Suffering with Him in reparation for those who mock Our Lord

     In Our Lady's meditation from Lesson 8 THE TRIAL BEFORE THE SANHEDRIN, she confides in us what she felt as her Divine Son underwent the most vial of trials and warns us to be prepared, and gives us pointers on how to prepare to fend off the ravages of satan in her words to her children. These meditative lessons, imparted by Our Lady to the Hidden Flower of the Immaculate Heart during Lent of 1993, are meant to inspire and prompt a greater understanding of the season of Lent in helping us all prepare for His Passion and Death, and ultimately the glorious Resurrection. These lessons help us realize that we, too, must suffer with Mary and Jesus in reparation for the countless souls who mock Him. For part three, click on "IT IS CONSUMMATED!"

      O! My Little Ones. Behold my Divine Son so meek and humble of heart. How the sight of Caiphas, already a rotting corpse, disgusted His purity. Yet my Divine Son, even during this unjust mockery of a trial, looked at the High Priest and there radiated from His holy eyes only love, mercy and forgiveness.

      Caiphas, Annas and the many assembled had only to open their hearts to truly "see," and they would have been forgiven for repentance would have overcome them.

      My Little Ones, look upon this scene and meditate how cleverly the evil one and all his demons propel you by your weak will to great sin, and blind you to Him Who is mercy and forgiveness.

      Meditate, my Little Ones, upon your own human reaction when anyone speaks against you in the slightest way. You instantly begin to speak, to defend yourself. And your defense is based solely upon pride, which is of satan. To defend yourself and prove yourself just and upright, you speak every ill of your fellow-man, and as anger and pride join forces, your defense becomes the same buffetings, spittle and abuse given my Divine Son.

      Look upon Jesus Who as God had all the power. Caiphas, the Sanhedrin possessed nothing more than pride. He, my Divine Son, by a single glance, a thought could have halted all of their transgressions.

      But He remained the meek Lamb in obedience to His Father’s Will so that in all future generations mankind might learn that in order to halt pride, to stop anger and to advance in holiness one must speak very little but pray much.

      Dear children, throughout all of His Passion, which truly began at the moment of His Incarnation, my Divine Son prayed! His entire life was an Infinite Sacrifice gladly given to the Father that men might be freed from satan’s snares.

      O! My Little Ones. Now in these end times it is necessary for you to realize that even though my Divine Son’s Gospel has been preached in every corner of the world, it is only a few who, in their hearts, have heard His Doctrine and lived it. The world has turned to evil and embraced it with open arms. Satan rules your world, every aspect of it because all of your material possessions, your bodily comforts and amusements have been your gods. You have fallen into the snare of the dragon, because you pronounce my Son’s name and are instantly drawn back to your worldly pleasure.

      Little children of my Immaculate Heart, I ask you to stand with my Divine Son and care naught for the world’s opinion. I ask you to examine your conscience and to realize how far from Him you have grown.

      You have only to open your heart, surrender your will and be embraced by Him. Even bound and chained my Divine Son wished to dispense mercy and forgiveness. Had any of the rabble sought forgiveness they would have found themselves embraced by His Sacred Heart, forever transformed.

      I am asking each of you in these end times to give Jesus your heart daily. Do this by your prayers, by fasting, by mortification, by reverence for Him in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Receive His forgiveness in the sacrament of Penance and then fly to His embrace in the Holy Eucharist.

      I love you. I exhort each of you to true repentance. In a contrite heart there is no fear, for then does the soul see the love of the Father where it has its eternal abode.

      Pray! Meditate. Convert your hearts, for you are called to be apostles of the end times.

NEXT INSTALLMENT: Part One of Lesson 9: THE ISCARIOT IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE BETRAYAL

Events Today in Church History

     On this date in 1591 Pope Gregory XIV pronounced "All bets off" when he outlawed wagering on pontifical elections, lengths of a papacy and odds on who would be promoted to the cardinalate. This gambling frenzy had spiraled out of control among the curia and the Holy Father, three months after his election as the 229th successor of Peter, sought to put an end to the madness. For other pertinent events throughout the centuries that are memorable in Church history today, click on MILLENNIUM MILESTONES AND MEMORIES

Historical Events in Church Annals for March 22:

• 752 A.D.
  
• Election of Stephen to succeed Pope Saint Zachary but he died from a stroke four days later before he was consecrated so he was never considered a Pope according to Canon Law. His immediate successor would be the true Stephen II.

• 1459 A.D.
  
• Birth of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor

• 1594 A.D.
  
• Paris surrenders to King Henry IV of France

• 1947 A.D.
  
• Saint Nicholas Von Flue of Switzerland is canonized by Pope Pius XII

• 1591 A.D.
  
• Pope Gregory XIV bans all wagering on papal elections as well as betting on the length of a papal reign or when cardinal would be named and who.

• 1947 A.D.
  
• Pope Pius XII publishes his eleventh encyclical Fulgens radiatur on Saint Benedict.

      Today is the Fifth Monday of Lent with tomorrow continuing the Lenten Liturgy for the Fifth Tuesday of Lent as well as the Optional Feast of Saint Turibio de Mogrovejo, Bishop and Missionary. For the readings, liturgies, meditations and the vignette on St. Turibio, click on DAILY LITURGY.

Monday March 22:
Lenten Weekday

Purple or violet vestments

First Reading: Daniel 13: 1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62
Psalms: Psalm 23: 1-6
Gospel Reading: John 8: 1-11

Tuesday March 23:
Lenten Weekday and
Optional Feast of Saint Toribio de Mogrovejo, Bishop

Purple or violet vestments

First Reading: Numbers 21: 4-9
Psalms: Psalm 102: 2-3, 16-21
Gospel Reading: John 8: 21-30

     Born in 1538 at Mayorga, Spain Saint Toribio Alfonso or Turibius taught law at the University of Salamanca where he caught the attention of King Philip II who appointed Toribio as chief judge of the Inquisition at Granada. Though still a layman, he was further appointed to the Archbishopric of Lima, Peru in 1580. Upon the announcement he received the Sacrament of Holy Orders before setting sail for the new world. There he discovered that his diocese stretched from Panama to Argentina and under his jurisdiction whom he counseled and encouraged were such luminary saints as Saint Rose of Lima, Saint Martin de Porres, Saint John Macias, and Saint Francis Solano. His greatest achievement was reforming the way the Indians were treated, fighting for the poor by founding many churches, schools, hospitals and clinics as well as the first seminary in 1591 where, within a few years, it was packed. Archbishop Toribio studied extensively learning the various dialects in order to better reach the people. It was on his way back to Lima from a pastoral visit to one of the Indian villages that he died in Santa, Peru on March 23, 1606. In 1726 Pope Benedict XIII canonized him.

      Below is the first of several increments of the Prayer for Spiritual Renewal during Lent from the Treasury of Novenas booklet:

God, Heavenly Father, look upon us and hear our prayer during this holy Season of Lent. By the good works You insipire, help us to discipline our bodies and to be renewed in the spirit.

      For the Lenten Way of the Cross, click on either the graphics Daily Way of the Cross or the text-only Daily Way of the Cross or the Meditative Lessons on the Way to Calvary

CATHOLIC CANVAS:
Daily Dose of curious contents of the Church:

Deposition

      Last week Pat Ludwa wrote about a priest who had been deposed in the Diocese of Rochester, New York. One is deposed for a very serious offense and the Vatican does not take it lightly. Deposition is the vindictive procedure under Canon Law 1335 and 1336 in which the Church suspends a cleric (priest) from the office he holds and he is deprived of all offices, dignities, and privileges of his position. He is forbidden to practice many particulars and benefices of his office yet he is not reduced to the lay state and therefore must continue to practice celibacy and recite the Breviary as dictated by the statutes of the priesthood. Most often he is not allowed to celebrate Mass and must abide by the restrictions placed upon him. There is a big difference between "Deposition" and what the Church refers to as the anniversary of the burial of a saint which is called "Day of Deposition." It also has nothing to do with a deposition in civil law. For more we refer you to The Catholic Encyclopedia at New Advent Catholic Supersite. (source: Catholic Encyclopedia, Thomas Nelson Publishers).

Click here to go to SECTION THREE or return to SECTION ONE or click here to return to the graphics front page of this issue.

March 22, 1999 volume 10, no. 56   DAILY CATHOLIC