Dear friends, I wish to share below some paragraphs from a chapter on Christmas Eve & Day of Rev.Fr. Goffine’s book :The Church’s Year; it could be to many a refresher on what Christmas is about which will to some degree help us to strengthen our faith in these times of trials, we have been facing this year and the coming years yet to come. It is in the hope to provide courage to those who need it especially when many of us are deprived of Masses but fear not as the many good priests we know and who know us are praying for us at the many Masses said around the world, although in private, and we should unite spiritually as we offer ourselves in prayers, especially making a daily spiritual communion with Our Lord. It is important that we continue to sanctify our souls despite of being deprived of the Blesses Sacrament. Let us keep feeding your souls with spiritual food through reading and praying as we need all the strength and help for perseverance. Let us take the advice from what Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò who said most recently: …” let us make holy resolutions for the coming year and free ourselves from all affection for what offends God.” Let us all strive to be holy, as it is through holiness that we can reach heaven, our true home. COLLECT: O God, who makest us rejoice in the yearly expectation of the feast of our redemption: grant, that we who cheerfully receive Thy only-begotten Son as a Redeemer, may behold without fear the same Lord Jesus Christ, coming as our judge. Through our Lord.
CHRISTMAS DAY What is Christmas Day? It is the day on which Christ Jesus, our Redeemer, was born of the Blessed Virgin in a stable at Bethlehem. Why is this festival called "the Holy Night"? Because this night has been especially blessed and sanctified by the holy, mysterious birth of the Redeemer of the world. Why do priests say three Masses on this day? In commemoration of the threefold birth of the Redeemer: of His birth from all eternity in the bosom of His Heavenly Father; of His birth in the fullness of time; and of His spiritual birth in the hearts of the faithful who, by lively faith in Him, receive the power to become children of God (Jn. 1:12). Why is the first Mass said at midnight? Because Christ, the true light which came into the world to enlighten those who sat in darkness and the shadow of death, that is, of unbelief and of sin (Lk. 1:79), was born at night, and because the divine birth is incomprehensible to us. Why is the next Mass said at daybreak, and the third after sunrise? To signify that the birth of Christ, expelling the darkness of ignorance and infidelity, brought us the clear daylight of the knowledge of God, and that the spiritual birth of Christ can take place at any time in the pure soul. When does this spiritual birth take place? It takes place when the soul, having been cleansed from all sin, makes the firm, unalterable resolution to die to the world and all carnal desires, and arouses in itself the ardent desire henceforth to live only for Christ, and, by His grace, to practice all virtues. In what special manner has the grace and goodness of God been manifested to us? In the incarnation and birth of Christ, His Son, whom, in His infinite love, He has made like unto us, our brother and our teacher, by whom we have become children of God, and co-heirs of His kingdom. What does Christ by His incarnation desire to teach us especially? That we should put aside all unrighteousness, all infidelity and injustice, and endeavor to become like unto Him, who, except in sin, has become altogether like unto us. But especially that we repress the desires of lust, wealth, and honor, and not rest until we have rooted them from our hearts. How do we live soberly, justly, and godly? We live soberly, when we fulfill all duties towards ourselves; justly, when we fulfill all duties towards our neighbor; and godly, when we fulfill all duties to God. Why, at the time of Augustus, were all the Roman subjects enrolled? This happened by a special ordinance of God, that by this enrollment Mary and Joseph should be obliged to go to Bethlehem, that it might be made known to the world that Christ was really born at Bethlehem, of the tribe of Juda, and the house of David, and that He was the Messiah who had been foretold by the prophets (Mich. 5:2). Let us learn from this how the providence of God directs all things according to His will, and consider the obedience which Mary rendered to the command of a heathen emperor, or rather to God who caused the command. Why is Christ called the "first-born" of Mary? Because she gave birth to no child before Him; she bore none after Him, He was the only son of Mary, as He was the only-begotten Son of the Heavenly Father. Why was Christ born in such poverty? To teach us not by words but by example that which He afterwards so often preached and forcibly taught, namely: the love of poverty, the practice of humility and patience with contempt of the world, and also to confound by His humble birth the foolish wisdom of the world which seeks only honors, pleasures and riches. Why was the birth of Christ announced to poor shepherds, and not to King Herod and the chief priests? That it might be known that God loves to dwell with poor, simple, pious, faithful people, such as the shepherds were, and reveals Himself to those who are little in their own eyes (Mt. 11:25), while He despises the proud and leaves them over to their own spiritual blindness. Let us learn from this to acquire simplicity and humility, and despise pride and cunning, that God may reveal Himself to us by His interior inspirations. What is meant by the angelic song of praise: "Glory be to God on high"? By this song of praise which the priests usually say in the Mass is meant that the greatest praise and the most heartfelt thanks are due to God for having sent His Son into the world; and that those who have the good will to glorify God by all their actions, will receive peace, that is, all happiness, blessings, and salvation. Rejoice with the angels over the birth of the Savior, return thanks to God, and honor Him alone in all things, that you may have that peace: peace with God, peace with yourself and peace with all men. Learn also from the angels, who rejoiced in the graces which man would receive from the birth of Christ, to rejoice, and thank God for the favors which He gives your neighbor, and by rejoicing participate in them. ASPIRATION: Blessed art Thou, O new-born Savior, who hast descended from on high to teach me the ways of justice, hast become man and equal to me. In return for this goodness of Thine, I renounce all evil, all sinful desires, words, and deeds. In return for Thy love, I will ever uproot from my heart all carnal desires, and always live soberly, justly, and godly; do Thou by Thy grace, strengthen me in this resolve. Matthew 6:22-23; 22. The light of thy body is thy eye. If thy eye be single, thy whole body shall be lightsome (full of light). 23. But if thy eye be evil thy whole body shall be darksome (of darkness). If then the light that is in thee, be darkness: the darkness itself how great shall it be! With reference to the above, I hope that this post would be a good refresher for many of us especially among the youth or it could be “new knowledge” for some young folks, who are ignorant of this fact or maybe they have never even heard of it i.e. that our eyes are the windows to our souls. How true this is and how little we do to prevent our souls from being affected. It is obviously evident that in our world, there are many things published or done that very much appeals to our visual senses, especially through the media, the internet, and the often distracting or alluring contents accessible via mobile devices that many of us “cling” to. Not to mention the excessive amount of impure and vile content easily available at a click or touch of one’s finger. This has been building up over the past decades and has become so common around us that it seems to be “normal”; and that we have become accustom to what’s going on, even forgetting how morally wrong they are, how these are all poisoning our lives and destroying our souls, and drawing us away from our goal on earth, which is doing what we must to save our souls. We have been influenced or lulled into forgetting that purity and holiness are precious to God and tantamount to our salvation. Anyway you know what I am referring to and I hope that you will appreciate, as I did, the following which reminds us of the consequences of our actions and may it possibly be a guide to lead us back on the right track to saving one’s soul. Many youths are ignorant or are in denial of the need to save their souls as they are so caught up in this world to gratify their senses while they still live, not even considering life after death. It saddens me when I consider the young children who are growing up being easily influenced with what is going on around them, as parents are taking things for granted. Many need guidance so it would be good to share this little chapter below to young people you know for their awareness. From the Young Man’s Guide Chapter 63: The enemy in Your Eyes. 1. Sight is one of the greatest blessings which God has bestowed upon His creatures. The unfortunate man who has lost this precious gift, and is on this account doomed to spend his days in perpetual darkness, can alone appreciate its value aright. 2. And yet in the case of how many persons would it not be the greatest benefit, and save them from eternal perdition, if they were to lose their bodily sight. To such individuals one might say what St. Severinus once said to a monk who implored him to ask of God the restoration of his sight. “My son”, he said, “do not trouble yourself about the eyes of your body, but rather about those of your soul.” To many young persons the saying of the prophet is applicable: “Death is come up through the windows (the eyes), it is entered into our house (the soul).” The enemy of purity enters into the human heart through the eye. 3. With what did the first sin begin in paradise? With a longing look Eve gazed at the luscious fruit which hung on the forbidden tree; that look excited a wish to taste the fruit; she yielded to the wish, gathered and ate the forbidden fruit, and gave some of it to her husband; thus was the first sin committed. And if at a period when as yet no evil concupiscence has stirred within the human breast, the eyes could work irretrievable ruin, how great, how terrible must be the result after the fall, when the enemy in our eyes works with concert with the enemy in our heart! When we see what came of a mere love for eating we may judge what a much stronger passion will do - unchaste, sensual desire kindled by bold, unguarded glances and suffered to burst into fierce flames. 3. Experience teaches that unchaste looks very frequently lead men to a terrible end. We find examples of this in Holy Scripture. The proximate cause of David’s sad fall was a bold and a sinful look; with this look, the entire edifice of his virtue crumbled away, all his good resolutions were rendered null and void, and he, the man after God's own heart, became a murderer and an adulterer. Putiphar’s wife cast unchaste glances upon Joseph, committed adultery in her heart, and would fain have sinned in act as well as in desire.
Yet should we turn to olden times in order to illustrate our meaning when our own daily observation furnishes only too many melancholy examples of the truth of our assertion?
O Youth, preserve an undimmed eye And keep thy heart without a stain; The undimmed eye can look on high, The unstained heart will peace attain. |
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AuthorAn artist, entrepreneur, a loving family man, 30 years a Catholic traditionalist upholding traditions for the love of God. Shop for Catholic giftsArchives
January 2024
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