Skip to main content

FSSPX.News: The Assumption of our Lady - A glimpse of the goal

 +
JMJ

I believe that Our Lady is the key to emerging from this crisis. 

Happy Feast Day!!!

P^3

 Courtesy of FSSPX.News

Our life is often adrift; we lack the clear sense of direction that ought to permeate our whole routine and direct all our thoughts, words and deeds toward this overarching goal, like iron filings to a magnet.

After all, the final cause in philosophy, the purpose and destination of a thing, is the “cause of causes” (causa causarum), which comes at the conclusion when it is realized yet shapes and orders the entire existence of a thing as its fundamental intention.

Now, Mary’s Assumption into heaven takes up this place in our lives. Of course, in this regard we should speak first about Christ’s Ascension, but Mary’s Assumption is closer to us, because Christ, being God, is always with the Father and His Ascension constitutes the logical conclusion of His mission in the world.

In Mary’s case, however, this is the final glorification of God’s gift of grace to the world and thus most similar to our goal as the perfection of the gifts of grace.

Therefore, although in this valley of tears we suffer from the consequences of our exile and are often on the brink of being shattered, the beaming figure of the Immaculata stands unceasingly before us, as she enters eternity and thus keeps before our eyes the purpose of our whole pilgrimage.

Fr. Otto Cohausz, a great marian theologian writes: “It must have been a wonderful moment, when Mary arose from the grave with her body glorified by her soul, which was filled with light and grace, and soared aloft to heaven.

“Since God appointed the angels to the service of men, since the Church prays for everyone whom she carries to the grave: ‘May the angels lead you on high with Lazarus to Abraham’s bosom,’ and since angels were at Mary’s side during the major events of her life—the Annunciation and the Birth of her Son in Bethlehem—, we can assume that Christ sent whole choirs of angels to greet His Mother at the crowning conclusion of her life, to welcome her as queen and to escort her in honor.”

Likewise, St. Thomas of Villanova states: “What must the holy angels have felt when they saw Mary from afar in her radiant glory? Did they not cry out in astonishment with the choir of virgins, “Who is she that comes forth like the morning rising, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, terrible as an army set in battle array”?

“And what answer was given to them? This is the Temple of God, the Sanctuary of the Holy Ghost, this is the altar of atonement, the Ark of the Covenant, the Mother of God, the Bride of God, the Daughter of God, our mother and yours (sermo in festum assumptionis, cap. 3).”

Father Cohausz concludes: “But do we really believe that Christ sent only a delegation to greet His Mother? If He Himself comes to the deathbed of every believer in Holy Viaticum, in order to lead him home, can we not suppose that He Himself was present now, at the entrance of His Mother, Bride and Companion, hastening with the angels to greet her?

“But who could describe the joy of their encounter, the jubilation of both? What a compensation for the earlier, sorrowful meeting along the way of the cross! Then she was alone and abandoned, immersed in a sea of sufferings, brutally torn from the arms of her Son; now she is coming up from the desert, overflowing with delights, leaning upon her Beloved Son (cf. Canticle of Canticles 8:5): this is how Mary goes up to heaven as Queen.”

The goal of our life is a participation in this triumph of Mary. Keeping this before our eyes gives us hope and joy in this hopeless, joyless world.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Curious Case of Steve Skojec and the Dangers of Deep Diving into the Crisis Sub-Titled: The Failings of Others

 + JMJ It's been a while now since Steve Skojec sold 1P5 and abandoned the Catholic Faith. I've been a 'Trad' since 1982 and in those 40+ years I seen this death-spiral before with a similar end point. It seems that anyone who jumps into the fray unprepared for the enormous task of righting wrongs will, eventually, become discouraged by not the task but the people who surround them.   I remember when Skojec complained of the treatment his family received from a traditional priest.  This seems to have been the start of the end for him. So what can we learn from the likes of Steve Skojec, Michael Voris (maybe?), Louie Verrecchio, Gerry Matatix and other celebrity Catholics? Probably quite a lot about what not to do. First, don't burn out on the crisis?  When you burn out, on work or anything else, little things assume a more greater importance than they are due.   This is one of my 'canary in the coal mine' signals that I've been stretching myself too thin

Morning and Evening and other sundry Prayers

+ JMJ Along the theme of P^3 (Prayer, Penance, Patience), and for my own reference ... here is a collection of Morning and Evening prayers from the Ideal Daily Missal along with some additional prayers. In this crisis of the Church, I do not think it is possible to do too much prayer, penance and have patience. P^3

Comparision of the Tridentine, Cranmer and Novus Ordo Masses

+ JMJ I downloaded the comparison that was linked in the previous article on the mass (here) . ... a very good reference! P^3 From: Whispers of Restoration (available at this link) . CHARTING LITURGICAL CHANGE Comparing the 1962 Ordinary of the Roman Mass to changes made during the Anglican Schism; Compared in turn to changes adopted in the creation of Pope Paul VI’s Mass in 1969 The chart on the reverse is a concise comparison of certain ritual differences between three historical rites for the celebration of the Catholic Mass Vetus Ordo: “Old Order,” the Roman Rite of Mass as contained in the 1962 Missal, often referred to as the “Traditional Latin Mass.”The Ordinary of this Mass is that of Pope St. Pius V (1570) following the Council of Trent (1545-63), hence the occasional moniker “Tridentine Mass.” However, Trent only consolidated and codified the Roman Rite already in use at that time; its essential form dates to Pope St. Gregory the Great (+604), in whose time the R

What the heck is a congregation of "Pontifical Right"

+ JMJ In a discussion with a friend the question occurred to me that I didn't actually know was is involved in being a religious order of 'pontifical right'. I had a vague notion that this meant they reported to Rome as opposed to the local diocese. I'm also aware that, according to the accounts I have heard, the Archbishop received 'praise' and the written direction to incardinate priests directly into the SSPX.  This is interesting because it implies that the SSPX priests were no longer required to incardinate in the local diocese but in the SSPX. This is something that belongs to an order of 'pontifical right'. Anyway here's some definitions: Di diritto pontificio is the Italian term for “of pontifical right” . It is given to the ecclesiastical institutions (the religious and secular institutes, societies of apostolic life) either created by the Holy See or approved by it with the formal decree, known by its Latin name, Decretu