August dedication

On the Immaculate Heart of Mary

The month of August is dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. In Extraordinary Calendar of the Roman Rite, the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary falls on the 22^nd August, one week after the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary. In the Ordinary Calendar the feast was moved to the Saturday following the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the 22^ndof August now celebrates the Coronation of Mary. It is therefore still fitting that the month of August, which celebrates at its heart the glorious Assumption of the Mother of our Lord, should be dedicated to her immaculate heart.

The veneration of Mary’s immaculate heart is one with imitation at its root, as is the case in all veneration of the saints. Thus it differs essentially from devotion to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, for this involves a Divine Person, and thus worship. Devotion to the Sacred Heart involves contemplation of Divine Love for humanity, for Jesus’ love for us all. Devotion to Mary’s immaculate heart, on the other hand, involves contemplation of her love for her son as her only child and more especially as her God.

“She treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart” (Lk 2:19)

Mary was clearly knowledgeable of Scriptures as her Magnificat song testifies (Lk 1:46-55). She clearly loved God in His Word and lived by the Scriptures. Therefore, with the Word being made flesh in her womb, and living with her as her son, she was truly living with and by the Word, and so stored up the events of His life in her heart (Lk 2:51). While this was joyful at the beginning, she also soon had to encounter sorrows such as those contemplated in the Seven Sorrows devotion (cf. Lk 2:35; 48-49; Mt 2:14; the crucifixion narratives).

The purity of her heart also means that she could see and hear the Lord perfectly. As Solomon is granted a “listening” or “discerning” heart as a request from the Lord to rule the people, Mary too must have a heart that constantly listens to the word of God and puts it into practice (Lk: 1:38; cf. Lk 8:21; 11:28, Mt 12:50). While Mary is indeed blessed for bearing and rearing the Lord, her faith makes her the more blessed (Lk 11:27-28; 1:42, 45). St Augustine testifies that Mary was more blessed in having conceived Jesus in her heart than in her womb. Secondly, through the purity of her heart she was able to see God, indeed, the first to see Him in the flesh at His birth. This is because the pure in heart shall see God (Mt 5:8).

We may therefore look to Mary’s heart as an example of how our hearts should respond to the love of God. By imitating Mary in her love of the Lord, we too will bring His love to others. She did this in a singular and pre-eminent way on account of her sinlessness which God gifted to her in her immaculate conception. Indeed, it was necessary that the woman from whom the Word would be made flesh have a heart entirely dedicated to God. It is entirely by the grace of God that Mary remained immaculate and thus brought forth the Saviour. Her heart is the earth mentioned in Isaiah 45:8 “Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain down saving justice, let the earth open up and blossom with salvation, and let justice sprout with it; I, the Lord, have created it!” The Lord, raining down saving grace upon Mary from her conception, brought forth saving justice, the Saviour, from her immaculate heart and womb. The Church acknowledges this in her liturgy in the season of Advent. Had her heart not been open and willing to receive it, salvation would not have come forth from her.

We too should have hearts open to the grace of God, to His word, to His life, for in open hearts salvation is brought forth by God, as it was in Mary. Our response to God’s calling, to His grace, should always echo those words uttered by Mary at the Annunciation and repeated and reinforced by Jesus in His teaching and during His passion “Let it be done unto me according to thy word” (Lk 1:38, cf. Mt 6:10; 26:39, 42). We venerate and consecrate ourselves to her immaculate heart in the desire to follow her example.

Lord, have mercy Lord,have mercy

Christ, have mercy Christ, have mercy

Lord, have mercy Lord, have mercy

Christ, hear us Christ, graciously hear us

God the Father of Heaven, Have mercy on us

God the Son, redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us

God the Holy Spirit, Have mercy on us

Holy Trinity, one God, Have mercy on us

Heart of Mary, Pray for us

Heart of Mary, after God’s own Heart, Pray for us

Heart of Mary, in union with the Heart of Jesus, Pray for us

Heart of Mary, the vessel of the Holy Spirit, Pray for us

Heart of Mary, shrine of the Trinity, Pray for us

Heart of Mary, home of the Word, Pray for us

Heart of Mary, immaculate in your creation, Pray for us

Heart of Mary, flooded with grace, Pray for us

Heart of Mary, blessed of all hearts, Pray for us

Heart of Mary, Throne of glory, Pray for us

Heart of Mary, Abyss of humbleness, Pray for us

Heart of Mary, Victim of love, Pray for us

Heart of Mary, nailed to the cross, Pray for us

Heart of Mary, comfort of the sad, Pray for us

Heart of Mary, refuge of the sinner, Pray for us

Heart of Mary, hope of the dying, Pray for us

Heart of Mary, seat of mercy, Pray for us

Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us.

Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.

Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

L: Immaculate Mary, meek and humble of heart.

A: Conform our hearts to the heart of Jesus.

Let us pray: O most merciful God, who for the salvation of sinners and the refuge of the wretched, has made the Immaculate Heart of Mary most like in tenderness and pity to the Heart of Jesus, grant that we, who now commemorate her most sweet and loving heart, may by her merits and intercession, ever live in the fellowship of the hearts of both Mother and Son, through the same Christ our Lord. – Amen.

Bring back the Feast of the Seven Dolours of the Blessed Virgin Mary!

Today, the Friday after Passion Sunday, used to be the Feast of the Seven Dolours of the Blessed Virgin Mary, according to my granny's ancient missal. It was reduced to a commemoration, only said where there was particular devotion to this. I find that a reflection on the Sorrowful Mother is entirely appropriate at this point, just before Holy Week. I have a particular devotion to the Sorrowful Mother, one of the reasons being that the month dedicated to her is the same month as my birthday - but that is a spurious reason. No, I have a devotion to this aspect of the Blessed Virgin because it is an aspect where it is really clear that the Virgin, like Christ, knows sorrow and can aid us in this sorrow. She's not some floaty person aloof from the world, but rather right in there, feeling pain and sorrow like we do. Furthermore, I find I can penetrate more deeply into the mystery of the Passion of our Lord through meditating on it from the perspective of His mother. Are we not moved when we see on the news a mother crying for their child? The love of God is more clear when I consider the Cross from Mary's viewpoint.

Happy Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God/Feast of the Circumcision...

... and blessings for the year to come.

Solemnity, Birthday, Anniversary and Living With Granny

Today is quite a loaded day for me. First of all, it's my sister's birthday. This is something I've always been aware of. Afterwards, I also became aware of the fact that today is also the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of our dear Mother Mary, one of my favourite feasts of the year. In all honesty, I don't think I could really say why it is one of my favourites but it is. I think it may be to do with the fact that it celebrates something huge - the dawn of the era of grace - and yet at the same time it was such a silent, hidden, gentle and loving act of God. There were no rays of light, no fiery pillars, nothing. Rather like how God was not in the hurricane, nor in the earthquake nor in the fire but in the still small voice, a light murmuring sound when appearing to Elijah. At Mary's conception in her mother's womb, she was gently and lovingly prepared to be the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Today is also the anniversary of a relative's death, which had been very sudden. This relative also happened to be my sister's godfather, which is something I find makes the whole affair more sorrowful. Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace.
On a lighter note, my gran is over to stay for a while due to the continuing horrendous weather. Oh, how I hate snow! Great when you're young but rubbish when you want things done. Anyway, my gran sees her stay as an enormous burden on us all when actually we love it. I can't help but wonder whether this self-deprecation and self-designation as a burden to all by many of our elderly is something that seeps in through society. Our elderly need to realise that they are appreciated and loved not for whether they can do stuff for us, either at home or even to society. They are loved and appreciated for themselves, and we thank them for the work they have already done in their lives. Goodness knows how I hope that I'm treated with respect by the time I'm elderly. Although the Assisted Suicide Bill put forward by Margo Macdonald was scrapped this time, but there's plenty more time for more bills to be put forward before I get to retiring age!

At the cross her station keeping....

Stabat mater dolorosa
juxta Crucem lacrimosa,
dum pendebat Filius.
Cuius animam gementem,
contristatam et dolentem
pertransivit gladius.

O quam tristis et afflicta
fuit illa benedicta,
mater Unigeniti!
Quae moerebat et dolebat,
pia Mater, dum videbat
nati poenas inclyti.

Quis est homo qui non fleret,
matrem Christi si videret
in tanto supplicio?
Quis non posset contristari
Christi Matrem contemplari
dolentem cum Filio?

Pro peccatis suae gentis
vidit Iesum in tormentis,
et flagellis subditum.
Vidit suum dulcem Natum
moriendo desolatum,
dum emisit spiritum.

Mass for the Assumption in the Extraordinary Form

This Sunday, I plan to go to the local FSSP church in Edinburgh for the Assumption. I also plan on taking my brother along and it will be his first time assisting at a TLM. I'll post an update afterwards commenting on how my brother found the Mass.

Comprehensive video on the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Angelus

Angelus Domini nuntiavit Mariæ
Et concepit de Spiritu Sancto
Ave, Maria, gratia plena,
Dominus tecum:
benedicta tu in mulieribus,
et benedictus fructus ventris tui,
Jesus
Sancta Maria, Mater Dei,
ora pro nobis peccatoribus,
nunc, et in hora mortis nostræ.
Amen.

When praying the Angelus at midday and at 6pm (I'm never able to say the 6am one; I start it but fall asleep again after the first Hail Mary), I always end up matching each part to a part of the Hail Mary. For this first part, we hear of the angel Gabriel's greeting to Mary (Ave gratia plena - from where we can learn of Mary's immaculate conception, and her importance in salvation history by the angel's honorific Ave), and then immediately of the result of that greeting, the conception of the God-man, Jesus Christ (Dominus tecum - though the Lord was with her before His conception of course - indeed, He was with her since her immaculate conception - but after Mary's encounter with Gabriel, the Lord was physically with her in her womb).

Ecce ancilla Domini
Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum

Ave, Maria, gratia plena,
Dominus tecum:
benedicta tu in mulieribus,
et benedictus fructus ventris tui,
Jesus
Sancta Maria, Mater Dei,
ora pro nobis peccatoribus,
nunc, et in hora mortis nostræ.
Amen.

Here we see why Mary is so blessed in mulieribus, notwithstanding her conception. Here she displays Christian perfection; she accepts God's will and fully cooperates in His plan for the redemption of the human race, including her own preemptive redemption.

Et Verbum caro factum est
Et habitavit in nobis

Ave, Maria, gratia plena,
Dominus tecum:
benedicta tu in mulieribus,
et benedictus fructus ventris tui,
Jesus
Sancta Maria, Mater Dei,
ora pro nobis peccatoribus,
nunc, et in hora mortis nostræ.
Amen.

And in this final section we encounter in plain words the entire message of the Angelus, and indeed the message of the Gospels - God became man; Jesus walked among us, taught us, and died for us, and remains with us in the tabernacles around the world, and still teaches us through the Scriptures, and helps us to die to the world so that we can live with Him. There has never been a more fruitful womb than the womb of Mary.

In Conceptione Immaculata Beatæ Mariæ Virginis

Introit
Gaudens gaudebo in Domino, et exultabit anima mea in Deo meo :

induit me vestimentis salutis; et indumento justitiæ circumdedit me,

quasi sponsam ornatam monibilis suis.

Exaltabo te, Domine, quoniam suscepisti me :

nec delectasti inimicos meos super me.

Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto,

sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper,

et in sæcula sæculorum. Amen.

Gaudens gaudebo in Domino, et exultabit anima mea in Deo meo :

induit me vestimentis salutis; et indumento justitiæ circumdedit me,

quasi sponsam ornatam monibilis suis.

Collect

Deus, qui per immaculatam Virginis Conceptionem dignum Filio tuo habitaculum præparasti : quæsumus; ut, qui ex morte Filii tui prævisa eam ab omne labe præservasti, nos quoque mundos eius intercessione ad te pervenire concedas. Per eundem Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum, qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti, Deus, per omnia sæcula sæculorum. Amen.

Gradual

Benedicta es tu Virgo Maria

a Domino Deo excelso præ omnibus

mulieribus super terram.

Tu gloria Jerusalem, tu lætitia Israel,

tu honorificentia populi nostri.

Alleluia, alleluia.

Tota pulchra es, Maria,

et macula originalis non est in te.

Alleluia.

Offertory

Ave, Maria, gratia plena :

Dominus tecum : benedicta tu

in mulieribus, alleluia.

Secret

Salutarem hostiam, quam in solemnitate immaculate Conceptionis beatae Virginis Mariae tibi, Domine, offerimus, suscipe et praesta: ut, sicut illam tua gratia prasveniente ab omni labe immunem profitemur; ita eius intercessione a culpis omnibus liberemur. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum, Filium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti, Deus, per omnia sæcula sæculorum. Amen.

Communion

Gloriosa dicta sunt de te, Maria :

quia fecit tibi magna qui potens est.

Post-Communion

Sacramenta quae sumpsimus, Domine Deus noster: illius in nobis culpse vulnera, reparent; a qua immaculatam beatae Mariae Conceptionem singulariter praeservasti. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum, Filium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti, Deus, per omnia sæcula sæculorum. Amen.

A weapon of Victory, the Holy Rosary.

Today, while saying the Rosary, something unbelievable happened. When meditating on the Lord's glorious Resurrection, I experienced a great yet very calm joy. I realised that I've found it very easy to mourn the Lord when considering his most painful and most loving Passion, but when it came to the Resurrection, I found it stirred nothing within me. Good Friday seemed a lot more significant because of this. Perhaps this is because I've experienced death, but the mystery of the Resurrection was beyond my comprehension, even my emotional comprehension. Of course, feelings are not what should guide one's faith, and the fact that I felt nothing did not make me once doubt the Resurrection. Also, the mystery of the Resurrection is beyond complete comprehension. However, I think what I sensed today was Christ's victory. The Jews expected a militaristic Messiah/Christ, one who would lead them to victory over their oppressors and enemies. And Christ did achieve this through his resurrection victory. His victory over death and sin - the real oppressors. His victory over Satan - the real enemy. The Lord conquered with love.
It is perhaps appropriate that this sense of the victory of Christ came to me both today and the fact that I was saying the Rosary. For today is the memoria of Our Lady of the Rosary, which, when it was first commemorated, was called Our Lady of Victory.
Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.