The Fifth Day: Mary’s Glorious Entrance into Heaven
Preparatory Prayer by St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor of the Church
O Mary, Virgin most Blessed and Mother of Our Lord and Redeemer Jesus Christ, through thy mercy I beseech thee, to come to my aid and to inspire me with such confidence in thy power that I may have recourse to thee, pray to thee and implore thy aid, in all needs of soul and body. Amen
Meditation: Joy greater, than human heart can conceive, fills the heavenly spirits when a soul enters Heaven, to receive its reward. What jubilant transports, then, must those have been, with which they hailed the entrance into heavenly bliss of the most pure and holy Virgin, the Mother of the Son of God, body and soul, transfigured in glory! And she is and shall be, for all eternity, their mistress and Queen! What an ineffable joy, too, for the Blessed Virgin, to behold the countless numbers of Angels, to admire their beauty, their purity, their intense love of God! But as the feeble light of a candle disappears before the splendour of the sun’s rays, thus are these choirs of Angels, obscured by the ineffable glory of her Divine Son, coming to welcome His Mother. Who can describe this moving meeting? What a superabundant reward for love and suffering! What an ocean of joy and bliss, when the Son of God presented His Mother before the throne of His heavenly Father, Who greeted her as His Beloved Daughter! What a joy to behold the Holy Ghost, Whose pure Spouse she had been, even on earth! These transports of bliss baffle all attempts at description.
Practice: Although we are unable to have an adequate perception of Mary’s glory in Heaven, by which she is raised above all Angels and Saints, yet, it is in our power, to do one thing – we can rejoice at the glory of our Blessed Mother and join the heavenly spirits and the Saints, in paying homage to her. Let us resolve to do this and never to forget that Mary attained to the largest share of her Divine Son’s glory because, she was foremost in sharing His sufferings. Let this encourage us to bear our cross, to bear it with our Saviour, even to the height of Calvary, there to die with Him.
Prayer of the Church: We beseech Thee, O Lord, pardon the shortcomings of Thy servants that we who, by our own works, are not able to please Thee, may be saved by the intercession of the Mother of Thy Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Novena Prayer: Day Five
Glorious Virgin and Mother of God, Mary! I beseech thee through the preparation with which thou wast glorified by God– by the Father ,as His most Beloved Daughter, by the Son, as His Immaculate Mother and by the Holy Ghost, as His most pure Spouse, in Heaven; obtain for me the grace to share, to some extent, this, thy glory and, therefore, to live so that I may deserve it. And too most Blessed Mother, this, my special Petition: ………………….
Hail Mary …….
Ejaculation: Sweet heart of Mary be my salvation!
Indulgence. (1) 100 days, every time. (2) A Plenary Indulgence, once a month, on any day, to all who shall have said it everyday for a month, under the usual conditions.
Thought for the Day – 10 August – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Confidence in the Providence of God
“God does not forbid us, naturally, to work and to provide for the future. But, He condemns such immoderate anxiety as would tend to distract our attention from our spiritual obligations. We should be occupied certainly but never preoccupied. We should always have perfect confidence in God and resignation to His Will.”
Quote/s of the Day – 10 August – St Lawrence (Died 258) Martyr “Keeper of the Treasures of he Church” – 2 Corinthians 9:6-10, John 12:24-26
“If it dies, it produces much fruit”
John 12:24
“Through the glorious achievements of the holy Martyrs with which the Church blossoms everywhere, we are ourselves, proving to our own eyes, how true are the words we have been singing that: “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints” (Ps 116[115]:15). For it is precious both in our sight and in the sight of Him, in Whose Name. the death took place.”
“And all who wish to live piously in Christ Jesus, will suffer persecution.”
2 Timothy 3:12
“Do not love your life in this world! If you truly love yourselves, do not thus love your life and then, you will save your life!”…
St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of the Church
“In conformity with the philosophy of Christ, let us make of our life, a training for death.”
St Maximus the Confessor (c 580-662) Father of the Church
One Minute Reflection – 10 August – St Lawrence (Died 258) Martyr “Keeper of the Treasures of he Church” – 2 Corinthians 9:6-10, John 12:24-26
“He who loves his life, loses it and he who hates his life in this world, keeps it unto life everlasting. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me and where I Am ,there also shall My servant be.” – John 12:25-26
REFLECTION – “… We are being towed along by a world that passes away, forgetting the world to come. We are greedy for present things but do not take into account the coming judgement. We will not run to meet the Lord as He comes…
Let us turn back, brethren, let us turn back… By the very fact of His delay, of His still waiting, our Lord proves His desire to see us come back to Him, His desire that we should not perish. In His great goodness, He continues addressing these words to us: “I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked but would rather he would change his ways and live ”(Ez 33,11). So let us turn back to Him, brethren, not fearing that time is running short. The time that belongs to time’s Author cannot be shortened. The proof of it lies in the criminal in the Gospel, who, at the moment of dying on the cross, got away with his pardon, grabbed hold of life and, breaking into paradise like a burglar, managed to make his way into the Kingdom (cf. Lk 23,43)!” – St Peter Chrysologus (c 400-450) Bishop of Ravenna, Father and “Doctor of Sermons” of the Church (Excerpt from Sermon 167).
PRAYER – Grant us, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, to extinguish the flames of our sins, as Thou granted St Lawrence to overcome the fires of his tortures. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Our Morning Offering – 10 August – St Lawrence (Died 258) Martyr “Keeper of the Treasures of he Church,”
Deus, Tuorum Militum O God, of Those Who Fought Thy Fight Unknown Author (6th Century)
O God, of those who fought Thy fight, Portion and prize and Crown of Light, Break every bond of sin and shame As now we praise Thy Martyr’s name.
He recked not of the world’s allure But sin and pomp of sin forswore: Knew all their gall and passed them by, And reached the throne prepared on high.
Bravely the course of pain he ran, And bore his torments as a man: For love of Thee, his blood outpoured, And thus obtained the great reward.
With humble voice and suppliant word We pray Thee, therefore, Holy Lord, While we Thy Martyr’s Feast Day keep, Forgive Thy loved and erring sheep.
All honour, laud and glory be, O Jesu, Virgin-born, to Thee, All glory, as is ever meet, To Father and to Paraclete. Amen
An Ambrosian Hymn traditionally assigned for Matins and Vespers for the common feast of a Martyr in the Roman Breviary. It dates probably from the sSxth Century and is attributed to the unknown author of Rex Gloriose Martyrum and jesu, Redemptor Omnium. The Hymn exists in a longer versJon of eight strophes and a shorter one of four or five, which is probably earlier. The Vatican Antiphonary provided two different melodies for use in the Paschal Season and during the Octave of the Nativity, during which the Feast of Saint Stephen the Protomartyr occurs. The Hymn is a prayer asking God to forgive the sins of His servants on the day of the Martyr’s triumph over the pleasures of the world and the torture of persecution.
Saint of the Day – 10 August – St Lawrence (Died 258) Martyr “Keeper of the Treasures of he Church.”
St Lawrence, Martyr By Fr Francis Xavier Weninger SJ (1805-1888)
The many and high encomiums [praises] which were paid to St Lawrence by the most ancient and illustrious of the holy Fathers of the Church, St Augustine, St Ambrose, St Leo I, St Maximus and St Peter Chrysologus, are the surest sign that this Saint has always been considered one of the most famous Martyrs, who gave their blood for Christ.
He was born of Christian parents, in the middle of the Third Century, at Osca, a City in Aragon. His father’s name was Orentius, his mother’s, Patientia, both are honoured as Saints. Such parents gave a holy education to their son. He early evinced, on all occasions, an especial love for God, a fearless constancy in the true faith and a watchful care over the preservation of his purity. While yet young in years, he went to Rome and won, by his blameless life, the highest regard of all who came in contact with him. Pope Xystus or Sixtus Ordained him Deacon. His functions were to serve the Pope at the Altar, to take charge of the treasures of the church and to distribute the revenues which were destined for the maintenance of the sextons and the poor.
A terrible persecution of the Christians took place at the period of which we speak. Pope Sixtus was seized and thrown into the Mamertine prison. Lawrence seeing him, from a distance, dragged along, ran towards him and bitterly weeping, said: “Father, where are you going without your son? Holy Pontiff, where are you hastening without your deacon? You have never been wont to offer the Holy Sacrifice without me, your servant. In what have I displeased you, O my Father? Have you found me unworthy of you and of your sacred service? Prove me now and see if you have chosen a fit servant in trusting me with the dispensing of the Blood of Christ!” This and more said the Saint, desiring to suffer with St Sixtus for the Lord’s sake. The holy Pope replied: “I do not leave you, my son but you will have to suffer a great trial. We being old, have not much to endure but you, strong in your youth, must gain a more glorious victory over the tyrant. Do not weep. In three days, you will follow me. Go now and take care of the Treasures of the Church that are in your keeping.”
Lawrence, comforted by the prophecy of the holy Pope, went immediately and secured the sacred vessels of the Altar and the vestments of the Priests, distributed among the poor the money which had been collected for them, visited the Christians assembled in different houses and subterranean vaults, exhorted all to constancy and employed the whole night in deeds of charity and humility. The following day, when the Pope was being led away to execution, the holy Levite approached him again, saying: “Holy Father, do not leave me; for, the treasures which you committed to my care, are all distributed.” The Pope comforted the Saint as he had done the day before and was led away and ended his life by the sword.
Meanwhile, some of the soldiers, having heard Lawrence speak of treasures, informed the Emperor Valerian of the fact, and that tyrant, as avaricious as he was cruel, had Lawrenc apprehended and gave him, in charge of Hippolytus, an officer, who placed him in a prison where several malefactors were kept. One of these, Lucilius, had wept so much during his imprisonment, that he had become blind. St Lawrence, pitying him, advised him to embrace the Christian faith and be baptised, as by that, his sight would be restored. Lucilius followed his advice and soon after Baptism, his sight returned. Hippolytus, touched by the grace of God at this miracle, was converted with his whole household. The next day, the Emperor commanded that Lawrence should be brought to him.
The valiant Confessor of Christ rejoiced at this message and said to Hippolytus: “Let us go, for two glorious crowns are prepared for you and me.” The Emperor asked him who he was, whence he came and where he had concealed the Treasures of the Church. The first and second questions Lawrence fearlessly answered, saying: “I am a Christian, born in Spain.” To the third, he made answer, that if the Emperor would allow him a little time, he would gather the Treasures and show them to him. Delighted at this, the Emperor willingly granted him the desired time but ordered Hippolytus, not to leave his side for a moment, lest he should escape.
The Saint assembled all the poor he could find and leading them to the tyrant, said: “Behold, these are the Treasures of our Church.” The Emperor, regarding this as an insult, was greatly enraged and swore by the gods to be revenged. He gave Lawrence over to the prefect with the command to torture him in the most painful manner, if he refused to worship the idols. The prefect, who was as cruel as the Emperor himself, ordered his brutes to tear off the Saint’s clothes and to lash him, like a vile slave, till his whole body was a mass of blood and wounds. After this, he displayed a great many instruments of torture, with the menace that they would be used upon him, if he longer refused to worship the gods. Lawrence looked unconcernedly upon them and said: “They cannot frighten me. I have long desired to suffer for the sake of Christ. Your idols are not worthy to be worshipped, they are no gods and I will never sacrifice to them.”
Hardly had these words passed his lips, when the holy man was stretched upon the rack, then raised high in the air and his whole body whipped with scourges on the ends of which were fastened iron stars or spurs. After this, they applied lighted torches to his mangled body. The Martyr’s constancy could not be shaken. Turning his eyes heavenward, he only asked for strength to endure.
… Early on the next day, the prefect ordered the executioners to make an iron bed in the form of a gridiron, put live coals under it, stretch and bind the Saint upon it and slowly roast him. The command was fulfilled to the great horror of all present. The Saint, however, lay as quietly on the red hot gridiron as if it had been a bed of roses, only saying at intervals: “Receive, O Lord, this burnt-offering as an agreeable fragrance.” His countenance beamed with heavenly joy and the Christians, who were present, said that a divine light had surrounded him and his body exuded a sweet fragrance.
After having been burned thus a long time, he turned his eyes towards the prefect and said: “I am sufficiently roasted on one side, turn me over and eat my flesh.” How the tyrant received these words can easily be imagined. The Saint, however, continued to be cheerful and filled with divine consolation. He praised God and thanked Him for the grace vouchsafed him to die for his faith.
At last, with his eyes raised to Heaven, he gave his heroic soul into the hands of his Redeemer, on the 10th of August, 258. Many of the heathens, who were present, were converted by this glorious Martyrdom to the Faith of Christ.
St Lawrence (Died 258) Martyr “Keeper of the Treasures of he Church,” Martyr, Archdeacon. St Lawrence was one of the seven Deacons of the City of Rome under Pope St Sixtus II, who were martyred in the persecution of the Christians by decree of the Roman Emperor Valerian. St Lawrence here: https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2017/08/10/saint-of-the-day-feast-of-st-lawrence-of-rome-martyr/
St Deusdedit the Cobbler St Gerontius Bl Hugh of Montaigu St Paula of Carthage St Thiento of Wessobrunn
Martyrs of Alexandria – 260+ Saints: A large number of Christians who were Martyred in Alexandria, Egypt between 260 and 267 in the persecutions of Decius and Valerian, whose names have not come down to us and who are commemorated together.
Martyrs of Rome – 165 Saints: Group of 165 Christians Martyred in the persecutions of Aurelian. 274 in Rome, Italy.
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