Friends of God

We depict Christ as our King and Lord, and do not deprive Him of His army. The saints constitute the Lord’s army. Let the earthly king dismiss his army before he gives up his King and Lord. Let him put off the purple before he takes honour away from his most valiant men who have conquered their passions. For if the saints are heirs of God, and co-heirs of Christ, (Rom. 8.17) they will be also partakers of the divine glory of sovereignty. If the friends of God have had a part in the sufferings of Christ, how shall they not receive a share of His glory even on earth? “I call you not servants,” our Lord says, “you are my friends.” (Jn. 15.15) Should we then deprive them of the honour given to them by the Church? What audacity! What boldness of mind, to fight God and His commands! You, who refuse to worship images, would not worship the Son of God, the Living Image of the invisible God, (Col. 1.15) and His unchanging form. I worship the image of Christ as the Incarnate God; that of Our Lady, the Mother of us all, as the Mother of God’s Son; that of the saints as the friends of God. St. John Damascene: On Holy Images

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Think Upon Every Generation

Remember the days of old, think upon every generation: ask thy father, and he will declare to thee: thy elders and they will tell thee. (Deut 32:7)

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Sacred Heart

He should be honored under the figure of this Heart of flesh, and its image should be exposed…He promised me that wherever this image should be exposed with a view to showing it special honor, He would pour forth His blessings and graces. This devotion was the last effort of His love that He would grant to men in these latter ages, in order to withdraw them from the empire of Satan which He desired to destroy, and thus to introduce them into the sweet liberty of the rule of His love, which He wished to restore in the hearts of all those who should embrace this devotion.”….. “The devotion is so pleasing to Him that He can refuse nothing to those who practice it.” (Devotion to the Sacred Heart)

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Protection of the Heavenly Mother

When the impious Mohammedan power, trusting in its powerful fleet and war-hardened armies, threatened the peoples of Europe with ruin and slavery, then — upon the suggestion of the Sovereign Pontiff — the protection of the heavenly Mother was fervently implored and the enemy was defeated and his ships sunk. Thus the Faithful of every age, both in public misfortune and in private need, turn in supplication to Mary, the benignant, so that she may come to their aid and grant help and remedy against sorrows of body and soul. And never was her most powerful aid hoped for in vain by those who besought it with pious and trustful prayer. (Pius XI: On the Rosary)

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Corpus Christi 2008

(2 above are from Brindisi, Italy)

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Her Perennial Magnificat

The Rosary, though clearly Marian in character, is at heart a Christocentric prayer. In the sobriety of its elements, it has all the depth of the Gospel message in its entirety, of which it can be said to be a compendium. It is an echo of the prayer of Mary, her perennial Magnificat for the work of the redemptive Incarnation which began in her virginal womb. With the Rosary, the Christian people sits at the school of Mary and is led to contemplate the beauty on the face of Christ and to experience the depths of his love. Through the Rosary the faithful receive abundant grace, as though from the very hands of the Mother of the Redeemer. (John Paul II: Rosary of the Virgin Mary)

(Notice in 2 above joined thumb & forefinger after consecration)

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Ever The Path That Leads To Christ

Mary remains ever the path that leads to Christ. Every encounter with her can only result in an encounter with Christ Himself. For what other reason do we continually turn to Mary than to seek for the Christ she holds in her arms — to seek in her, through her and with her the Savior to Whom men, in the perplexities and dangers of life here below, must of necessity have recourse, and to Whom they feel the ever recurring need of turning as to a haven of safety and an all-surpassing source of life? (Paul VI: Mary in the month of May)

Kind of Looks like the Cameleaucum here

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Put Christ At The Center

The Holy Rosary is not a pious practice banished to the past, like prayers of other times thought of with nostalgia. Instead, the Rosary is experiencing a new Springtime. Without a doubt, this is one of the most eloquent signs of love that the young generation nourish for Jesus and his Mother, Mary. In the current world, so dispersive, this prayer helps to put Christ at the centre, as the Virgin did, who meditated within all that was said about her Son, and also what he did and said. When reciting the Rosary, the important and meaningful moments of salvation history are relived. The various steps of Christ’s mission are traced. With Mary the heart is oriented toward the mystery of Jesus. Christ is put at the centre of our life, of our time, of our city, through the contemplation and meditation of his holy mysteries of joy, light, sorrow and glory. (Pope Benedict XVI: On the Rosary)

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She Brought Forth a Man Child

And a great sign appeared in heaven: A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars: And being with child, she cried travailing in birth, and was in pain to be delivered. And there was seen another sign in heaven: and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads, and ten horns: and on his head seven diadems: And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to be delivered; that, when she should be delivered, he might devour her son. And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with an iron rod: and her son was taken up to God, and to his throne. (Apoc 12:1)

Holy Mary, now we crown you, Honored Queen of all our race; Noble Virgin, may our tribute Win your love and gain us grace.

On this day we sing your praises, Purest maid of all the earth; While the beauty of the springtime Tells your joy at Jesus’ birth.

Stain of sin has never marred you, Nature’s only spotless bloom; God, whose might exceeds the heavens, You have sheltered in your womb.

Glorious Queen, look down in kindness While before your throne we stand; Bring God’s blessing to your children; Watch our homes and guard our land.

Gate of heaven, you were Mother To the King of heaven and earth; Now be Mother to your subjects, In our souls give Jesus birth.

Queen of heaven, while creation Speaks the grandeur of God’s love, Mold our hearts to seek his glory Till we reach our home above. (Song I remember singing as a kid in Parochial School)

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We Honor the Servants

We do not adore, I will not say the relics of the martyrs, but either the sun or the moon or even the angels — that is to say, with the worship of “latria”…But we honor the martyrs’ relics, so that thereby we give honor to Him Whose [witness] they are: we honor the servants, that the honor shown to them may reflect on their Master (St. Jerome on Relics) (Article about the exhumation of St. Pio)

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