Easter Saturday

From today’s Mass:

The Lord brought forth His people with joy, alleluia: and His chosen ones with gladness, alleluia, alleluia!

Give glory to the Lord, and call upon His Name: declare His deeds among the Gentiles.

Alleluia, alleluia! This is the day which the Lord hath made: let us rejoice and be glad in it. Alleluia!

Praise the Lord, O ye His servants, praise the Name of the Lord!

Blessed be He that cometh in the Name of the Lord. the Lord is God, and He hath shone upon us, alleluia, alleluia!

All ye who have been baptised in Christ, have put on Christ, alleluia!

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What joyful words we have in the masses of this Easter week! The “Alleluia” resounds. And how much we need right now, to be reminded of the joy of the Good News of Christ. Tomorrow is the feast of Divine Mercy. Let us participate in any video or home devotions. Let our prayers rise to God on high and secure mercy for this world, as we experience the just punishments for sin.

Short Rosary Meditation: The Descent of The Holy Ghost

The Descent of The Holy Ghost

“Descent” is a dramatic word. What does dictionary.com say? Here is an excerpt:

descent: noun
-the act, process, or fact of moving from a higher to a lower position.
-a passage or stairway leading down.
-any passing from higher to lower in degree or state; decline.

Let’s go through this. “Higher to a lower position.” When we contemplated the Ascension, we spoke of Christ traversing from earth to Heaven. Now Heaven descends to earth. “Passage or stairway leading down.” This stairway, leading down from Heaven also helps us to ascend back up to Heaven, through the fruits and gifts of the Holy Ghost. “Passing from higher to lower in degree.” The Higher comes down to the lower, not to degrade Himself, but to uplift us to Himself. How extraordinary. And people think Catholics are negative?

So here we have the Third Person of the Most Holy Trinity, taking His turn to come to earth, the final great Act in this Story of God’s revelation of Himself to mankind and ultimate redemption. First, the Father came to the Jews, then the Son came to die, then the Holy Ghost came as the “Giver of Life,” as we are told in the Nicene Creed. We received Him in our Sacrament of Confirmation, but how often do we think of this sacrament and its implications in our daily lives? We must study the fruits and gifts we received and make every effort to increase these virtues within ourselves.

Especially at this time, let us resolve to give God our very best, to not disappoint Him and to avail ourselves of all the graces given to us. Dear Holy Ghost, help me to love, know and understand Thee better with each passing day!

Easter Friday-A Solemnity!

Today is a solemnity-no penance required. From today’s Mass:

The Lord brought them out in hope, alleluia, and the sea overwhelmed their enemies, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Attend, O My people, to My law; incline your ears to the words of My mouth.

This is the day which the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!

Blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the Lord; the Lord is God, and He hath shone upon us.

Alleluia, alleluia! Say ye among the gentiles: the Lord hath reigned from a tree.

All power is given to Me in heaven and on earth, alleluia: going teach all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, alleluia, alleluia!

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We have many wonderful sentiments in the above words today. First, we are reminded of the virtue of hope. God never forgets His children. The second line gives us the antidote to our current situation. Its not a vaccine. Its not a mask. Its not “social distancing.” Its not closing your business. Its living God’s Law, revealed first through the Jewish people and now, through Christ’s Church, built upon His great sacrifice, His own Blood. We also have “This is the day…,” each day this week, reminding us that no matter how difficult life gets, this is His world and He wills that it all goes on. Finally, we contemplate Our Lord’s power, knowing He’s got it all under control.

I hope you have been praying the Glorious Mysteries each day this Easter week. I know, if you are not used to praying the rosary every day, it may be hard to stay motivated. But whenever you push past that laziness and the temptation to put temporal concerns above the spiritual (“I don’t have time”), the rewards are ALWAYS extraordinary and you NEVER regret it! Last night, as my hubby and I prayed it, it was wonderful to meditate on these most beautiful of Mysteries. Visualizing Our Lord resurrected in great radiance, ascending in glory amidst the clouds and Our Lady crowned in Heaven among the angels, lifted me right out of the earthly sufferings of this hour and into a space of great wonder and joy. Its something the world does not comprehend. So let’s all try to turn over a new leaf and do as Our Lady of Fatima requested-daily rosary!

One more thought: many don’t pray the rosary because they are too perfectionistic and it overwhelms them. The answer: don’t try, just do it. 99% of the battle is getting started. Just start blurting out the Apostles Creed and you’re good to go! If your mind drifts, and it will, just gently pull it back and keep going. Its fine. Our Lady knows we are human. We NEED the rosary right now. Our Lady of Fatima foresaw these days and she told us to pray it. Its never been more important!

Easter Thursday

From today’s Mass:

They praised with one accord Thy victorious hand, O Lord, alleluia; for wisdom opened the mouth of the dumb, and made the tongues of infants eloquent, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Sing ye to the Lord a new canticle, for He hath done wonderful things!

This is the day which the Lord hath made: let us rejoice and be glad in it. The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner; this is the work of the Lord, and it is wonderful in our eyes.

Alleluia, alleluia! Christ is risen, who created all things, and who had compassion upon the human race.

In the day of your solemnity, saith the Lord, I will bring you into a land that floweth with milk and honey, alleluia!

Ye people whom God hath purchased, declare the virtues, alleluia, of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light, alleluia!

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“I will bring you into a land that floweth with milk and honey, alleluia!” God is always with us and will never forsake His children. A beautiful new era awaits the Church after a time of chastisement. We may be entering that time now. But remember, Our Lady said, “In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph!” So never lose hope!

Easter Wednesday

From today’s Mass:

Come, ye blessed of My Father, receive the Kingdom, alleluia, which was prepared for you from the foundation of the world, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Sing ye to the Lord a new canticle; sing to the Lord the whole earth!

This is the day which the Lord hath made: let us rejoice and be glad in it. The right hand of the Lord hath wrought strength; the right hand of the Lord hath exalted me.

Alleluia, alleluia! The Lord is risen indeed; and hath appeared to Peter.

The Lord opened the doors of heaven, and rained down manna upon them to eat: He gave them the bread of heaven: man ate the bread of Angels, alleluia!

Christ, risen again from the dead, dieth now no more, alleluia! Death shall no more have dominion over Him, alleluia, alleluia!

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What joyful words given us by Holy Church this day for our consolation! Trust in our loving Father!

Easter Tuesday Rosary Meditation: The Ascension

From today’s Mass:

He have them the water of wisdom to drink, alleluia; she shall be made strong in them, and shall not be moved, alleluia!

Give glory to the Lord, and call upon His Name: declare His deeds among the nations!

This is the day which the Lord hath made: let us rejoice and be glad in it!

Alleluia! Alleluia! The Lord is risen from the sepulchre, who for us hung upon a tree.

The Lord thundered from heaven, and the Most High gave His voice; and the fountains of waters appeared, alleluia!

If you be risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God, alleluia!

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The Ascension of Our Lord

Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, has risen triumphantly from the dead, but the Story is not over yet.  He appeared to his Mother and the Apostles for forty days, preparing them to cross the threshold, the establishment of the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth through the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.  When this task was sufficient, as the Apostles looked on, "He was raised up: and a cloud received Him out of their sight." (Acts 1:9)  The Ascension of Our Lord is paralleled only by His Coming at the End of Time, wholly unique events in human history, singular in glory, majesty and wonder.  In the Old Law, the Father condescends to come to earth, as when He speaks to Moses in the Burning Bush and the institution of the Ten Commandments.  Now the Son, establishing the New Law, rises up, showing us how real and attainable Heaven is.  Our Lord opened access to Heaven on the Holy Cross and in His Ascension, He makes the leap Himself.  He wants us to follow Him there-that was the whole purpose of His life on earth and the whole purpose of our own lives.  To ensure we get there, He creates the physical, visible bridge to Heaven, the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.

A number of the Mysteries of the Holy Rosary involve the meeting of Heaven and earth.  The Ascension, the Assumption and the Crucifixion each traverse the distance from earth to Heaven.  The Descent of the Holy Ghost, the Annunciation, the Baptism of Our Lord and the Transfiguration each involve Heaven coming down to earth.  Heaven also meets earth in the miracles and apparitions of the Church.  Lourdes is unique in that the miraculous water stays with us to this day and Fatima was unique in the witnessing of the "Miracle of the Sun" by thousands.  Our Holy Church calls down the powers of Heaven in every sacrament.  Our Lord's Ascension was His final sign that we are free to enter Heaven with Him, through the Church that could be built only upon His departure.

Heaven and earth are not just places.  They represent the relationship between God and His children.  As any parent/child relationship, it is bound to be difficult.  It’s difficult for the child to see the wisdom of the parent and it’s difficult for the parent to let the child go when it is time.  We can easily see the similarity here in how we perceive God.  But can we see how God perceives us?  As much as we love our own children and grieve over their absence, how much more does the Father love and grieve over us?  So much, that He sent His only Son to die for us.  The wrenching a parent feels when setting the child free, is only a faint hint of what the Father feels over one lost soul.  That is why He cannot leave us alone.  That is why He keeps interfering.  From the manna in the desert to the Bread of Life, He cannot bear to leave His children starving.  How much longer will He allow the innocent to spiritually starve in this corrupt culture?  The Ascension tells us there is another world He has prepared for us, that Heaven is our true home, sainthood our natural state.

Though our Blessed Lord rose away from earth on that day when the Apostles saw him lifted up to the sky, He remains with us always.  He has established His perennial Presence in the Holy Eucharist, residing in every tabernacle throughout the world.  He has built His Church, preserving all His precepts.  What more could He have done for us?  The Gospel of Saint Matthew ends with these words:  "...teach ye all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world." (Matt 28:18-20)  The angels say, "This Jesus who is taken up from you into Heaven, shall so come, as you have seen Him going into Heaven," foretelling the Second Coming at the End of Time. (Acts 1:11)  Dearest Jesus, Who ascended in glory to show me Heaven, may I always trust that Thou remain with me in this world, even in my most difficult moments.  Amen.

The Resurrection and Ascension of Christ is all about hope. Let us at this trying time, keep our eyes on these Mysteries and never become overwhelmed with fear or doubt. Let us awaken each day and say, “This is the day the Lord hath made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!” Let us pull ourselves out of our despondence and go love another person and make a difference to that person. In love there is strength, healing and joy.

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The above meditation, along with “The Resurrection,” was written 6 years ago. I wrote “The Ascension” right around the time my son was going off to college, so speaking of a parent’s difficulty letting a child go was very personal. I have edited both meditations in this re-publishing. I hope you find them uplifting and interesting. I admit I am not a theologian, just a Long Island housewife who likes to think about this stuff. What I am trying to do is to come upon some fundamental aspect of each Mystery, without any pre-conceived ideas. Each meditation is as much a surprise to me as it might be to you!

Easter Monday Rosary Meditation: The Resurrection of Our Lord

From today’s Mass:

The Lord hath brought you into a land flowing with milk and honey, alleluia: that the law of the Lord may be ever in your mouth, alleluia, alleluia!

Give glory to the Lord, and call upon His Name; make known His deeds among the nations!

This is the day which the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!

Alleluia, alleluia! An angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and coming, rolled back the stone and sat upon it.

The Lord is risen, and hath appeared to Peter, alleluia!

What are these discourses that you hold one with another as you walk (six feet apart?-watch out for Cuomo’s $1,000 fine!), and are sad?

Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and so to enter into His glory?

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The Resurrection of Our Lord

To reiterate the words of Fr. Benedict Groeschel, "Never think about death without thinking about the Resurrection."  The Passion has ended.  "It is finished."  Faith, Hope and Charity have prevailed.  The Three Theological Virtues were displayed by Our Lord in the Garden of Gethsemane.  Faith when He said, "Thy will be done."  Hope in looking to the Kingdom of Heaven, the completion of His mission.  And Charity for the Father in desiring to accomplish His will, and consequently for us.  Now He enters into His Glory, the true and final End.  If this is what its all about, what does that say about life?  What does the Resurrection of Christ, Our Lord, demand of us?

If Christ is important, we are important.  After all, He only came here for us, for the Redemption of our poor souls.  People reject Him because they do not want to be important.  They love sin so much, they would rather think themselves not much more than the animals, with no eternal destiny.  In meaning, there must be restraint.  Therein lies the Cross, but also the Resurrection.  The alternative is a life of mediocrity or worse.  There is less feeling, less responsibility.....less joy.  We reap what we sow.  If meaninglessness is what we want, that is exactly what we will get.  The tragedy is that if we ever wake up from this dream of vagueness and delusion, we will find a precious crystal has been broken.  But this does not have to be the end of the story.  We can still write a different ending.  Through repentance we enter into Our Lord's Resurrection and Glory.  He walks before us always.  Where He goes, we are meant to follow. We have all the assistance of Heaven at our disposal.  The same God Who catapulted the universe into existence can do no less than give us everything we need for our salvation.

Christ calls us to a Heavenly Resurrection, but also an earthly one.  This transformation is not merely the cessation of sin, but reaching our full potential as members of the Body of Christ, one with Him in thought, word and deed.  We are powerful and power can be frightening.  Fulfilling the saintly vocation for which we were created has consequences.  Our Lord's greatest power was executed on the Cross as He stretched out His arms in yielding.  In that moment of weakness, the axis of the universe shifts and the tables are turned.  A world appears that we could not see before...."and the darkness could not comprehend it."  The caterpillar becomes the butterfly.

Being resurrected with Christ is a process of becoming.  The Father has written this message for us in all of nature, the butterfly being one of the most beautiful examples.  The snake sheds its old skin, the fragile sprout becomes a great tree, bearing fruit....the oyster patiently builds its pearl.  No matter how long it takes, no matter how many setbacks occur, no matter how hopeless it seems....if we cling to the Three Theological Virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity....we will see our Resurrection.  O Jesus, Whose Resurrected, Glorified Body walked upon this very earth, bring me back from my own countless deaths, that I may follow Thee to our Eternal Home.  Amen. 

It IS a Happy Easter after all!

“Ask, and it shall be given you: seek, and you shall find: knock, and it shall be opened to you.”

Matthew 7:7

I had a plan today. I knew my local church on Long Island (not the trad one I usually go to) was open to the public most of the day. I have been there several times since “the situation” started. There are always a handful of people, sitting far apart from each other. My plan was to get there just before closing, when I could ambush the priest, and ask for Holy Communion. If very lucky, it would be my first time receiving since they stopped Mass. I fully expected to be refused at which point I probably would have politely expressed some displeasure and left. I also had a big wad of cash with me, in the event that they were cooperative (“maybe we could make a little deal-I come every Sunday….”-you gotta think of these things-as a prepper, I have thought out so many scenarios in my mind over the years-cash-always good!).

It was truly beautiful when I entered the church. Recorded music was playing and the altar was arrayed in Easter flowers. I was very happy to finally see some holy water, in small bottles. Leftover palm was still available and a basket for offerings sat on the altar steps. It seemed the pastor had thought of everything for his people at this time. Exposition was taking place. Again, only a handful of people. It was quiet, dark and wondrous. A church transformed, speaking something, in its stillness, of this hour in human history.

Shortly after I settled in my pew, something remarkable happened. The priest pointed to the tabernacle and a few people came up and knelt at the altar rail (like I said, this is not a trad church!). They stayed a good distance apart. I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was a moment of great joy, after waking up in a real funk today.

So….I got to receive my Lord and the cash went in the basket! Who could have imagined, just a short time ago, that the ability to receive Holy Communion would become such an unexpected joy! May we all have a renewed appreciation for this extraordinary gift. And never take it for granted again.

The Solemnity of Solemnities!

+++ EASTER SUNDAY +++

THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD & SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST

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From the Tridentine Mass:

I arose and am still with Thee, alleluia!

Thou hast laid Thy hand upon Me, alleluia; Thy knowledge is become wonderful, alleluia, alleluia!

O God, who, on this day, through Thine only-begotten Son, hast conquered death, and thrown open to us the gate of everlasting life, give effect by Thine aid to our desires, which Thou dost anticipate and inspire.

This is the day which the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Give praise unto the Lord, for He is good: for His mercy endureth for ever. Alleluia, alleluia!

The earth trembled and was still when God arose in judgment, alleluia!

Pour forth upon us, O Lord, the spirit of Thy love, that those whose hunger Thou hast satisfied with the Sacraments of Easter may in Thy kindness be one in heart.

(With great sorrow, we have not been satisfied with the Sacraments this Easter, Lord have mercy!)

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I woke up today very late and depressed about not being able to attend Mass. We all love the Easter Mass and the wonderful joy of celebrating it with our dear priests and friends at church. Some of my greatest memories are of the Easter Mass and the joy it instills. To have that taken away is a tremendous sadness, which we must offer up for our Church and our world.

I had forgotten that the Mass I wanted to watch (my own parish) was at a certain time, and I woke up just before it was starting. I am not so energetic in the morning. So there I was with my husband in his home office watching Mass, sitting in a chair hanging my head, in my pajamas, drinking coffee and trying to keep my dog from jumping on me. (Hmmmm in my pajamas drinking coffee? Maybe this ain’t so bad after all!) As I began to read the above words, my spirit began to lift. My pastor gave the most beautiful and appropriate homily for this sad Easter Sunday. He remarked that Christ has conquered death and we have the victory. And that we must not fear death like the world does. By the end of the Mass, I was singing the Easter “Alleluia” in my heart and my joy returned to me!

This is the wonder of Holy Mother Church and the Holy Mass! How many, even practicing Catholics, are not bothering to watch the Mass during this dreadful separation. If they would only come unto the font of living water, their spirits would be greatly uplifted!

Blessings to my readers and your families on this Easter Sunday and this coming Easter Week. How will you celebrate Easter Week this year, when we MUST start giving God our very best? Give it some thought and prayer. How about joining with me each day this week in the Rosary? Let our prayers resound to Heaven to secure mercy, not wrath for the world. And each day when we wake up, let us remember the words: “I arose and am still with Thee, alleluia!”

Meditation on the Seven Last Words of Christ

The following is based on a meditation I did yesterday during the three hours Our Lord was on the Cross. It is speculative. It is what I felt when placing myself in His place. I did not initially plan to write about it, but was inspired to share it….

He cannot move. He is helpless. Impaled to a cross. An unimaginable cruelty. He can hardly think through the pain and the cacophony of wails and derision all around Him. But He tries nevertheless to focus. He must speak. He keeps losing His concentration but He musters every bit of strength to get it back. What did He say? Seven thoughts. If humanity can ignore these words, then humanity is truly lost. He was raised up above the earth to speak these words. We must listen.

“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

He has just been raised up on the Cross. He thinks not of Himself, but of those who have done this to Him. With incredible understanding and compassion, in His wisdom, he asks the Father to forgive them. Those who would cooperate in evil today, may think they do good, but due to their blindness and naivete, they cannot see the descent into tyranny.

“Amen I say to thee, this day thou shalt be with me in paradise.”

Here is an actual conversation with another crucified with Him. In the midst of His torment, He still hears what another speaks to Him. And He responds, lovingly. It is a beautiful moment in the midst of such horror. Christ speaks of the glory of Heaven and His triumph. We know suffering in this life is as nothing compared to the wonder of the Kingdom of Heaven.

“Woman, behold thy son...Behold thy mother.”

Again, Our Lord thinks of others, not Himself. He understands, even on the Cross, he still has a job to do. He must see that His mother is taken care of. He gives her to His beloved Saint John. He also has given her to humanity in these words. What a great gift and privilege! Let us never take her for granted. In all our trials, we know we have Our Lady to flee to. She will always comfort her children.

“My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”

This disturbing cry is the one time, we might say, when Christ is so bereft, He speaks of Himself. It is a great mystery that probably no one can ever understand. It seems as if the Father somehow withdrew Himself. Terrible is the time when mankind sees Him withdraw from Holy Church herself! It is not a warning that can go unheeded.

“I thirst.”

It may seem Our Lord is once again speaking of Himself. But some interpret this as His thirst for souls. This shows His great love for His children who have abandoned Him. How God’s children thirst for His sacraments!

“It is consummated.”

He knows now He is about to die. Somehow He still has the strength to speak. He knows the work given to Him has been accomplished. He has done what He came into the world to do. He must have had great joy at that moment in this knowledge. Our own work will go on until the day we die as well. Let us use each day to rise to the challenges presented, each day like one bead of the Rosary.

“Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.”

I do not feel I can comment on this in any way except to say that when we are at the end of our rope, these words will give us great peace. Our Lord walks before us always and shows us the way to peace, joy and salvation!