As Cardinal Mercier said : "When prudence is everywhere, courage is nowhere."                                                                                  From Cardinal Sarah : "In order to avoid hearing God's music, we have chosen to use all the devices of this world. But heaven's instruments will not stop playing just because some people are deaf."                                                                                              Saint John-Paul II wrote: "The fact that one can die for the faith shows that other demands of the faith can also be met."                                                 Cardinal Müller says, “For the real danger to today’s humanity is the greenhouse gases of sin and the global warming of unbelief and the decay of morality when no one knows and teaches the difference between good and evil.”                                                  St Catherine of Siena said, “We've had enough exhortations to be silent. Cry out with a thousand tongues - I see the world is rotten because of silence.”                                                  Chesterton said, “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried.”                                                Brethren, Wake up!

FEAST OF THE SEVEN SORROWS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

This last Friday of the Lenten season, the Friday in Passion Week, was celebrated widely (and remains a Commemoration) as the Seven Sorrows of Our Lady, she who felt the pains of the Passion more than any other creature.  She it was who watched in silence as the Lord underwent these agonising trial for us, for our Salvation, for me, and for you.
From the sermon "On the Twelve Stars" by St Bernard of Clairvaux
The martyrdom of the Virgin is set before us both in the prophesy of Simeon and in the story of Our Lord's Passion. The saintly old man had said of the child Jesus, "Behold this child is destined as a sign that shall be contradicted." To Mary he said, "And your own soul a sword shall pierce." Yes, truly, O Blessed Mother, the sword pierced your soul. Only by passing through your soul could it penetrate the Body of your Son, When Jesus your Son had given up his spirit, when the cruel spear which pierced his side could no longer touch his soul, it transfixed yours. His soul was no longer there. Yours was. It could not be torn away. The sword of sorrow did indeed  pierce your soul. 

We call you more than martyr because your love, which made you suffer with your Son, brought pain of soul far more exquisite than any pain of body. "Woman behold your Son."  Was not this word of your Son more piercing that any sword as it thrust in and cut apart soul and spirit? O what an exchange! You are given John for Jesus, the servant for the Lord, the disciple for the Master, the son of Zebedee for the Son of God, mere man for very God. How keenly these words must have pierced your loving soul! Mere remembrance of them can wring with sorrow our hard steely hearts. 

Do not wonder, my brethren, that Mary is said to be martyred in spirit. He only may wonder who has forgotten the words of the Apostle Paul. When he wrote of the sins of the Gentiles he placed among their greatest that they were without affection. Such want of affection was far from Mary's heart. O may it be equally far for those of her servants! Do some people comment, "But she must have known beforehand that He was going to die." Yes, she knew it. "Had she no hope that He would soon rise again?" Yes, she had hope; she had absolute faith. "Did she in spite of this mourn for her crucified Son?" Yes, and deeply. Who are you, my brother? What kind of wisdom is yours? Do you marvel less that the Son of Mary suffered than that Mary suffered with Him? He could die in body. Could she not die with Him in her heart? His death was brought about by a love greater than any man has; hers by a love no other mortal ever had, except she. Tu autem, Domine, miserere nobis.
CUM VIDISSET Jesus Matrem stantem juxta crucem, et discipulum quem diligebat, dicit Matri suae : Mulier, ecce filius tuus. Deinde dicit discipulo : Ecce mater tua.  
V. Ora pro nobis, Virgo dolorisissima. 
R. Ut digni efficiamur promissionibus Christi.  
Oremus. DEUS in cujus passione, secundum Simeonis prophetiam, dulcissimam animam gloriosae Virginis et Matris Mariae doloris gladius pertransivit : concede propitius ; ut qui transfixionem ejus et passionem venerando recolimus, gloriosis meritis et precibus omnium sanctorum cruci fideliter astantium intercedentibus, passionis tuae effectum felicem consequamur. Qui vivis et regnas cum Deo Patre in unitate Spiritus Sancti, Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.
Posted on Friday, March 23, 2018
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