May 31, 2015

I can't think of a good title for this post. So many topics today! So, what better than the simple date?

Today is the Feast of the Holy Trinity, and the end of the official Easter season of the church. Technically, it is also the first Sunday after Pentecost, and the beginning of the Time after Pentecost, this year consisting of 26 Sundays, ending on November 29. Today, we celebrate one of the great mysteries of our Faith, the fact that although there is only one God, there are also three Divine Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. We have celebrated each of these Persons individually, and now we celebrate all of them together, reinforcing our belief.

Today is also the Feast of the Queenship of Our Lady. Because she gave herself so faithfully to God, and because she is the Mother of God, she was crowned Queen of Heaven and Earth. When we accept her Son as King, we will also accept her as our Queen and Mother.

"Adeamus cum fiducia ad thronum gratiae,ut mesericordiam consequamur, et gratiam inveniamus in auxilio opportuno" (Introit).

Requiem Aeternam

Today my grandfather died. He lived a long life, and he is proof of God's love and forgiveness, because he returned to the One True Faith at the end of January, making a good confession and receiving the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist for the first time in many years. He will be joining his wife, my grandmother, after surviving her by two decades.

Dies irae, dies illa,

Solvet saeclum in favilla:

Test David cum Sibylla.

Quantus tremor est futurus,

Quando judex est venturus,

Cunta stricte discussurus!

Tuba mirum spargens sonum

Per sepulchra regionum,

Coget omnes ante thorium.

Mors stupebit et natura,

Cum resurget creatura,

Judicanti responsura.

Liber scriptus proferetur,

In quo totum continetur,

Unde mundus judicetur.

Judex ergo cum sedebit,

Quidquid latet apparebit:

Nil inultum remanebit.

Quid sum miser tunc dicturus?

Quem patronum rogaturus,

Cum vix justus sit securus?

Rex tremendae majestatis,

Qui salvandos savas gratis,

Salva me, fons pietatis.

Recordare Jesu pie,

Quod sum causa tuae viae:

Ne me perdas illa die.

Querens me, sedisti lassus:

Redemisti crucem passus:

Tantus labor non sit cassus.

Juste Judex ultionis,

Donum fac remissionis

Ante diem rationis.

Ingemisco, tamquam reus:

Culpa rubet vultus meus:

Supplicanti parce, Deus.

Qui Mariam absolvisti,

Et latronem exaudisti,

Mihi quoque spem dedisti.

Preces meae non sunt dignae:

Sed tu bonus fac benigne,

Ne perenni cremer igne.

Inter oves locum praesta,

Et ab haedis me sequestra,

Statuens in parte dextra.

Confutatis maledictis,

Flammis acribus addictis:

Voca me cum benedictis.

Oro supplex et acclinis,

Cor contritum quasi cinis:

Gere curas mei finis.

Lacrimosa dies illa,

Qua resurget ex favilla

Judicandus homo reus:

Huic ergo parce Deus.

Pie Jesu Domine, dona eis requiem. Amen.

Pentecost and St. Dominic

Come Holy Ghost!

Happy feast of Pentecost! The feast of Pentecost, like the feast of Easter, is tied to the Jewish Feast of  Harvests, which happened 50 days (Pentecost in Greek) after the feast of First-fruits, which was celebrated around the same time as Passover. The feast day was one of the many that Jews from around the world had to visit Jerusalem, and was therefore a perfect occasion for Christ's word to be spread and the preaching of the Apostles to start.

"Suddenly, there came a sound from heaven, as of a mighty wind coming, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting"(Epistle). Tradition tells us that the Apostles and Our Lady had been sitting in prayer in the same room that Our Lord had hired for the Last Supper. Before the Holy Ghost came, the apostles were timid, scared to preach the Gospel, and waiting for an earthly leader. After He came, they were filled with courage, given the power of tongues to preach to everyone, and realized that the Kingdom of God was truly not of this earth, but existed in Heaven. This is truly a miracle, but it's the same miracle we get as Catholics when we receive the Sacrament of Confirmation, which gives us the sacramental grace to stand up for our faith, in the face of every hardship.

Let us pray for the courage to stand up for our faith. Today's gift of the Holy Ghost is Wisdom; "The gift of Wisdom is an illumination of the Holy Ghost, thanks to which our intellect is able to look at revealed truths in their more sublime light, to the greater joy of our souls" (St. Andrew's Missal).

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St. Dominic, by Fra Angelico

Today is also the feast of the Translation of St. Dominic's relics: the day that they were re-interred for the public to be able to pray at. This is the feast day of my alma mater, St. Dominic School in Post Falls, and so it holds a special place in my heart. Happy feast day to all my fellow alumni!

Last Day of the Pentecost Novena

Today is our last day before Pentecost. I'd like to offer up today for the Catholic Church. We are in the middle of a crisis, and the Pope, Cardinals, and Bishops need all our prayers in order to bring the rest of the Church back to Tradition. The world can't acknowledge Our Lord as its King until the leadership of the Church has returned to spreading the Faith and stopped promoting ecumenism.

Come, Holy Ghost, fill the hearts of your faithful, and enkindle in them the fire of Thy love.

Send forth Thy Spirit, and they shall be created.

And thou shalt renew the face of this earth.

Let us Pray

O God, Who has instructed the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Ghost, grant that by the same Spirit we may be always truly wise and ever rejoice in His consolation. Through Christ, Our Lord. Amen

Days Seven and Eight of the Pentecost Novena

Wow, the past few days have been crazy. Yesterday I was so tired, I went to bed at the same time as Hubby and Eleanor! Today has been kind of crazy, I started a diet and cooking is taking up some time, as well as having healthy breakfasts, lunches, and snacks.

Yesterday, I prayed for my parents (again). They left Pennsylvania and arrived back in Illinois early this morning, and Mom and Rosemary are going to Kansas tomorrow morning. They'll be back for good in June! This past year has been so weird. I was hoping to have more of my mom's guidance in keeping my daughter alive her first year, but managed to do it mostly alone. I'm looking forward to having some more time with my sister and mom this year. Planning some tea parties and pool parties for this summer! Today, my intention was for my daughter. I've recently had the occasion to stand up for my faith, and I'm praying that she will be given the education necessary to do the same when her turn comes. I know I have a lot of time until her Confirmation and even high school graduation, but the prayers start now.

Come, Holy Ghost, fill the hearts of your faithful, and enkindle in them the fire of Thy love.

Send forth Thy Spirit, and they shall be created.

And thou shalt renew the face of this earth.

Let us Pray

O God, Who has instructed the hears of the Faithful by the light of the Holy Ghost, grant that by the same Spirit we may be always truly wise and ever rejoice in His consolation. Through Christ, Our Lord. Amen.