Our Lady of Ashes

Almighty God, Omnipotent and Infinitely Wise, had to choose his Mother. What would you have done, if you had had to choose yours? I think that you and I would have chosen the mother we have, filling her with all graces. That is what God did. —St. Josemaria Escriva

(1) There is no reason that Holiness cannot be the next worldwide revolution. St. Francis was one man whose holiness inspired a whole continent. What could God do with a small group of men and women today who wholeheartedly abandoned themselves to His will in a similar spirit? (2) The only thing standing between myself and holiness is myself. But I can never overcome myself; after all, I know all my own moves ... Miserable one that I am! Who will deliver me from this mortal body? [ Rom 7:15-24 ] But what if the antagonist-self, faced not protagonist-self, but Christ? What if I crucified myself with Christ so that it was no longer I, but Christ in me? [ Gal 2:19-20 ] Surely He who has conquered and overcome the world [ Jn 16:33 ] can conquer antagonist-me. So, Foolish Self, pick up your cross and follow Him whose victory over sin has swallowed up death and gives the victory to us [ 1 Cor 15:54-57 ] victory over self, victory over the world, and whose reward is Holy Beati...

by Fabricio Mora The Pilgrim's Religious Reflections CCC ¶ 1691 "Christian, recognize your dignity and, now that you share in God's own nature, do not return to your former base condition by sinning. Remember who is your head and of whose body you are a member. Never forget that you have been rescued from the power of darkness and brought into the light of the Kingdom of God." [St. Leo the Great] The quote from St. Leo that begins Part III of the Catechism: Life in Christ   contains powerful language and inspiring phrases: "recognize your dignity" "share in God's own nature" "base condition" "rescued from the power of darkness" "the light of the Kingdom of God." This kind of language catches the mind and lifts it up when really listened to. 

[Christ] is seated  at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the sanctuary and the true tent which is set up not by man but by the Lord. For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; hence it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer. Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law. They serve a copy and shadow of he heavenly sanctuary. — Heb 8:1-5 In the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. — Mat 22:30 There seems to me a powerful link here between the reading from Hebrews in today's Office of Readings and Matthew 22 that speaks to priestly celibacy, and I offer a few off the cuff reflections.

In which the Pilgrim seeks out the Lamp-bearer of the Virtues—Prudence—to be his unerring guide and friend along the way. For everything there is a season, and time for every matter under heaven. —Ecclesiastes 3:1, from the Readings for Friday of the 25th Week of the Year

In which the pilgrim on this, the Feast of Our Lady of Ransom , considers the price paid for his soul, the joy of Mary's intercessory aide, and what it might mean to be a slave of Christ and a son of God. Grant, we pray, almighty God, that your faithful, who rejoice under the patronage of the most holy Virgin Mary, may be freed by her motherly intercession from all evils on earth and merit the attainment of eternal joys in heaven. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. —Collect from the Commons of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Ordinary Time

Simeon said to Mary: Behold, this child is destined for the ruin and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign of contradiction; and your own soul a sword will pierce. —Cf. Lk 2: 34-35, Introit, Our Lady of Sorrows In which the pilgrim lets St Bernard of Clairvaux say almost all that needs to be said ...

In which the pilgrim addresses those who consider leaving the Catholic Church. Darling you gotta let me know  Should I stay or should I go?  If you say that you are mine  I'll be here til the end of time  So you got to let know  Should I stay or should I go? —The Clash, " Should I Stay or Should I Go? "

I need to go to Reconciliation; to be restored to a state of grace, first and foremost, but also frequently, to be strengthened by its Sacramental Grace. But I need time in prayer asking guidance of disposition, for Confession is a sacrament that I have trouble with. Not in general: it is one of the most theologically beautiful of God's gifts to us--perhaps the most tangible sign of God's loving hand as Father of the Prodigal Son, who must chastise and teach His children to grow in virtue but also celebrate their return to his arms. No, my trouble with the Sacrament stems from a block internal, and in part external, that keeps me from experiencing Confession as sacrament and rite, but as a chore.

I'm currently reading The Discovery of Heaven  by Harry Mulisch, a wonderfully broad and rambling novel. In it, one of the principal characters, Max, is teasing a former art history student and what follows is an interesting exposition on perspective and eternity in medieval art ... "Perhaps we should see everything in perspective." [said Max.] "What perspective?" "Eternity." This time she seemed to understand him even better than he had intended. She turned onto her stomach and said didactically: "Eternity and perspective are incompatible. Shall I tell you something, Dutch Max? Perspective was discovered int he fifteenth century. Up till then God had always fitted very naturally into the space of the painting, a Madonna and child for example, but that space itself was unnatural. He simply sat on a throne in the blue sky, above the Madonna, with some circles and stars around him; or on the left you had St. Dionysius wearing an elegant mit...

“Suppose that a great commotion arises in the street about something, let us say a lamp-post, which many influential persons desire to pull down. A grey-clad monk, who is the spirit of the Middle Ages, is approached upon the matter, and begins to say, in the arid manner of the Schoolmen, ‘Let us first of all consider, my brethren, the value of Light. If Light be in itself good—‘ At this point he is somewhat excusably knocked down. All the people make a rush for the lamp-post, the lamp-post is down in ten minutes, and they go about congratulating each other on their unmediaeval practicality. But as things go on they do not work out so easily. Some people have pulled the lamp-post down because they wanted the electric light; some because they wanted old iron; some because they wanted darkness, because their deeds were evil. Some thought it not enough of a lamp-post, some too much; some acted because they wanted to smash municipal machinery; some because they wanted to smash something....

Song of the Tendency In the infinite longing Through which I come to Thee I know Thee As the eternal love that breathes me in And draws my soul to Thee. Thou dividest me from me My soul strives to quit me I am lost in Thy charity I am but nothingness which loves. In the heart, the captive of Thy invisible hand, Thy flaming secrets seem to part half-open; All our senses – useless outpaced servants – Seek after sleep to be more thoroughly Thine. And yet I wake – watching for Thee to pass, My spirit tends to Thee who can alone fill it, To seize Thee I have only the touch of the soul And this love, this love which binds me. Sometimes to bear the weight of Thy presence, My wailing breath breaks into a chant A strange melody, song of the tendency To Thee of whom I have a mysterious cognition More certain than my life. – Raissa Maritain

I suspect the angels were once again in a state of unknowing, as they had never been, that an expectant hush fell over heaven in anticipation of what God would do next ... and then in the pregnant pause, the subtle whispered voice of the Holy Spirit: "Watch this."

Walking for me is a form of prayer, that if neglected leaves the rest of my prayer life anemic. At the monastery, I took long ambling walks all over the monastery's farmland and sometimes along the country roads running through the surrounding country side. These were times of powerful talks with God, frank conversations of hopes and frustrations. But they were also just times of peace and enjoyment, being connected with God's creation.

Today is  Wednesday of Holy Week , which in some places is known as Spy Wednesday, as today's Mass readings highlight Judas's betrayal of Jesus. These readings prefigure the Church Militant's composition of saints and sinners, virtues and flaws.