November 21, 2020 Reflection – The Presentation of Mary
Adore Him Alone November 21, 2020 The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Dear Family of Mary! Today is day 3 of our Novena of prayer for our countries and for the world. We are modeling our prayer after the call that Our Lady gave to St. Faustina in 1934 to pray for her country and the world: “My daughter, what I demand from you is prayer, prayer, and once again prayer, for the world and especially for your country. For nine days receive Holy Communion in atonement and unite yourself closely to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. During these nine days you will stand before God as an offering; always and everywhere, at all times and places, day or night, whenever you wake up, pray in the spirit. In spirit, one can always remain in prayer.” (Diary 325) Our Lady called to us in a similar way from Medjugorje:| May 25, 2020 “…Little children, be prayer for all those who do not pray; be joy for all those who do not see the way out; be carriers of light in the darkness of this peaceless time. Pray and seek the help and protection of the saints so that you also could yearn for Heaven and Heavenly realities. I am with you and am protecting and blessing all of you with my motherly blessing. Thank you for having responded to my call.” Here is a beautiful litany to Our Lady, based on her role in the New Testament. We can pray for her help in our intercession this day: THE NEW TESTAMENT LITANY OF MARY. Mary, Daughter of Sion, Pray for us. Mary, Temple of the Lord, Pray for us. Mary, Ark of the Covenant, Pray for us. Mary, New Eve and Mother of the Living, Pray for us. Mary, Faithful Remnant of Israel, Pray for us. Blessed Mary, ever full of grace. Pray that we may hear the Word of God and act on it. Blessed Mary, you welcomed the Lord into our midst, Pray that we may hear the Word of God and act on it. Blessed Mary, the Holy Spirit came to you and God’s Power enveloped you, Pray that we may hear the Word of God and act on it. Blessed Mary, you are favored above all women, Pray that we may hear the Word of God and act on it. Blessed Mary, the Lord has accomplished great things in you, Pray that we may hear the Word of God and act on it. Blessed Mary, you went in haste to render service to Elizabeth, Pray that we may hear the Word of God and act on it. Blessed Mary, you brought forth Him who is our Savior, Emmanuel, God-with-us Pray that we may hear the Word of God and act on it. Blessed Mary, you took delight in Jesus’ growth in wisdom, age, and grace, Pray that we may hear the Word of God and act on it. Holy Mary, from the compassion you showed at Cana, May we do whatever God asks of us. Holy Mary, from your experience of anguish and loneliness, May we do whatever God asks of us. Holy Mary, from your joy at the resurrection, May we do whatever God asks of us. Holy Mary, from your prayer in the Pentecost Church, May we do whatever God asks of us. Holy Mary, from your life of fidelity, May we do whatever God asks of us. Holy Mary, from your hope in the fulfillment of God’s promises, May we do whatever God asks of us. Holy Mary, from your love of God and God’s People, May we do whatever God asks of us. Mary, Mother of our God, and Savior, Jesus Christ Lead us to your Son. Mary, our Mother, Lead us to your Son. Mary, Mother of the Church, Lead us to your Son. Mary, woman of heavenly glory, Lead us to your Son. Mary, woman clothed with the sun, Lead us to your Son. Mary, first among the redeemed, Lead us to your Son. Mary, image of the Church perfected, Lead us to your Son. Mary, sign of hope and consolation, Lead us to your Son. Lord God, our Father, Receive us. Lord Jesus, Son of God and Son of Mary, Receive us. Spirit of Life and Truth and Love, Receive us. Let us pray: Blessed are you, O Lord our God, for the great things you have accomplished in Mary, the Virgin Mother of your Son. By the power of the Holy Spirit she is for us a model and sign of faith and hope. May we come to welcome you as she did, to treasure all that you send us in love, and to ponder the Great Mystery, hidden for ages, and now made known to us in Jesus the Lord. All praise be yours, Almighty Father, through Jesus Christ your Son, in the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen. [Composed by Fr. Robert Bouffier, SM] https://www.catholicdoors.com/prayers/litanies/p03487.htm In Jesus, Mary and Joseph! Cathy Nolan ©Mary TV 2020 PS. I am also attaching the homily given by Fr. Leon Pereira at English Mass yesterday (November 20). It is very powerful. We need the truth in order to be free to live in the light! HOMILY Earlier this year, there was a very disturbing survey that revealed that in America among Catholics, only 3 out of 10 Catholics believe in the Eucharist; that it is really the Body and Blood of Christ. Now, if it’s 3 out of 10 in America, you can imagine in Europe it will be far worse, in Western Europe especially. And then, this morning – sorry, I don’t like to preach on the news, but this is important – this morning, a survey shows that 61% of American Catholics are in favor of same-sex marriage; 31% against. But in Europe, it’s far worse. The Netherlands: 92% of Catholics in favor. Followed by Belgium with 83%. And the U.K. with 78% in favor of gay marriage. Abortion: Catholics – these are Catholics who go to mass, regularly – 51% are in favor in The Netherlands. But in Belgium, 74% are in favor; and in the U.K. 65% percent. And, also, Switzerland, Spain, France, Austria, Germany, all have 70% or more in favor of same-sex marriage; so-called, same-sex marriage. Those who rejected same-sex marriage, among Catholics: 90% rejected in Bosnia and Hercegovina. Ok. Now, this tells you… this gives you a flavor of what’s going on in the world. Why? Why are so many Catholics so full of hate? You know. I mean, why do they hate gay people so much that they want to lie to them and sell them this so-called marriage? Because it is hate, isn’t it? Using their own language against them? Because, when we oppose it, they accuse us of hate. But the truth is, they are full of hate. They lack love, the love of Christ for his people, including those who suffer same-sex attraction; and selling them a lie. “Oh yes, you can get married, be just like us.” What an awful, hateful thing to do to them. And abortion. You know. I met a Catholic who said, “Well, you know, I’m not in favor of it. But, you know, for rape, or something, surely you have to allow abortion.” And, I just thought, “How do you persuade such a person?” So, I said, “Ok, here. Here is an ice cream scoop. Tell me how you’re going to kill the baby.” And he said, “Oh. I’m not going to do it.” And I said, “No. You said, ‘In cases of rape you’re open to abortion.’ Do it. Show me how you’ll do it with an ice cream scoop.” I don’t know why I chose an ice cream scoop; but I had nothing else on hand. Because this kind of stupidity has to be challenged. It is awful how Catholics can tie themselves in knots and get muddled like this. In the Old Testament, the people of Israel are described as “The Bride” or the “Vineyard of the Lord.” And quite often, the Lord compares His Bride to a prostitute. He complains, “You are unfaithful to me,” over and over again. And then through the prophet Hosea we have that beautiful example. He tells Hosea, “Go and marry a prostitute to show my love for My People Israel.” In the New Testament, we the People of God, The Church, are also the Bride of Christ. But that Bride is disfigured, is damaged, when her leaders lie, or fail to proclaim the truth properly, and mislead The Faithful, The Flock. When The Flock are taught that, “Maybe it’s ok, you can go along with this, that, and the other.” Or when you get a politician who is pro-abortion and doing all sorts of bad things, and no punishment comes at all from the church leaders, that sends out the message to the people, “It’s ok. You can do what you like, and still call yourself a practicing Catholic.” This is known as the sin of “Scandal.” Now, this is “scandal” used in a very special way. It comes from the Greek word “skandalon:” the thing you stumble over. Ok, so don’t think of “scandal” in the ordinary English sense of scandal. It means, “a tripping stone.” How? Well, if ordinary Catholics see that politicians – prominent people – can be pro-abortion, or pro-gay marriage, and still go and receive communion every Sunday, every time they want to; then they think, “Well, maybe it doesn’t matter.” It is compromising the faith of the little ones. This is what we mean by “the sin of scandal.” And there’s a lot of that right now in the church. The Bride of Christ has been disfigured. She has been dirtied. And she has been beaten and bruised. It is a terrible thing happening to the church. Christ will come. And what will he do? He will cleanse His Temple. He will drive all of this out of his church, forcefully, vigorously. If we don’t clean it up ourselves, Christ will do it. I mean, we do it by the help of the Holy Spirit. But Christ will cleanse His Temple. First of all, the church. All the filth and putridness in it will be cast out. He will do that. Then, where else is the temple? Each one of us is a temple of the Holy Spirit. And Christ will come to drive out evil in us, in some shape or form, if we don’t cooperate with him now. So, this is Purgatory. Purgatory for those of us who are going to Heaven but not yet cleansing our temple, the Temple of the Holy Spirit, our bodies. This is why, while we still live, while we still have breath: Pray to the Holy Spirit for the grace to see ourselves as God sees us. To forgive. To let go of all resentments. To love genuinely. Genuine love. Not sentimental love. But real love. To proclaim the truth. To embrace the truth. The truth of Christ, fully. Because, if we don’t do this, Christ will. And nothing will stop Jesus. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.