Marian Triad of the Months / Triduum of Death

The last 3 months of the Church’s dedications have been reserved for Our Lady. We can see this as a type of “triad,” a group of 3. From August to October, we honor the Immaculate Heart, Our Lady of Sorrows and Our Lady of the Rosary. This triad is interesting to note and study. I have never heard it mentioned before, and have decided to give it the title of “Marian Triad of the Months.”

How are these associations with the Mother of God linked? First, we contemplate her most pure heart, immaculate because it was conceived without Original Sin. Our Lady’s love, emanating from this heart, has existed since her creation, in perfect love for God and humanity. We are called into this abyss of perfection, a privilege we are unworthy of, yet Christ gave us His Mother from the Holy Cross. Next, we are called to reflect on a particular aspect of this heart, her many sorrows. Like Lent, this can be a difficult undertaking, but many graces and joys result. Finally, the Holy Rosary, a devotion uniting all the Body of Christ, is a meditation upon the many aspects of her Immaculate Heart…her joys, her pride in her Son, her sorrows and glories. We become immersed in the Gospels, the events in the life of Our Lord. Next time your Protestant friend argues with you about the Rosary, say that 90% of it comes directly from the Gospels. It is a Bible study!

The Immaculate Heart is a consolation, a privilege, a joy, in the midst of life’s difficulties. Holy Church in her love and wisdom, guided by the Holy Ghost, gives us this heart towards the end of the Liturgical Year, ushering us into another group of 3, the 3 days of the Triduum of Death….

All Hallows Eve

All Saints Day

All Souls Day

“Triduum of Death” is a term we don’t hear too much anymore, perhaps because people think it sounds negative. However, we must realize that this triple feast is one of great joy! All Hallows Eve anticipates the feast of All Saints, when we honor those who have succeeded in winning the Heavenly reward, just as we hope to. The Holy Souls have also won it, though they remain in Purgatory, in need of our prayers. Surely, on All Souls Day, due to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, in addition to prayers all over the world, many souls pass through that glorious Gate to behold the Triune God! What a truly wonderful day! What a wonderful Triduum we now celebrate!

May is the Month of Our Lady

O Mary, powerful Virgin, thou art the mighty and glorious protector of the Church. Thou art the marvelous help of Christians. Thou art terrible as an army in battle array. Thou alone hast destroyed every heresy in the whole world. In the midst of our anguish, our struggles and our distress, defend us from the power of the enemy, and at the hour of our death, receive our souls in paradise. Amen.

From The Raccolta

In this first week of May, the month dedicated to Our Lady, let us contemplate the extraordinary painting above, which is based on the Miraculous Medal.*  She seems to be lovingly gazing down upon the world as she crushes the head of the serpent with her bare foot.  Usually, we see this image with Our Lady standing upon the earth (or the firmament).  It is her children’s enemy she defeats.  She has a look of complete peace and as the rays of grace emanate from her hands, this battle seems effortless for her.  Satan, with all his wiles and powerful minions below, is no match for this simple woman from Nazareth.  What a humiliating demise as the angels look on.  A demise which awaits all those who serve him on earth.  We must trust, as we look at the corruption of the world and the ever-growing human rights abuses, that God has got this.  As we say at the outset of every Tridentine Mass…

“Why art thou sad, O my soul, and why dost thou disquiet me­?  Hope in God, for I will still give praise to Him, the salvation of my countenance and my God.”

Above the Queen of Heaven’s head are the other elements of the Miraculous Medal (the 12 stars on the back of the medal do not seem to be in the painting):  the Cross above her initial, the 2 Hearts and a prayer which she has herself said is one of her favorites…

“O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee!”

Saint Catherine Laboure was the nun who received the Miraculous Medal from Our Lady.  Her incorrupt body lies at the Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal in Paris, where she received 3 visions in the year 1830 (this year is also on the front of the medal).  Pope John Paul II visited the chapel in 1980 and spoke this prayer…

"You watch over the Church for you are its Mother. You watch over each of your children. From God, you obtain for us, all graces that are symbolized by the rays of light which radiate from your open hands, and the only condition that you demand of us is that we approach with the confidence…and the simplicity of a child. And it is thus that you bring us before your Divine Son."

What does all of this mean for us?  It means our Heavenly Father has given us a great advocate to help us through anything life and this crazy world might throw at us.  When we are confused, depressed or anxious, we have only to appeal to her motherly love for us.  For if her Son loved us so much that He died for us, how could she reject us?  As the words of the “Memorare” say…

“I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins”

In this month of May, there are many ways we can give honor to the Mother of God…because she is our Mediatrix, she participated in our salvation by saying “Yes” to God, and also suffered terribly in witnessing the Passion of her Son.  Perhaps we could renew our devotion to the Miraculous Medal, learning more about it and the life of Saint Catherine Laboure.  May would also be a most appropriate month to begin the “Communion of Reparation 5 First Saturdays,” associated with Fatima.  If your local parish does not provide this devotion, think about meeting with your pastor to establish it!

May also gives us 3 Marian feasts:  Our Lady of Fatima on the 13th, The Visitation and Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary, both on the 31st.  Mother’s Day is the 8th…how about a Rosary for your mother (2 birds with one stone!).

Some other feasts this month:  ASCENSION OF THE LORD, Minor Rogation Days…Doctors of the Church:  Saints Athanasius (the earliest Doctor), Gregory Nazianzen and Bede the Venerable…Saint Isidore the Farmer!

For the (trad) rest of May, here you go: calefactory.org

*  Sorry, I don’t know who the artist is.  Can anyone tell me?

Some feasts mentioned are in the new calendar.  Image from fineartamerica.com

12th Day of Christmas

12 Fruits of the Holy Ghost

Benignity

Charity ~ Chastity ~ Continence

+ Faith ~ Goodness ~ Joy ~ Long-Suffering +

Mildness ~ Modesty

Patience ~ Peace

(Alphabetical helps memorize!)

Come Holy Ghost

(Traditional Hymn-to the best of my research, authorship goes to Lambillotte, Caswall & Maurus)

Partial artwork by Ronald St. Martin at innerwindows.net.

9th Day of Christmas

Dominions are also called “Dominations.”

A Sermon of Pope Saint Gregory the Great

Angels We Have Heard on High

This song originated as a French Christmas carol.

Image from Maria Sophia at Pinterest

8th Day of Christmas

The Eight Beatitudes

From Our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount

1 ~ Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

2 ~ Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land.

3 ~ Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

4 ~ Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill.

5 ~ Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

6 ~ Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God.

7 ~ Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called children of God.

8 ~ Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

For more on the “Sermon on the Mount,” please see Lesson 4, Part 2B-Prepper Rosary Program.

Partial artwork by Bill Bell-buy here!

7th Day of Christmas

Fortitude ~ Temperance ~ Faith ~ Charity ~ Hope ~ Justice ~ Prudence

The Seven (Traditional) Virtues

The Three Theological Virtues: Faith, Hope & Charity

The Four Cardinal Virtues: Fortitude, Temperance, Justice & Prudence

There are also the Seven Capital Virtues: Chastity, Generosity, Temperance, Brotherly Love, Meekness, Humility & Diligence

Catholic Bible 101: The Virtues

The paintings above, “The Seven Virtues,” were commissioned by a 15th century Italian courthouse. Strangely, the first, “Fortitude,” was painted by Sandro Botticelli (it is considered his first masterpiece) and the rest by Piero and Antonio Pollaiuolo. For a wonderful article, with detailed descriptions and theological discussion, please see portraitofasometimeslady.com.

3rd Day of Christmas

“The Adoration of the Magi,” oil painting by Albrecht Dürer, 1504, the Uffizi, Florence, Italy

The Three Magi: Caspar, Melchior & Balthasar

We three kings of orient are

Hymn by John Henry Hopkins, Jr.-1857, YouTube notes include lyrics

Image from Britannica

1st Day of Christmas

Christ the One Savior

Image “Christ in Majesty” at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, courtesy so-i-think-im-a-photographer-now.blogspot

Take the 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS Journey with Us!

Each day we will provide links dealing with a theological concept corresponding to that particular day (5th Day of Christmas: 5 Books of the Pentateuch). This can be done with the whole family as a way to nourish your knowledge and appreciation of the Catholic Faith during this time between Christmas and Epiphany. (We will also post the traditional Blessing of the Home on Epiphany.) These activities don't need to be time-consuming. Links will be provided to a variety of media and resources...you take the ball and run with it. So, let’s get started…..

December is the Month of the Divine Infancy & the Immaculate Conception

The good Christian name “John” is well-represented this month, as we honor 5 saints by this name:  one the beloved of Christ, 2 Doctors of the Church, one visionary and one priestly professor.  We also honor 5 Doctors of the Church:  in addition to the 2 Johns, we have 2 Peters and St. Ambrose.  December also contains the Ember Days, adding further to the preparation of Advent through prayer and penance.  These are loosely concerned with the seasons, so there are many ways to be creative with children, combining the Ember Days, the coming season of winter and Christmas.  It is wonderful to teach our children these traditions, so they will develop a love for the Catholic Faith and its many-faceted riches.

As for our themes this month, it is not difficult to combine the Divine Infancy with the Immaculate Conception.  Mother and Child are inseparable, as the beautiful painting above shows.  The Child Jesus points us toward His Nativity and the time of spiritual preparation for this joyful celebration.  The sinless Virgin Mother serves to glorify the Infant Himself.  There are many ways we can creatively celebrate both Mother and Child.  One possibility is to participate in pro-life activities-there are so many ways to do this and to use one’s unique gifts.  We may have done this 2 months ago in October, but the unborn ceaselessly need our help.  If you do not have much time, you can always pray and offer up for them.  Only 3 days after Christmas, we honor the Holy Innocents, further encouragement to remember God’s precious little ones this month as we prepare to celebrate His birth.

Here are some notable feasts from both the old and new calendars of the Roman Rite…

3-First Friday / St. Francis Xavier

4-First Saturday / St. John Damascene, Doctor of the Church, Author Fount of Knowledge / St. Peter Chrysologus, Doctor of the Church, Author of many great sermons / St. Barbara, Martyr

5-2nd Sunday of Advent (purple candle)

6-St. Nicholas

7-St. Ambrose, Doctor of the Church, Author De Virginibus

8-IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF THE VIRGIN MARY (obligation)

9-St. Juan (John) Diego, Seer of Our Lady of Guadalupe

10-OUR LADY OF LORETO

12-Gaudete Sunday (pink candle) / OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE

13-St. Lucy / St. Odilia, Martyrs, Patronesses of the eyes (Odilia’s feast is non-standard)

14-St. John of the Cross, Doctor of the Church, Author Dark Night of the Soul

15-Ember Wednesday in Advent (trad meat at one meal)

17-Ember Friday in Advent

18-Ember Saturday in Advent (trad meat at one meal)

19-4th Sunday of Advent (purple candle)

21-St. Thomas, Apostle / St. Peter Canisius, Doctor of the Church, Author Summa of Christian Doctrine

23-St. John of Kanty, Priest, Professor of Sacred Scripture

24-VIGIL OF THE NATIVITY

25-NATIVITY OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST (obligation)

26-THE HOLY FAMILY / St. Stephen, Protomartyr

27-St. John the Evangelist

28-The Holy Innocents

The stunning painting above is “Virgin with Angels” by William-Adolphe Bouguereau. This is an ornament which can be purchased here.