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Seven Words to the Cross

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SEVEN WORDS TO THE CROSS

Our Lord spoke seven words from the Cross; but there were also seven words spoken to Our Lord on the Cross.

THE FIRST WORD TO THE CROSS

Some never remain near the Cross long enough to absorb the mercy which flows from the Crucified. They are known as the “passers-by.”
The passers-by blasphemed against Him, tossing their heads; Come now, they said,
Thou who wouldst destroy the temple and build it up in three days, rescue Thyself; come down from that cross, If Thou art the Son of God. (Matt. 27:39, 40)

The Lord was no sooner on the Cross than they asked Him to come down. “Come down from the Cross” is the most typical demand of an unregenerate world in the face of self-denial and abnegation: a religion without a Cross.

As He, the Son of God, was praying for the executioners, “Father forgive,” they sneered: “If Thou art the Son of God.” If He had obeyed their taunt “Come down,” in whom would they believe? How could Love be Love if it costs not the Lover?

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For Saint Rafael on his Holy Day

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It was on Saint Rafael’s Day that my husband and I first met 62 years ago.  And we have maintained an abiding devotion to him.  On more than one occasion, when we were in dire need, Saint Rafael helped us, without fail.  Now our family has Holy Mass said on great Archangel Rafael’s Holy Day and we pray at my husband’s grave, thanking Saint Rafael  for “introducing” us.. I am greatly indebted to the Society’s News page for their beautiful article on this great saint, as I was unable to provide a post of my own due to the constraints of my health. LINK.

Sermon of St. Bonaventure for the Feast of St. Raphael.

Raphael’s name means medicine from God. And we must remark that we can be rescued from evil by three benefits that St. Raphael grants us when he heals us. First Raphael, the celestial physician, rescues us from spiritual infirmity by leading us to the salutary bitterness of contrition, which refers to what Raphael said to Tobias: “As soon as you enter your house, anoint his eyes with gall.” He did so and his father received his sight.

Why shouldn’t Raphael himself perform this anointing? Because an Angel does not give compunction; his role is to show the way. In this gall, therefore, we see the image of the bitterness of contrition, which makes the inner eyes of the soul healthy; a Psalm tells us: “He heals those who are contrite in heart.” This contrition is an excellent eye wash.

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Falling Like Stars, June 2020

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previously posted on : june 17, 2020  by : evensong
Unfortunately, we are not able to update for this reposting of 2022 .

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.
(Apocalypse 12, v. 3-4).

This post updated June 19th, Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus with scriptural citations added at the end.

One point I have stressed continuously is that the message at Fatima began with a warning from St. Michael the Archangel about abuses against the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and the Holy Eucharist and then it presents Our Lady offering the remedy for this assault from satan.

To be very clear on this point: God sends to us His most beloved creature, the most pure and ever Virgin Mary, whom Our Savior Jesus Christ chose to provide the very Body and Blood of His infinitely precious sacrifice. He sends her to us as His final offering to call us to repentance.

Again, the Sacred Body and Precious Blood, sacrificed for our redemption were provided through the Immaculate Virgin Mary. In that sense, we are united with her through our Holy Communions. She is the Mother of the Holy Catholic Church, and she is as well, the Mother of the Mass! This Immaculata is our only means to restore the essential Holy Sacrifice. If we continue to offend her by our indifference to her commands, there will be no further help given. I have updated this post from 2015 in the hope that it may help convince of the importance of our situation, which is dire. You will very soon lose even more than you already have lost. The world is on the brink of chaos and I have been unable to bring myself to speak of what will happen.
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