Praying For Those Who Have Died… And For Those Who Mourn Their Loss

Posted on November 7, 2017 by mikatsa6

eternal rest prayer

In the tradition of the Holy Mother Church, November has long been a time set aside as a month dedicated to remembering those who have gone before us… a time in the Church calendar for the offering of prayers and alms giving for the souls of our beloved deceased who may now be in purgatory,( which, by the way)…. are all of those who have died in a state of grace, but are now caught in a state of purification so that they may be cleansed of any blemish and made totally clean so as to be made worthy to join God in heaven….

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As we enter into the second week of our November journey… our prayer list continues to grow as we hear the tragic news from a small town in Texas….the mass shooting of Christians. Christians who had come together on the Sabbath day, to pray and worship  our Heavenly Father... A heavy burden has been laid upon their hearts… A heavy burden has been laid upon their congregation….. a heavy burden has been laid upon us all…brothers and sisters in Christ….

With the onslaught of terrorist-ic events that have occurred just in the last couple of weeks… we are faced with the truth that there is an evil in this world that wishes to destroy all that God has made good… And as Christians who desire that all should be reconciled to the same body of Christ…we must unite ourselves to those who are suffering …We must reach out to those who feel lost, with the love and knowledge that Christ’s teachings left with us. And even if only in prayer… we should unite ourselves with their mourning… Lifting them up to the good God in Heaven…asking for His mercy to be rained down upon them and their families….to ease the severity of their pains while they struggle to piece their lives together. We should be praying that God will comfort them in their time of need…and that He will let His mercy be upon those who have died…So this November, as we offer our prayers to God the Father in Heaven, He Who created all things,  let us not only pray for our loved ones, but also for those who mourn… and more specifically  for the souls of the faithful departed who died …in these recent horrific events.

candle flame

Out of the depths I have cried to Thee O Lord! Lord, hear my voice. Let Thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication.
If Thou, O Lord! wilt mark iniquities: Lord, who shall stand it? For with Thee there is mercy: and by reason of Thy law I have waited on Thee, O Lord!
My soul hath relied on His word: my soul hath hoped in the Lord. From the morning watch even until night:
let Israel hope in the Lord. For with the Lord there is mercy; and with Him plentiful Redemption. And He will redeem Israel from all his iniquities.
Eternal rest give unto them, O Lord! And let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace.
Amen.
V. Lord, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come unto Thee.
Bless, O my God! the repose I am about to take, that, renewing my strength, I may be better enabled to serve Thee. Pour down Thy blessings, O Lord! on my parents, relations, friends, and enemies. Protect the Pope, our Bishop, and all the Pastors of Thy holy Church. Assist the poor and the afflicted, and those who are now in their last agony. Look with an eye of pity on the suffering souls in purgatory, particularly N… N…; put an end to their torments, and lead them forth into everlasting joy. Amen.

prayer for deceased

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Feast of All the Holy Souls – November 2nd

Posted on November 2, 2017 by mikatsa6

 

praying for the holy souls

“On this day is observed the commemoration of the faithful departed, in which our common and pious Mother the Church, immediately after having endeavored to celebrate by worthy praise all her children who already rejoice in heaven, strives to aid by her powerful intercession with Christ, her Lord and Spouse, all those who still groan in purgatory, so that they may join as soon as possible the inhabitants of the heavenly city.” — Roman Martyrology

All Souls’ Day is celebrated at the end of the liturgical year when the Church examines the fruits of the redemption. The first fruits, or the holy Saints in Heaven, were honored yesterday. But today, on this feast of the Holy Souls, we focus our prayers on the souls of those who have gone through their earthly battle and are now confirmed in a state of grace, but who for the time being are now in the cleansing fires of Purgatory….a place defined as ‘holy hell’ or ‘sad heaven’.

holy souls

The Holy Mother Church, whose members rejoiced yesterday for all of the Church’s children who have entered into the glory of heaven, today, now pray for all of those who have entered into their eternal sleep, not yet purified enough for the beatific vision of the Lord. These souls are in the purifying state of purgatory, awaiting the day when they will be  made pure and be able to join the company of the saints in heaven. At no place in the liturgy of the Church, is there a more striking example of the mysterious union between the Church triumphant, the Church militant and the Church suffering; than on this feast of the holy souls.

On this feast, the action that is required of us…the Church militant...  is our steadfast prayers and alms…or offerings…. Not only are we called to remember the suffering souls…but also, to have Masses said for them… this act for us, remains an upmost act of charity. In calendar of days  within the Church, there is  never a more clearer example of the union that exists between all the bodies of the Church, than in the feasts we celebrate on these two days.

visiting a cemetary

The need or rather, the duty, of the faithful to pray for the departed souls has been acknowledged by the Church since Her very beginnings. We find that it is referenced in the Scriptures of the Old Testament…(2nd Maccabees 12:46)  “It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins”. Not only is it customary to pray for the souls in private, but also publicly, especially in the offering of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. These Masses help the holy souls, both because the Mass is so powerful in itself and because the faithful have coupled their sacrifice (this offering) with the Sublime Sacrifice.

The customary dates for these Masses for the holy souls, are on the day of the person’s death and then again, on the day of the burial, which is known as the funeral Mass. In the traditional ways of the Church, many people would have Masses said on the seventh and the thirtieth day after the death of their loved one, it was called the Month’s Mind Mass. Another important date to have a Mass said is on the anniversary of their death. In the Church today, the only Mass that we have an obligation to have said, is the funeral Mass, but as Catholics who want what is best for our deceased, it is still a good and holy practice to offer alms and have Masses said for our departed at other times as well.

souls adoring God

As faithful Catholics, we must remember that the holy souls in purgatory know how long they must remain there, but they can do nothing to shorten this stay. They are at the mercy of others…they no longer can plead for themselves…they must rely on us…the Church militant and on our prayers for them. I once read that the holy souls in purgatory are like the poor man at the football stadium of a sold out game- without a ticket. He sees the crowds going into the stadium and he hears the cheers, but because the tickets are gone, he cannot buy one on his own, therefore he is unable to join them until someone who has a ticket gives him one….he is at the mercy of others.…Just as the holy souls in purgatory are dependent on the mercy of others…and their prayers and offerings to God, for them, to get them to heaven.

A good prayer to use when praying for the dead is one suggested by Cardinal Newman in his hymn for the dead:

Help, Lord, the souls which Thou hast made, The souls to Thee so dear, In prison for the debt unpaid Of sins committed here.- Amen.

Many Christians who have fallen away from the teachings of the One True Church, like to pretend that praying for the dead is a “Catholic superstition,” and that somehow praying for the dead goes against the teachings of the Bible, but we find that these sacrifices are indeed Bible based, and taken right out of Sacred Scripture…  from the same book of Macchabees (12:43) where Judas Macchabeus had his soldiers send drachmas to Jerusalem to offer up a sacrifice for the soldiers who had fallen in battle. So as we remember our departed loved ones, let us travel to their grave site and pray that God’s mercy will be upon them and that He will in His goodness, release their souls to heaven.

Just as a side note, if you are not near the cemetery of your loved ones…or perhaps your loved one’s body isn’t resting in a grave as of yet, you can still pray for the souls of all the faithful departed…God will still hear your prayers. And during this month of November, when you travel to a cemetery to pray for the dead, it is twofold…you can gain yourself an indulgence as well. So go to Mass, then visit the cemetery and make it a happy feast for all the holy souls in purgatory.

Collect Prayer for All Souls’ Day

Listen kindly to our prayers, O Lord, and, as our faith in your Son, raised from the dead, is deepened, so may our due hope of resurrection for your departed servants also find new strength. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

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Happy All Saints Day- Feast of the Church Triumphant – November 1st

Posted on November 1, 2017 by mikatsa6

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Today, November 1st is the Feast of all the Holy Saints in Heaven… the Church Triumphant! It includes all the saints throughout the vast history of our wonderful Holy Mother Church…those known and unknown…from the very first martyrs to those who were most recently canonized. It also includes those who have a made their way to heaven, their path known only to God. It spans the entire history of the Church’s glorious past. It is a great way for us… the Church militant to renew our vigor…to renew our resolve to serve the Lord with all of our strength…all of our hope…all of our love.

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The saints are in communion with Jesus in heaven…which means they are enjoying the beatific vision that God afforded them due to their uniting themselves to His Will as they served Him here on earth…it is through the goodness of God and His mercy…that anyone merits heaven at all.  Among the saints are included the heavenly angels  who remained faithful to the Lord when Lucifer became defiant to God and fell from heaven, taking with him all the angels who chose to disobey God, losing their place in heaven.

This feast is also a day to remember the Blessed Mother, who was kept pure by the grace of God, yet, whose own freewill allowed her to say yes…Her fiat to the Lord…allowing her to become the vessel which God would use to save mankind… Chosen by God, She is the greatest among all the saints...in Luke’s gospel we read how she was inspired by the Holy Spirit to say that “all generations shall call me blessed.” So on this feast let us remember that She holds a place of honor among the saints… crowned by God, as Queen of Heaven.

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As we celebrate the saints, we should get into the habit of not only remembering them, but also venerating them and praising God for allowing them the grace needed to fulfill their role on earth with purity and resolve….And we should get in the habit of asking them for their intercession as we make our way, so that one day we too shall be able to hear the words that each of us should long to hear….”Well, done my good and faithful servant.”

Saints

                              Catholic Prayer for Veneration of the Holy Saints

How shining and splendid are your gifts, O Lord
which you give us for our eternal well-being
Your glory shines radiantly in your saints, O God
In the honor and noble victory of the martyrs.
The white-robed company follow you,
bright with their abundant faith;
They scorned the wicked words of those with this world’s power.
For you they sustained fierce beatings, chains, and torments,
they were drained by cruel punishments.
They bore their holy witness to you
who were grounded deep within their hearts;
they were sustained by patience and constancy.
Endowed with your everlasting grace,
may we rejoice forever
with the martyrs in our bright fatherland.
O Christ, in your goodness,
grant to us the gracious heavenly realms of eternal life.
Unknown author, 10th century

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Almighty and Everlasting God,
who dost enkindle the flame of Thy love in the hearts of the saints,
grant unto us the same faith and power of love;
that, as we rejoice in their triumphs
we may profit by their examples, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Gothic Missal

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Saint Isaac Jogues and Companions – Martyrs

Posted on October 25, 2017 by mikatsa6
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My confidence is placed in God who does not need our help for accomplishing his designs. Our single endeavor should be to give ourselves to the work and to be faithful to him, and not to spoil his work by our shortcomings. – Saint Isaac Jogues

 

As Catholics, I hope that we understand the importance of learning about the lives of  saints. These were men and women, much like you and I, except in their love for the Lord and their zeal to serving His Will. For the most part, they were not men equipped with great physical strength or above average intelligence. No, for all intents and purposes, they were average….created in the same way as we were. What separates them from us though, is their love and their devotion to serving the God Who created them. By submitting their will, and accepting the graces that God bestowed upon them, they were able to develop a prayer life that allowed them to unite their will to that of the Lord…in all things..their sufferings and their joys alike. How many of us can say the same? We are more likely to turn away from our sufferings… or pray that God will take it from us…instead of embracing it…. that’s human nature...As Catholics striving to reach our eternal reward...which is to be with God in Heaven... we need to familiarize ourselves with holiness. Of course, the first way to accomplish this is by reading Sacred Scripture, but we also need to read about these saints and the lives they led, and condition ourselves…condition our hearts… our minds…and our wills to do God’s nature…and follow their examples, and do what God created us to do.

A  perfect example of this holiness….and uniting one’s will to that of the Lord, can be found in the lives of Saint Isaac Jogues and the other Jesuit priests who were his companions. These brave men left their lives of comfort and traveled to the New World…to North America, to spread the Word of God to the people who lived in the wild untamed lands….They were among the first missionaries to serve the North American Indians.

In 1624, Isaac Jogues and several of his companion priests traveled to Quebec with a group of missionaries, under the leadership of John de Brebeuf. After sailing on the rough seas for several months, they headed up the coast and landed in Quebec. Upon arrival, St. Isaac wrote to his mother: “I do not know what it is to enter Heaven, but this I know—that it would be difficult to experience in this world a joy more excessive and more overflowing than I felt in setting foot in the New World, and celebrating my first Mass on the day of the Visitation.” His later letters show the same exaltation of spirit and a willingness to do whatever the Lord requested. (Wow…can you image anything so beautiful)

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Once there, the priests worked with to the Hurons, converting many to the Faith. For six years, the Jesuits lived among the Huron people, working side by side with them. Saint Isaac Jogues learned the language and became a skilled woodsman with great determination and stamina. He was sent on many missions to make acquaintance with the Indians that were further south, and then later, he traveled to  those further to the North.

On the latter trip, he and his companions traveled on uncharted lands and waterways, perhaps becoming the first white men to set foot on the shore of Lake Superior. Upon their arrival, there were about 2000 Ojibway Indians gathered at the site to celebrate their Feast of the Dead. Father Jogues addressed them, and erected a cross facing west towards the country of the Sioux. Good will was enjoyed from the Native people they encountered. Many of the Native people converted and it was a time of spiritual growth. But all the while, the Mohawks, who were another tribe who despised the Hurons and the Euoropeans, developed a hatred for the priests and never forgot the ‘black coats’ and sent out scouts to find and kill the priests, and any of their detested Huron neighbors who were living with them, especially those who converted to Christianity.

After living among the native people for several years, Father Jogues along with several of their Huron converts were traveling the waterways in canoe and were captured by an  Iroquois war party. Once captured, they were paraded through the village and tortured repeatedly. The Iroquois were brutal in their methods of torture, and repeated it often, just sparing the prisoners life, so they could continue the torture another day. They had a hatred in their heart for the Hurons who had converted, and forced one such prisoner to cut Saint Isaac Jogues’ thumb and finger off. Fortunately for Father Jogues, one of the elderly Mohawk woman took  a liking to him, and brought him into her hut and cared for him. She referred to him as her nephew and he was afforded some protection, because she was a respected elder of the tribe. During this time, he would secretly pray and would often baptize any of the children he would find that were sick and dying.

After over a year of being help captive and being  tortured, word was sent back to his homeland that Father Jogues was still alive, and the French sent in a group to secure Father Jogues’ freedom. At first it seemed that it was not to be, but after the first failed attempt to escape, Father Isaac Jogues was able to escape  on his second try and was able to make his way home to France, where he was welcomed as  a hero. His bravery did not go unnoticed by the Holy See. For even though the mutilated condition of his tortured hands would have made it impossible for him to celebrate Mass according to the canonical norms, Pope Urban VII allowed him the very exceptional privilege of celebrating Mass. This was the first time such a concession had been granted. The Holy Father stated, “It would be unfitting to refuse permission to drink the blood of Jesus Christ to one who has testified to Christ with his blood.”

After living in the comfort of his home, he realized that the Lord’s work was not yet done in the New World. And after convincing his superiors, he returned to the untamed land to continue his work with the native people there.  While on the trail traveling south, his party was met with a Mohawk war party. He was led back to the hut of the Chief. There he spoke with the Chief saying:  “I am a man like yourselves. I do not fear death or torture. I do not know why you wish to kill me. I come here to confirm the peace and show you the way to Heaven, and you treat me like a dog.” His words moved the council, and  the majority of them were ready to allow the priest to regain his freedom, but the younger members of the tribe, the Bear Clan, took matters into their own hands. They invited the priest to pay them a visit, and even though he knew that this was a dangerous journey, to refuse the invitation of the Bear Chief, was an insult to the young clan leader. Placing his trust once again in the Lord, St. Isaac entered the cabin where he was immediately attacked. The clan members brutally beat him with a tomahawk, and beheaded him. His companion was also attacked and killed. Their bodies were thrown into the river and their heads placed atop poles facing the trail which they had traveled… as a warning to other priests…or Black robes, as they were called, that they were not welcome among these lands.

Shortly after the martyrdom of the Jesuit priests, the Iroquois tribe continued to attack and plunder the Huron villages, killing all of the inhabitants they encountered, whether they had converted to the Faith or not. But the Mohawk tribe did not forget the example of Saint Isaac Jogues’ bravery. The gentle priest had been able to win over the elders due to his gentle nature, but more importantly, the courage he displayed in his daily struggles. Years later, when the area was enjoying a time of peace, more Jesuit priests were sent from Canada to establish missions there. Even some of the Mohawk people who converted began to travel to the seminary in Quebec to become trained as Christian leaders.

Today in the same area where the first Jesuit martyrs shed their blood, there is a Catholic Shrine dedicated to the martyrs. Many faithful continue to travel and make pilgrimages to honor the memory of these brave Jesuits of the 17th century who faced the untamed wilderness armed only with the grace of God, who with their gentle courage were able to tame a wild nation. The eight martyrs -Jogues, Lalande, Brebeuf, Lalemant, Garnier, Daniel, Goupil, and Chabanel—were solemnly beatified in 1925 and canonized in 1930. An interesting fact is, that only ten short years after Saint Isaac Jogues blood was spilled upon the land in an area known as Mohawk Valley, Blessed Kateri Tekawitha was born in a Mohawk village. Because of her purity and devout nature she became known as Lilly of the Mohawks. Once again proving to us the Faithful that where ever the blood of martyrs spills upon the land…new Christian growth will sprout.

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The eight martyrs -Jogues, Lalande, Brebeuf, Lalemant, Garnier, Daniel, Goupil, and Chabanel

So as we read the stories and familiarize ourselves with the lives of these brave souls, let us pray for their intercession, that if we may ever be in a situation that calls for courage and a willingness to lay down our life for our Faith, or even lay down our life for another …let us not forget to invoke the intercession of these brave and holy men. Saint Isaac Jogues, pray for us.

 

 

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Feast of Saint Luke the Evangelist – October 18th

Posted on October 21, 2017 by mikatsa6

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Saint Luke, one of the four evangelists who wrote one of the four gospels, actually  is responsible for writing not only the Gospel of Luke, but the Acts of the Apostles, as well. Having converted from his pagan ways, he used all the graces given to him by God, to share the faith with others. Saint Luke was a physician a writer, and an artist as well. There are several images that he painted of the Blessed Mother with the Child Jesus. But one of the more important images he ‘painted’ of the Blessed Mother is in the Magnificat, which is actually a beautiful prayer, and not a painting at all. It is a beautiful hymn of praise to the Lord. Most scholars agree that Luke actually spent time with the Blessed Mother, writing down the details that filled her life, beginning with the Annunciation and the days leading up to the birth of Christ.  He also vividly provides a comprehensive account of Jesus’ journey towards Jerusalem, which is read on Palm Sunday and leads the Faithful right into Holy Week. His accounts have become vital parts of the way we pray…the way we worship.

Even though St. Luke was not one of Christ’s apostles, nor one of  72 disciples,  he was a close friend of Saint Paul and remained with him through thick and thin. His Gospel writings  include six miracles and 18 parables. Because he paid special attention to the poor and downtrodden peoples of the day…his gospel is often referred to as “The Gospel of Mercy,” stressing God’s mercy in the cures that Jesus brought to the people…not only the physical cures…but the spiritual healing that He offered…and continues to offer.… to those who suffer. One such example of mercy is found in the story of the Prodigal Son, (Luke 15: 11-23) which is the tale of a Merciful Father, who welcomes back his son who was lost. Welcoming him back with open arms and an open heart. His writings stress Christ’s directive to “Be merciful as your Father is merciful.”(Luke 6:36)

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Saint Luke is a perfect example of how when we follow God, and use the gifts…the talents which He has given us.…we can accomplish great things. Because of his devotion to the Faith and his attention to detail, we not only have the details concerning the Annunciation and the Nativity, but also three beloved canticles which the Church prays every day in the Liturgy of the Hours. St. Luke, the Evangelist, pray for us.

 

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Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus – St. Margaret Mary Alacoque – Oct. 16th

Posted on October 17, 2017 by mikatsa6

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“It seems to me that our Lord’s earnest desire to have His sacred heart honored in a special way is directed toward renewing the effects of redemption in our souls. For the sacred heart is an inexhaustible fountain and its sole desire is to pour itself out into the hearts of the humble so as to free them and prepare them to lead lives according to his good pleasure.”

                               – St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

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Act of Reparation

 

Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, well known in connection with devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, led the way in making reparation to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament for the coldness and ingratitude of men.

O kind and merciful Savior, from my heart I earnestly desire to return Thee love for love. My greatest sorrow is that Thou art not loved by men, and, in particular, that my own heart is so cold, so selfish, so ungrateful. Keenly aware of my own weakness and poverty, I trust that Thy own grace will enable me to offer Thee an act of pure love. And I wish to offer Thee this act of love in reparation for the coldness and neglect that are shown to Thee in the sacrament of Thy love by Thy creatures. O Jesus, my supreme good, I love Thee, not for the sake of the reward which Thou hast promised to those who love Thee, but purely for Thyself. I love Thee above all things that can be loved, above all pleasures, and above myself and all that is not Thee, promising in the presence of heaven and earth that I will live and die purely and simply in Thy holy love, and that if to love Thee thus I must endure persecution and suffering I am completely satisfied, and I will ever say with Saint Paul: Nothing “will be able to separate us from the love of God.” O Jesus, supreme master of all hearts, I love Thee, I adore Thee, I praise Thee, I thank Thee, because I am now all Thine own. Rule over me, and transform my soul into the likeness of Thyself, so that it may bless and glorify Thee forever in the abode of the saints.

Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque

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“Love keeps Him there [in the Blessed Sacrament] as a victim completely and perpetually delivered over to sacrifice for the glory of the Father and for our salvation. Unite yourself with Him, then, in all that you do. Refer everything to His glory. Set up your abode in this loving Heart of Jesus and you will there find lasting peace and the strength both to bring to fruition all the good desires He inspires in you, and to avoid every deliberate fault. Place in this Heart all your sufferings and difficulties. Everything that comes from the Sacred Heart is sweet. He changes everything into love.”

– From the letter of St. Margaret Mary Alocoque

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The sacred heart of Christ is an inexhaustible fountain and its sole desire is to pour itself out into the hearts of the humble so as to free them and prepare them to lead lives according to his good pleasure.
From this divine heart three streams flow endlessly. The first is the stream of mercy for sinners; it pours into their hearts sentiments of contrition and repentance. The second is the stream of charity which helps all in need and especially aids those seeking perfection in order to find the means of surmounting their difficulties. From the third stream flow love and light for the benefit of his friends who have attained perfection; these he wishes to unit to himself so that they may share his knowledge and commandments and, in their individual ways, devote themselves wholly to advancing his glory.
This divine heart is an abyss filled with all blessings, and into the poor should submerge all their needs. It is an abyss of joy in which all of us can immerse our sorrows. It is an abyss of lowliness to counteract our foolishness, an abyss of mercy for the wretched, an abyss of love to meet our every need. – St. Margaret Mary Alocoque

Blessed Sacrament

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St. Teresa of Avila – Quotes- October 15th

Posted on October 17, 2017 by mikatsa6

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“The closer one approaches to God, the simpler one becomes.”
― St. Teresa of Avila

“This Beloved of ours is merciful and good. Besides, he so deeply longs for our love that he keeps calling us to come closer. This voice of his is so sweet that the poor soul falls apart in the face of her own inability to instantly do whatever he asks of her. And so you can see, hearing him hurts much more than not being able to hear him… For now, his voice reaches us through words spoken by good people, through listening to spiritual talks, and reading sacred literature. God calls to us in countless little ways all the time. Through illnesses and suffering and through sorrow he calls to us. Through a truth glimpsed fleetingly in a state of prayer he calls to us. No matter how halfhearted such insights may be, God rejoices whenever we learn what he is trying to teach us.”
― St. Teresa of Avila- ‘Interior Castle’

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“The devil frequently fills our thoughts with great schemes, so that instead of putting our hands to what work we can do to serve our Lord, we may rest satisfied with wishing to perform impossibilities.”
― St. Teresa of Avila ‘Interior Castle’

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Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary – October 7th – The Battle of Lepanto

Posted on October 8, 2017 by mikatsa6

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We have all heard the controversy that surrounds the term ‘radical Islamist terrorist’. There are many Muslims who live within the United States and defend their faith as being one of peace, but if one were to review the teachings of Muhammad, and even read the Koran, there is no doubt that his intent was to take over the world for Allah, through force, or Jihad, when necessary. They believe that there is no room for the practice of any other religious beliefs, particularly Christianity. And even though he died at the age of 60, he had already taught his followers well about conquering the world, and turning away from the lessons that other prophets before him had taught. Interestingly enough, he wasn’t widely accepted at first…Which explains why he had to teach his followers to fight so hard…it was his way of ‘convincing’ them of his ‘truth’. So regardless of what you have heard about Muhammad and his teachings, the truth is out there, and it speaks of a violence that is geared towards all who are not Muslim…which takes us back to today’s feast….Our Lady of the Rosary...

For many years Muslims had gained control over several countries, but were ultimately fought back time and time again. Then in the 1500’s the Muslim Turks threatened  Europe again. It was during this time that Michael Ghislieri, a Dominican, was chosen Pope, choosing the name Pius V. The Pope realized the great threat that faced the entire Christian civilization, as the Islamic Turks  were poised to attack Italy and take over all of Europe, which would bring to an end Christianity. He called on all of the European leaders to unite together against the Turkish invasion. But only Venice, Genoa, and Spain answered the papal call. The Christian forces were outnumbered 3 to 2. During the battle Pius V, soon realized that in order to save the Christian civilization, they would have  to have help from above, and invoked the intercession of the Blessed Mother, calling on Christians throughout Europe to pray the Rosary for victory. Then, what looked like a sure disaster suddenly changed. The winds became favorable to the Christian fleet. The Christian forces killed or captured over 70,000 Turks and took only 7,500 causalities. Over 10,000 Christian slaves were released. The victory was theirs, and Europe was saved. According to some accounts, Pope Pius V was granted a miraculous vision, that showed him the Holy League’s victory.

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The feast of Our Lady of the Rosary was instituted to honor Mary for the Christian victory over the Turks at Lepanto on October 7, 1571. It was originally called “Our Lady of Victory”, because Pope Pius attributed the victory to the divine intervention of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  In 1573, St. Pius V established the feast, and in 1716, Clement XI extended it to the Universal Church. The Rosary, or the Psalter of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is one of the best prayers invoking the intercession of Mary, the Mother of God.

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Our Lady of the Rosary, Pray for us.

 

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The Unpopular Truth About the Existence of Evil

Posted on October 8, 2017 by mikatsa6
images.duckduckgo.comlas vegas.jpg

Las Vegas, aka ‘Sin City’

It seems that over the last couple of years, the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce has spent quite a bit of money promoting Las Vegas as the ultimate city of sin. “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas…” or so we are told, in those flashy commercials that follow ordinary people behaving in a montage of sinful behaviors. With all the glitz and dazzle , they are glamorizing sin as a marketing tool for profit…”Come visit us…you could have the time of your life….’pretend you are someone else’….and no one will ever know your secrets...” It’s quite twisted. Really twisted. But it is true. And people…good people…. spend their money traveling to Vegas to be a part of it all.

Las Vegas has billed itself as the place where anything goes…it has become a cesspool of debauchery and filth…wrapped up nice and pretty so that man cannot even recognize it for what it is…

“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” – Isaiah 5:20

Our moral compasses are so skewed these days we don’t even understand the enormity of the consequences when our choices lead us into sin…into temptation…We have bargained our souls for this false ‘freedom’…This ability to choose our own good…our own ‘what is right’...all the while, denying what is the Truth.

Nothing is free. There is a hefty price to all of this…and that price is evil. It seems that it has come home to roost. It has come to rear it’s ugly head and take with it, anyone who happens to be in the way. Evil is cleaver, and oh so sneaky… it attaches itself to our souls and drags us with it. To the very pits of hell if we let it…believe me…it’s an easy ride… Just a few short decades ago, good and holy Christians wouldn’t even consider supporting a place like Vegas… there was such a stigma attached to it, that God-fearing people avoided it, like the plague.

11 Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; 12 for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. – Ephesians 5: 11-12

But not any more.

Which leads us to today… so many people are questioning the motives behind the massacre this past Sunday night that left 58 people dead and more than 500 wounded. The images are all over the internet…bodies everywhere… gunned down in such a horrific manner that most people are having a difficult time wrapping their heads around it…it makes no sense….evil never does.

But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Unfortunately most people have done away with the teachings about evil… and the devil. Even some Christians have gotten away from the teachings of the Bible and the reality of the devil and evil in the world. But as we read in the book of Revelations the devil is real…cast out of heaven to roam the earth here with us… images.duckduckgo.combw michael.jpg

“The huge dragon, the ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, who deceived the whole world, was thrown down to earth, and its angels were thrown down with it.” –     Book of Revelation 12:9

As faithful Catholics it is precisely at times like these…when the world is spinning in turmoil, that we are called to fulfill our role as the Church Militant…those who are on earth, struggling with temptations, yet still managing to do battle as soldiers of Christ against sin and the devil. As Christians we are called to regularly do spiritual battle with sin and the forces of evil that are running rampant over the earth. God will give us everything we need…but we must rely on Him to clothe us with His armor:

“Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

We must be on guard and ever watchful…avoiding the places and temptations of sin…

‘Be sober and vigilant. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.‘ – 1 Peter 5:8

So as we pray for the dead…and for those who are struggling with their losses, let us keep our Rosaries in hand and seek the intercession of the Blessed Mother and St. Michael the Archangel to help us do battle with the evil of the devil.

 

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Becoming an Instrument of God’s Peace – The Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi

Posted on October 6, 2017 by mikatsa6

As the United States is caught in a violent grasp of terror, watching the reports of a senseless shooting in Las Vegas…watching the horrific images of people running and screaming…. we find ourselves wrought with fear and trepidation…Our hearts filled with anger and uncertainty…We need to pause and catch our breath…resting on the quietness of God. Then, as we remember the patron saint of Oct. 4th, St. Francis of Assisi, we need to turn our trembling  hearts to the Lord, and placing our trust in Him, we should pray…

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love;

         where there is injury, pardon;and where there is doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light;

and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;

to be understood as to understand; to be loved, as to love;

for it is in giving that we receive, it is pardoning that we are pardoned;

and it is dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.

st-francis-of-assisi-praying

On a day when we are faced with a violence we can’t understand…and more questions than we have answers for…..let us unite ourselves in this prayer of peace, as we mourn for those who were killed or for those who lost loved ones.  Let us also pray as we unite ourselves in prayers of thanksgiving for those who were spared…for those who made it out alive…But, we need to remember, there is a long road of healing before them…they will need our prayers, long after the camera men are gone….They will need to be lifted up, so that they will be able to find the love of God in all of this… and not lose hope.

The world has become home to an angry giant, which will not rest until people turn away from the Truth about God and give up hope…it’s that downward spiral we often talk about...Situations like these bring out the worst in men…but they also bring out the best in them as well….Work on the side of God… And in order to do that, we must become like St. Francis and imitate the Lord with our life…with our hearts… We must unite our hearts with those saints who came before us…and offer our prayers to the Lord, so that with each and every moment of our every day…we may grow to reflect the Light of Christ to everyone we meet… in both the good times and the bad...may we become instruments of God’s peace.

 

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