As most of you know, I've had a difficult relationship with my earthily mother and this has been one of the reasons why I have such a devotion to Our Blessed Mother. I've been praying a lot for her recently, and on this feast of Our Lady's Nativity, I'd like you also, to pray for my earthily mother's conversion.
How lovely to hear of a son praying for the conversion of his mother . It is usually the other way around. Offering up Mass this morning.
I woke up at 2am on the morning of Our Mother's Birthday with a huge feeling of joy. I believe on her birthday that the Good God grants Mary a birthday gift of just whatever she chooses. But whatever she chooses it is always meant for someone else. She never ever keep anything for herself she always passes things on. In this case I believe she asked for a special blessing something special for the Church and that this special blessing/ wish will become apparent shortly. I came across a quote from St Alphonsus Ligouri yesterday. He says that without Mary we would be destitute and incapable of any good, because all we have from God passes to us through hers hands. Which is why of course we give her the title, 'Mediatrix of all Graces' The original image based on the 1948 Marian apparition, enshrined today in Lipa, Batangas. Location Carmelite Monastery, Lipa City, Batangas Date September 12–26, 1948 November 12, 1948 Witness Teresita Castillo Type Marian apparition Approval Rejected — 1 June 2016[1] Approved — 12 September 2015 Re-investigated — 1991 Suppressed — 11 April 1951 Shrine Our Lady, Mary Mediatrix of All Grace Parish
I had a vivid dream last night in which I stood on the stage of a large concert hall. A very beautiful woman dressed in a long white robe spangled with stars stood on the middle of things. I remember particularly her hair which was groomed in a way I have never seen before bunched up on top of head like two ravens wings. Behind the lady in white I saw at a remove a woman on perhaps her seventies and I understood that we were to accompany the singer . This made me uneasy as I knew I could not sing. The woman in white looked towards the sky and began to sing. I knew at once that the title of her song was called, 'The Thunder of God'. As she sang looking upwards I saw the thunderous skies begin to move. I stopped singing as I was so useless. But the lady in white stopped singing and insisted I join in. After this I dreamt I stood looking at a TV screen and on it was an excerpt from the BBC News. They were outside a Bank were huge queque of people had formed trying to remove their money, but there was no money to be had. I understood that the same thing was happening all over the world. There was no more money.
Wandered up to the Grotto yesterday , a really beautiful Autumnal evening and stood for a while trying to sing the , 'Salve Regina ', but falling flat as usual. Walking homewards a lady crossed the road to talk. She was just out of the Latin Mass and was walking to her new home about a mile away were she had just moved. She told me she is 82 years old on her next birthday. She looks about 60 and walks too and fro each day a couple of miles to Mass. Incredible. She was one of the one's that hung the Divine Mercy image outside her door during the Pandemic. I can go for days without talking to anyone so when someone like this talks I pay attention. But I look forward to heaven when we will only talk about God and the things of God without having to beat about the bush. The night before I was also out walking when a gentleman who had also just came out of the Latin Mass came over right out of the blue and handed me an image of, 'Our Lady of the Home', something I had been looking for for a long time. One of the Great Marks of truly Holy, Saintly people is that they make us feel at home. Most of the nurses in the hospital are kind, especially those that nurse children, I think it goes with the territory. But there is one Phillipino Sister in the ICU's who really stands out . Every time I meet her her there is a smile, a laugh and a friendly comment. It is coming home to meet her.
Up for the Traditional Mass and First Saturday Devotions this morning. I have an app on my Smartphone called, 'Imissa' , which allows me to follow the Mass in both Latin and English. Pope St Pius x said it was very important to follow and understand the mass as it goes along. Recently though, since I have a pretty good idea now what is going on even in Latin I like to just sit and watch and pray. I find this very Contemplative. I hope when I retire only to go to the Latin Mass; I love it more and more as time goes on. It is possible , I suppose that Pope Francis, if God permits it, will ban these Masses here. This makes me sad but God's Holy Will be done. I am looking forward to spending much more time in Church both before and after mass. I might even try doing the Divine Office, if I can find an APP for it and maybe or either the Little Office of Our Lady. We will see, it will be nice to try new things. I continue to be struck at how very holy some of the people in Church are; especially some of the young people.
I have the app Universalis on my phone which has the daily Mass readings and Liturgy of the Hours. It's very handy for doing Morning & Evening (vespers) prayers. I do the morning prayer but the evening is a bit hit and miss.
I have Universalis too! I am surprised to see people still hauling big Missals about the place. There was a young priest saying mass during the week, he was only ordained a month or so ago. It was the Feast of St Ciaran and it showed up on Universalis but the Father treated it as a Feria Feast. I was tempted to mention this to him. If we Irish cannot commemorate Irish Saints who will? There is a lady at the back of the Church who stands up and says the pray of St Michael after Mass and we all join in. She told me she has come in for a lot of criticism for this and asked me if she should continue. I told her it was wonderful. It takes a lot of courage to do something like this. If the priests tells her to stop she must stop of course. But I notice loads of people join her. After each Mass she wanders up and gives the Tabernacle a big hug. I told her I thought she was trying to steal it and bring it home. I love eccentrics like this, Scripture teaches us that it is through people like this that God speaks.
Do you have to pay for the Universalis app, Padraig? I've just downloaded it. But it says I have a months free trial. Will I have to pay for it after that...
As far as I recall I never paid for it. If I did it was years and years ago and since I have not paid anything since it was well worth it.
