Rosary Talks With Mary by RT. REV MGR. MCMAHON M.A., PH.D. part 7.

 

V. A PROGRESS THROUGH EACH DECADE

Another way to vary the accompaniment of the sweet melody of “Hail Marys” and “Our Fathers” is to plan a progress through each decade combining the ideas already elaborated. Begin each decade by concentrating on the words used in the Our Father. When we come to the petition: “Give us this day our daily bread,” let us ask Him to open the eyes of our souls to the mystery contemplated in this decade. Long ago in the inn at Emmaus He opened the eyes of the two disciples when He took bread and blessed and broke and gave to them and thus they knew Him. “Give us this day our daily bread” will be a request to Him to open to us the mystery that is proposed for this decade.

The first “Hail Mary” will be a salutation to Our Lady, saying the words with which Gabriel addressed her at the Annunciation, and trying to capture the devotion and warmth which St. Luke puts into those words.

During the recital of the next six “Hail Marys” we shall draw upon all that we have learned at school, or read and heard since, to help us to paint a word picture of the mystery.

The last three “Hail Marys” will uncover our hearts to Mary’s whisperings. We shall try to get inside our Mother Mary’s heart during this mystery, and catch some of its fire and heat to warm our own towards her. Some day we shall feel our hearts burning within us and on that blessed occasion we shall understand what that humble French priest, St. Grignion de Montfort, wrote some two hundred years ago-namely, that “being a servant of Mary is good, but to be her slave is better. The servant is worthy of his hire but the slave is not. As Mary’s slave we wish to be absorbed completely in Mary’s personality, to work in and through and by her for Mary’s cause, the salvation of souls. That ideal of complete slavery is the keynote of the Legion of Mary Apostolate. In the words of dedication the Legionaries proclaim: I am thine, my Queen, my Mother, and all that I have is thine.”

Mary’s part in this mystery will shine upon us like a star beckoning us to follow her according to our own small measure. The virtue that attracts us to Mary in this mystery is something we must strive to build within ourselves. There is the example for us to follow, there is Mary awaiting to help us, provided we set ourselves to the task. God cannot build His Kingdom in man’s soul without man’s help and earnestness. And Mary whispers to us to begin upon that virtue we need so badly, for she is ever ready with her encouragement and her help.

No matter how gloomy the picture of a soul presents itself to any man, if he begins with confidence in Mary’s prayers and his own efforts he can change vice into virtue, and sin into sanctity. The virtue of self-discipline, of self denial so distasteful to the human spirit and so onerous on human nature, yet, so necessary in life and a sine-qua-non condition for sonship of God, will be won by us gradually and painfully but certainly, through listening to Mary’s whisperings to us while saying the last three “Hail Marys” of each decade.

“The Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost” which concludes the decade will be addressed to the Holy Spirit through the Blessed Trinity for light to see and courage to assume the task of building from within ourselves the virtues that shine from Mary in this mystery.

Nihil Obstat:

D. P. MURPHY, Censor Deputatus. lmprimatur:

DANIEL MANNIX,

Archiepiscopus Melbournensis.

********

Rosary Talks With Mary by RT. REV MGR. MCMAHON M.A., PH.D. part 6.

IV. ADDRESSING MARY IN THE “HAIL MARY”

Address Mary with the words: “Hail Mary,” thinking how they apply to her in the special circumstances of each Mystery. Mary is always “full of grace,” always “blessed,” because the Lord is always with her. Yet, the Lord is with her in a different way in the stable of Bethlehem, on the Hill of Calvary, and at the throne of the Father in Heaven. She is “with the Lord,” with the Fruit of her womb, Jesus, but her being with Jesus in the home of Nazareth is a very different thing from her being with Jesus dying on the Cross.

From Mary’s union with Jesus comes all her greatness. This way of saying the Rosary is to tell our Mother that we greet her as full of God’s grace, blessed, because she is with Jesus as no other human being can ever be; in His joy, in His sorrow, and in His triumph. Let us see briefly the different shades of meaning we can put into the words of the “Hail Mary” in each of the five Joyful Mysteries.

THE ANNUNCIATION

In the first mystery, the Annunciation, we remember at once that we are addressing to Mary the very words that the Archangel addressed to her at the Annunciation. He said to her: “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women.” (Luke 1, 28.) We say the same to her, thinking that she is indeed “full of grace” at this moment. Conceived immaculate, she has corresponded so well with the graces God has given her that now God’s messenger thus addresses her. We tell her she is “blessed among women,” because at this moment, when the Word is made flesh within her womb, “the Lord is with her” in a way He has never been with any other; blessed amongst women because the Son thus conceived in her womb is the Son of God. .

THE VISITATION

At the Visitation, too, we are using the actual words spoken to Mary by St. Elizabeth: “Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.” (Luke 1, 42.) When we say “the Lord is with thee” during this mystery we remember how truly He was with her then, bringing grace and sanctification to St. John the Baptist even before his entry into the world. As we repeat “Blessed art thou” we are actually fulfilling, even now, the prophecy that Mary made at the Visitation: “Behold all generations shall call me blessed.” (Luke 1, 48.)

THE NATIVITY

During the recitation of the third Mystery, the Nativity, we can have before our minds that first Christmas night and the wonderful application of the words must strike us at once. “The Lord is with thee”; yes, indeed, with thee now as with no other creature, with thee in the most intimate union of mother and new born Babe. “Blessed art thou among women”; more blessed in thy poverty than the richest mother in the land, more blessed than any other woman ever was or ever will be, because this thy Child, the fruit of thy womb, is blessed, none other than God Himself.

THE PRESENTATION

The fourth Joyful Mystery, the Presentation, shows us Mary in the Temple offering the fruit of her womb to the Eternal Father. That offering in her case meant far more than it did for any other Jewish mother. Their offerings were symbolical, hers was real. True, she gave in the Temple only the gift of the poor, whilst many of the others gave the gift prescribed for the rich. Yet, who shall say that theirs was an offering equal to hers? She gave to Almighty God His Son and hers.

THE FINDING IN THE TEMPLE

The final mystery of this decade, the Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple, gives us two aspects of the truth of the words we say in our prayer.

Mary is blessed when she finds her Child, because once more, “the Lord is with her.” After the desolation of those days of fruitless search, what a joy, what a relief it must have been when she was with Him once more! God had done such wonderful things for her: the miraculous conception, the Virgin motherhood, the possession of God as her own Son; how she must have wondered when so soon afterwards He disappeared from her. How comforted she must have been when she had Him with her again and when “He went down with them and came to Nazareth and was subject to them.” (Luke 2, 51.)

These last words open out a vista of thought for the Fifth Mystery. Whilst we say the “Hail Mary” let us tell the Divine Mother that we know how “full of grace” she must have been during those happy years in Nazareth, when the “Lord was with her” night and day. He learned at her knee, He obeyed her voice, He was her dutiful Son, and yet all the time she knew that He was her God. “Blessed art thou among women” because the fruit of thy womb-thy Son- is blessed above all others, Jesus, thy God.”

Whilst we say the second part of the “Hail Mary” in these joyful mysteries we will ask Holy Mary, Mother of God to pray for us, that we may be full of God’s grace and that the Lord may be with us. Pray for us, Mother of God, now, that in all the joys and sorrows of life “the Lord may be with us”; pray for us at the hour of our death, that we may be blessed for all eternity, with the “Blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.”

Rosary Talks With Mary by RT. REV MGR. MCMAHON M.A., PH.D. part 5.

 

THE ORIGIN OF THE PATER NOSTER

St. Matthew records that Christ taught the “Pater Noster” to His disciples at the sermon on the mount, near the Sea of Galilee (St. Matthew vi, 9–18). St. Luke puts the origin much later, during the December before His death, and probably at the Feast of the Dedication of the Temple at Jerusalem. Our Lord had spent the whole night in. prayer on the Mount of Olives. The Apostles wished to pray as He did, and they approached Him, saying: “Lord, teach us to pray.” (St. Luke xi, 1–4.) On the Mount of Olives the Pater Noster Church has been erected to commemorate this scene.

One may readily believe that Our Lord had said this prayer at His Mother’s knee in Nazareth, so promptly did the words pour from His lips when asked by the disciples to teach them to pray. From that day on the Mount of Olives He and His disciples said the “Pater Noster” frequently. They surely said it together in the Upper Room at the Last Supper. It was said by St. Peter in prison and by St. Paul on his journeys.

With what fervour Our Blessed Lady must have prayed it with St. John in their home at Ephesus! The music of its words filled the winding tunnels of the catacombs at Rome. It was on the lips of the martyrs in the arenas. From apostolic times to our own its petitions to Heaven have arisen from our altars “from the rising of the sun even to the going down.” The greatest minds of the Church, such as St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Augustine, have found the Pater Noster an unending subject for meditation, while little children can say it lovingly.

THE FAMILY PRAYER

The Pater Noster, the family prayer of the Church, has an arc like the rainbow, which springs up from the earth, touches the clouds, and then sweeps down to earth. We lift our hearts to God in its mounting petitions: “Hallowed be Thy Name: Thy Kingdom come,” until we reach the apex of the arc in: “Thy Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” Downwards sweeps the curve with its recital of our needs from “Give us this day our daily bread” to “Deliver us from evil.”

Christ’s own prayer has the double action of praise and petition. To give is higher than to receive, and so the first part of the “Pater Noster” is more important than the second. It is the model prayer. All our needs and all our desires are summed up in it, and seen in the light of eternity. The best place and time to say it is during the Mass, when it comes after the Canon. With his hands outstretched and his eyes on the consecrated Host the priest calls upon Christ to represent us in Heaven in the sevenfold petitions of His own prayer.

“Let us pray: urged on by saving precept and following Thy divine institution, we dare to say: Our Father Who art in Heaven. . . .” Outside the Holy Mass the “Pater Noster” is best said within the Rosary of Mary. Let us ask Him Who bade us say it to inspire us with its meaning

COINED IN HEAVEN

The Rosary teaches us to say the great universal prayer to God the Father entwined with the angelic salutation to Mary. We speak to Our Father and salute Mary as she goes step by step with her Divine Son, in turn, joyful at His coming, sorrowful in His sufferings and death, and glorious in His Resurrection and Ascension. Within the three divisions of the Rosary we say these, our greatest prayers, in a background of joy, sorrow, and triumph.

The words of the “Hail Mary” and of the Lord’s Prayer were coined in Heaven. Part at least of these prayers, we may feel sure, are said by the angels and saints in Heaven, and the repetition of them during the Rosary is excellent practice for our future home.

Rosary Talks With Mary by RT. REV MGR. MCMAHON M.A., PH.D. part 4.

III. CONCENTRATE ON THE “OUR FATHER” AND “HAIL MARY.”

Before the coming of Our Lord, young and old recited the one hundred and fifty psalms of David as a prayer. Many of the psalms were committed to memory and said frequently throughout the day. The more the people meditated upon the psalms the better they prayed and the richer were the spiritual rains.

The one hundred and fifty psalms divided into fifties, continued a favourite form of devotion among the Christians of the early Church. Gradually the humble folk, the people whose days were occupied in physical labour, found little time to study the psalms and began to substitute for them the repetition of fifty, a hundred or a hundred and fifty salutations to Our Lady, leaving the psalms to clerics, religious, and learned groups. The 150 salutations to Mary correspond to the 150 psalms of David which sang the praises of God and besought Him for mercy and grace.

As with the psalms the more we meditate upon the words we say the more effect they will have upon our spiritual health. The repetition of the Angelical salutation is always pleasing to Our Lady. The Lord’s Prayer is the prayer taught us by Our Lord Himself, and cannot be said often enough. So the very words we use in the Rosary have a virtue of their own and will merit much for us. The following notes on the “Hail Mary” and the “Our Father” supply food for meditation.

THE ORIGIN OF THE HAIL MARY

St. Luke tells us the origin of the “Hail Mary” in words that glow with the devotion of a loving son. Raphael, in his picture of St. Luke painting the Virgin and Child, portrays in the face of the artist a deep love of the Virgin.

St. Luke writes: “And in the sixth month, the Angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth,

“To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.

“And the Angel being come in, said unto her: Hail full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Blessed are thou among women.

“Who having heard, was troubled at his saying, and thought with herself what manner of salutation this should be.

“And the Angel said to her: Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God.

“Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shall bring forth a son; and thou shall call His name Jesus.

“He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of David his father; and he shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever,

“And of His kingdom there shall be no end.”

“And Mary said to the Angel: How shall this be done, because I know not man?

“And the Angel answering, said to her: The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore also the Holy which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

“And behold thy cousin Elizabeth, she also hath conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her that is called barren; because no word shall be impossible with God.

“And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me according to thy word. And the Angel departed from her.

“And Mary, rising up in these days, went into the hill country with haste into a city of Juda.

“And she entered into the house of Zachary, and saluted Elizabeth.

“And it came to pass; that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the infant leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: And she cried out with a loud voice, and said: Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.” (St. Luke I, 26.42.)

“Hail, full of grace.”

We salute Mary with: “Hail, full of grace.” Not without good reason did the angel omit her name, “Mary,” saying instead, “Full of grace.” He wished thereby to intimate that the title, “Full of grace” is more proper for her than her name, and due far more to her than the title “wise” was due to Solomon, “obedient” to Isaac, and “strong” to Samson.

“The Lord is with thee.”

God is indeed everywhere, but He is in one way with men and in another with irrational and inanimate beings; one way with the good, and another with the bad. He is with irrational beings without their knowledge, and with rational beings who know and acknowledge Him; but, above all, He is with the good who know and love Him. He is with the Blessed Virgin in a special manner; He is one with her not only in the will but also in the flesh. “The Lord is with thee;” this is a prerogative that raises her above the angels.

“Blessed art thou among women.”

She “conceived,” but “without sin”; she brought forth “without pain” and “without knowing man”; to her great glory she is the “Mother of Him Whose Father is God”; she, the creature, became the “Mother of the Creator”; she became a Mother, without ceasing to be a “Virgin.” Had not the angel reason to say: “Blessed art thou among women?” Can we therefore honour the Blessed Virgin more than by praising her with the angelic salutation:

“Blessed art thou among women?”

“The Hail Mary,” writes St. Grignion de Montfort, “is a heavenly dew which waters the soul, and renders it fruitful in all virtues; a soul not watered by this prayer, brings forth no fruit, nothing but briars and thorns.

The Hail Mary is the sanctification of the soul, the joy of the Angels, the song of the predestined, the canticle of the New Testament, the pleasure of Mary, the glory of the most Holy Trinity. The Hail Mary is a loving kiss we give to Mary; it is a brilliant rose we present to her; a special pearl we offer to her; a cup of ambrosia and divine nectar.”

Rosary Talks With Mary by RT. REV MGR. MCMAHON M.A., PH.D. part 3.

TAKE MARY TO OUR OWN

“When Jesus therefore had seen His mother and the disciple standing, whom He loved, He saith to His mother: “Woman, behold thy son. After that, He saith to the disciple: Behold thy mother. And from that hour the disciple took her to his own.” (St. John xix, 26–27.)

Like St. John we take Mary to our own through thinking with her in our hearts as she lived through the joyful, the glorious, and the sorrowful stages of her life.

This thinking in the heart is open to all, even to little children. It does not depend upon intelligence or a trained mind.

St. Luke records the sequel to the finding of the Boy Jesus in the temple: “And seeing Him, they wondered. And His mother said to Him: “Son, why hast Thou done so to us? Behold Thy father and I have sought Thee sorrowing.’ And He said to them: ‘How is it that you sought Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” And they understood not the word that He spoke unto them.”

“And He went down with them and came to Nazareth: and was subject to them. And His mother kept all these words in her heart.” (St; Luke 11; 48–51.)

Chatting with Mary while saying her Rosary will open up her heart to us and we shall share, in a little way; her thoughts. She who lived the mysteries with her Divine Son will teach us, gradually and slowly, to do as she did and keep all these words in our hearts;

 

II. SELECT A VIRTUE IN THE MYSTERY

Each mystery contemplated in the Rosary presents many virtues to us for our imitation. Selecting a virtue for each mystery will vary the motives for saying the Rosary and save it from monotony and sameness. To single out one of Mary’s virtues and contrast our weakness with her strength will convince us that we must build that virtue from within. In that uphill pull against our frail human nature, meditation upon Mary’s virtues will bolster up our sagging spirit.

The natural virtues of Mary will beckon us onwards, for example, her prudence at the Annunciation, her fraternal charity during the Visitation, her mother’s love at the Nativity, her confidence at the Presentation, and the lesson of obedience at the Finding of the Child Jesus. Whenever we find a human motive, a natural aid to support us in our striving after holiness, let us seize upon it, and build upon it. Mary’s example will give us courage to increase our meagre stocks of the natural virtues of patience and prudence of fraternal charity and generosity, and of obedience and self-discipline.

The Rosary recited with mind and heart concentrated upon one of Mary’s virtues could not be wearisome and dull, as it too often is. No, it would be all too short. Meditation on Mary’s virtues will work its salutary effects upon our lives. Through the consideration of Mary’s part in the Life of Our Blessed Lord, the Great Exemplar according to which we are bidden to fashion our own, we are naturally led to a more perfect imitation of Him. Just as the sculptor takes a mass of roughly-hewn stone and with untiring labour chisels it and fashions it, until by dint of skilful workmanship the shapeless block is clothed with beautiful forms and reflects the artist’s thought, so by frequent and devout study of our Saviour’s life-a study eminently afforded by the Rosary- ought we to strive to reproduce in our own life something of the virtue that shone out so resplendently in His.

Rosary Talks With Mary by RT. REV MGR. MCMAHON M.A., PH.D. part 2.

CHAT WITH MARY

Father Patrick Peyton, the 6ft.4in. Irish ex-miner who has set out to bring the Family Rosary into the homes of American Catholics with the help of Hollywood, looks like a mischievous, overgrown altar boy. Yet a few years ago, while he was studying for the priesthood, he became tubercular.

He was in an advanced condition; coughing blood. Since it was impossible to collapse the lung, it was decided to remove part of his ribs.

An old priest visited him in hospital. “Why don’t you ask Our Lady to cure you?” he suggested.

“I have,” said Father Peyton, “and I think this operation is her way of doing it.”

“Nonsense,” said the old priest. “She can do better than breaking your back to cure you. She’s a woman, and she likes to be talked to. Talk to her, man; talk to her!”

Father Peyton talked to her that night, with the result that there was no operation, and now in gratitude to Mary he is devoting his life to the Family Rosary.

Here is a pleasant way to meditate upon the Mysteries of the Rosary. It will mean a much slower saying of the beads, with many a pause to chat with her about the mystery in an artless, childlike way, and then, go on. It is far better to recite one or two decades a day and three on Saturdays, in this way, than to say five decades mechanically or too fast.

To stop every now and then to chat with Mary about the mystery contemplated is to share her innermost thoughts. It will help to increase our love for Mary if we meet her often for a chat within the Rosary. Through that intimate chat we share her feelings and know her thoughts and imagine ourselves kneeling at her side as we ask her to pray for us now and at the hour of our death.

Rosary Talks With Mary by RT. REV MGR. MCMAHON M.A., PH.D. part 2.

 

THE HAPPY UNION OF MENTAL AND VOCAL PRAYER

The slow recitation of the prayers joined with the meditations on the Mysteries of our Redemption, make the Rosary one of the sure ways to holiness of life. Saying the one hundred and fifty “Aves” and “Paters” without meditating on the Mysteries is a tiresome task. But once throw upon the vocal prayers the light of the Mysteries and monotony and dullness vanish.

Again, since the depth of each Mystery is infinite, so no two of our Rosaries need be alike, but may carry us further and further into the meaning of these sacred scenes, adding fruit upon fruit of pious affections and resolve, building up our lives in the spirit and practice of Christianity, and upholding to us more and more of the beauties of our Holy Faith.

Five Mysteries each day, or even one Mystery devoutly and reverently meditated on and woven into the eloquence of the beads, will bear fruit in our lives.

The Rosary alone, said as Mary taught St. Dominic to say it, is a pledge of salvation. We have in our hands an overwhelming and invincible power, when in union with Catholics the world over, and kneeling before Jesus, the Fruit of Mary’s womb, we unite our minds in contemplating these Mysteries and our voices in praying our “Paters” and “Aves.” Truly is the Rosary, like its glorious Queen, “terrible as an army set in battle array!”

The following outlines of meditations should be read frequently to prompt our imaginations to paint the scenes and to rouse our hearts to generous response. The notes provide different ideas for a varied recitation of the Rosary. It does not matter if we interchange them in one Rosary. No, all that is hoped for in these outlines is that they will help us to say our beads meditatively.

Aids to meditation on the Rosary are grouped under five headings, namely:

1. Chat with Mary.

2. Select a virtue in the Mystery.

3. Concentrate on the “Our Father,” and the “Hail Mary.”

4. Addressing Mary in the “Hail Mary.”

5. A progress through each decade.

Rosary Talks With Mary by RT. REV MGR. MCMAHON M.A., PH.D. part 1.

The Church, in her official prayer, the Collect of the Mass of the Most Holy Rosary, teaches us that it is by meditating on the Joyful, Sorrowful, and Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary that we may hope to imitate the virtues of our Blessed Lord and His Blessed Mother. The Rosary presents to us a summary of Our Lord’s Life on earth, of His Passion and Death, and of the triumphs which followed His Resurrection. In its three divisions, Joyful, Sorrowful, and Glorious, we have a Synopsis of the liturgical year which is a devout study of our Saviour’s Life.

Men today have forgotten how to pray because there is no thought behind their words. Vocal prayers do not sink in unless the heart is touched and the spirit aroused. Today, as in the time of Our Lord’s sojourn on this earth, the words of Isaias are true: “This people honoureth Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain do they worship Me, teaching doctrine and commandments of men.”

CARDINAL GILROY ON MEDITATION

Addressing youth during the Centenary Celebrations in Perth, Western Australia, in May, 1946, Cardinal Gilroy, Archbishop of Sydney, advocated the Rosary as a splendid training ground for meditation.

“There is no better training in concentration than the making of a daily meditation. The ability to concentrate is a most valuable asset in anyone’s mental equipment.”

“There is one invaluable form of meditation within easy reach of us all. It is the contemplation of the Mysteries of the Rosary. This exercise of piety I cordially and earnestly recommend to each and every one of you. It is not something novel or untried. Rather it is venerable and of proved efficacy. The exercise in times of peace of noble souls, and of those who wish to be noble, it has been in war a favourite exercise of heroes.

“You are familiar with the praises of the Rosary uttered with incomparable gracefulness by Australia’s priest-poet, John O”Brien. He portrays the recitation of the Rosary in the lovely setting of the unspoilt, natural family circle. In war-time there have been descriptions in poem and in prose of valiant youths and men engaged in perilous undertakings on land, at sea, and in the air, and again in foul prison camps, recommending themselves, their companions, and their cause to God through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary by the recitation of the Rosary. In your daily Rosary-and we should be well advised to say the Rosary every day-be sure to ponder over the Mysteries in the Life of your Divine Master and His Blessed Mother. You will, as a consequence of doing that, be encouraged to strive, in spite of all difficulties, to imitate what their Mysteries contain and obtain what they promise.”

Fatima And Five Saturdays. Heed A Mother's Request. Reap The Reward Of A Mother's Promise.Part 2.

BY REV. F. P. O’SHEA, C.SS.R

SECOND MEDITATION. THE VISITATION

“And Mary rising up in those days, went into the hill country with haste into a city of Juda. And she entered into the house of Zachary and saluted Elizabeth. And it came to pass that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the Infant leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost. And she cried out with a loud voice and said: “Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears the infant in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed art thou that hast believed because the things shall be accomplished that were spoken to thee by the Lord.”

“And Mary said: “My soul doth magnify the Lord. And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. Because he hath regarded the humility of His handmaid: for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. Because He that is mighty hath done great things to me: and holy is His Name.”

Fruitful Reflections: Humility, Charity, Devotion to Mary.

THIRD MEDITATION. THE NATIVITY

“It came to pass that in those days there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled. And all went to be enrolled, everyone into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem: because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary his espoused wife, who was with child, And it came to pass that when they were there, her days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her first-born son and wrapped Him up in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger: because there was no room for them in the inn.

“And there were in the same country shepherds watching and keeping the night -watches over their flock. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them and the brightness of God shone around about them: and they feared with great fear.

“And the angel said to them: “Fear not: for, behold I bring you good tidings of great joy that shall be to all the people: For this day is born to you a Saviour, Who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David, And this shall be a sign unto you. You shall find the Infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger.”

“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army, praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest: and on earth peace to men of goodwill.””

“And it came to pass, after the angels departed from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one to another: “Let us go over to Bethlehem and let us see this word that is come to pass, which the Lord hath showed to us.” And they came with haste: and they found Mary and Joseph, and the Infant lying in the manger.””

Fruitful Reflections: Faith, Love of God, Obedience, Horror of sin.

FOURTH MEDITATION. THE PRESENTATION  

“After the days of the Purification, according to the law of Moses were accomplished they carried Him to Jerusalem, to present Him to the Lord. And behold there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon: and this man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel. And the Holy Ghost was in him. And he received an answer from the holy Ghost, that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord. And he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when His parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, he also took Him into His arms end blessed God and said: “Now thou dost dismiss thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word in peace: Because my eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples: a light to the revelation of the gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel.” And His father and mother were wondering at those things which were spoken concerning Him.”

Fruitful Reflections: Obedience to authority, The Will of God, Happiness in suffering.

FIFTH MEDITATION. THE FINDING OF THE CHILD JESUS IN THE TEMPLE

“And His parents went every year to Jerusalem, at the solemn day of the pasch. And when He was twelve years old, they going up into Jerusalem, according to the custom of the feast and having fulfilled the days, when they returned, the Child Jesus remained in Jerusalem. And His parents knew it not. And thinking He was in the company they came a day’s journey and sought Him among their kinsfolk and acquaintances. And not finding Him they returned to Jerusalem seeking Him.

“And it came to pass that after three days, they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of doctors, hearing them and asking them questions. And all that heard Him were astonished at His wisdom and His answers.

“And seeing Him they wondered. And His Mother said to Him: “Son why hast Thou done so to us? Behold thy father and I have sought Thee sorrowing?” And He said to them: “How is it that you sought Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”

“And they understood not the word that He spoke unto them. And He went down with them and came to Nazareth and was subject to them. And His Mother kept all these words in her heart. And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and grace with God and man.”

Fruitful Reflections. Obedience to parents and those in authority, Zeal for the salvation of souls, Following one’s vocation, Love of parents, Love of one’s children,

THE SORROWFUL MYSTERIES

FIRST MEDITATION. THE AGONY OF OUR LORD IN THE GARDEN

“It was night. Then Jesus came with them into a country -place which is called Gethsemani. And He said to His disciples: “Sit you here, till I go yonder and pray.” And He taketh Peter and James and John with Him; and He began to fear and to be heavy. Then He said to them: “My soul is sorrowful even unto death. Stay you here and watch with Me.” And going a little further, He fell upon His face saying: “My Father, if it be possible, let this chalice pass from Me. Nevertheless, not as I will but as Thou wilt.” And He cometh to His disciples and findeth them asleep. And He said to Peter: “What? Could you not watch one hour with Me? Watch ye: and pray that ye enter not into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing but the flesh weak.”

“Again He went and prayed saying: “My Father, if this chalice may not pass away, but I must drink it, thy will be done.” And there appeared to Him an angel from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in an agony, He prayed the longer. And His sweat became as drops of blood, trickling down upon the ground.”

Fruitful Reflection. Necessity of prayer in temptation. The malice of sin. Doing the will of God.

SECOND MEDITATION. THE SCOURGING AT THE PILLAR

“And Pilate calling together the chief priests, and the magistrates and the people, said to them: “You have presented unto me this Man, as one that perverteth the people, and behold I having examined Him before you find no cause in this Man in those things wherein you accuse Him. No, neither Herod. For I sent you to him, and behold nothing worthy of death has been done by Him. I will chastise Him therefore and release Him.”

“The Holy Shroud of Turin shows that the whole Body of Our Divine Saviour, front and back, was scourged with a whip made of flexible thongs to which were attached metal balls. The Face, Hands and Feet were the only parts spared.

“We read that strong men sometimes died under a Roman scourging and we can easily understand why Pilate should have hoped to move the rabble to pity when he led Christ out on to the balcony after the scourging and cried out, “Behold the Man!” “

Fruitful Reflections-. Love of the Suffering Christ, Hatred for sin, Reparation for sin, Penance.

THIRD MEDITATION. THE CROWNING WITH THORNS

“And the soldiers of the governor taking Jesus, led Him away into the court of the palace and they call together unto Him the whole band. And stripping Him, they put a scarlet cloak about Him. And plaiting a crown of thorns, they put it upon His Head, and a reed in His right hand. And they came to Him, and bowing the knee before Him, they mocked Him. And they began to salute Him saying: “Hail, King of the Jews.” And they struck Him with their hands. And, spitting upon Him, they took the reed, and they smote Him with the reed on the Head.”

Fruitful Reflections: Avoid evil desires, Think kindly of others, Hatred of vanity.

FOURTH MEDITATION. JESUS CARRIES HIS CROSS

“And after they had mocked Him, they took off the cloak from Him and put on Him His own garments, and led Him away to crucify Him. And bearing His own cross He went forth to that place which is called Calvary. And going out they found a man of Cyrene named Simon. Him they forced to take up His cross. And they laid the cross on him to carry after Jesus.

“And there followed Him a great multitude of people and of women who bewailed and lamented Him, But Jesus turning to them said: “Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not over Me but weep for yourselves, and for your children. . . . for if in the green wood they do these things, what shall be done in the dry?”

Fruitful Reflections: Compassion for Our Divine Saviour, Penance, Bearing our own trials patiently, Helping others, The punishment for sin.

FIFTH MEDITATION. THE CRUCIFIXION

“And they bring Him to the place Golgotha. There they crucified Him, And with Him they crucified two thieves, the one on His right hand and the other on His left. and Jesus in the midst. And the Scripture was fulfilled which said: “And with the wicked He was reputed,”

“And Jesus said: “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

“Now they stood by the cross of Jesus, His Mother. When Jesus therefore had seen His Mother and the disciple standing, whom He loved, He said to His Mother: “Woman, behold thy son.” After that He said to the disciple: “Behold thy Mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own.

“And it was almost the sixth hour; and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying: “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?”

“Afterwards Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst.”

“Now there was a vessel set there full of vinegar. And immediately one of them running, took a sponge and filled it with vinegar and put it on a reed and gave Him to drink. Jesus therefore, when He had taken the vinegar, said, “It is consummated.” And Jesus again crying with a loud voice, said, “Father, into Thy hands I commend My Spirit.” And bowing His Head, He gave up the Ghost.

“And behold the veil of the temple was rent in two from the top even to the bottom, and the earth quaked; and the rocks were rent.”

Fruitful Reflections: Love of God, Love of Mary, Love of neighbour, Forgiving our enemies, Thinking of death:

THE GLORIOUS MYSTERIES

FIRST MEDITATION. THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD

“But He rising early the first day of the week, appeared first to Mary Magdalen. But Mary stood at the sepulchre without, weeping. Now as she was weeping, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre. And she saw two angels in white, sitting one at the head and one at the feet, where the Body of Jesus had been laid. They say to her, “Woman, why weepest thou?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid Him,” When she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing and she knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou?” She, thinking that it was the gardener said to Him, “Sir, if thou hast taken Him hence, tell me where thou has laid Him., and I will take Him away.” Jesus saith to her, “Mary.” She turning saith to Him, “Rabboni” ( Master) . Jesus saith to her: “Do not touch Me, for I am not yet ascended to My Father: but go to My brethren and say to them: “I ascend to My Father and to your Father, to My God and your God.”

Fruitful Reflections: Personal love for Jesus, Never lose Jesus by sin, The thought of our resurrection, Faith, Devotion to our guardian angel.

SECOND MEDITATION. THE ASCENSION

“He led them out as far as Bethania, and lifting up His hands He blessed them. And it came to pass, whilst He blessed them and while they looked on, He departed from them, and He was raised up, and was carried up to heaven. And a cloud received Him out of their sight. And the Lord Jesus was taken up to heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God.

“And while they were beholding Him going up to heaven, behold two men stood by them in white garments, who also said, “Ye men of Galilee, why stand you looking up to heaven? This Jesus Who is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come as you have seen Him going into heaven.”“

Fruitful Reflections: Prayer, Work and pray, Zeal for the salvation of souls, Hope.

THIRD MEDITATION. THE DESCENT OF THE HOLY GHOST

“And when the days of the Pentecost were accomplished they were all together in one place, and suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a mighty wind coming; and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them parted tongues, as it were of fire, and it sat upon every one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they began to speak with divers tongues, according as the Holy Ghost gave them to speak.

“And when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together and were confounded in mind, because that every man heard them speak in his own tongue. But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice and spoke to them. They themselves that received his word were baptized: and there were added in that day about three thousand souls,”

Fruitful Reflections: Faith, Love of the Church, Obedience to the Holy Father, Propagation of the Faith.

FOURTH MEDITATION. THE ASSUMPTION OF OUR LADY INTO HEAVEN

“The prophet Elias was carried to heaven in a fiery chariot, which according to interpreters was no other than a group of angels who bore him off from the earth. “But to conduct thee to Heaven, O Mother of God,” says the Abbot Rupert, “a fiery chariot was not enough; the whole court of Heaven headed by its King, thy Son, went forth to meet thee.” “On first meeting her, Jesus said, “Arise, make haste, my love, my dove, my beautiful one, and come, for winter is now past,”

“Behold Mary already enters that blessed country. But on her entrance the citizens of Heaven, seeing her so beautiful and glorious ask the angels without the gates, as Origen supposes it, with united voices of exultation: “Who is this that cometh up from the desert, flowing with delights, leaning upon her Beloved?”

“Then all the angels and saints begin to bless and praise her; singing with far more reason than the Hebrews did to Judith: “Thou art the glory of Jerusalem; thou art the joy of Israel; thou art the honour of our people.”“ (St. Alphonsus Liguori.)

Fruitful Reflections: The grace of a happy death and a glorious resurrection, Honouring Our Lady, The joys of heaven.

FIFTH MEDITATION. THE CROWNING OF OUR LADY QUEEN OF HEAVEN

“All the saints then in Paradise welcomed Holy Mary on her entrance into heaven and saluted her as their Queen. All the holy Virgins, all the holy Confessors, the Martyrs, the Apostles and Prophets, the holy Patriarchs, and Adam and Eve. Who can ever form an idea of the affection with which her dear spouse St. Joseph came to salute her? All the angels then came to salute her; and she, the great Queen, thanked all for the assistance they had given her on earth, and more especially she thanked the Archangel Gabriel, who was the happy ambassador, the bearer of all her glories, when he came to announce to her that she was the chosen Mother of God.

The humble and holy Virgin then kneeling adored the Divine Majesty, and all absorbed in the consciousness of her own nothingness, thanked God for all the graces bestowed upon her by His pure Goodness, and especially for having made her the Mother of the Eternal Word. And then let him who can, imagine with what love the Most Holy Trinity blessed her! Let him imagine the welcome given to His Daughter by the Eternal Father; to His Mother by the Son; to His Spouse by the Holy Ghost. The Father crowned her by imparting His power to her; the Son His Wisdom; the Holy Ghost, His love. And the three Divine Persons, placing her throne at the right of that of Jesus, declared her Sovereign of Heaven and earth; and commanded the angels and all creatures to acknowledge her as their Queen, and as such to serve and obey her.” (St. Alphonsus Liguori.)

Fruitful Reflections: Love of Our Blessed Mother, Imitation of her virtues, Devotion to her, The joys of heaven, Confidence in the power and mercy of Mary.

Remember to do all with the intention of making reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Imprimi Potest:

R. O”CONNELL, C.SS.R., Prov. Superior.

Nihil Obstat:

W. M. COLLINS, Diocesan Censor.

Imprimatur:

 D. MANNIX,

Archiepiscopus Melbournensis.

4th July, 1955

********

Fatima And Five Saturdays. Heed A Mother's Request. Reap The Reward Of A Mother's Promise.Part 1.

BY REV. F. P. O’SHEA, C.SS.R

PREFACE BY REV. W. FREAN, C.SS.R

Our Blessed Lady said to Lucy at Fatima, “I promise to help at the hour of death with the graces needed for salvation, whoever, on the First Saturday of Five Consecutive Months, shall confess and receive Holy Communion, recite Five Decades of the Rosary, and keep me company for fifteen minutes while meditating on the Mysteries of the Rosary with the intention of making reparation to me.”
Father O'Shea wants to help all those who are desirous of complying with this request of our dear Mother, Mary-and this, of course, should mean-every good Catholic.
Though his little book opens with a short account of the marvels which have caused the eyes of the world to turn with wonder and with hope to the mountain village of Fatima, its one object is to help you to make the Five Saturdays as Our Lady wants you to make them. Use it and you will find Father O”Shea’s method easy, practical and fruitful.

THIS little book is written to spread the Message of Fatima, to help you to make your First Five Saturdays well. No doubt you know well the story of Fatima. On Saturday, May 13th., 1917, a beautiful Lady appeared to three little children, Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta, in Portugal, at a place known as the Cova da Iria, about 60 miles north of Lisbon, and asked them to come to the same place on the 13th of each month until October, when She would tell them who She was. The Lady then told them to say the Rosary well.
The news of this apparition spread through Fatima but many of the villagers did not believe their story and the children suffered much because of this unbelief. Nevertheless many of the people accompanied the little shepherds on the first Saturday of June when the Lady again appeared.

On the 13th of July the Lady appeared again, and at Lucy’s request that She should work a miracle, promised a great miracle on the 13th of October. During this apparition the Lady foretold the end of the War. Then She warned them: “I come to ask the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart and the Communion of Reparation on the first Saturdays. If they heed my requests, Russia will be converted and there will be peace. If not, she will spread her errors throughout the world, causing wars and persecutions of the Church. The good will be martyred, the Holy Father will have much to suffer, various nations will be wiped out.”
The secular press, dominated by a godless and revolutionary government, began a violent persecution of the children by stirring up a campaign of slander and contempt against them.
When 15,000 Catholics gathered at the Cova on August 15th they were filled with anger and disappointment to find that the children had been kidnapped by the anticlerical mayor of Ourem.

On the 13th of September, 30,000 people gathered at the Cova and the Lady again appeared to the three children. Many of the people saw a luminous globe coming from the East. A chance visitor to Fatima, the Vice-Consul of the United States, was able to photograph an extraordinary phenomenon. What appeared to be snowflakes or rose petals fell from the sky in great quantities, disappearing before they reached the earth,
On the 13th of October, despite heavy and incessant rain, an enormous crowd of over 70,000 people assembled from all parts of Portugal and from other parts of Europe. When the Lady appeared Lucy asked; “Who are you, and what do you seek?” The Lady replied: “I am the Lady of the Rosary and I have come to warn the faithful to amend their lives and to repent of their sins. They must cease to offend Our Lord Who is already so much offended. They are to say the Rosary!”

Then in the presence of that vast crowd Our Lady worked the great miracle that She had promised in July. It is thus described by eyewitnesses: “The sun began to tremble, shook and turned giddily on itself like a wheel of fire, casting great beams of light in all directions. The beams were in turn, green, red, blue, violet etc., and held the crowd breathless. It stopped and then began again, and yet again. Next the sun left its place in the heavens and falling from side to side, plunged zig-zagging upon the crowd below, sending out intense heat, and giving the impression of the end of the world as foretold in the Gospels. When it seemed that collision with the earth was inevitable the sun stopped its fall and climbed back to its place. To add to the amazement of the crowd their sodden clothing suddenly became dry and warm just as though it had not been saturated with the torrential rain of the preceding twenty four hours.”
The evidence of this great miracle is irrefutable. Thousands of people of all classes witnessed the event-unbelievers and sceptics were convinced, The anticlerical newspaper, “O Seculo,” changed its antagonistic and sceptical attitude overnight. The usual theory of mass-hypnotism could not explain the phenomenon since reliable witnesses many miles away, saw the event. The only answer that the enemies of the Church have is to shut their eyes to the facts and say in effect, “It could not happen, miracles cannot happen, therefore it did not happen,”

The real significance of Fatima is this. Our Lady appeared to a world that is fast becoming corrupt and Godless, a world in which Satan, using the forces of atheistic Communism, is striving to turn men from Christ to Antichrist, to drag men’s souls to hell. Mary’s purpose is to make men turn back to God and His Church, to make them lead good lives by making reparation for sin, by prayer and penance. Mary, herself, gave men the means to do this in the remarkable words recorded by Lucy. It was during one of the apparitions in which She had showed the children a terrible vision of hell.

“You have just seen hell,” said the Mother of God, “where will end the souls of poor sinners. To save them the Lord wishes to establish in the world the devotion to My Immaculate Heart. If what I tell you is done, many souls shall be saved and there will be peace.
“The war will end; but if men do not cease to offend the Lord, not much time will elapse before another and more terrible one will commence: It will occur during the next Pontificate. When a night illuminated by an unknown light is seen, know that it is the signal which God gives you that the castigation of the world for its many transgressions is at hand, through war, famine, and persecutions of the Church and the Holy Father. To prevent this I ask the consecration of the world to My Immaculate Heart, and Communion of Reparation on the First Saturday of each month.

“If My requests are heard, Russia will be converted and there will be peace.
Otherwise great errors will be spread throughout the world, giving rise to wars and persecutions of the Church: The good will suffer martyrdom, and the Holy Father will have to suffer much; different nations will be destroyed; but in the end, My Immaculate Heart will triumph.

“The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me. It will be converted, and an era of peace will be conceded to humanity.”
It is 37 years since these events took place and still the message of Fatima is for the most part, unheeded. Much good has been done, but much has been left undone. Dear reader make it your business to spread devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary: Make the Five First Saturdays fervently yourself: If you have already made them, make them again for those tepid Catholics who, not realizing the terrible alternative, have not the generosity to heed Our Lady’s requests.
You can be an Apostle of Our Lady by spreading the message of Fatima. Give this little book to your friends; ask them to use it and make the Five First Saturdays properly.

HOW TO MAKE THE FIVE FIRST SATURDAYS

What must we do to make the Five First Saturdays? Our Lady Herself tells us in those words recorded for us by Lucy. “My child, behold My Heart surrounded with the thorns which ungrateful men place therein at every moment, by their blasphemies and ingratitude. You, at least, try to console me and tell them that I promise to help at the hour of death with the graces needed for salvation, whoever, on the First Saturday of Five consecutive months, shall confess and receive Holy Communion, recite five decades of the Rosary and keep me company for fifteen minutes while meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary, with the intention of making reparation to me.”
Therefore, to make the Five First Saturdays we must, on the First Saturday of five consecutive months:-.

1. Go to Confession and Communion.
2. Say five decades of the Rosary.
3. Keep Mary company for 15 minutes whilst meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary.
4. Do all this with the intention of making reparation to Our Lady.

NOTE: The confession may be made within a week, before or after, the Communion. Your First Friday confession would suffice.

YOUR FIRST SATURDAY ROSARY

The Rosary of five decades may be said at any time of the day. You may say the decades one at a time. For example, you might say one decade in the morning, another at lunch time, another after supper and the remaining two before you go to bed,
“In saying the Rosary it is well for us to remember that the meditation on the mysteries is an essential part of it. For the meditations on the various mysteries (see pages 5–9) which deal with the First Saturday meditation.”

It has become customary to say after each decade, after the “Glory be to the Father etc.,” the short prayer prescribed by Our Lady at Fatima,”O My Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fire of hell, bring all souls to heaven, especially those most in need of Thy mercy.”
When you have said the five decades say the “Hail Holy Queen” for the grace to persevere in a good life until death. Then “Pray for us O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.” Then say, “Let us pray, O God Whose only Begotten Son, by His life, death, and resurrection hath purchased for us the rewards of eternal life, grant, we beseech Thee, that meditating on the mysteries of the most holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise, through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.”

YOUR FIRST SATURDAY MEDITATION

“Keep me company for fifteen minutes while meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary.” (Our Lady of Fatima)

The First Saturday Meditation of fifteen minutes may be made any time during the day. You may meditate on one mystery or on all the mysteries. To hear a sermon on the mysteries of the Rosary would suffice for your meditation.
It is permissible to combine your Rosary and meditation. To do this you could say your Rosary as usual and after each decade spend three minutes in prayerfully thinking over some mystery or mysteries of the Rosary.

THE NECESSITY OF MEDITATION

“With desolation is all the land made desolate, because there is none that considereth in the heart,” says the Holy Ghost. That is the cause of all the unhappiness in the world today. People do not give themselves time to think upon the things of eternity, upon the things of God, upon death and judgment, heaven and hell.

Meditation (or thinking about our salvation) in some form or another is necessary for everyone who wishes to save his soul. A person who does not meditate is like one who goes on a journey without light or strength. Resolve then to put aside a few minutes every day to read some good religious book and think about the great work of your salvation. Then you will learn how to know and love and serve God in this life and to see and enjoy Him forever in Heaven. What is a practical method of meditation? St. Alphonsus, the Doctor of Prayer, gives us a simple method of meditation.

1. Ask God to help you to make your meditation well, saying a short prayer to the Holy Ghost.
2. Remember that you are always in the presence of God. He is with you now as you pray, knowing your most secret thoughts and actions.
3. Make the preparatory acts:
“My God, I believe that Thou art truly present to me, I should now be in hell on account of my sins. Do not send me to hell for there I could not love Thee. Mary, my Mother help me to make this meditation well.”
4. Read about the mysteries of the Rosary upon which you are going to meditate. When you have read it once, read it again more slowly until you have absorbed its meaning, or until some point appeals to you: Then ask yourself the following questions:
(a) What have I read?
(b) What lesson is contained in this mystery? What virtues are practised by Our Divine Saviour? By Our Blessed Lady?
(c) What have I done in the past in this matter? What must I do for the future?
Then, thinking upon what you have read, make acts of Faith, Hope, Love, Contrition, Humility, and Resignation to the Will of God. When you have made these acts, renew your resolution to practise the virtue upon which you have been meditating. For example I will make many pacts of love during the day. “Mary help me to keep this resolution.” You will find that meditation will not be a burden, but a source of charm and pleasure, a means of making your life holy and very happy.

MEDITATIONS ON THE MYSTERIES OF THE ROSARY

FIRST MEDITATION. THE ANNUNCIATION

“In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.
“And the angel being come in, said unto her: “Fear not Mary, for thou hast found grace with God. Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb and shalt bring forth a Son and thou shalt call His name Jesus. He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of David His father: and He shall reign in the house of Jacob forever. And of His kingdom there shall be no end.”
“And Mary said to the angel: “How shall this be done, because I know not man?” And the angel answering said to her: “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore also the Holy Which shall be born of thee shall be called the San of God.” And Mary said: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord: be it done to me according to thy word.”

HOW TO MEDITATE ON THIS MYSTERY AND THOSE THAT FOLLOW SAY THE INTRODUCTORY PRAYERS AS ON PAGE 3

Read the passage on the Annunciation as above. When you have read it once read it again more slowly. Then ask yourself the following questions:
What have I read? I have read of God’s love for men, and for me personally. To save my soul from the terrible effects of sin He left His starry Heaven and became a child on earth-became one of us-that He might take our sins upon Himself by a life of most bitter suffering, and by a terrible death on the Cross. I must try to realize the tremendous importance of the Incarnation. God became man, because He loved me.

WHAT IS THE LESSON CONTAINED IN THIS MYSTERY?

In this mystery we see God’s great love for men, and Mary’s love for God and men. Our Blessed Lady loved God so much that she merited to become His Mother, to co-operate with Her Son in the Redemption of mankind. I must learn to love God as Mary loved Him-especially by resolving never to sin again, by avoiding the dangers of sin.

WHAT HAVE I DONE IN THE PAST?

I have so often sinned against the love of God by my venial sins. Perhaps I have even driven Him from my heart by mortal sin. I have certainly been cold in my love for Jesus Christ Why has loved me so much.

WHAT MUST I DO IN THE FUTURE?

I will grow more and more to love God each day. I will never again offend Him by sin. I will tell Him frequently during the day that I love Him: “Lord Thou knowest all things-Thou knowest that I love Thee.”

THEN MAKE THE FOLLOWING ACTS OF

Faith : My Jesus I believe that You became man out of love for me. I believe all that the Holy Church believes and teaches because You have said it and Your word is true, I believe Lord, help Thou my unbelief.

Hope: Sacred Heart of Jesus I place my trust in Thee.

Love: My Jesus because of my sins You became man, You were born in a cold stable at Bethlehem and suffered all the days of Your life. My Jesus I love Thee.

Humility: For my sake dear Jesus You became despised and the most abject of men. Jesus meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto Thine.

Resignation to the Will of God: For love of me my Jesus You were resigned to the Will of God even to death. Teach me O Lord to do Thy Will for Thou art my God. Lord, always Thy Will be done.

(Repeat these little aspirations over and over-they are very pleasing to Our Lord, being as it were, darts of love that wound the Heart of Christ with wounds of love.)

When you have made these acts renew your resolution and ask Our Blessed Lady to help you to be faithful to it. Let your resolution be small but make sure you keep it. For example, during the day I will frequently tell God that I love Him: “My God I love You.” Ask Jesus and Mary to help you to keep your resolution: “Jesus and Mary help me to keep this resolution.”
Next say the “Hail Holy Queen” for the grace to lead a good life and to be always faithful in loving and serving God.

Behold Your Mother By Matthew Russell S.J. Part 11. October Thoughts about the Rosary.

From the feast of the Solemnity of the Most H0y Rosary, which is attached to the first Sunday of October, and from the special devotions first appointed for all the days of this month by Pope Leo XIII, October has come to be called and to be the Month of the Holy Rosary. In Australia, where May is a winter month, October has been officially promoted to the dignity of Mois de Marie. Less excuse than all this is needed to justify me in associating October with certain very informal notes about the Rosary, one of which dates as far back as June 265 1874, when I made this brief extract, never utilised till now, from the ninth chapter of "Grapes and Thorns," by Miss Mary Agnes Tincker :—

"Father Chevreuse took out his beads to exorcise troublesome thoughts and invoke holy ones. It was a saying of his that the beads, when rightly used, had always one end fastened to the girdle of Mary, and were a flowery chain by which she led the soul directly to the throne of God. They proved so to him in this case ; and one after another the Joyful Mysteries were budding and blossoming under his touch, when presently he found himself ''

I have no idea how or where he found himself, for I have not the slightest recollection of the story except that it was very good and very clever. But I have not had time to forget another admirable story which may be very earnestly recommended to convent libraries and readers in general—"By What Authority" by Robert Hugh Benson" son of the late Archbishop of Canterbury, and now (thank God) a Catholic priest. The mistaken notions about Rosary beads entertained by persons outside the Church are well discussed at page 174. The heroine, Isabel Norris, " began to discover that for the Catholic the Person of the Saviour was the very heart of religion . . , and that the worship of the saints and of the Blessed Mother, instead of distracting the Christian soul from the love of God, rather seemed to augment it." She soon "began to understand what the Rosary meant to Catholics. Mistress Corbett had told her what was the actual use of the beads, and how the mysteries of Christ's life and death were to be pondered over as the various prayers were said.'' But she had still prejudices against what seemed a mechanical and, indeed, superstitious method of praying. One day she saw the beads in the hands of an old nun who in those troubled days of Queen Elizabeth was obliged to live with her sister in her house in the country. ''The old lady's eyes were half closed and her lips just moving, and the beads passing slowly through her fingers." After a while the good Protestant maiden asks her old friend, "How can prayers said over and over again like that be any good ?" Mistress Margaret was silent for a moment. 'I saw young Mrs. Martin last week,' she said, ' with her little girl in her lap. Amy had her arms round her mother's neck and was being rocked to and fro, and every time she rocked she said O Mother I' 'But then,' said Isabel after a moment's silence, 'she was only a child.' 'Except ye become as little children,' quoted Mistress Margaret softly. 'You see, my Isabel, we are nothing more than children with God and His Blessed Mother. To say Hail Mary! Hail Mary! is the best way of telling her how much we love her. And then this string of beads is like our Lady's girdle, and her children love to finger it and whisper to her. And then we have our Pater Nosters too; and, all the while we are talking, she is showing us pictures of her dear Child, and we look at all the great things He did for us, one by one; and then we turn the page and begin again.' "

The American lady, converted from Transcendentalism forty years ago, and the English gentleman, converted from Anglicanism five or six years ago, have both hit on the same idea that the Rosary is the Blessed Virgin's girdle, and that we are her little children fingering it fondly and therefore keeping very close to our Mother.

Not only strangers outside the Church, but there are many within it who look on the Rosary with its string of beads as a sort of devotional toy, a mere pious device, excellent in its way as a help for simple, rude, uneducated people who cannot even read, but never meant for intellectual persons like themselves. Nay, it is a solid, scriptural devotion, useful for all, and fit to be our chief daily proof of filial loyalty to the Mother of God. Rohrbacher, at the 449th page of the 71st volume of his "History of the Church''— that is a tremendous number of volumes for a single work, but so I have it in my note—asks a string of questions which brings out very well the nature of the Rosary. " The sign of the Cross with which it begins—is it not the mark of a Christian ? Is not the Apostles' Creed (These preliminary prayers do not belong to the Rosary, and are not necessary for the gaining of the Indulgences attached to it.) the profession of faith which the martyrs recited at their baptism and under the axe of the executioner ? Is not the Our Father the prayer which our Lord Himself deigned to teach us? Was not the Hail Mary pronounced by an Archangel in the name of Heaven, continued by the holy Mother of the Baptist whom the Holy Ghost inspired to speak and finished by the Church with whom that Spirit abides for ever ? Is not the Gloria Patri the everlasting cry of praise that goes up to the Adorable Trinity from men and angels, from all times and from all places ? Are not the fifteen mysteries that were proposed here for our meditation an abridgment of the Gospel ? In truth I know of no practice better adapted for facilitating attention, piety, and devotion in prayer, the meditation of mind and heart. I say this for the learned who are ignorant of it, not for the ignorant who have learned it by experience"

Yes, the use of the Rosary beads is by no means to be confined to those who cannot read, who cannot use a prayer-book or other book of devotion. Even priests who are compelled (blessed compulsion !) to give a considerable portion of their day to the ritual and liturgy of the Church, must not reckon the Rosary among those private devotions which may be supposed to be satisfied by the devout recitation of the Divine Office. I will venture to emphasise this point by the authority of a priest who is dead nearly forty years. Yet some in Ireland, even outside the Society to which he belonged, remember still the holy and gifted Father Daniel Jones. To one of his younger brethren who had accused himself of some shortcoming with regard to his way of saying the Rosary, the amiable saint took the trouble of giving the following counsel, and his penitent took the trouble of at once writing it down exactly. " I had occasion to write lately to Father Etheredge of the English Province, and I told him that I had never ceased to be grateful for a warning he gave me when I was ordained priest. Up to this, he said, the Rosary was imposed on you as an obligation for various intentions, but now all that is satisfied for superabundantly by the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and you will be tempted sometimes to be careless about saying the Rosary. Take great pains not to yield to the temptation.' ''

It would be very well for us to stir ourselves up sometimes to perform this act of filial piety better by remembering all that the Rosary has been to countless generations of simple and devout souls since this devotion first became popular—all that it has been and is and will be in the Catholic homes (for instance) of Ireland and in holy convents there and everywhere. In country chapels on Sunday morning, waiting for the arrival of the priest, how piously the good women say their beads ! In trouble and poverty how many have been comforted and strengthened by this act of piety which puts them in communication with the Queen of Heaven.

Before beginning to say their Rosary in private, some make use of this little rhyme to stir up their fervour :—

Mother! now I'll say my beads, 

For my soul some comfort needs; 

And what better can there be 

Than to raise our hearts to thee,

                                             Sweet Mother ?

But sometimes it might be more effective to remind ourselves of the good company we are entering—how many souls very dear to God are at that moment employed as we are : good humble folk such as I have just referred to, or nuns kneeling before the altar of their convent chapel or pacing slowly the convent alleys with beads in hand and heart in heaven. With these and with all who are similarly engaged in every corner of the Church, all the world over, let us join our hearts when we set about saying the Rosary.

A few more thoughts about its worth in general before descending to particulars.

The Rosary is, first of all, a prayer ; and all the encomiums that can be heaped upon prayer in general are true of this prayer. Every prayer, every cry of the soul to God, every expedient and artifice that can entice us to pray, to raise our hearts to God, to turn to God, to think of God, is good and holy and salutary and praiseworthy.

But this prayer is, secondly, a long prayer. The goodness of a prayer does not indeed depend upon its length. My Jesus, mercy ! '' is a good prayer. " O God, be merciful to me a sinner,' is an excellent and efficacious prayer, producing often the blessed results attributed to it by our Lord Himself in the parable (if it be merely a parable) of the Pharisee and the Publican who went up into the Temple to pray. But perseverance in prayer is both desirable and difficult; and the Rosary helps us to persevere in prayer. The perseverance and piety exercised in so prolonged a prayer as the Rosary are in themselves more meritorious and are calculated to influence the soul more deeply and more permanently. No other form of prayer nearly so long has ever wound itself so closely round the hearts of the faithful, beguiling them into forgetfulness of its length, when recited habitually with fitting dispositions—so diversified is it, so interesting when we take fair pains to enter into its spirit, and withal, in spite of its repetitions, so little monotonous. Those repetitions are surely not '' vain repetitions,' for they are repetitions of the divinest prayers that human lips can utter, the prayers which Jesus Himself prescribed as a model prayer—" Thus shall ye pray ''—and the prayer which the Holy Ghost dictated to the Archangel at the sublimest moment of the world's story.

With these best of vocal prayers mental prayer may be joined ; for while the beads glide through our fingers and the Hail Marys fall from our lips, our minds and hearts may be quietly turned towards one of the joyful, sorrowful, or glorious mysteries of our Lord's life, such as every prayer-book explains them to us.

Our Lord's Life ? Yes, for in each of these scenes our Lord is the principal figure, as He must needs be, even when His Blessed Mother is beside Him. We call it the Rosary of the Blessed Virgin ; but, like everything that is hers, it is much more her Divine Son's than her own. Even in her own Hail Mary the central word, the central thought, is Jesus, the blessed fruit of her womb. Ah ! when that moment comes of which each Hail Mary reminds us— pray for us, sinners, now and at the hour of our death "— when Death shall have come and after that the Judgment, and we shall stand before the Judgment-seat of that Jesus whom every Hail Mary blesses, we shall have no fear of the reproach that Heresy flings at us, as if forsooth in praying to the Mother we blasphemed or slighted the Son. The moments we shall have spent in saying the Rosary will not be the portion of our lives that we shall then regret.

The ordinary way of saying the Rosary is another of the innumerable triplets or trinities that meet us everywhere. Though the Psalterium Marianum consists of 150 Hail Mars as King David's Psalter consists of 150 Psalms, the faithful divide it into three parts, each consisting of 50 Hail Marys, and the daily portion is limited to these five decades, each preceded by an Our Father and followed by a Glory be to the Father, &c.

Again, this three-fold division into Joyful, Sorrowful and Glorious Mysteries may perhaps, be considered another of the many instances in which it seems possible to discover a special propriety in assigning one of the three to each of the Three Divine Persons in order. The plainest point in the present case is that the Sorrowful Mysteries, which come second, belong specially to the Second Person, the Man of Sorrows, Jesus Crucified. He, and He alone, is present in each of these mysteries. The Sorrows are all His own. Though, of course, the First Person of the Blessed Trinity is in all the others also, yet a certain attribution to Him of the Joyful Mysteries may be ventured, as the Archangel of the Annunciation represents the Eternal Father in His Embassy to the Immaculate Virgin ; on the morning of the Nativity that Voice might well have been heard which spoke thirty years later : " This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased—hear ye Him!'' Yes, though all that is heard is the wailing of a helpless Babe. This attribution is justified also in the fifth mystery, where Jesus asks, " Must not I be about My Father's business ? '' Of course it is not pretended that this distribution of the Rosary-Mysteries between the Three Divine Persons is more than an application of the yearning to find traces of the Trinity in the works of God. But even to advert to the idea in order to reject it keeps the mind alert and prostrates it before the fundamental mystery of mysteries, Immortalis et Invisibilis God the Three in On.

Not by any arbitrary choice of private devotion, however, but by an authorised arrangement in force among the pious faithful and set forth in our prayer-books, the three divisions of the Rosary are definitely assigned to certain Sundays of each year and certain days of each week. As regards the Sundays, the year may be considered as consisting of Christmastide, Passion-tide, and Eastertide ; but we here give to those terms a much wider signification than they generally bear. From the first Sunday of Advent to the Sunday before Lent we meditate on the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary; on all the Sundays of Lent on the Sorrowful Mysteries; on Easter Sunday, and all the Sundays after it till the ecclesiastical year begins again with Advent, we meditate on the Glorious Mysteries.

Finally in each week each of the three parts of the Rosary is used twice over on the six week-days, so that the Joyful Mysteries are assigned to Monday and Thursday the Sorrowful to Tuesday and Friday, the Glorious to Wednesday and Saturday. Fortunately in this arrangement the Sorrowful Mysteries fall to Friday, which is our weekly commemoration of the Passion; and Saturday, which is the Blessed Virgin's day, is the most suitable day for the Glorious Mysteries which end with our Lady's Coronation and the everlasting Sabbath of Heaven.

Some of the foregoing suggestions, even for those who will only think of them (as I said before) to reject them, may yet help occasionally to awaken our attention while saying the Rosary ; they may serve as pegs to hang ideas on. But all of us would draw profit from some attempt to follow the method used generally, I think, by the Sisters of Mercy. Instead of breaking the flow of the Hail Marys by saying (for instance) Blessed is the fruit of Thy Womb, Jesus, who was crowned with thorns," and so for the other mysteries, it is better at the beginning of each decade merely to name the mystery attached to it, with the briefest possible prayer for a corresponding virtue. Thus on Monday and Thursday throughout the year, and on the Sundays from the beginning of Advent to Lent, we remind ourselves before the first decade of the first of the Joyful Mysteries: " The Annunciation. O Blessed Mother, obtain for me your love of humility" And as the beads slip through our fingers, we keep before our mind a picture of the scene of that mystery and bow at the name of Jesus as if we were present at it.

Second Joyful Mystery: The Visitation. O Blessed Mother, obtain for me your love of fraternal charity.

'Third Joyful Mystery: The Nativity. O Blessed Mother, obtain for me your love of holy poverty.

Fourth Joyful Mystery : The Purification* O Blessed Mother, obtain for me your love of holy purity.

Fifth Joyful Mystery : The finding in the Temple, O Blessed Mother, obtain for me your love of holy obedience.'

A little reflection will show us how each of the virtues suggested as the objects of our prayer springs from the mystery it is linked with ; as in the last of them, the Finding in the Temple, which ends with that summary of our Lord's Hidden Life, Erat subditus illis ' He was subject to them," a lifetime of obedience. The Nativity, which shows the Incarnate Son of God born in a stable and cradled in a manger, suggests a love of poverty. In the Annunciation the lowliness of the Handmaid of the Lord— ecce Ancilla Domini —suggests Humilty; and more plainly still the Purification and Purity, the visit to St-Elizabeth and Charity, are linked with one another.

More arbitrary is the selection of graces to be prayed for with each decade of the Sorrowful Mysteries, which in the scheme I am following are these in order : ist, a love of silence and resignation— Not My will but Thine be done "; 2nd, mortification; 3rd, meekness; 4th, patience; 5th, the Crucifixion suggests a prayer for an ardent love of God. This last we might be reminded of by the words" Greater love than this no man hath that a man lay down his life for his friend.'

Finally, St. Paul's dictum (i Cor. xv. 17), If Christ has not arisen, your faith is vain,' makes it natural to link the First Glorious Mystery with faith. "O Blessed Mother, obtain for me a lively faith.'' The Ascension, a confident hope— "I go to prepare a place for you.'' The Descent of the Holy Ghost, true zeal for the glory of God— for not till then did the Apostles go forth boldly to preach the Gospel. Last of all, the Assumption joins together again for ever the hearts of the Mother and the Son, and we naturally pray, "O Blessed Mother, obtain for me constant union with the Sacred Heart of Jesus," while her Coronation suggests as our aspiration before the last of the Fifteen Mysteries of the Rosary, O Blessed Virgin, obtain for me the grace of confidence in your prayers and the grace of final perseverance.' Better, however, all through to say "for us" not merely "for me," and to include many or all in our prayer.

Even the effort, often unsuccessful, to make use of these or other fiae industriae in our saying of the Rosary, will make our prayers more pleasing to Him whose sermocinatio est cum simplicibus. A minute or two would be well spent in ending with some such prayer as this: " O glorious Queen of Heaven, accept this Rosary which as a crown of roses we lay at your feet; and help us, O most gracious Lady, join your prayers with ours when we turn to God and pray: O God, whose only begotten Son by His Life, Death, and Resurrection has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life, grant, we beseech Thee, that, meditating upon the mysteries of the most Holy Rosary, we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise, through Jesus Christ our Lord. O Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, pray for us.

Behold Your Mother By Matthew Russell S.J. Part 4. The Presentation of Our Lady.

The Rosary of the Blessed Virgin might well be called the Rosary of Jesus, if that name were not claimed by another beautiful exercise, which our pious grandmothers knew off by hearty but which, I fear, has, like the Jesus Psalter, dropped out of use- Each of the fifteen decades of the Rosary places before our eyes a scene in which Our Lord is the central figure ; even the first two and the last two are not exceptions. Thus, the Assumption and the Coronation of our Blessed Lady make us look on Jesus. To the former we apply the text, " Who is this that cometh up from the desert, flowing with delights, leaning upon her Beloved ? '' In the latter it is by her Divine Son that the Blessed Virgin is crowned in heaven with the brightest diadem of glory. As Jesus is the centre of every "Hail Mary" so He is the centre of every mystery of the Rosary.

The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Temple is not one of these mysteries of the Rosary; for Jesus did not come till the Archangel Gabriel was sent, some years later, to that holy child when she had reached womanhood. Many pious writers are of opinion that the child Mary was thus consecrated specially to God when three years old ; but Benedict XIV., most learned of Popes, says we cannot rely on the authenticity of a certain fragment attributed to Evodius, who was Bishop of Antioch, and lived soon after the time of the Apostles, in which the leading dates of the Blessed Virgin's life are distributed thus : "When three years old, she was presented in the Temple ; and there, near the Holy of Holies, she spent eleven years. Then by the hands of the priests she was delivered into Joseph's guardianship. And when she had passed four months with him she received that joyful message from the Angel. When fifteen years old; she brought forth the Light of the World on the twenty-fifth day of the month of December.''

Although St. Gregory of Nyssa, St. John of Damascus, and St. Andrew of Crete repeat these circumstances, they can not be accepted as certain. Especially as regards the date of the Presentation, it is significant that, whereas formerly the prayer of the feast began in this manner, Deus qui sanctam tuam genitricem, templum Sancti Spiritus, post triennium in templo præsentari voluisti . . . (" O God, who didst will that Thy Holy Mother, the temple of the Holy Ghost, should after three years be presented in the Temple "), important changes were made in this prayer as it stands in the liturgy of the Church. It is no longer addressed to the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, the play on the word " temple" disappears ; and, above all, the triennium is omitted. These words were expunged by the Sovereign Pontiff, Sixtus V.; and the prayer now runs thus :

Deus, qui beatam Mariam semper virginem, Spiritus Sancti habitaculum, hodierna die in templo præsentari voluisti, præsta, quæsumus, ut ejus intercessione in templo gloriæ tuæ præsentari mereamur. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum.

"O God, who didst will that Blessed Marv ever-virgin, the dwelling of the Holy Ghost, should today be presented in the Temple, grant, we beseech Thee, that, through her intercession, we may merit to be presented in the temple of Thy glory. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord.''

Whatever doubts, however, may rest upon the particular circumstances connected with it, the general fact of the Presentation, as the last and greatest of the Benedicts has told us, can not be called in question: it is guaranteed by a sure and constant tradition, and by the celebration of the feast on the 21st of November. That celebration began in the Eastern Church many centuries before the Western Church adopted it. Amongst those who laboured to secure for this festival its proper place in our calendar, Benedict XIV. gives the chief credit to Father Francis Torrianus, or Torres, one of the Jesuit theologians at the Council of Trent who, perhaps as a recompense, died on the very day of the Presentation, November 21, 1584. It was a good day for him to appear before the judgment-seat of the Blessed Virgin Mary's Son.

Father Fabius Ambrose Spinola, S.J., whose meditations have been translated from their rich Italian into Latin, German, French, and Spanish, but never into English, asks in one of his meditations on this amiable mystery: "Why, O Lord, such haste ? Is she not already all Thy own ? The house in which she dwells, is it not holy ?'' This question might be answered by the lines of a French poet, in a somewhat different meaning :

Le ciel aime les fleurs et four les cueillir belles, 
Ne fait point de retards.

God loves young flowers, and loves them fresh and fair, 
And so He culls them in the morning air.

In another meditation. Father Spinola answers his own question in words borrowed from St. Ignatius' favourite. Father Peter Ribadeneira, whom I will quote from a fine old English translation:

''It was fitting that the blessed child who was to be the Mother of God should not delay to consecrate her soul and body to the service of her Spouse; for as early fruity fresh and newly gathered from the tree and with its bloom upon it is more gustful and pleasing than the withered fruit, handled and fetched out of the market, so the service which is done Our Lord in our tender years is more grateful to Him than that which is offered to Him in old age; although God is so good that He receives the late sacrifices also, and pays with great liberality and bountifulness those who go to labour in His vineyard at the setting of the sun."

The Italian Jesuit followed his Spanish brother very closely, as may be seen by comparing the two passages in the originals.

God's love for humility, secrecy, obscurity, and self-annihilation on the part of His most favoured creatures, is another point which must strike us in glancing at this most hidden part of a life that was hidden from the beginning till the end— hidden always in God, though not yet "hidden with Christ in God.'' St. Thomas Aquinas is said to have had a special devotion to the hiddenness of God; and God Himself has been well said by the baker-poet of Nimes, Reboul, to love "the silence of good things "— le silence des bonnes choses.

I once noticed in a seedman's circular a passage about spring-flowering bulbs, of which I kept a copy for its fancied bearing on the present subject; though indeed it rather illustrates the expediency of the hidden life as a preparation for public life :

"It is well to keep them (when cultivated in glasses) in a dark closet, where there is just sufficient warmth to excite them to growth, by which they will be induced to throw out roots freely while the leaves are at rest—a very important consideration in their management; for, should their leaves be excited into growth (which is quickly done by light and warmth) before they have a sufficiency of roots to keep up a proper supply of nourishment, they will become weakly, and their flowering imperfect. When the roots are sufficiently thrown out, they may be gradually removed to more light and heat; their leaves and flowers will then be rapidly developed.''

I may join with this passage some words of Father Richard Strange,an English Jesuit of the first half of the seventeenth century. What he says about the parents of St. Thomas of Hereford may be applied to Joachim and Anne, the parents of the Blessed Virgin :

"They resolved to place this precious treasure which God had given them in a safe retreat; as nature, or rather the Author of nature, teaches the little pearls, when they are soft and tender in the shell, to retire under shady and hollow rocks; being otherwise not only exposed to violence of waves and weather, but also subject to change colour and to be sun-burned if they float in the open sea."

This bit of natural history about the little pearls hiding themselves for fear of being sun-burned is hardly as trustworthy as my seedman's advice about spring-flowering bulbs. But, in serious truth, God, as Father Strange has just reminded us, is the Author of nature as well as of grace, and the operations of grace often follow the analogy of the operations of nature. And that treatment of the spring-flowering bulbs and that conduct of the little pearls might well suggest useful hints for the management of our spiritual and intellectual life.

That portion of our Blessed Lady's life to which the thought of her Presentation turns our hearts and minds has within the last half century become the object of special devotion, under the title of Mater Admirabilis. A religious of the Sacred Heart painted on the wall of one of the corridors of their convent of the Trinity de' Monti in Rome a fresco representing the Blessed Virgin at work, such as she may have been during her stay in the Temple. This holy picture has been more appropriately called " The Virgin of the Temple,'' and also Madonnina del Giglio ("The Little Madonna of the Lily "), from the Iily which bends toward the young Maiden as she sits at her distaff, with her book open beside her. It is said that the Abbess Makrina, when an exile from Minsk, where the nuns had been cruelly treated by the Russians, gave it its present title, by which it is designated in the Papal grant of indulgences and in other official documents. Pope Pius IX. visited it and blessed it, and ever since this shrine has been a place of pilgrimage.

The first handbook of the devotion, by Father Alfred Monnin, who was also the first biographer of the Cur' d'Ars, Blessed John Baptist Vianney, was entitled " Mater Admirabilis; or, the First Fifteen Years of Mary Immaculate." Now a hundred years before Madame Perdrau obeyed the happy inspiration to portray the "Verginella del Tempio" on the walls of the convent of the Trinita de' Monti, Benedict XIV. quoted with approval a grave and erudite writer, Baillet, as saying that the feast of the Presentation was instituted by the Church ut honor habeatur innocentiæ morum quæ inter infantiam et Annuntiationem in Beata Maria Virgine exsiluit, " in order that due honour might be paid to the innocence of fife which shone forth in the Blessed Virgin Mary between her infancy and the Annunciation ''—namely, during that very portion of Our Lady's life on earth on which the devotion to the Mater Admirabilis strives to fasten the special attention of the faithful.

Nano Nagle placed the first Irish-born Order of nuns under the shelter of this sweet and amiable name—the Presentation of Our Lady. Dominicanesses, Carmelites, and Poor Clares were in Ireland already in spite of all the rigour of the Penal Laws; and Nano Nagle herself had first introduced the Ursulines. But she next founded the first Order of Irish birth ; and, as these Sisters were to instruct the children of the poor and humble, and to guard their piety and purity, they were fitly assigned a name which would remind them of the corresponding period in the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary, while she was being brought up within the sacred precincts by the holy women who were consecrated to the service of the Temple,

These thoughts, and the holy associations that for various reasons cling round the title of Mater Admirabilis, will, I trust, help some of us to make use habitually of this devout invocation, '' O Mother Most Admirable, pray for me ! "