Our Lady of…

Apparitions of Our Lady

We place great admiration and reverence in the Blessed Mother of Jesus.  If through our baptism we are born again in Christ, then she, indeed, is the Mother of us all. Mary has always been a mediator for us and has appeared a number of times on earth. These apparitions have been to warn, console, strongly criticize, exhort and encourage us to change our ways of living. As our own mothers would help us, Mary helps the world in times of need and shows us what must be done. Her guidance, her urging us to pray the rosary, her encouragement, should not be taken lightly.

The following is a list of some of the better known apparitions of the Blessed Mother. Those that are listed are shown from the oldest to the most recent. I think it noteworthy to mention that the last three have taken place in the 1900’s. Without trying to be an alarmist, I do feel that Mary is telling us something extremely urgent. Her messages are becoming more frequent and more specific in content. To learn a little bit more about each of these apparitions, visit the Work of God Website^-1. (If you do go, make sure you read the three messages of Our Lady in the Akita apparition, especially the last message.)

Guadalupe… Mexico in 1531 to an Indian, Juan Diego.
LaSalette…France in 1846 to Melanie Mathieu and Maximin Giraud
Lourdes…. France in 1858 to Bernadette Soubirous (age 14)
Fatima… Portugal  in 1917 to Lucia (9), Francisco (8) and Jacinta (6)
Zeitoun…Egypt in 1968 to Muslim Farouk Mohammed Atwa
Akita…Japan in 1973 to Sr. Agnes Katsuko Sasagawa

There are many other times that Mary has come to tell mankind something. The important fact to remember in all of these is that Mary is mother to us all. The fact that she gives the message to someone in France, or Portugal, in Egypt or Mexico reasserts her motherhood of all peoples. The fact, to which country she chose to deliver it, is totally unimportant. To let the country be a distraction to you, so much so that you ignore the message, not only is foolhardy, but does a disservice to Our Lady.

-1  http://www.theworkofgod.org/Aparitns/Aparitns.htm

…The Father Almighty…

Joseph and Jesus

(2^nd in a series of a presentation on The Apostles Creed)

We call God, a Father. What is a father, fatherhood? Yes, a father brings his children into the world, but this is merely a biological function. The real meaning of fatherhood is derived from the relationship existing between father and child. He fiercely protects and stands by his offspring. He works diligently, in so many ways, so that his children will have food, clothing and a roof over their head. He is attentive to his children’s needs and is always nearby to assist them. All of this flows out of his love for that which he brought into the world and for whom he has responsibility.

It is in this fashion, but so very much more, we call God our heavenly Father. The first line of William Wordsworth’s, Ecclesiastical Sonnets. XXI, reads “Father – to God himself we cannot give a holier name…” In Christianity, God is called Father because of the Father-Son relationship, as well as the qualities of being creator, law-giver, and protector. If the qualities we mentioned above depict what a human father is on earth. How much more so does God reflect these qualities?  This sentiment is fully contained in Matthew, chapter 6, verse 26:
“Look at the birds in the sky. They do not sow or reap or gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they are?

Our Father in Heaven, He is always with us, always caring for us, what a wonderful realization to have. We know He is watching over us, and is attentive to our needs. Why then, do we worry so? Were we worried as children, when we crossed a street, while holding our father’s hand? When we were awakened at night by a strange noise, weren’t we comforted because our father was nearby? To whom did we go when we had a problem, that we were afraid to tell mom? Wasn’t it dad?

Why do we concern ourselves about our security, our health, our stature, our complexion? All of these fade into insignificance when we realize that God, our Father, is with us, is looking out for us. Have we forgotten that God IS nearby? Have we overlooked the fact that He loves us more than we can possibly imagine?  Or, do we know He is near us, but don’t trust Him? We don’t trust that we will like, or agree with, His determination of what is best for us. Maybe we are afraid that once we give up our will and accept what He thinks is best for us, we will never be happy again.

Whatever our concern is, we must re-establish our relationship with God, the Father. We must, like little children, hold His hand when crossing the streets in our life. When we are frightened by the onslaughts of life, we must look to Him and see the calm in His eye. He has not left us. We have wandered from Him. The Gospel in today’s Mass has two lines that are appropriate to this:

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind…”                 goto next segment>>

-1  Matthew 22: 36-37

 

Weddings: Their Joys and Sorrows

His Gentle Love

Weddings are such special events, and they affect everyone who has the joy of attending. Those who are already married, find themselves thinking back to their own marriage beginnings. They remember their ceremony, their feelings of love and their intentions. The wedding provides for them, a time to remember and renew.

Those not married find themselves caught up in the festivities, the music and the solemnity of the occasion, and, they cannot help but rejoice with the new couple and wish them well.

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of attending a most beautiful wedding and reception. Everything about it was so well-planned, the slightest details were so perfectly executed that you knew the couple put themselves, their feelings, their emotions into the preparations. In short, the beauty of the couple’s souls, were laid bare, so that everyone could experience the joy, the love that they had for each other.

The parents of the bridal couple always have mixed emotions. They are happy for their son or daughter. They rejoice with them and wish for them every joy and happiness. And yet, with their own hearts brimming with joy, they feel a tug, a concern deep within. They want everything to be perfect for them, and know that life, at times, is not perfect. Will they be able to handle it? What did we not explain to them? What can we do, now to help them? These thoughts filter in, and mingle with their joys. And so, what should be a time for sheer joy and happiness, for the parents, becomes tinged with concerns and worry.

To this our faith helps us. We know the parable of the Good Shepherd. We know that Christ is the Good Shepherd. He watches over us with gentle care. He stays with us, without our even knowing that He is there. He respects our free will, allowing us to live our lives in the manner that we choose. He is always there ready to help us, but He waits for our invitation, our request for His help. His gentle guidance, His graces, they do not overwhelm.

The parents, in their growth in faith, must try to resemble Christ. As parents of the wedding couple, two days, two months, two years, two decades down the road, they must continue to strive to be like the Good Shepherd. Yes, at times they will worry, they will hurt and they will agonize over what they should do. Like Christ, they can love, they can gently guide by their own example. They cannot intrude, nor invade the couple’s lives. They must be strong enough to let the young grow.

Parenthood and My Dad

Today is my father’s birthday. If he were alive, he would be 102 years old.