Our Blessed Mother's Children
 
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     If I were to be "politically and liturgically" correct I should say "Happy New Year!" since we have begun the new liturgical year.  I would have rather given you a taped message rather than typed but since I sound like I have a frog in my throat I thought it better to do it this way. 
     Advent is such a beautiful and wonderful season to contemplate the celebration of Christ's birth as well as His Second Coming.  It is such a short and busy season since we find ourselves spending extra time trying to buy presents, set up and decorate the tree, send out cards, plan and attend some Christmas parties and school concerts.  Along with some added stress we may find ourselves so wrapped up in the externals that we forget the internal preparation of the season. 
     The Church gives us the opportunity to "slow down" and to take a look at how we are preparing for both His Second Coming and the celebration of His birth.  The Gospel which we heard yesterday really didn't seem like "Good News" or give us a "warm and fuzzy" feeling.  The signs sound rather frightening and give us the images of horrendous situations but then Jesus tells us that is when we know that our redemption is close at hand and we should stand erect with our heads held high.  Now, if we are in "right standing" with the Lord then we shouldn't have a problem but if we have missed the mark we may feel differently. 
     We are surrounded by signs.  Look at the advertisements that were in the newspaper the day before Thanksgiving.  These were announcements of what sales would be taking place very early on Friday morning.  Look at the preparation that people put themselves through in making sure to get up early so that they could be in line for a particular item.  The funny thing but yet sad is that I don't see people doing that when it comes to the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  The fact is. . .there are NO lines because only a few are taking the time seriously to make themselves right with the Lord.  I am not nor have ever been a gambler and I certainly wouldn't want to start using my life and perhaps losing eternity over it!  Speaking about signs, have you ever looked at the messages on the billboards along the interstates and roadways.  What if there was one that had a picture of Jesus on along with a date of his coming. . .would anyone see it and if they did what would they do?
     The Church once again gives us the opportunity and to slow down so that we can prepare in Joyful Expectation of celebrating His birth and His Second Coming.  I don't know about you. . .but I don't want to stay here forever. . .I do want Him to come and I do want to stay with Him for all eternity.  Come Lord Jesus!
 
 

O Blessed Virgin Mary, who can worthily give you the just dues of praise and thanksgiving, you who by the wondrous assent of your will rescued a fallen world? What songs of praise can our weak human nature recite in your honor, since it is by your intervention alone that it has found the way to restoration?

Accept, then, such poor thanks as we have to offer here, though they be unequal to your merit; and, receiving our vows, obtain by your prayers the remission of our offenses. Carry our prayers within the sanctuary of the heavenly audience and bring forth the gift of our reconciliation.

Take our offering, grant us our requests, obtain pardon for what we fear, for you are the sole hope of sinners. Holy Mary, help the miserable, strengthen the fainthearted, comfort the sorrowful, pray for your people, plead for the clergy, intercede for all women consecrated to God.

Be ever ready to assist us when we pray and bring back to us the answers to our prayers. Make it your continual care to pray for the people of God, you who, blessed by God, merited to bear the Redeemer of the world who lives and reigns, world without end. Amen.
                                   St. Augustine of Hippo
 
 
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"Dear children! In this time of grace I call you all to renew prayer in your families. Prepare yourselves with joy for the coming of Jesus. Little children, may your hearts be pure and pleasing, so that love and warmth may flow through you into every heart that is far from His love. Little children, be my extended hands, hands of love for all those who have become lost, who have no more faith and hope. Thank you for having responded to my call."
Fr. Neil's Reflection on the Monthly Message
 
 
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http://www.marys-touch.com/Saints/medal/medal.htm
 
 
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“Pray for priests. My Son gave them to you as a gift. ”
Included in message of May 2, 2008
"If a Catholic priest wants to be faithful, mature and authentic, he has to live out his life rooted in the One who has called him. All of the traditional support for priestly life is gone.

Most priests have no support from their bishop. Most priests have to stay away from the very people they need to be close to; i.e., their brother priests. Many times priests are persecuted by their parishioners, too. However, true priests will find solace in a deep friendship with Jesus and comfort provided by a few faithful parishioners."
Rev. James Farfaglia   Man to Man: A Real Priest Speaks to Real Men about Marriage, Sexuality and Family Life.
 
 
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A few months ago I came across a book that I COULD NOT put down.  It kept my interest from beginning to end and is a pure delight whether you have a devotion to the Mother of God or not.  With the times that we are living in this is a book that fits in perfectly with the movies, television shows, and books that deal with the end of the world.  Kelly Bowring brings us through the messages of Our Blessed Mother throughout history which challenges us to see if we are really spirtually ready or not.  Do yourself a favor and get this book.  I promise you will not be disappointed.

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012movie/apocalyptic/prweb3201634.htm
 
 
 "Christ wants you to introduce Mary into your whole life, into your most intimate interior experiences. He wants you to imitate her in the best possible way. Then you will become strong with the power of her Son."
(In the Arms of Mary, p. 162)



 
 
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Mary’s presentation was celebrated in Jerusalem in the sixth century. A church was built there in honor of this mystery. The Eastern Church was more interested in the feast, but it does appear in the West in the 11th century. Although the feast at times disappeared from the calendar, in the 16th century it became a feast of the universal Church. As with Mary’s birth, we read of Mary’s presentation in the temple only in apocryphal literature. In what is recognized as an unhistorical account, the Protoevangelium of James tells us that Anna and Joachim offered Mary to God in the Temple when she was three years old. This was to carry out a promise made to God when Anna was still childless.

Though it cannot be proven historically, Mary’s presentation has an important theological purpose. It continues the impact of the feasts of the Immaculate Conception and of the birth of Mary. It emphasizes that the holiness conferred on Mary from the beginning of her life on earth continued through her early childhood and beyond.

It is sometimes difficult for modern Westerners to appreciate a feast like this. The Eastern Church, however, was quite open to this feast and even somewhat insistent about celebrating it. Even though the feast has no basis in history, it stresses an important truth about Mary: From the beginning of her life, she was dedicated to God. She herself became a greater temple than any made by hands. God came to dwell in her in a marvelous manner and sanctified her for her unique role in God's saving work. At the same time, the magnificence of Mary enriches her children. They, too, are temples of God and sanctified in order that they might enjoy and share in God's saving work.
http://www.americancatholic.org