— Matthew 19:30 —
Weedy
But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be
first.
__________________________
Jesus turned the world's values upside down. Consider the most
powerful or
well-known people in the world - how many got where they are by being
humble,
self-effacing and gentle? Not many! But in the life to come, the last
will be
first - if they got in last place by choosing to follow Jesus. Don't
forfeit
eternal rewards for temporal benefits. Be willing to make sacrifices
now for
greater rewards later. Be willing to accept human disapproval, while
knowing
that you have God's approval.
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November 16th - Saint Margaret, Queen of Scotland
St. Margaret was Queen of Scotland. Her father, Edward Atheling, was
the Saxon
heir to the throne of England, and her mother a German princess, the
descendant
of Emperors. Like the strong woman of the Gospel, the practice of
Catholic
virtues made her still more illustrious.
After the Norman Conquest, many members of the English nobility,
including
Margaret, found refuge in the court of Malcolm III of Scotland. In
1070 Malcolm
married Margaret and made her Queen of Scotland.
Margaret impressed the Scottish court both for her knowledge of
continental
customs and also for her piety. For the love of God she imposed upon
herself
severe mortifications, leaving aside the superfluous and often even
the
necessary. She influenced her husband and son to govern better, and
introduced
Catholic customs, manners and ceremony to the Scottish court. She
raised her
sons in great piety and one, David, was later canonized. Above all she
shone for
her zealous charity for her neighbor. She was called "the mother of
orphans" and
"the bursar for the poor of Jesus Christ."
In 1093, after six months of great physical suffering, she delivered
her soul to
God in Edinburgh. The sanctity of her life and the numerous miracles
she worked
both in her life and after her death made her famous worldwide.
In 1673 Pope Clement X named her the patroness of Scotland, over which
she had
reigned for almost a quarter century.
Comments of the late Prof. Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira: (died 1995)
The life of St. Margaret prompts me to comment on the spirit of the
marvelous in
the Middle Ages. I am not speaking of the marvelous as a fable or
tale, as
something unfeasible, but the marvelous as something that can become
reality.
The foggy Scotland of that time was still far from being a civilized
nation. In
many senses it was still barbarian. Then, in that rough environment a
flower
bloomed, Divine Providence brought to that Island a Princess of the
most
illustrious blood, who had in her the best of Western Civilization.
Furthermore, she herself was a saintly woman, a valiant wife, and a
wonderful
mother who raised her children perfectly, interceded for her people,
and became
known for her constant and generous alms. She also worked miracles.
And she did
all this under the prestige and unction of the royal crown.
This ensemble of facts communicates a message to us: that the
marvelous, the
extraordinary, the stupendous can be realized in this world. This fact
is drawn
from the fullness of that Catholic principle (the axiological
principle) which
says that when everything is ordered, good, true and sublime, it
generates the
realization of the plan of God on this earth.
The life of St. Margaret sends us a message that is the opposite of
the
minimalism sustained by many Catholics of our days. That is to say,
today, when
a person manages to reform and become a little less bad, this is
already
considered a triumph.
In the time of St. Margaret the apostolate was maximalist. The goal
was for the
queens and kings to become nothing less than saints. And, in fact,
many queens,
like St. Margaret of Scotland, were saints and spread the precious
perfume of
Jesus Christ throughout society, creating an atmosphere of the
marvelous in
Catholic Civilization.
We can understand this atmosphere when we consider the medieval
stained glass
windows. When we enter the world portrayed in those stain glass
windows, we see
a Queen presented in a world of multiple brilliant colors-gold, ruby,
emerald.
This gives us an idea of how the medievals used to think about life;
for
instance, the life of St. Margaret of Scotland.
One of the advantages of this search for the marvelous is that it
fills the soul
of the people with what is right. That is, it fills the soul with the
marvelous
world of Our Lord Jesus Christ and its extension into the temporal
sphere.
When such values do not pervade the souls of people, they begin to
travel in the
wrong direction. They start to create idols like movie stars, rock
singers,
football players, and so on, to replace the real models that should be
admired.
We can see how blessed the Middle Ages was with its correct models and
admiration for the marvelous. In the opposite sense, we can see how it
is a
chastisement for us to no longer have them.
We should long for the time when this will be restored, which will be
the Reign
of Mary. Let us pray to St. Margaret of Scotland to help us merit the
coming of
this new marvelous era.
Saint Quote:
"In the Scriptures our people are shown to be made one; so that just
as many
grains collected into one and ground and mingled together, make one
loaf, so in
Christ, who is the heavenly Bread, we know that there is one body, in
which our
whole company is joined and united."
-St. Hilary in the fourth century
Bible Quote
For as in one body we have many members, but all the members have not
the same
office: So we being many, are one body in Christ, and every one
members one of
another. (Rom. 12:4-5)
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THIRTY-ONE DAYS OF PRAYER FOR THE HOLY SOULS
FROM THE PURGATORIAN MANUAL
(Imprimatur 1946)
Sixth Day
THE PAIN OF LOSS
The spiritual suffering, or the pain of loss, is the greatest
pain of
Purgatory, according to the Fathers of the Church. No one can
comprehend the
great suffering of a soul departed, which, in all its ardent desire
for the
highest and only good, sees itself ever repulsed as an object of God's
avenging
justice.
St. Alphonsus writes: "Far greater than the pain of sense in
Purgatory is
that pain which the holy souls must endure in being deprived of the
vision of
God. Because these souls are inflamed, not only with a natural, but
with a
supernatural love of God, they are so vehemently attracted to the
union with
their highest good, that, in being repulsed through their own fault,
they
experience so violent a pain as would kill them instantly if death
were possible
to them." Therefore, says St. Chrysostom, "this pain of being deprived
of God is
a far greater pain for them than the pain of the senses. The fire of
hell
increased a thousand times would not cause them such great suffering
as does
this pain of the loss of God."
Prayer: O God, Father of mercies, grant the ardent desire of the souls
in
Purgatory who yearn to behold Thee. Send down to them Thy holy angel
with the
joyful tidings that the moment of their redemption has come, that
their exile is
ended, and bless them by the perfect union with Thee forever. Through
Christ,
our Lord. Amen.
Special Intercession: Pray for the souls who are punished for their
forgetfulness of the holy Presence of God during their lives.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine
upon them;
may they rest in peace. Amen. (Three times)
Practice: Try to remember at all times the holy Presence of God.
Invocation: My Jesus, mercy!
See 31day prayer at:
http://www.faithfuldeparted.net/prayers.html