Saturday, February 28, 2009

Stations of the Cross

What a wonderful devotion for Lent--the Stations of the Cross. I thought I'd post a nice, short version of the Stations of the Cross for anyone who can't get to Church to pray the Stations or would just like a version they could pray at home. I have included material in the public domain.


THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS
by Cardinal Newman,
in his Meditations and Devotions, Longman's and Green (1893) pp. 155-68.
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Begin with an Act of Contrition.
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FIRST STATION
Jesus condemned to Death


V. We adore thee O Christ and we bless thee,

R. Because by thy Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.

THE Holy, Just, and True was judged by sinners, and put to death. Yet, while they judged, they were compelled to acquit Him. Judas, who betrayed Him, said, "I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood." Pilate, who sentenced Him, said, "I am innocent of the blood of this just person," and threw the guilt upon the Jews. The Centurion who saw Him crucified said, "Indeed this was a just man.' Thus ever, 0 Lord, You art justified in Thy words, and do overcome when You are judged. And so, much more, at the last day "They shall look on Him whom they pierced" ; and He who was condemned in weakness shall judge the world in power, and even those who are condemned will confess their judgment is just.

Lord's Prayer, Hail Mary, Glory be

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THE SECOND STATION
Jesus receives His Cross

V. We adore thee O Christ and we bless thee,

R. Because by thy Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.

JESUS supports the whole world by His divine power, for He is God; but the weight was less heavy than was the Cross which our sins hewed out for Him. Our sins cost Him this humiliation. He had to take on Him our nature, and to appear among us as a man, and to offer up for us a great sacrifice. He had to pass a life in penance, and to endure His passion and death at the end of it. O Lord God Almighty, who does bear the weight of the whole world without weariness, who bore the weight of all our sins, though they wearied Thee, as You are the Preserver of our bodies by Thy Providence, so be You the Savior of our souls by Thy precious blood.

Lord's Prayer, Hail Mary, etc.
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THE THIRD STATION
Jesus falls under the weight of the Cross the First Time.

V. We adore thee O Christ and we bless thee,

R. Because by thy Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.

SATAN fell from heaven in the beginning; by the just sentence of his Creator he fell, against whom he had rebelled. And when he had succeeded in gaining man to join him in his rebellion, and his maker came to save him, then his brief hour of triumph came, and he made the most of it. When the Holiest had taken flesh, and was in his power, then in his revenge and malice he determined, as he himself had been struck down by the Almighty arm, to strike in turn a heavy blow at Him who struck him. Therefore it was that Jesus fell down so suddenly. O dear Lord, by this Thy first fall raise us all out of sin, who have so miserably fallen under its power.

Lord's Prayer, Hail Mary, etc.
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THE FOURTH STATION
Jesus meets His Mother.

V. We adore thee O Christ and we bless thee,

R. Because by thy Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.

THERE is no part of the history of Jesus but Mary has her part in it. There are those who profess to be His servants, who think that her work was ended when she bore Him, and after that she had nothing to do but disappear and be forgotten. But we, O Lord, Thy children of the Catholic Church, do not so think of Thy Mother. She brought the tender infant into the Temple, she lifted Him up in her arms when the wise men came to adore Him, She fled with Him to Egypt, she took Him up to Jerusalem when He was twelve years old. He lived with her at Nazareth for thirty years. She was with Him at the marriage-feast. Even when He had left her to preach, she hovered about Him. And now she shows herself as He toils along the Sacred Way with His cross on His shoulders. Sweet Mother, let us ever think of thee when we think of Jesus, and when we pray to Him, ever aid us by thy powerful intercession.

Lord's Prayer, Hail Mary, etc.
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THE FIFTH STATION
Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus to carry the Cross.

V. We adore thee O Christ and we bless thee,

R. Because by thy Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.

JESUS could bear His Cross alone, did He so will; but He permits Simon to help Him, in order to remind us that we must take part in His sufferings, and have a fellowship in His work. His merit is infinite, yet He condescends to let His people add their merit to it. The sanctity of the Blessed Virgin, the blood of the Martyrs, the prayers and penances of the Saints, the good deeds of all the faithful, take part in that work which, nevertheless, is perfect without them. He saves us by His blood, but it is through and with ourselves that He saves us. Dear Lord, teach us to suffer with Thee, make it pleasant to us to suffer for Thy sake, and sanctify all our sufferings by the merits of Thy own.

Lord's Prayer, Hail Mary, etc.
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THE SIXTH STATION
The Face of Jesus is wiped by Veronica.

V. We adore thee O Christ and we bless thee,

R. Because by thy Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.

JESUS let the pious woman carry off an impression of His Sacred Countenance, which was to last to future ages. He did this to remind us all, that His image must ever be impressed on all our hearts. Whoever we are, in whatever part of the earth, in whatever age of the world, Jesus must live in our hearts. We may differ from each other in many things, but in this we must all agree, if we are His true children. We must bear about with us the napkin of St. Veronica; we must ever meditate upon His death and resurrection, we must ever imitate His divine excellence, according to our measure. Lord, let our countenances be ever pleasing in Thy sight, not defiled with sin, but bathed and washed white in Thy precious blood.

Lord's Prayer, Hail Mary, etc.
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THE SEVENTH STATION
Jesus falls a second time.

V. We adore thee O Christ and we bless thee,

R. Because by thy Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.

SATAN had a second fall, when our Lord came upon the earth. By that time he had usurped the dominion of the whole world -- and he called himself its king. And he dared to take up the Holy Savior in his arms, and show Him all kingdoms, and blasphemously promise to give them to Him, His Maker, if He would adore him. Jesus answered, "Begone, Satan !", and Satan fell down from the high mountain. And Jesus bare witness to it when He said, "I saw Satan, as lightning, falling from heaven." The Evil One remembered this second defeat, and so now he smote down the Innocent Lord a second time, now that he had Him in his power. O dear Lord, teach us to suffer with Thee, and not be afraid of Satan's buffetings, when they come on us from resisting him.

Lord's Prayer, Hail Mary, etc.
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THE EIGHTH STATION
The Women of Jerusalem morn for our Lord.

V. We adore thee O Christ and we bless thee,

R. Because by thy Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.

EVER since the prophecy of old time, that the Savior of man was to be born of a woman of the stock of Abraham, the Jewish women had desired to bear Him. Yet, now that He was really come, how different, as the Gospel tells us, was the event from what they had expected. He said to them "the days are surely coming when they will say, 'Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed." [ Luke 23:29. NRSV]. Ah, Lord, we know not what is good for us, and what is bad. We cannot foretell the future, nor do we know, when You come to visit us, in what form You wilt come. And therefore we leave it all to Thee. Do to us and in us [whatever pleases you]. Let us ever look at Thee, and do You look upon us, and give us the grace of Thy bitter Cross and Passion, and console us in Thy own way and at Thy own time.

Lord's Prayer, Hail Mary, etc.
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THE NINTH STATION
Jesus falls for third time.

V. We adore thee O Christ and we bless thee,

R. Because by thy Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.

SATAN will have a third and final fall at the end in the everlasting fiery prison. He knew this was to be his end--he has no hope, but despair only. He knew that no suffering which he could at that moment inflict upon the Savior of men would avail to rescue himself from that inevitable doom. But, in horrible rage and hatred, he determined to insult and torture while he could the great King whose throne is everlasting. Therefore a third time he smote Him down fiercely to the earth. O Jesus, Only-begotten Son of God, the Word Incarnate, we adore with fear and trembling and deep thankfulness Thy awful humiliation, that You who art the Highest, should have permitted Yourself, even for one hour, to be the sport and prey of the Evil One.

Lord's Prayer, Hail Mary, etc.
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THE TENTH STATION
Jesus is stripped of His Garments.

V. We adore thee O Christ and we bless thee,

R. Because by thy Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.

JESUS would give up everything of this world, before He left it. He exercised the most perfect poverty. When He left the Holy House of Nazareth, and went out to preach, He had not where to lay His head. He lived on the poorest food, and on what was given to Him by those who loved and served Him. And therefore He chose a death in which not even His clothes were left to Him. He parted with what seemed most necessary, and even a part of Him, by the law of human nature since the fall. Grant us in like manner, O dear Lord, to care nothing for anything on earth, and to bear the loss of all things, and to endure even shame, reproach, contempt, and mockery, rather than that You shalt be ashamed of us at the last day.

Lord's Prayer, Hail Mary, etc.
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THE ELEVENTH STATION
Jesus is nailed to the Cross.

V. We adore thee O Christ and we bless thee,

R. Because by thy Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.

JESUS is pierced through each hand and each foot with a sharp nail. His eyes are dimmed with blood, and are closed by the swollen lids and livid brows which the blows of His executioners have caused. His mouth is filled with vinegar and gall. His head is encircled by the sharp thorns. His heart is pierced with the spear. Thus, all His senses are mortified and crucified, that He may make atonement for every kind of human sin. O Jesus, mortify and crucify us with Thee. Let us never sin by hand or foot, by eyes or mouth, or by head or heart. Let all our senses be a sacrifice to Thee; let every member sing Thy praise. Let the sacred blood which flowed from Thy five wounds anoint us with such sanctifying grace that we may die to the world, and live only to Thee.

Lord's Prayer, Hail Mary, etc.
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THE TWELFTH STATION
Jesus dies upon the Cross.

V. We adore thee O Christ and we bless thee,

R. Because by thy Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.

"CONSUMMATUM est." It is completed -- it has come to a full end. The mystery of God's love towards us is accomplished. The price is paid, and we are redeemed. The Eternal Father determined not to pardon us without a price, in order to show us especial favor. He condescended to make us valuable to Him. What we buy we put a value on. He might have saved us without a price -- by the mere fiat of His will. But to show His love for us He took a price, which, if there was to be a price set upon us at all, if there was any ransom at all to be taken for the guilt of our sins, could be nothing short of the death of His Son in our nature. O my God and Father, You have valued us so much as to pay the highest of all possible prices for our sinful souls--and shall we not love and choose Thee above all things as the one necessary and one only good?

Lord's Prayer, Hail Mary, etc.
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THE THIRTEENTH STATION
Jesus is laid in the arms of His Blessed Mother.

V. We adore thee O Christ and we bless thee,

R. Because by thy Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.

HE is Thy property now, O Virgin Mother, once again, for He and the world have met and parted. He went out from Thee to do His Father's work--and He has done and suffered it. Satan and bad men have now no longer any claim upon Him- too long has He been in their arms. Satan took Him up aloft to the high mountain; evil men lifted Him up upon the Cross. He has not been in Thy arms, O Mother of God, since He was a child--but now thou have a claim upon Him, when the world has done its worst. For thou art the all-favoured, all-blessed, all-gracious Mother of the Highest. We rejoice in this great mystery. He has been hidden in thy womb, He has lain in thy bosom, He has been [nursed] at thy breasts, He has been carried in thy arms--and now that He is dead, He is placed upon thy lap. Virgin Mother of God, pray for us.

Lord's Prayer, Hail Mary, etc.
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THE FOURTEENTH STATION
Jesus is laid in the Sepulcher.

V. We adore thee O Christ and we bless thee,

R. Because by thy Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.

JESUS, when He was nearest to His everlasting triumph, seemed to be farthest from triumphing. When He was nearest upon entering upon His kingdom, and exercising all power in heaven and earth, He was lying dead in a cave of the rock. He was wrapped round in burying-clothes, and confined within a sepulcher of stone, where He was soon to have a glorified spiritual body, which could penetrate all substances, go to and fro quicker than thought, and was about to ascend on high. Make us to trust in thee, O Jesus, that You wilt display in us a similar providence. Make us sure, O Lord, that the greater is our distress, the nearer we are to Thee. The more men scorn us, the more You did honor us. The more men insult over us, the higher You wilt exalt us. The more they forget us, the more You did keep us in mind. The more they abandon us, the closer You wilt bring us to Yourself.
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LET US PRAY
God, who by the Precious Blood of Thy only-begotten Son did sanctify the standard of the Cross, grant, we beseech Thee, that we who rejoice in the glory of the same Holy Cross may at all times and places rejoice in Thy protection, through the same Christ, our Lord.

End with one Lord's Prayer, Hail Mary and Glory be..., for the intention of the Sovereign Pontiff. (This is required to qualify for the Plenary Indulgence.)


St. Agatha


Feast Day: February 5th
3rd century martyr (died about 250 AD)

"We have little reliable information about this martyr, who has been honoured since ancient times, and whose name is included in the canon of the Mass. Young, beautiful and rich, Agatha lived a life consecrated to God. When Decius announced the edicts against Christians, the magistrate Quinctianus tried to profit by Agatha’s sanctity; he planned to blackmail her into sex in exchange for not charging her. Handed over to a brothel, she refused to accept customers. After rejecting Quinctianus’s advances, she was beaten, imprisoned, tortured, her breasts were crushed and cut off. She told the judge, “Cruel man, have you forgotten your mother and the breast that nourished you, that you dare to mutilate me this way?” One version has it that Saint Peter healed her. She was then imprisoned again, then rolled on live coals; when she was near death, an earthquake stuck. In the destruction that followed, a friend of the magistrate was crushed, and the magistrate fled. Agatha thanked God for an end to her pain, and died."

"Legend says that carrying her veil, taken from her tomb in Catania, in procession has averted eruptions of Mount Etna. Her intercession is reported to have saved Malta from Turkish invasion in 1551."
by Terry H. Jones. "Saint Agatha of Sicily." Saints.SQPN.com

Patroness or Ali, Sicily, Italy; bell-founders; Catania, Sicily, Italy; fire prevention; jewelers; Malta; martyrs; nurses; Palermo, Sicily, Italy; rape victims; San Marino; single laywomen; torture victims; wet-nurses; and Zamarramala, Spain

Her intercession is invoked against breast cancer, breast disease, earthquakes, eruptions of Mount Etna, fire, natural disasters, sterility, and volcanic eruptions.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Soup and Ashes


Well, today marks the first day of that very important Church season of Lent. When we remember the lowliness of our humanity and the wonderfulness of Jesus' coming. Today was also the third day of our illness 'season.' Since monday, we've had 4 of our 5 kids battling the "flu" or something "like it" (from the telephone nurse). We even had one with the barking seal cough at 330 AM. I think I have done my entire penance for Lent. My husband and oldest son (the only one presently without fever--although he spent the whole weekend sick) attended Mass this morning. I had the privelege of going by myself this evening. Even though the church was awfully crowded, it was nice to be able to concentrate on the Mass and not on my children's behaviour in Mass. It is also the one day you can't chat with friends you haven't seen in a long time because they don't attend the same Sunday Mass as you.

Today we enjoyed "Spartan Soup" for dinner. My third son picked it out of our 'Monastary Soups' cookbook just because of the name. It was a hit with Mom, Dad, and eldest son. It fell a little flat for our less adventurous younger kids. It is basically an onion/leek soup with egg in it. It was truly delicious and hardly seemed like sacrificing anything. I am still full even though we ate 4 hours ago. We had an early dinner because the 2 of us who did fast were starving. All the kids, save one and he is diabetic so can't fast as such, are too young anyway but we are trying to get them used to at least not snacking all day on Ash Wednesday.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

St. Elizabeth of Portugal


Next on our tour is Saint Elizabeth of Portugal.

Feast day: July 4 (moved from July 8)
died: 1336
Also known as: The Peacemaker, Isabel, Isabella

She was a Princess of Aragon and Constantia and great-niece of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, for whom she was named. She had a pious upbringing with daily liturgy and praying of the hours, regular religious instruction and education. Married at age twelve to King Diniz of Portugal, and thus Queen of Portugal before she was a teenager.

The king was known for his hard work, his poetic nature, and his lack of morals. Elizabeth suffered through years of abuse and adultery, praying all the while for his conversion, and working with the poor and sick. Mother of two, Princess Constantia and Prince Affonso. She sometimes convinced the ladies of the court to help with her charity work, but most of the time she just incurred their jealousy and ill will. The king appears to have reformed late in life, though whether from Elizabeth’s faith or his imminent death is unknown.

Prince Affonso rebelled against the favours that King Diniz bestowed on his illegitimate sons, and in 1323 forces of the king and prince clashed in open civil war. Though she had been unjustly accused of siding with her son against the crown, Elizabeth rode onto the battlefield between them, and was able to reconcile father and son, and prevent bloodshed. This led to her patronage as a peacemaker, and as one invoked in time of war and conflict.

After the death of the king in 1325, she distributed her property to the poor, became a Franciscan tertiary, and retired to a monastery of Poor Clares she had founded at Coimbra.

In 1336 her son, now King Affonso IV, marched against his son-in-law, the King of Castile to punish him for being a negligent and abusive husband. Despite her age and ill health, Elizabeth hurried to the battlefield at Estremoz, Portugal, and again managed to make peace in her family, and thus maintain peace in her land.

Patroness of brides, charitable societies, charitable workers, charity workers, charities, Coimbra, Portugal, difficult marriages, falsely accused people, peace, queens, tertiaries, victims of adultery, victims of jealousy, victims of unfaithfulness, widows. She is invoked against jealousy and prayed to often in time of war.

Information from: http://saints.sqpn.com/saint-elizabeth-of-portugal/

Sunday, February 8, 2009

St. Albert of Sicily


Next we have St. Albert of Sicily (AKA Albert of Trapani).

Feast Day: August 7
Died: 1306

He was educated in a Carmelite monastery, and joined the Order at age 18. He became a priest and teacher in the monastery. He was a mendicant* preacher to the Sicilians, making many conversions; especially devoted to, and successful with, Sicilian Jews. He was a miracle worker. Sicilian Carmelite provincial in 1257, and worked both as preacher and administrator.

In 1301, the city of Messina was under siege and blockade by Duke Robert of Calabria. Disease ridden and facing imminent starvation, the Messina city fathers asked Albert and the monstery for intervention. Albert celebrated Mass, offering it as a plea for God's deliverance. As he finished, three ships loaded with grain ran the blockade. The city was saved from starvation, and Robert lifted the seige. Albert was so well remembered for this intervention that a city gate was dedicated in his honor over 300 years later.

In his later years, Albert retired to a small monastery near Messina, and spent his time in prayer, meditation, and communion.

Patron of Trapani (his birthplace), Carmelite orders, Carmelite schools.
Source: http://saints.sqpn.com/sainta29.htm

*Mendicants "do not own property, either individually or collectively, and have taken a vow of poverty, in order that all their time and energy could be expended on practicing or preaching their religion or way of life and serving the poor." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mendicant

Sunday, February 1, 2009

God is a Trapeze Artist


Today I attended a sponsor/ candidate confirmation class with my son. No, I am not his sponsor but his sponsor cannot come to every meeting as he lives about 6 hours away by car. Anyway... today they played one of those silly games that always seem to be current for youth groups. It was a game of either/ or decisions. You decide if 'God is more like _______ or ________' and then give a reason for your choice. Well, the choice was 'Is God more like a trapeze artist or a circus clown?' (Remember, I said it was silly) My son's answer actually moved me almost to tears. He said that God was like a trapeze artist. God is on one trapeze and we are on the other. God stretches His hands out and waits for us to come to Him. We have to let go of our 'bar' fly through the air and grab His hands in order not to fall. God, unlike a real trapeze artist will always catch us....Wow, I don't think there could have been a prouder parent in the room. One of the other parents said we (his parents) must be doing something right. I say that my contribution was minimal. I think the Holy Spirit moves in that boy; quickly turning him into a very good man.