Category Archives: Blessed Virgin Mary

Lenten Novena to Our Lady of Sorrows: Day 9

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Day 9 (Thursday)

Vigil of the Feast

The King has descended to the Dead, preaching the Gospel to the righteous Just of the Old Testament. Adam and Eve, Abel, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Kind David, and all the other Patriarchs and Prophets up until His own foster father Joseph and John the Baptist are nown hearing the Good News (although Joseph and the Baptist already knew it.)

Mary, meanwhile, has remained in the Upper Room, bereft with grief over her Son’s death. Yes, she knows that He will rise again; but this does not lessen her grief. The deeper your love, the deeper your grief, and His promised rising again doesn’t overcome the pain of her loss.

We can perhaps use this time during Lent to increase our empathy for other’s pain. Rather than make excuses or some other way to ignore or account for it, perhapswe can try to see through other’s eyes and feel through other’s hearts the pain they are going through. I need to do this. It’s scary.

The harrowing of hell 13247.

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.
(Stabat Mater)

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Lenten Novena to Our Lady of Sorrows: Day 8

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Day 8 (Wednesday)

The Burial of Jesus

And so Jesus is buried. If we keep with the theme of death being the extinguishing of the old self, then the burial in symbolic of the consigning to the past (God’s Mercy) that old self. Have you let go of that self? Are you still clinging to aspects of that life? Time fpr another Step 4 if you’re still “working the Steps” or another thorough examination of conscience. lent is winding down, now is the time when many parishes have Penance services. Make use of one, there are often many more priests available than during your typical weekend, plus you get to talk to a priest you might not know (not important, but if it relieves your stress and anxiety…) 

Soon, a new journey will begin.

BurialofChrist CarlBloch.

Virgin of all virgins blest!,
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.
(Stabat Mater)

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your  will

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The refrain from the Responsorial Psalm for the Mass on the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord is adapted from Psalm 40:8-9

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.

Courtesy: USCCB

If you are reading this blog, then I am assuming you have some degree of sobriety behind you. What have you done with it? If you are doing your best to lead a normal life, being a responsible family person (husband, father, wife, mother, sibling) or citizen (gainfully employed and such like) then that is great! But you can do more. if you are specifically reading this blog because you are Catholic, then perhaps you are seeking “what to do” about your Catholcism. It’s OK to “just be responsible.” Most people aren’t. But you can do so much more. God may be calling you to be a Christ-bearer to others, just like Mary!

Botticelli, annunciazione di cestello 02.

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your  will. Pray to the Holy Spirit for discernment in how to do that. If you need help, there’s my book, Building a Civilization of Love: A Call to Creative Catholics. 

Building a Civilization of Love: A Call to Creative Catholics is a call to arms, or rather, a call to pens, paintbrushes, and video cameras, for creative Catholics to take up St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe’s call to infiltrate pop culture and help alleviate the ills that pervade contemporary society. St. Maximilian saw back in the 1920s how the use of cinema, radio, and mass-market books was corrupting society. He thought that those same tools could be used as a countercultural force to overcome this corruption.

Furthermore, it explains through the example of three critical apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Guadalupe, Lourdes, and Fatima how she herself suggested strategies and alternatives to the dehumanizing and increasingly pagan contemporary culture we have today.

Building a Civilization of Love: A Call to Creative Catholics concludes by showing how the Catholic Faith can be used to provide a road map out of our current morass and a blueprint to build a more just and fair society constructed according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy and other elements of traditional Catholic Social Teachings.

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

From his misery he raises the poor

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The excerpt from the Psalmody for Evening Prayer I for the Solemnity of the Annunciation on the Tuesday in the 5th week of Lent (that’s a mouthful) is from Psalm 113:7.

From the dust he lifts up the lowly, from his misery he raises the poor.

Courtesy: Divine Office.org

As alcoholics and addicts we were shunned and cast off towrds the margins of decent society. And rightfully so, for our actions caused this. Nevertheless, God loves each and everyone of us as we are, even in the depths of our sins. He made us, how can it be otherwise? We all have equal dignity in His eyes regardless of our worldly status. So, when He sees us deep in our addiction, He is at the ready to help. Sometimes He waits for us to reach out to Him, and at other times He doesn’t wait.

Just as Mary said “Yes,” to when the Archangel Gabriel announced to her that the Holy Spirit desriref to overshadow her so as the Second Person of the trinity could manifest Himself in her and redeem the world, you can say “Yes” to Him and become another Christ-bearer to others. 

The annunciation 1667.jpg!Large.

And He is not frightening, either. This is why He came to the world as an infant. God, the Creator of All, King of the Universe (and Multiverse, if that exists) entered intto human existence as a baby. He humbled umself that much just so as to be approachable. If it helps you to approach God in thaty manner, that is, regarding Him as an infant, that is perfectly acceptable! There is a old, venerable Catholic devotion known as the Devotion to the Infant Jesus (usually involving the “Infant Jesus of Prague.”) 

BY THE WAY: THIS ISN’T A DEVOTION FOR WOMEN, ONLY! Although it appears that women would be more attracted to this, it is a great way for men to learn humility. 

These websites have detailed information on the devotion to the  Infant Jesus. 

The Story of the Infant Jesus of Prague

Infant Jesus of Prague History & Devotion

Infant Jesus of Prague Novenas, Chaplet & Devotions

Prayers and Devotions to the Divine Infant Jesus of Prague

The Infant Jesus of Prague (EWTN!) Mother Angelica had a huge devotion to the Infant Jesus! See:

“Build Me a Temple”: Mother Angelica’s Mystical Visions of the Divine Child Jesus,

Mother Angelica describes her vision of the Divine Child Jesus,

and finally: Divino Niño Day

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Lenten Novena to Our Lady of Sorrows: Day 7

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Day 7 (Tuesday)

Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross

He is dead. He, through whom all things were created; the King of Heaven and Earth, is now dead. His body hangs lifeless upon the gibbet He was crucified on to atone for the sin of Adam and Eve and all those who inherited their legacy.

His friends raise up a ladder up to reach Him and remove the nails which have pierced His hands and feet. They gently bring Him down and lay Him in the arms of His Sorrowful Mother. She gently holds Him, weeping over the brutality visited upon His body: the wounds, gashes, blood, and sweat still present. Pietà - Hallwylska museet - 107520.
Mary was also sorrowful unto death. Sorrowful for our sins which did this to her Son. She grieved a deeper grief than anyone before or since has felt. In her sinless nature, preserved from committing the least fault because God redeemed her at her conception, and preserved her from sin so she could be the tabernacle of the Lord, she felt the pain of our sins ever more profoundly (given that she never felt the pain of anything she, herself, had done.) The pain she felt all her life, the seven swords of sorrow that pierced her heart, was all due to other’s rejection of Jesus. Think about this as you continue your life’s journey. Especially during this Lenten season as we use this period to remove our character defects and grow closer to the Lord: Mary is there to help you. She points the way to Jesus and she will help you remove from your actions the things that cause Him offense. For it is not just jesus that is sorrowful for your sins, but Momma Mary, too. 

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.
(Stabat Mater)

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Lenten Novena to Our Lady of Sorrows: Day 6

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Day 6 (Monday)

The Piercing of the Side of Christ

Typically, the Sixth Sorrow in the devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows is “Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross,” but seven mysteries leave two open ones for a nine day novena. So, Jesus being removed from the Cross and placed into the arms of His Mother is tomorrow’s post.

What happened when St. Longinus threw the spear that pierced the side of Jesus? Blood and water flowed out. Blood, symbolizing the Eucharist, and Water, symbolizing Baptism. This has been the Church’s understanding since the beginning, and this has especially been emphasized in the Divine Mercy image.

Kazimirowski Eugeniusz, Divine Mercy, 1934.

Attribution: By Eugeniusz Kazimirowski – cisza2.krakow.dominikanie.pl, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9049047

Blood and Water, the Eucharist and Baptism, are the life of souls. Without Baptism, we are not members of the Mystical Body of Christ and will never be admitted into the Beatific Vision after our death. The Eucharist is Bread for the Journey, the waybread that strengthens us as we Trudge our Road of Happy Destiny.

What must have gone through Mary’s heart and soul as she witnessed this additional indignity committed against her Son? Seeing Him lifeless upon the gibbet of the Cross, bearing the wounds of the scourging and the Cross itself; and now this! His Sacred Heart was opened unto us when He perished on the Cross, and the Sacraments were empowered by His Death and the piercing of His side. And with all this:, now her Sorrowful Heart and His Sacred Heart are united in pain and suffering. Her Sorrowful Heart is united with the Heart that beats with a pure, absolute love for Humanity. What a wonderful component to add to our Sacred Heart devotion: Mary’s sorrow added to our reparative work for our’s and other’s sins.

Now ponder the next verse in the Stabat Mater:

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.

(Stabat Mater)

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Lenten Novena to Our Lady of Sorrows Day 4

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Day 4 (Saturday)

Jesus Meets His Afflicted Mother

The sorrow of a mother upon seeing her son treated the way Jesus was; from His arrest and conviction, during which He had to endure unspeakable humiliations including torture… His Mother Mary witnessed it all. Now she sees Him carrying His cross on the way to His execution for crimes he was innocent of, all to redeem us from our sins.

Perhaps your own mother witnessed your own descent into abuse of alcohol or drugs; little could she do to stop it, or perhaps she did try hard, but you rejected the help, preferring the god of your choice. While Jesus did not deserve what happened to Him, you did, as it was your choice to pick up the drink or the drug, little realizing what genetic or environmental combinations “made you different” so that it ended up destroying you (or very close to.)

Mom was there. Not your Earthly mother, but your Heavenly one. Our Lady looks after her children whether or not they are paying her any heed. Maybe when you were a little child you were taught to say the Hail Mary three times before bedtime for protection from mortal sin. Momma Mary remembered. Perhaps you were taught the rosary and you prayed it for a while until other things took you away. Momma Mary remembered. Finally, one day, when you were at your bottom, you “met your own afflicted mother,” and Momma Mary pointed to Jesus. Somehow you knew, you cried out the Jesus and He answered. 

Watch for Mary pointing you to someone. Listen for Jesus calling you to help another. 

OU SSHO 16-001.

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.
(Stabat Mater)

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Lenten Novena to Our Lady of Sorrows: Day 2

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Day 2 (Thursday)

The Flight into Egypt

Joseph is told in a dream to take Mary and the Child Jesus and flee to Egypt to protect the babe’s life as Herod is killing all the young male children in the region around Bethlehem. Herod is in a jealous rage that there may be a king to rival him. That this “rival” king is the Messiah and if Herod humbled himself to worship the Messiah, he would likely go down in history as perhaps one of the greatest kings ever, never occurred to him. Instead, he becomes a symbol for all tyrannical leaders, be they monarchs or republican despots, who rule through fear and terror. Furthermore, he is the prefiguring of all those politicians of any stripe who advocate for abortion and infanticide (i.e. ‘partial birth abortion’) as well as those who enact domestic policies that drive their citizens and subjects far from their homeland to become refugees and migrants. And yes, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph were refugees and migrants as they had to flee their native province to a foreign one. Right-wing excusers for unjust immigration policies try to argue that they were not, on the silly basis that Palestine and Egypt were both parts of the Roman Empire. If that mattered, then why flee? Palestine was their homeland, Jesus’ life was threatened and they literally migrated to some land not their own for refuge. Otherwise, these same people hide behind the law as an excuse to support unjust immigration policies (“But they’re illegal aliens! They’re breaking the law!”) Hiding behind the law as an excuse to enable sin is only several degrees less than concentration camp prison guards citing “We were only following orders!” when accused of crimes against humanity. It didn’t work then; it shouldn’t work now. 

The points to ponder and meditate on are the fear and anxiety that permeates everyone’s lives today over the current global and domestic situation (“domestic” as in whatever country you may be reading this) as well as how Mary, herself, coped with it back then. Her “fiat” wasn’t just about accepting the fact that she was to be the Mother of the Messiah, she continually gave her “fiat” in every instance of her life. Her will was always God’s will, as St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe always taught.

Flight into egypt 768x512.

Children’s lives are threatened at every age and in many ways. From being murdered in the womb to shameless infanticide, and through pedophilia crimes that gets ignored if you’re wealthy and powerful enough. If that’s not enough, there’s the increasing sexualization of young people by pop culture. We can pray today and for the rest of Lent for the elimination of these grave crimes. 

There is plenty to be anxious and fearful in these turbulent times. Meditate on Mary’s fiat, and on your own trust in Divine Providence.

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.

(Stabat Mater)

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Lenten Novena to Our Lady of Sorrows: Day 1

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There is an old, pre-1969 Catholic devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows. Prior to the revision of the liturgical calendar in 1969, the Friday after Passion Sunday was known as the Feast of the Seven Dolors/Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. (It’s confusing as this is now the Fifth Sunday of Lent and it gets more confusing as the next Sunday is Palm Sunday with its Passion readings.) Since this Feast of Our Lady essentially duplicated the September 15th Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, it was deleted from the calendar in 1970. (I think it was a mistake to do this, but I was only six at the time and no one bothered to ask me.)

There was also a Novena as a part of this old liturgical date; I learned of it from an old prayerbook from 1953 entitled, “Mary, My Hope,” by Fr. Lawrence Lovasik. (There is an updated, post-Vatican II version released, I think, in the 1970s.) 

Since Our Lady told St. Bridget of Sweden that…

“I have obtained this grace from my divine Son, that those who propagate this devotion to my tears and dolors will be taken directly from this earthly life to eternal happiness, since all their sins will be forgiven and my Son will be their eternal consolation and joy.”

… and since I really, really, really, want to skip Purgatory, I am going to “propagate this devotion” by posting every day from today through next Thursday, the Vigil of the deprecated feast, a short novena to Our Lady of Sorrows. (I only have nine previous posts on the Sorrowful Mother! I’d better get bloggin’!) Each day is based on one of her Sorrows. It’s not much, more like just some things for you to ponder.

Our Lady of Sorrows 1.
Here it goes:

Today: Day 1 (Wednesday)

The Prophecy of Simeon

We first learn of the sorrowful path Our Mother will trod during her life when we read of when she and St. Joseph took the Child Jesus to the Temple for the ritual presentation of the first born. St. Simeon saw the Christ Child and through the Holy Spirit was informed He is the Messiah. Simeon was promised that he would not die until he saw him. He did, and he approached Mary and Joseph and taking the babe in his arms, uttered the “Nunc Dimmittis,” which forms a part of the Church’s Night Prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours.

“Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and glory for your people Israel.”

Luke 2:29-32 Courtesy: USCCB

Continuing on, St. Simeon tells Mary:

“Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted (and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” (Luke 2:34-35)

The points for you to ponder and meditate of are Mary’s foreknowledge of the suffering she (and Jesus) will endure and how she bore it throughout her life; and how Our Lady accepts this sorrow before it happens. Lent is a very appropriate time to think about these things…

Although the Scripture passages don’t mention this, it is likely that Simeon’s prophecy was among those things Our Lady kept in her heart and pondered during her life. So, this will be a further reminder about the contemplative dimension of Catholic prayer life: there is action (a good, especially the works of mercy) but there also is prayer, another good: that quiet prayer when you dwell within your soul and touch God who dwells there.

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 has pass’d.

(Stabat Mater)

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

The LORD looks into the heart

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This excerpt from the First Reading for the Mass of the Fourth Sunday of Lent is taken from 1 Samueal 16:7.

Not as man sees does God see, 
because man sees the appearance 
but the LORD looks into the heart.”

Courtesy: USCCB

I just love this. People habitually see just the exterior: a person’s race, gender, economic status, health. But God sees the whole person, and He knows the underlying causes for the exterior appearances judged by others. 

It’s shame that people cannot do similar; while we can never see into the heart of someone, we can look at other people and not just see them as typical representatives of their race or gender; or we can choose to not see them as an objective thing to use or judge or disregard.

This is a common theme in my book, Building a Civilization of Love: a Call to Creative Catholics:

 

 

Building a Civilization of Love: A Call to Creative Catholics is a call to arms, or rather, a call to pens, paintbrushes, and video cameras, for creative Catholics to take up St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe’s call to infiltrate pop culture and help alleviate the ills that pervade contemporary society. St. Maximilian saw back in the 1920s how the use of cinema, radio, and mass-market books was corrupting society. He thought that those same tools could be used as a countercultural force to overcome this corruption.

Furthermore, it explains through the example of three critical apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Guadalupe, Lourdes, and Fatima how she herself suggested strategies and alternatives to the dehumanizing and increasingly pagan contemporary culture we have today.

Building a Civilization of Love: A Call to Creative Catholics concludes by showing how the Catholic Faith can be used to provide a road map out of our current morass and a blueprint to build a more just and fair society constructed according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy and other elements of traditional Catholic Social Teachings.

“Chapter III: Following Mary’s Example” dives into this.

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)