santayana (1862-1952)

And those who will not remember the past are condemned to make a worse mistake.

The Augustinian privilege is invoked again today. For on this day 21 years ago, the worst terrorist act in the history of the United States was perpetrated. Two passenger planes were deliberately flown into the "Twin Towers" in New York, NY. A third found its way to the Pentagon in Washington, DC. A fourth, seemingly headed for the Capitol building, was forced to crash land in a field near Shanksville, PA due to the heroic efforts of the passengers.

2,996 lives were lost. It was a brilliant act of evil. Satan had to be more proud of himself than ever.

And so we made vows. One was to "Never Forget". There will be tributes and memorials all over the country and the interwebs today. As always, I encourage you to go to one in person and find more eloquent and elegant words than what are here.

The other was to take the fight to the enemy. In this "War on Terrorism" the battles have seemingly been few and far between. While we have somewhat succeeded in eliminating some cells and some major leaders, one has to wonder if this task is not a version of Hydra.

I am still tinged with sadness recollecting the events of that day. It still makes no sense. But spiritual battles never will, given our limited reasoning abilities. We are fighting powers we will never comprehend. But, as God has assured us the victory over evil by the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, we still must combat it.

And so we pause to recall and reflect.

And so we will carry on.

Never Forget.

September 2022 Morning Offering Prayer Intention

Here is the intention for this month when prayer the Morning Offering:

For the abolition of the death penalty. We pray that the death penalty, which attacks the dignity of the human person, may be legally abolished in every country.

A reflection for this intention is found here.