Laetare sunday 4th Sunday in Lent

A little light that shines during Lent is Laetare Sunday.

Yesterday was the 4th Sunday in Lent and it is different than the other Sundays in Lent.  It is similar to the the third Sunday of Advent, which we call Gaudete Sunday, that means break.  The fourth Sunday of Lent is also a break in this penitential season, shining a light that we have come so far and we are closer to the day we will rejoice in the Risen Lord. The vestments the priests use on this Sunday are rose colored,  the same as used on Gaudete Sunday. The color rose is a symbol of joy and hope.  You may also find flowers placed on the altar on this particular Sunday. 

Laetare Sunday receives its name from the opening introit of the Mass:

"Laetare, Jerusalem":

Rejoice, O Jerusalem: and come together all you that love her: rejoice with joy, you that have been in sorrow: that you may exult, and be filled from the breasts of your consolation. (Psalm) I rejoiced at the things that were said to me: we shall go into the house of the Lord. Glory be to the Father.

What foods could be considered to fix for our families on this particular Sunday?

From Catholic Cuisine:

http://catholiccuisine.blogspot.com/2009/03/simnel-cake-for-laetare-sunday.html

Laetare Sunday is also known as "Mothering Sunday" because of the Epistle reading that speaks of how not the Jews, but those who come to Christ, regardless of their ancestry, are the inheritors of Abraham's promise. The old practice of visiting the cathedral, or "mother church" of the diocese on this day is another reason for the name. In England, natural mothers are honored today, too, in a manner rather like the American "Mother's Day." Spring bulb flowers (daffodils, for ex.) are given to mothers, and simnel cake is made to celebrate the occasion (this cake has also become an Easter Cake of late, however). The word "simnel" comes from the Latin "simila," a high grade flour." Fish Eaters

Simnel Cake

1 cup margarine, softened
1 cup light brown sugar
4 eggs
1 3/4 cups self-rising flour
1 1/3 cups golden raisins
1 cup dried currants
2/3 cup candied cherries, rinsed, dried and quartered
1/4 cup candied mixed fruit peel, chopped
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons mixed spice 1 pound almond paste
2 tablespoons apricot jam
1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Grease and flour an 8 inch springform pan. Line the bottom and sides of pan with greased parchment paper. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Beat in the flour. Stir in the golden raisins, currants, candied cherries, mixed fruit, lemon zest and mixed spice. Pour 1/2 of batter into prepared pan.

Divide almond paste into 3 equal portions. Roll out 1/3 of the almond paste to an 8 inch circle. Place the circle of almond paste on the cake batter in pan. Cover with remaining cake batter. Bake in the preheated oven for 2 1/2 hours, or until evenly brown and firm to the touch. If the cake is browning too quickly, cover with foil after an hour of baking. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely. Set oven to broil. When the cake has cooled, brush the top with warmed apricot jam. Roll out 1/3 of the almond paste into an 8 inch circle and place on top of cake.

Divide the remaining 1/3 of almond paste into 11 pieces and roll into balls. These represent the 12 Apostles minus Judas. Brush the almond paste on top of cake with beaten egg. Arrange the 11 balls around the outside edge on the top of cake. Brush the balls lightly with egg. Place cake under the broiler for 8 to 10 minutes, or until almond paste is golden brown.


Also from Remnant tv youtube. A very fine homily for this Sunday. 

SUNDAY SERMON: From Luther to Bugnini

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nv7MZlWAUyM



God bless.

Marian Devotions

So recently I have learned a few new things about the Blessed Mother. Different dogmas and Catholic teachings that I had no idea about.

First let me say that a dogma is something the Catholic church teaches and to be Catholic you believe what the Catholic church teaches, so to be Catholic you need to accept the dogmas of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  Now there are four dogmas that the Catholic church teaches in regards to the Blessed Mother:

1) Her Immaculate Conception, 2) Her Perpetual Virginity, 3) Mother of God and 4) Her Glorious Assumption.

Growing up Catholic, we always had a devotion to the Blessed Mother. It was what traditional Catholics did. We prayed the rosary in the car, during danger, and on walks. We had statues of Mary in our home. We made crafts at school with Mary the focus.  It was what we did.

Later in my life due to a lack of catechesis, confusion, curiosity and rebellion, I left the Catholic church and found my self for 12 years in many different protestant churches, anywhere from anabaptist, reformed, restorationists to evangelical. Name a denomination and I at least checked it out.

So when I returned to the Catholic church I just fell right back into Marian devotions. That is what a Catholic does, right, well most Catholics do. I figured if the Catholic church was the one, true Church, and it is, and they said it was okay, it was okay but I didn't really know why. Maybe I knew some. I read Saint Louis de Montforts, True Devotion, which I think I need to pull out and read again. I made a consecration to Jesus through Mary but recently due to some online conversations I felt the need to understand Marian devotion in light of the Catholic church's tradition. So in my search,  I have stumbled upon some videos from Franciscan Friars out of Stuebenville University by Mark Miravelle.  I found them to be very good in explaining Church doctrine and teaching throughout the history of the Church on why we show honor and devotion to the Blessed Mother, and what the Church has always taught, especially in regards to her titles of Advocate, Mediatrix and co-Redemptrix. I will link the video regarding co-Redemptrix below, since that is how my search began,  and then you find there are many more videos.

As far as the title co-Redemptrix, that has yet to be proclaimed as an official title, though the teaching is part of the doctrine of the ordinary magisterium, so even though the Church has has yet to give her that title, we still hold to the teachings that she is co-Redemptrix.

And then, when researching I  cameme to understand that the Catholic church has always had a devotion to the Blessed Mother, honored her and known her to have a unique role in salvation, such as this quote here from St. Irenaeus, “In the same way, Mary, betrothed to a man but nevertheless still a virgin, being obedient, was made the cause of salvation for herself and for the whole human race…Thus, the knot of Eve’s disobedience was loosed by the obedience of Mary. What the virgin Eve had bound in unbelief, the Virgin Mary loosed through faith.” Saint Irenaeus of Lyons, Against Heresies 3, 22.

Watching these videos and hearing peoples arguments against Marian devotion I was then sent to  different Church documents, I  especially searched documents from Vatican II since it seems whenever there are those who are finding devotion to the Blessed Mother difficult they usually call upon anything Vatican II. There are those who see the Church as having started at Vatican II, 1962 and not 33AD. Usually it is the "spirit of Vatican II" speaking through them and not Church teaching.  Many times you will hear comments such as,  you can't live in the past or you are being nostalgic or the great council teaches... I often wonder if people said the same thing to the apostles. You know, things like, "you can't live in the past. Jesus is gone. You twelve are just being nostalgic" so I knew I had to read the particular document Lumen Gentium in regards to the Blessed Mother and yes this is what I found,  "Therefore the Blessed Virgin is invoked by the Church under the titles of Advocate, Auxiliatrix, Adjutrix, and Mediatrix. This, however, is to be so understood that it neither takes away from nor adds anything to the dignity and efficaciousness of Christ the one Mediator" and this "Predestined from eternity by that decree of divine providence which determined the incarnation of the Word to be the Mother of God, the Blessed Virgin was on this earth the virgin Mother of the Redeemer, and above all others and in a singular way the generous associate and humble handmaid of the Lord. She conceived, brought forth and nourished Christ. She presented Him to the Father in the temple, and was united with Him by compassion as He died on the Cross. In this singular way she cooperated by her obedience, faith, hope and burning charity in the work of the Saviour in giving back supernatural life to souls. Wherefore she is our mother in the order of grace."

There is a lot more to the document. That link is below also.

I, also very frequently find Taylor Marshall very informative. I found a post on his blog with Papal quotes and scriptural defenses regarding calling Mary co-Redemptrix.

It seems many times we are quiet about Mary out of fear of offending those who do not know her or understand Marian devotion and her role in everyone's salvation. We should not be offensive to people of course, but if Mary is such an important part of salvation, we should be letting people know who she is. We should be talking more about her and encouraging devotion to her not be quiet out of fear.

Throughout Church history Mary has always brought people closer to Jesus and has never taken anything away from Our Lord. Her goal is to lead us all to God and eternal salvation.

http://taylormarshall.com/2010/03/should-we-call-mary-coredemptrix-part-1.html


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJxVpx-aN88

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5z27PgH0EqE

http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19641121_lumen-gentium_en.html

http://www.fraternitypublications.com/trdetoblvima.html

God bless,

Head covering at Mass

I returned to the Catholic church eight years ago and since returning I have always felt the need to wear a head covering, such as a veil or hat. I wasn't sure at first why but I just felt called to this devotion. It is a practice that has been in the Catholic church since Christ founded the Church on the Rock of Peter and it is a very beautiful devotion that seems to be increasing. 

As many women are being called to cover we are learning that during the 1960's feminists, and we have all seen recently how diabolical feminism is,  encouraged women to throw off the head covering and to stop wearing such a thing that represented submission to a man. I remember this time. I was young and in my early teens but I remember I stopped wearing my veil but Code of Canon law did not change until 1983. That means that from the 1960's until Code of Canon law was changed in 1983,women (including myself) were being just plain disobedient to the Canon law that was in place at that time, the 1917 Code of Canon law, which required women to wear a head covering during Mass.

At the start of my return I would first alternate between veils and sometimes hats or large headbands. I still alternate but I have recently began wearing the veil the most and feeling comfortable with it. I think the reason is because I have noticed more women wearing the veil and I am realizing I am not alone in this devotion.  I am so not someone who likes to stand out in a crowd or be the only one anywhere so I am grateful to see more women covering. Of course, in most parishes that include the Traditional Latin Mass or only have the Traditional Latin Mass you will see most all women wearing veils or scarves.

I live in a small town and there has been an increase in Catholic women wearing some type of head covering during Mass.

My reasoning for covering is because I am in the presence of the Lord and because of 1 Corinthians 11:6-10.  After wearing something over my head for these eight years now, I feel disrespectful and prideful at just the thought of not covering. 

1 Corinthians 11:6 - 10 For if a woman be not covered, let her be shorn. But if it be a shame to a woman to be shorn or made bald, let her cover her head. The man indeed ought not to cover his head, because he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of the man.  For the man is not of the woman, but the woman of the man.  For the man was not created for the woman, but the woman for the man.  Therefore ought the woman to have a power over her head, because of the angels.

If you are considering or feeling called to cover your head in respect of the Lord during Mass perhaps this video will help, probably help more than what I can say.

Also, there is a link below for Veils by Lily, where you can purchase your veil. If you are not ready for a veil, consider a hat, scarf or large headband. 

https://www.veilsbylily.com

Shrove Tuesday and the Holy Face of Jesus devotion

Before Ash Wednesday are two days, Monday and Tuesday, called Shrovetide. As I mentioned under Housewives Corner that this is a time for spring cleaning but more important than cleaning our homes is a time for cleaning our souls.

The word shrove comes from the word shrive meaning, to confess. Now and during the time of Lent is a time for confession, a time to make our hearts and souls right with God. A time to even clean out those venial sins that can grow into something bigger.

Besides confession a little known tradition Catholics would do before Lent when cleaning their homes, would be to do their best to use up foods that they were not able to eat during Lent. Lent used to be a lot stricter than it is today, a lot stricter. 

Of course, the Tuesday before Lent is most well known as Mardi Gras. We all know about Mardi Gras, so I won't go into that here but a couple other names for this day are Fat Tuesday or Pancake Tuesday. Traditionally on this day, Catholics, in preparing for Lent would use up the butter, eggs and fats in their homes.  Having pancakes or waffles for meals were a great way to do that.

In some places in England they would have pancake races, sort of like races where one runs with an egg on a spoon but in this race women would run flipping pancakes. Not sure I could do that.

------------------------

Something more serious that is an important and  interesting part of Shrove Tuesday I just recently heard about is devotion to the Holy Face of Jesus. 

In the 1800's Our Lord appeared to Carmelite nun, Sister Mary of Saint Peter. Our Lord revealed to her the devotion to His Holy Face, saying, “Those who will contemplate the wounds on My Face here on earth shall contemplate it radiant in heaven.”  Devotion to the Holy Face of Jesus is meant to make reparation for the sins of modern disbelievers and to combat Communism. Our Lady of Fatima has warned us that Communism would spread it's errors and it certainly seems like we are seeing a lot of evidence of this in our society today. 

The prayers dedicated to the Holy Face of Jesus are acts of reparation. Reparation for the outrages enacted upon Jesus and His Holy Church.

On April 17th, 1958, His Holiness Pope Pius XII approved the observance of the Feast of the Holy Face of Jesus on Shrove Tuesday.  


There are many prayers dedicated to the Holy Face but one in particular that Our Lord revealed to Sister Mary of St. Peter is called the Golden Arrow prayer. It is a powerful prayer by which a person can "shoot directly into the Heart of God" to heal the wounds inflicted on it by the malice of sinners. She was given a vision in which she saw the Sacred Heart of Jesus wounded by this "Golden Arrow" and streams of graces flowed from It for the conversion of sinners.

"May the Most Holy, Most Sacred, Most Adorable, Most Incomprehensible and Ineffable Name of God be always praised, blessed, loved, adored and glorified in Heaven on earth and under the earth, by all the creatures of God and by the Sacred Heart of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Most Holy Sacrament of the alter. Amen.


Links with more information:

http://www.catholictradition.org/Christ/golden-arrow.htm

http://fisheaters.com/customsseptuagesima2.html

https://carmeloftheholyface.com/sr-mary-of-st-peter

Step by Step Explanation of the Mass

Father Goodwin's spiritual commentary on the Mass.

https://fssp.com/commentary-on-the-mass

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moEZuCa5SyU

Septuagesima Sunday

This past Sunday is Septuagesima Sunday. It is a tradition that has been in the Catholic church since about the 500's.  I, myself, am just coming to understand the meaning and importance of this Sunday and the next two in helping us prepare for Lent.

It was typically a time to "bury the alleluia".  Also, it was a time when the "Gloria" was no longer said during Mass, preparing ourselves for penance, a time of preparation.

Lent used to be a lot harder than it is for us today. We are a generation that finds it difficult to give up, to sacrifice, to do acts of penance because things and food do come easier for us today than they did for our ancestors. We have to work harder to become holier due to the fact that the temptations are much greater for us to slack off in this pursuit.

I hope these links help you understand also, so we all can become holier and closer to Our Lord this Lenten season.

https://www.fisheaters.com/customsseptuagesima1.html

https://liturgyguy.com/2017/02/12/why-we-need-septuagesima/

https://liturgyguy.com/2017/02/12/why-we-need-septuagesima/

Saint Anne and our pursuit to be be godly homemakers.

Saint Anne, the blessed Mother's mother, is the patroness of homemakers and those who love to sew. As a homemaker, it is a good idea to know some of how to sew. I am not saying one needs to be making their own clothing, unless you like to and have the time. Nor am I saying that one who has very small children at home will have a lot of time to do much sewing but as time goes on and children get older or children go off to school it is a good idea for the homemaker to know how to sew. There are many videos and online lessons that are available to partake in today that will help you to know how to become more proficient in this part of homemaking.

Many times today we find ourselves on the computer, spending most of that time on Facebook or Twitter, which can lead to being a waste of time. I am not saying you should not be on either of those at all but it is important to watch our time and use our time productively. It seems today that Facebook and Twitter are becoming more and more of gossip and complaint pages rather than places of social enjoyment.

I, myself am choosing to stop using the computer and internet as a way of wasting my time on Facebook with all of its gossiping and arguing or spending my time hearing all the horrible news out there but instead to improve myself in my care of my home and family.

In Proverbs 31 the godly woman is instructed to:   "put out her hand to strong things, and her fingers have taken hold of the spindle." Douay Rheims Proverbs 31:18

Also we read in Titus 2:  Women are to be discreet, chaste, sober, having a care of the house...

So,  you see it is a good thing, according to Scripture for women to care for their homes and families. It is very lovely to pursue the arts of homemaking, one of which should be having the ability to sew, at least some of the basics. At times it will be more difficult than others because we are always to remember that the people in our homes come first. Their spiritual and temporal needs are most important and should be our top priority.  

Sewing and creating are beneficial endeavors. It is a rewarding and uplifting feeling to make something beautiful. Just as God created the world and then said, "it is good", we too can lovingly create and then step back and say, "it is good". 

Prayer to Saint Anne: 

Dear Saint Anne, we know nothing about you except your name. But you gave us the Mother of God who called herself handmaid of the Lord. In your home you raised the Queen of Heaven and are rightly the model of homemakers. In your womb came to dwell the new Eve uniquely conceived without sin. Intercede for us that we too may remain free from sin. Amen. 

God bless you in your roles as homemakers. I pray that with the help of our Lord and the intercession of Saint Anne you find joy in this endeavor as you work to maintain godly Catholic homes.

Solemnity of the Mary Mother of God

Yesterday was the feast of the Solemnity of the Mother of God. Many who are not Catholic do not understand the beautiful role Mary played and continues to play in our salvation.  That is sad because they are missing out on the relationship with Mary. I was there once, during my protestant years but now I look at things differently.

When coming into Christ we come into a kingdom. He is a king, so He has a kingdom.  In 1 Kings chapter 2 King Solomon sat his mother next to him on his throne, so of course Jesus would do the same with His mother, as it was typical that kings would have their mothers as the queen.

Also, in Ephesians 1:5 the Bible tells us we are adopted into a family. A family.  Who adopts a child and doesn't let them know the rest of the family? Who gets adopted into a family and doesn't have a relationship with all members of the family? Of course, we get to know that family and Christ does the same for us. We are adopted into His family and Mary is the most important saint in that family.

Here in Hebrews it tells us who we are meeting when coming to Christ: Hebrews 12:22-24 - But you are come to mount Sion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to the company of many thousands of angels, And to the church of the firstborn, who are written in the heavens, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of the just made perfect, And to Jesus the mediator of the new testament, and to the sprinkling of blood which speaketh better than that of Abel. DRB.


Isn't that awesome! This is the communion of the saints. Our relationship with Christ isn't a me and Jesus all by ourselves but we have a huge family. Again, Hebrews 12:  therefore we also having so great a cloud of witnesses over our head. 


The last thing I want to mention is that in the traditional calendar of the Catholic church, we celebrate the circumcision of Our Lord. 

These two feasts fit perfectly together. As Christ was circumcised it shows an obedience to the law. Christ Himself obeyed the law and so does His Mother.  Because of her fiat, her obedience to God and His will she became the Mother of God. She cared for Jesus and ensured that as a baby He was circumcised on the eighth day according to the Jewish law at that time.  Mary followed the law that was given by God. She was faithful. Christ continued to obey the laws in His life. We are to follow their example and follow the laws given to us in the New Testament and we know and learn of these laws in the Catholic church. We work to be obedient to the three pillars of our Church: the Bible, Tradition, Magisterium. Mary was obedient and so is Blessed among women and is the Mother of God.
Let us strive to know our Catholic faith but when we fail and sin, and we all sin, we are blessed to have such a great sacrament, in this wonderful Church, a place of forgiveness; the sacrament of Penance.May I suggest reading and studying from the Baltimore Catechism. It is straight and to the point and easy to understand in learning the faith.

Ask Jesus to lead you to His Mother Mary. She will in turn lead you ever so closer to Christ. It is a most beautiful relationship. To Jesus through Mary.