.: † From That Hour

Monday, May 29, 2023

† From That Hour

†Quote of the Day
"The blessed lady, Mother of our Savior, may well be called a morning, since before her there was none without sin. After her, the most clear sun Christ Jesus showed his light to the world."
–St. John Fisher

†Today's Meditation
"In the throes of pains too excruciating to wrap our minds around, Jesus revealed a most precious gift offered for all of us: his mother. Among His seven last words, or phrases, Jesus said to St. John the Beloved, "Behold, your mother!" (Jn 19:27). Scripture says that from that hour on, John took Mary "to his own home." Pope Benedict XVI said that the Greek translation of the phrase "to his own home" is far deeper and richer than the English. He writes, "We could translate it: he took Mary into his inner life, his inner being…into the depths of his being. To take Mary with one means to introduce her to the dynamism of one's own entire existence. It is not something external." John served as a symbol for the rest of us. Like him, we are given the gift of a true spiritual mother, one who can mold the very depths of our being and transform us. As a trusted mother, she always points us to her Son."
–Carrie Gress and Noelle Mering, p. 203

An Excerpt From
Theology of Home

†Daily Verse
"So humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. Cast all your worries upon him because he cares for you."
–1 Peter 5:6-7

Mary, Mother of the Church

Mary, by virtue of being the mother of Jesus Christ, has always been recognized as the Mother of the Church, which Jesus established during His Passion. Before He expired on the Cross, Jesus gave His final instructions to Mary and John, elevating the nature of their relationship within the Kingdom of God. He said to Mary, "Woman, behold thy son," and to St. John the Beloved (who mystically represents all His disciples), "Behold thy mother." The title "Mother of the Church" was formally bestowed on Our Lady by Pope Paul VI, and she was given a liturgical memorial under this title by Pope Francis. The feast of Mary, Mother of the Church is celebrated on the Monday following Pentecost, highlighting the fact that the Mother of God was praying alongside her spiritual sons, the Twelve Apostles, at the moment when the Holy Spirit descended upon them at Pentecost.

click to read more

St. Bona of Pisa

St. Bona (1156 – 1207 A.D.) was born in Pisa, Italy. She experienced visions at a young age which led her into an ascetical life of penance and fasting. She dedicated herself to God at the early age of ten and became an Augustinian tertiary. At the age of fourteen she went on her first pilgrimage to Jerusalem where her father was fighting in the crusades. On her trip home she was captured and wounded by Muslim pirates and imprisoned, later being rescued by her fellow countrymen. She became fond of making pilgrimages and returned to the Holy Land many times. She also led a large pilgrimage group along the Way of St. James (Santiago de Compostela), a 1,000 mile journey. She had a great devotion to St. James, whom she had seen in a vision as a child. She was named an official guide of the ancient route by the Knights of St. James. St. Bona made the Way of St. James a total of nine times. On her tenth trip she had to return home due to illness, and died soon after. St. Bona of Pisa is the patron saint of travelers, couriers, tour guides, pilgrims, flight attendants, and the city of Pisa. Her feast day is May 29th.

Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church

Reading I Gn 3:9-15, 20
After Adam had eaten of the tree,

the LORD God called to him and asked him, "Where are you?"
He answered, "I heard you in the garden;

but I was afraid, because I was naked,

so I hid myself."
Then he asked, "Who told you that you were naked?
You have eaten, then,

from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat!"
The man replied, "The woman whom you put here with me—

she gave me fruit from the tree, and so I ate it."
The LORD God then asked the woman,

"Why did you do such a thing?"
The woman answered, "The serpent tricked me into it, so I ate it."

Then the LORD God said to the serpent:

"Because you have done this, you shall be banned

from all the animals

and from all the wild creatures;

On your belly shall you crawl,

and dirt shall you eat

all the days of your life.

I will put enmity between you and the woman,

and between your offspring and hers;

He will strike at your head,

while you strike at his heel."
The man called his wife Eve,

because she became the mother of all the living.

OR:

Acts 1:12-14

After Jesus had been taken up to heaven,

the Apostles returned to Jerusalem

from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem,

a sabbath day's journey away.

When they entered the city

they went to the upper room where they were staying,

Peter and John and James and Andrew,

Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew,

James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot,

and Judas son of James.
All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer,

together with some women,

and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

Responsorial Psalm 87:1-2, 3 and 5, 6-7

R. (3) Glorious things are said of you, O city of God!
His foundation upon the holy mountains

the LORD loves:
The gates of Zion,

more than any dwelling of Jacob.
R. Glorious things are said of you, O city of God!
Glorious things are said of you,

O city of God!
And of Zion they shall say:

"One and all were born in her;
And he who has established her

is the Most High LORD."
R. Glorious things are said of you, O city of God!
They shall note, when the peoples are enrolled:

"This man was born there."
And all shall sing, in their festive dance:

"My home is within you."
R. Glorious things are said of you, O city of God!

Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
O joyful Virgin, who gave birth to the Lord;
O blessed Mother of the Church,
who nurture in us the Spirit
of your Son Jesus Christ!
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Jn 19:25-34

Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother

and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas,

and Mary of Magdala.
When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved,

he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son."
Then he said to the disciple,

"Behold, your mother."
And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.
After this, aware that everything was now finished,

in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled,

Jesus said, "I thirst."
There was a vessel filled with common wine.
So they put a sponge soaked in wine on a sprig of hyssop

and put it up to his mouth.
When Jesus had taken the wine, he said,

"It is finished."
And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit.

Now since it was preparation day,

in order that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath,

for the sabbath day of that week was a solemn one,

the Jews asked Pilate that their legs be broken

and they be taken down.
So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first

and then of the other one who was crucified with Jesus.
But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead,

they did not break his legs,

but one soldier thrust his lance into his side,

and immediately Blood and water flowed out.

Daily Meditation: John 19:25-34

Behold, your mother. (John 19:27)

If you visit the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome, you will see a beautiful icon of Mary holding Jesus. It is called Salus Populi Romani, or "Health of the People of Rome." Since AD 590, this icon has served as a comforting reminder of Mary's role as intercessor for God's people.

You might recognize the image because Pope Francis brought this icon to a deserted St. Peter's Square on March 27, 2020. There, in the pouring rain, he prayed before the Blessed Sacrament for an end to the Covid-19 pandemic and consecrated the entire world to God through Mary's motherly intercession. His moving gesture brought comfort to the millions who watched from the isolation of their homes.

These past three years have shown us just how much we need God's grace and our Blessed Mother's prayers.

Today we join Catholics all over the world in honoring Mary as Mother of the Church. This title has its roots in the events at Calvary, which we heard in today's Gospel. As Jesus hung on the cross, he gave Mary to John, the Beloved Disciple, as his own mother (John 19:27). And in doing so, he gave Mary not only to John but to all disciples, including you! Jesus entrusted Mary with a new mission that day: to build up the Church through her motherly care for all of Jesus' disciples throughout the centuries.

This means that every one of us can claim Mary as our own. She who carried Jesus in her womb, nurtured him, and formed him in her faith will do no less for us. She carries each one of us in her heart and constantly prays for us before our Father in heaven.

Where do you need Mary's motherly help today? Do not hesitate to bring your needs to her. Let Jesus reassure you, just as he reassured John: "Behold, your mother."

"Holy Mary, Mother of the Church, pray for me! May I know and love Jesus more and more each day."

Genesis 3:9-15, 20
Psalm 87:1-3, 5-7

click to hear 2cents

[Listen to audio version of 2 centshere

Reflections with Brother Adrian:

From today's 1st Holy Scripture:
"All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer, together with some women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers." end of verse.

Are there still people and people in church devoted to prayer? These were gathered, they were not scattered. And they were gathered with the mother of God, Jesus our Lord the Christ our Savior. That's when the Holy Spirit infused Himself upon all. Do you gather? And do you gather with the Mother of God?

We pray today:
_"Glorious things are said of you,

O city of God!
And of Zion they shall say:

"One and all were born in her;
And he who has established her

is the Most High LORD."_

In the Gospel today we heard:
_"When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved,

he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son."
Then he said to the disciple,

"Behold, your mother."
And from that hour the disciple took her into his home."_ end of verse.

Our Lord, can be said, that He gave us His all. The love of His heart. He gave us the love of His very life. He gave His life and His mother in this love ceremony from Heaven...the world to receive His mother, and Jesus the groom to receive His bride...the Holy Church. Our mother, since then, has always been with us, because He gave her to us. She is not God, but she is much more than any created human which protestants declare. She was created by God and for God and above even, of humans in their design, and how? She was was to return us spiritually, what Eve had done spiritually, casting us into a world of pain, short life, and death by sin, now Mary our Mother has cast life into the world, and this is our Lord Himself, reversing the pains and short life. Mother Mary has then, this amazing gift of God giving grace. It is in her nature. Because inside of her dwelt our Lord Himself and still dwells within her. That fire of Pentecost still burns for souls inside of her, because it is Christ in her.
So take comfort, on this month of Mary, and this day of the Mother of God. She is not only His mom, but our Mother. And this is fulfilling, for God said "I will not leave you orphans". And He gives Himself as Father, and gives us a most beautiful and filling mother" and Jesus our Brother that feeds Himself from the cross. Yet Jesus is everything, for our Mother feeds from Him now as she fed Him as a baby. We must feed our Lord as He has fed us as babies. He expects what our Lord Jesus did on the cross...give everything for Love of God, and each other.

Let us pray:
Mother of God, pray for us, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Random Bible Verse 1
Matthew 18:5–6

"Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, 6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,1 it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace

Going4th

For questions or comments contact Adrian@going4th.com. For more go to www.Going4th.com

.

view blog online

Translate