Here is one of my favorite poems by Wallace Stevens. Although it is not addressed to God per se I find it to be mystical and uplifting. Sometimes I like to read it before prayer or writing to get me in the mood, so to speak. The author and his friend are on the shores of Key West in a beachtown. They listen to a mysterious woman sing as she walks along the beach against the immense background of the Sea:
The Idea of Order at Key West
She sang beyond the genius of the sea.
The water never formed to mind or voice,
Like a body wholly body, fluttering
Its empty sleeves; and yet its mimic motion
Made constant cry, caused constantly a cry,
That was not ours although we understood,
Inhuman, of the veritable ocean.
The sea was not a mask. No more was she.
The song and water were not medleyed sound
Even if what she sang was what she heard,
Since what she sang was uttered word by word.
It may be that in all her phrases stirred
The grinding water and the gasping wind;
But it was she and not the sea we heard.
For she was the maker of the song she sang.
The ever-hooded, tragic-gestured sea
Was merely a place by which she walked to sing.
Whose spirit is this? we said, because we knew
It was the spirit that we sought and knew
That we should ask this often as she sang.
If it was only the dark voice of the sea
That rose, or even colored by many waves;
If it was only the outer voice of sky
And cloud, of the sunken coral water-walled,
However clear, it would have been deep air,
The heaving speech of air, a summer sound
Repeated in a summer without end
And sound alone. But it was more than that,
More even than her voice, and ours, among
The meaningless plungings of water and the wind,
Theatrical distances, bronze shadows heaped
On high horizons, mountainous atmospheres
Of sky and sea.
It was her voice that made
The sky acutest at its vanishing.
She measured to the hour its solitude.
She was the single artificer of the world
In which she sang. And when she sang, the sea,
Whatever self it had, became the self
That was her song, for she was the maker. Then we,
As we beheld her striding there alone,
Knew that there never was a world for her
Except the one she sang and, singing, made.
Ramon Fernandez, tell me, if you know,
Why, when the singing ended and we turned
Toward the town, tell why the glassy lights,
The lights in the fishing boats at anchor there,
As the night descended, tilting in the air,
Mastered the night and portioned out the sea,
Fixing emblazoned zones and fiery poles,
Arranging, deepening, enchanting night.
Oh! Blessed rage for order, pale Ramon,
The maker's rage to order words of the sea,
Words of the fragrant portals, dimly-starred,
And of ourselves and of our origins,
In ghostlier demarcations, keener sounds.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Sunday, November 8, 2009
The Great Communion
If we Catholics appreciated the mind-boggling truth and significance of the blistering event of receiving the glorified Body and (in some cases) Blood of Jesus Christ in His adorable sacrament of love, perhaps we would not be so quick to socialize on Sunday when dismissed from Mass as if nothing happened. I soldier on in silence and prayer and am distracted while others file out the Church in talk and laughter. Some do not even have the nerve to leave the chapel area and begin chatting about whatever comes to mind. At this time of year perhaps the football game. In another area of the Church people are buying and selling goods (keep in mind Christ dispelled buyers and sellers from His Temple in severe anger), even eating while still in communion or while another Mass starts. We should not be buying and selling, eating and drinking after Communion or while another Mass is being celebrated in the same building.
Sometimes in the past, I have fallen victim to this spirit of ingratitude, irreverance, etc. I get up and end up running into someone I know and begin talking. No more for me. No more. I have thought about leaving the Church and walking to some silent place outside for my thanksgiving on Sunday, however I soldier on in the Chapel, usually distracted from the noise, though I stay just to set an example, as if trying to hold on to some endangered practice ready to fall into extinction if I dare leave and give into this spirit of frivolity.
Do we realize what has just occured in Holy Communion?
Here is a good quote illustrating my point:
"When the priest says the words Hoc est Corpus meum (For this is my Body), his words fall directly on to the bread and directly transform it into the individual reality of Christ [the substance of bread is changed into the glorified Body of Christ]. But the great sacramental operation does not cease at the local and momentary event. Even children are taught that, throughout the life of each man and the life of the Church and the history of the world, there is only one Mass and one Communion. Christ died once in agony. Peter and Paul receive communion on such and such a day at a particular hour. But these different acts are only the diversely central points in space and time, for our experience. In fact, from the beginning of the Messianic preparation, up till the Parousia, phases of growth of his Church, a single event has been developing in the world: the Incarnation, realisied, in each individual, through the Eucharist.
All the communions of a life-time are one communion.
All the communions of all men now living are one communion.
All the communions of all men, present, past and future, are one communion."
- Teilhard de Chardin Divine Mileau
Sometimes in the past, I have fallen victim to this spirit of ingratitude, irreverance, etc. I get up and end up running into someone I know and begin talking. No more for me. No more. I have thought about leaving the Church and walking to some silent place outside for my thanksgiving on Sunday, however I soldier on in the Chapel, usually distracted from the noise, though I stay just to set an example, as if trying to hold on to some endangered practice ready to fall into extinction if I dare leave and give into this spirit of frivolity.
Do we realize what has just occured in Holy Communion?
Here is a good quote illustrating my point:
"When the priest says the words Hoc est Corpus meum (For this is my Body), his words fall directly on to the bread and directly transform it into the individual reality of Christ [the substance of bread is changed into the glorified Body of Christ]. But the great sacramental operation does not cease at the local and momentary event. Even children are taught that, throughout the life of each man and the life of the Church and the history of the world, there is only one Mass and one Communion. Christ died once in agony. Peter and Paul receive communion on such and such a day at a particular hour. But these different acts are only the diversely central points in space and time, for our experience. In fact, from the beginning of the Messianic preparation, up till the Parousia, phases of growth of his Church, a single event has been developing in the world: the Incarnation, realisied, in each individual, through the Eucharist.
All the communions of a life-time are one communion.
All the communions of all men now living are one communion.
All the communions of all men, present, past and future, are one communion."
- Teilhard de Chardin Divine Mileau
Friday, November 6, 2009
New Book
I am working on a piece of literature in the form of a novella.
It is about a boy who wakes up on an Island in a-fantastical or perhaps mystical-realm known as the Sea. There, he is reared by a mysterious woman named Cecelia. After he grows in strength and stature Cecelia leaves him and he finds another girl on the Island and a messenger of the Master of the Sea appears to both of them, names them, and invites them to eat the fruit of a tree growing in the middle of the Island. They eat the fruit in hope of learning more as to why they are on the Island, where they came from, and this intriguing place they know little about called Earth. Eating the fruit leads them into a sequence of events concluding with a revelation and catharsis which is heart-rending as well as hopeful.
It is a Catholic novella with direct and indirect references to the Faith built into the narrative. There are also Catholic themes, and the subject of the whole novel is built upon one horrific injustice prevalent in the world today and the consequences of this injustice upon my two main characters.
I have planted in some allusions from the great literary traditions. There will be a few eschatological allusions as well.
Writing has gone well so far, yet I have come to a part of the novella which is difficult to write and work through for a few reasons which I cannot tell here otherwise I would have to give away too much about the story. So if anyone still reads here a prayer for me would be appreciated. I am excited about working on this since I came up with the idea while I was praying, and I think it is in its own way original. At least the catharsis/resolution at the end is original.
Writing fiction is exhilarating and at the same time can be exhausting, especially for me since I am not a seasoned writer. The only references I have in writing our my own imagination, intellect and experiences. It is also plain to me that I need God's grace to enlighten my mind so that what I write be truly meaningful and moving. I also need time and energy.
Hopefully I can finish it up to the end, and maybe offer a piece of Catholic literature for Catholics and especially non-Catholics to read.
It is about a boy who wakes up on an Island in a-fantastical or perhaps mystical-realm known as the Sea. There, he is reared by a mysterious woman named Cecelia. After he grows in strength and stature Cecelia leaves him and he finds another girl on the Island and a messenger of the Master of the Sea appears to both of them, names them, and invites them to eat the fruit of a tree growing in the middle of the Island. They eat the fruit in hope of learning more as to why they are on the Island, where they came from, and this intriguing place they know little about called Earth. Eating the fruit leads them into a sequence of events concluding with a revelation and catharsis which is heart-rending as well as hopeful.
It is a Catholic novella with direct and indirect references to the Faith built into the narrative. There are also Catholic themes, and the subject of the whole novel is built upon one horrific injustice prevalent in the world today and the consequences of this injustice upon my two main characters.
I have planted in some allusions from the great literary traditions. There will be a few eschatological allusions as well.
Writing has gone well so far, yet I have come to a part of the novella which is difficult to write and work through for a few reasons which I cannot tell here otherwise I would have to give away too much about the story. So if anyone still reads here a prayer for me would be appreciated. I am excited about working on this since I came up with the idea while I was praying, and I think it is in its own way original. At least the catharsis/resolution at the end is original.
Writing fiction is exhilarating and at the same time can be exhausting, especially for me since I am not a seasoned writer. The only references I have in writing our my own imagination, intellect and experiences. It is also plain to me that I need God's grace to enlighten my mind so that what I write be truly meaningful and moving. I also need time and energy.
Hopefully I can finish it up to the end, and maybe offer a piece of Catholic literature for Catholics and especially non-Catholics to read.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Psalm 118 (19)
* It is the longest Psalm and the longest chapter of the Bible
* It is divided into 22 stanzas with eight verses per stanza. Each stanza begins with a letter in the Hebrew alphabet.
* In almost every verse a synonym for God's law is used such as precepts, justifications, commandments, testimonies, etc.
* There is a legend that David used this Psalm to teach Solomon the alphabet as well as the spiritual life. While this legend may not be completely true acrostic poems were used by the Hebrews as a tool of memorization.
* It is daily recited at midnight in Orthodox monasteries after verse 62: I arose in the middle of the night to confess to you, over the judgments of your justification.
* St. Augustine has written thirty-two, and St. Ambrose twenty-two sermons on the contents; and St. Basil observes, that David has here composed in one psalm the sum of all that he has written in the rest. (Haydock commentary)
* In the Latin it starts with the same first word as the first Psalm, namely 'beatus' which means 'blessed is' or 'happy is'
* It is an all-encompassing praise of God and His law. It is the prayer of a man who walks in God's law and how this choice affects his life with all the sweetness and troubles, ups and downs, elation and sorrow this choice means to the pilgrim on earth.
I timed how long it took me to read/pray and it was about fifteen minutes. It is a good fifteen minutes that could be spent anyday or even everyday. Its incredibly moving, although it could be awkward reciting at first. Almost each verse is like a little one-line couplet, its almost as if the second half of the line is an echo or variation answering the first part.
In sincerely reciting this Psalm, I think God gives us the strength, healing and grace we need for the day to day struggles we face in trying to live a good and moral life before God and men. Especially in these difficult times we live in.
* It is divided into 22 stanzas with eight verses per stanza. Each stanza begins with a letter in the Hebrew alphabet.
* In almost every verse a synonym for God's law is used such as precepts, justifications, commandments, testimonies, etc.
* There is a legend that David used this Psalm to teach Solomon the alphabet as well as the spiritual life. While this legend may not be completely true acrostic poems were used by the Hebrews as a tool of memorization.
* It is daily recited at midnight in Orthodox monasteries after verse 62: I arose in the middle of the night to confess to you, over the judgments of your justification.
* St. Augustine has written thirty-two, and St. Ambrose twenty-two sermons on the contents; and St. Basil observes, that David has here composed in one psalm the sum of all that he has written in the rest. (Haydock commentary)
* In the Latin it starts with the same first word as the first Psalm, namely 'beatus' which means 'blessed is' or 'happy is'
* It is an all-encompassing praise of God and His law. It is the prayer of a man who walks in God's law and how this choice affects his life with all the sweetness and troubles, ups and downs, elation and sorrow this choice means to the pilgrim on earth.
I timed how long it took me to read/pray and it was about fifteen minutes. It is a good fifteen minutes that could be spent anyday or even everyday. Its incredibly moving, although it could be awkward reciting at first. Almost each verse is like a little one-line couplet, its almost as if the second half of the line is an echo or variation answering the first part.
In sincerely reciting this Psalm, I think God gives us the strength, healing and grace we need for the day to day struggles we face in trying to live a good and moral life before God and men. Especially in these difficult times we live in.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Reflections on the Moral Law
It is good to meditate on the fundamentals in simplicity of heart, even though their application may be difficult and complex from time to time. As a maxim of Einstein follows, "Make things as simple as possible, but not simpler."
The Moral Law is based on the Nature of God who is Goodness.
Mark
{10:17} And when he had departed on the way, a certain one, running up and kneeling before him, asked him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do, so that I may secure eternal life?”
{10:18} But Jesus said to him, “Why call me good? No one is good except the one God.
{10:19} You know the precepts: “Do not commit adultery. Do not kill. Do not steal. Do not speak false testimony. Do not deceive. Honor your father and mother.”
~ Jesus specifically reminds the man that the One God alone is good before reminding him of God's laws.
God's laws are eternal. They have always existed since they are based on God who is Eternity. And those who follow the law of God live forever.
Psalm
{18:8} The law of the Lord is immaculate, converting souls. The testimony of the Lord is faithful, providing wisdom to little ones.
~ The moral law is written into the will and intellect of human nature by God for man. Created persons have the ability to discover the truth about right and wrong by the use of free will and reason. However without the grace of God, the laws and judgements of men are corrupt since they are based on an unaided and fallen human nature. The moral law lifts up and changes fallen men. Men have turned away from God's law and so only the little ones who bend their mind and will in humility and meekness may gain wisdom and fall back into the faithful embrace of the Lawmaker.
{18:9} The justice of the Lord is right, rejoicing hearts. The precepts of the Lord are brilliant, enlightening the eyes.
{18:10} The fear of the Lord is holy, enduring for all generations. The judgments of the Lord are true, justified in themselves:
~ God's laws are true since they are based on God who is Truth. They are God's truth knit in creation. C.S. Lewis wrote, "The poet asserts that the law is true. A modern logician would say that the law is a command and to call a command true makes no sense. The door is shut may be true or false but, please shut the door cannot be either. But I think we all see pretty well what the psalmists mean, they mean that in the law you find the real, that they are based on the eternal nature of things, the nature of God. His laws have truth, intrinsic validity, rock bottom reality, being rooted in His own character."
{18:11} desirable beyond gold and many precious stones, and sweeter than honey and the honeycomb.
~It is better to give up all pleasures, all comforts, all material possessions, all friendships, all relatives, and life itself than to give up one law of God, for to keep the law in word and deed is the pathway of favor and sweetness to the heart of the Lawmaker, and his inheretance is non-fading eternal life.
One must accept the moral demands of the Kingdom, to be of the Kingdom.
To obey the laws of God, is to obey the Will of God, to obey the will of God is to truly love Him. Nothing more and nothing less. In so much as one obey God's law, does one love God, and in so much as one is faithful to God's law in deed and word, God will be faithful to him.
And the moral law is summed up in 'Love your God from your whole heart, and from your whole soul, and from your whole mind, and from your whole strength. This is the first commandment. And you shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
And the entire moral law is implicitly found in the salvific death of Jesus Christ on the Cross.
O God, sinners as we are, and failures as we have been in the past, may we in grace turn back to Your law with all the fabric of our beings and be content to serve You to the end of our pilgrimage on earth. Amen.
The Moral Law is based on the Nature of God who is Goodness.
Mark
{10:17} And when he had departed on the way, a certain one, running up and kneeling before him, asked him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do, so that I may secure eternal life?”
{10:18} But Jesus said to him, “Why call me good? No one is good except the one God.
{10:19} You know the precepts: “Do not commit adultery. Do not kill. Do not steal. Do not speak false testimony. Do not deceive. Honor your father and mother.”
~ Jesus specifically reminds the man that the One God alone is good before reminding him of God's laws.
God's laws are eternal. They have always existed since they are based on God who is Eternity. And those who follow the law of God live forever.
Psalm
{18:8} The law of the Lord is immaculate, converting souls. The testimony of the Lord is faithful, providing wisdom to little ones.
~ The moral law is written into the will and intellect of human nature by God for man. Created persons have the ability to discover the truth about right and wrong by the use of free will and reason. However without the grace of God, the laws and judgements of men are corrupt since they are based on an unaided and fallen human nature. The moral law lifts up and changes fallen men. Men have turned away from God's law and so only the little ones who bend their mind and will in humility and meekness may gain wisdom and fall back into the faithful embrace of the Lawmaker.
{18:9} The justice of the Lord is right, rejoicing hearts. The precepts of the Lord are brilliant, enlightening the eyes.
{18:10} The fear of the Lord is holy, enduring for all generations. The judgments of the Lord are true, justified in themselves:
~ God's laws are true since they are based on God who is Truth. They are God's truth knit in creation. C.S. Lewis wrote, "The poet asserts that the law is true. A modern logician would say that the law is a command and to call a command true makes no sense. The door is shut may be true or false but, please shut the door cannot be either. But I think we all see pretty well what the psalmists mean, they mean that in the law you find the real, that they are based on the eternal nature of things, the nature of God. His laws have truth, intrinsic validity, rock bottom reality, being rooted in His own character."
{18:11} desirable beyond gold and many precious stones, and sweeter than honey and the honeycomb.
~It is better to give up all pleasures, all comforts, all material possessions, all friendships, all relatives, and life itself than to give up one law of God, for to keep the law in word and deed is the pathway of favor and sweetness to the heart of the Lawmaker, and his inheretance is non-fading eternal life.
One must accept the moral demands of the Kingdom, to be of the Kingdom.
To obey the laws of God, is to obey the Will of God, to obey the will of God is to truly love Him. Nothing more and nothing less. In so much as one obey God's law, does one love God, and in so much as one is faithful to God's law in deed and word, God will be faithful to him.
And the moral law is summed up in 'Love your God from your whole heart, and from your whole soul, and from your whole mind, and from your whole strength. This is the first commandment. And you shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
And the entire moral law is implicitly found in the salvific death of Jesus Christ on the Cross.
O God, sinners as we are, and failures as we have been in the past, may we in grace turn back to Your law with all the fabric of our beings and be content to serve You to the end of our pilgrimage on earth. Amen.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Religious Orders During the End Times (1): The Rule of La Salette
In addition to the secret Our Lady of La Salette disclosed a rule for a new religious order made up of missionary priests and male religious who support the work of the missionaries called the Order of the Apostles of the Last Days; and their female equivalent called the Order of the Mother of God. I believe there is also meant to be a third order composed of simple laity who live and breath the imitation and spirit of Jesus Christ in the midst of the secular world during the difficulties of the End Times.
Even if one is not interested in religious life I still recommend a reading of this simple and elegant rule of life which I believe will one day flourish in the Church. It is edifying to say the least.
Here is the rule as given to Melanie on September 19th, 1846 given with a little introduction by Mary:
“Mélanie, what I am going to say to you now will not be a secret. These are the rules that you will follow exactly, my daughters, who are here present, when the rule will have been approved by your superiors. My missionaries follow the same rule [that is the missionary priests and male religious].
1. The members of the order of the Mother of God will love God above all things and their neighbour as themselves out of pure love of God.
2. The spirit of the order is no other than the spirit of Jesus Christ in itself and the spirit of Jesus Christ in the souls.
3. The members of this order will apply themselves to the study of Jesus Christ and to the imitation of Him. The more Jesus is known the more will they humble themselves at the sight of their nothingness, of their weakness, of their incapacity for doing real good in the souls without divine grace.
4. They will practise perfect obedience in everything and everywhere.
5. Each one will safeguard himself in great chastity of body and spirit so that Jesus Christ may make his abode in them.
6. The members of this order will be of one heart and one soul in the love of Jesus Christ.
7. None of them will have the ownership of anything. Everything will be common property, no one will strive in the least for the possession of transient things. I want my children to be free, to renounce all things.
8. They will have limitless charity. They will suffer unto themselves all things from everybody, following the example of their divine Master and they will not cause suffering to others.
9. The members of the order will obey their superiors and they will honour and respect them which is their due, with great simplicity of heart.
10. The Mother Superior is to keep alert that the rule is obeyed. From time to time she will discuss matters with the Father of the Mission who will have the care of your souls, so that she will be assisted in governing the house wisely. She will be the humblest of all and stricter with herself than with others. She will correct the faults of the sisters with great gentleness and prudence. She will always raise her soul up to God before she corrects a sister.
11. The Blessed Sacrament will be exposed in the chapel day and night during the months of September, February and May, at which time the members of the order will joyously spend happy hours in so far as charity or the salvation of souls does not keep them from doing so.
12. They will lead an inner life and at the same time they will have outwardly works to do. They will unite the contemplative life with the active. They will make themselves completely victims of Jesus and of the crucified Jesus.
13. Everyday they will receive the Bread of Life with true piety. You could, however, withhold communion to some members if you see that they are not following in the steps of the crucified Jesus.
14. In addition to the fasting commanded by the Church they will also keep the months of September, February and May in fasting, making use of some instruments of penance. Those who are too delicate and not able to carry out the works of penance will offer up to Jesus in all humility and meekness their frailty.
15. They will fast every Friday and carry out some penance. All these works they will sacrifice for the souls in Purgatory, for the conversion of sinners and towards their own progress in the love of God.
16. The members of the order will act with great humility and gentleness toward the secular and will receive them with great kindness. The most humble will have the first place in the Heart of Jesus as well as in mine.
17. The members will be of one soul and one heart; Not one will hold fast to his own will.
18. They will be of angelic purity; they will observe everywhere and in everything a great modesty.
19. All will observe profound silence, careful to avoid useless conversation with strangers.
20. Those who wish to be admitted must have a sincere willingness to give themselves totally to God and to sacrifice themselves for His love. They will grow fond of obedience which will lead them to Heaven.
21. They will not be admitted to the postulants until they have completed the twelve days of spiritual exercises, whereby they will have made a general confession to the Father of the Mission, the Father Confessor of the communal order. If they are willing to work with all effort to sanctify themselves and to acquire the virtues which are characteristic of a victim who wants to immolate himself every day for the God of Heaven and earth, they will be admitted to the novitiate, three months before taking the habit of the order. And they will well remember that they have only been admitted to the house of the Mother of God in order to work towards their own sanctification through prayer, penance and all works which aim to achieve the glory of God and the salvation of souls.
22. My missionaries will be the Apostles of the Last Days. They will preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ in all its purity all over the world.
23. They will have an untiring ardour; they will preach the reform of hearts, penance and the observance of God’s laws; they will preach of the necessity for prayer, of contempt for the things of this earth, about death, judgement, paradise and hell, about life and death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. They will fortify faith in the people so that when the devil will arrive a great number of people will not be lead astray.
24. Newcomers will be educated in Christian values as well as in the practise of humility, charity, renunciation and gentleness.
25. The novitiate will last six years. Those who will have given evidence of solid virtue and want to be gathered in the number of combatants for Jesus Christ in this order, will beseech this grace from their superior on their knees. And after you will have them acknowledge their obligation to follow the rule which I give you and they will promise to faithfully observe it, then they may be received into the order.
26. The prayer is to be observed communaly in the chapel at a suitable and appointed hour.
27. One is to eat in community in the refectory which is necessary for to live and work towards the glory of God. At the same time the body is being fed that which is befitting, the soul will be fortified by a spiritual reading during the meal.
28. One will have greatest care for the infirm and ill members in the order.
29. If one member should offend another by word or deed he is to make good his fault as soon as possible.
30. All members of the order are to genuflect before the tabernacle when passing, for in it resides Jesus Christ.
31. Every time they encounter one another the one is to say: “May Jesus be loved by all hearts” and the other is to answer: “Amen”.
32. The religious are to pray the office as the religious of Correnc near Grenoble do; chapters and other exercises are to be observed in the same way.
33. All members will wear (bear) a cross like My Own. [a plain cross with a nail on the left side and a pincer on the right side. The nail represents our sins and disobedience to God thus nailing Jesus to the Cross. The pincer represents our obedience and virtue which removes the nails and burden of Our Lord.]
I believe that this will be one of the prominent religious orders during the End Times. Perhaps many other religious orders will merge into this one. There is also a religious order mentioned in the prophecy of Saint Francis Paola which will be established by the Great Catholic Monarch. Perhaps his order will in some way be related to this one.
Source and bibliography
René Laurentin / Michel Corteville, Découverte du Secret de la Salette, Ed. Fayard, Paris 2002, ISBN 2213 6128 38 (the author Michel Corteville discovered the Rule of La Salette in the Vatican Archives)
The rule may be found in Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, German, and the French at
http://rulelasalette.yolasite.com/
Even if one is not interested in religious life I still recommend a reading of this simple and elegant rule of life which I believe will one day flourish in the Church. It is edifying to say the least.
Here is the rule as given to Melanie on September 19th, 1846 given with a little introduction by Mary:
“Mélanie, what I am going to say to you now will not be a secret. These are the rules that you will follow exactly, my daughters, who are here present, when the rule will have been approved by your superiors. My missionaries follow the same rule [that is the missionary priests and male religious].
1. The members of the order of the Mother of God will love God above all things and their neighbour as themselves out of pure love of God.
2. The spirit of the order is no other than the spirit of Jesus Christ in itself and the spirit of Jesus Christ in the souls.
3. The members of this order will apply themselves to the study of Jesus Christ and to the imitation of Him. The more Jesus is known the more will they humble themselves at the sight of their nothingness, of their weakness, of their incapacity for doing real good in the souls without divine grace.
4. They will practise perfect obedience in everything and everywhere.
5. Each one will safeguard himself in great chastity of body and spirit so that Jesus Christ may make his abode in them.
6. The members of this order will be of one heart and one soul in the love of Jesus Christ.
7. None of them will have the ownership of anything. Everything will be common property, no one will strive in the least for the possession of transient things. I want my children to be free, to renounce all things.
8. They will have limitless charity. They will suffer unto themselves all things from everybody, following the example of their divine Master and they will not cause suffering to others.
9. The members of the order will obey their superiors and they will honour and respect them which is their due, with great simplicity of heart.
10. The Mother Superior is to keep alert that the rule is obeyed. From time to time she will discuss matters with the Father of the Mission who will have the care of your souls, so that she will be assisted in governing the house wisely. She will be the humblest of all and stricter with herself than with others. She will correct the faults of the sisters with great gentleness and prudence. She will always raise her soul up to God before she corrects a sister.
11. The Blessed Sacrament will be exposed in the chapel day and night during the months of September, February and May, at which time the members of the order will joyously spend happy hours in so far as charity or the salvation of souls does not keep them from doing so.
12. They will lead an inner life and at the same time they will have outwardly works to do. They will unite the contemplative life with the active. They will make themselves completely victims of Jesus and of the crucified Jesus.
13. Everyday they will receive the Bread of Life with true piety. You could, however, withhold communion to some members if you see that they are not following in the steps of the crucified Jesus.
14. In addition to the fasting commanded by the Church they will also keep the months of September, February and May in fasting, making use of some instruments of penance. Those who are too delicate and not able to carry out the works of penance will offer up to Jesus in all humility and meekness their frailty.
15. They will fast every Friday and carry out some penance. All these works they will sacrifice for the souls in Purgatory, for the conversion of sinners and towards their own progress in the love of God.
16. The members of the order will act with great humility and gentleness toward the secular and will receive them with great kindness. The most humble will have the first place in the Heart of Jesus as well as in mine.
17. The members will be of one soul and one heart; Not one will hold fast to his own will.
18. They will be of angelic purity; they will observe everywhere and in everything a great modesty.
19. All will observe profound silence, careful to avoid useless conversation with strangers.
20. Those who wish to be admitted must have a sincere willingness to give themselves totally to God and to sacrifice themselves for His love. They will grow fond of obedience which will lead them to Heaven.
21. They will not be admitted to the postulants until they have completed the twelve days of spiritual exercises, whereby they will have made a general confession to the Father of the Mission, the Father Confessor of the communal order. If they are willing to work with all effort to sanctify themselves and to acquire the virtues which are characteristic of a victim who wants to immolate himself every day for the God of Heaven and earth, they will be admitted to the novitiate, three months before taking the habit of the order. And they will well remember that they have only been admitted to the house of the Mother of God in order to work towards their own sanctification through prayer, penance and all works which aim to achieve the glory of God and the salvation of souls.
22. My missionaries will be the Apostles of the Last Days. They will preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ in all its purity all over the world.
23. They will have an untiring ardour; they will preach the reform of hearts, penance and the observance of God’s laws; they will preach of the necessity for prayer, of contempt for the things of this earth, about death, judgement, paradise and hell, about life and death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. They will fortify faith in the people so that when the devil will arrive a great number of people will not be lead astray.
24. Newcomers will be educated in Christian values as well as in the practise of humility, charity, renunciation and gentleness.
25. The novitiate will last six years. Those who will have given evidence of solid virtue and want to be gathered in the number of combatants for Jesus Christ in this order, will beseech this grace from their superior on their knees. And after you will have them acknowledge their obligation to follow the rule which I give you and they will promise to faithfully observe it, then they may be received into the order.
26. The prayer is to be observed communaly in the chapel at a suitable and appointed hour.
27. One is to eat in community in the refectory which is necessary for to live and work towards the glory of God. At the same time the body is being fed that which is befitting, the soul will be fortified by a spiritual reading during the meal.
28. One will have greatest care for the infirm and ill members in the order.
29. If one member should offend another by word or deed he is to make good his fault as soon as possible.
30. All members of the order are to genuflect before the tabernacle when passing, for in it resides Jesus Christ.
31. Every time they encounter one another the one is to say: “May Jesus be loved by all hearts” and the other is to answer: “Amen”.
32. The religious are to pray the office as the religious of Correnc near Grenoble do; chapters and other exercises are to be observed in the same way.
33. All members will wear (bear) a cross like My Own. [a plain cross with a nail on the left side and a pincer on the right side. The nail represents our sins and disobedience to God thus nailing Jesus to the Cross. The pincer represents our obedience and virtue which removes the nails and burden of Our Lord.]
I believe that this will be one of the prominent religious orders during the End Times. Perhaps many other religious orders will merge into this one. There is also a religious order mentioned in the prophecy of Saint Francis Paola which will be established by the Great Catholic Monarch. Perhaps his order will in some way be related to this one.
Source and bibliography
René Laurentin / Michel Corteville, Découverte du Secret de la Salette, Ed. Fayard, Paris 2002, ISBN 2213 6128 38 (the author Michel Corteville discovered the Rule of La Salette in the Vatican Archives)
The rule may be found in Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, German, and the French at
http://rulelasalette.yolasite.com/
Thursday, February 26, 2009
'He Shall Be Called a Nazarene'
Saint Matthew was a Jew and composed his Gospel with his Jewish people in mind. Many of the verses of his Gospel iluminate the Old Testament. He would often demonstrate Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of the prophecies of the Old Testament. For example:
{4:13} And leaving behind the city of Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, near the sea, at the borders of Zebulun and of Naphtali,
{4:14} in order to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah:
{4:15} “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way of the sea across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles:
{4:16} A people who were sitting in darkness have seen a great light. And unto those sitting in the region of the shadow of death, a light has risen.”
This prophecy was revealed by God to Isaiah hundreds of years before Jesus literally fulfilled it by moving into the city of Caphernaum. Matthew's style is instructive for us. He is teaching us that we should intrepret the the Old Testament in light of the New Testament
Now in the second chapter of his Gospel Matthew describes the event of the Holy Family's flight into Egypt. Then after Herod died an Angel instructed Joseph to take Jesus and Mary back into Israel, yet Joseph was afraid to move back into Judea because Archelaus (Herod's son) reigned there, and so after another warning in a dream he settled the Holy Family in the northern region of Israel in a city called Nazareth. Matthew in his characteristic style of demonstrating Jesus as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy describes it as follows:
{2:23} And arriving, he lived in a city which is called Nazareth, in order to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets: “For he shall be called a Nazarene.”
This verse presents a small problem. In the Old Testament 'Nazareth' or 'Nazarene' is not explicitly mentioned anywhere whatsoever. Yet Sacred Scripture (both Old and New Testaments) is inspired by God, and by being inspired by God it is thereby inerrant, since God is Truth. Inerrancy and inspiration are inseparable. Inerrancy proceeds from inspiration, therefore anything inspired by God cannot contradict itself otherwise it would in fact be errant. If any one verse of the Bible were in error then every and all verses may be put into question for possible errors and falsehoods, yet such is not the case, for the Bible is infallible since it is the inspired Revelation of God. Thus in general it is the duty of the Faithful in and the task of theologians and scripture scholars to clarify apparent contradictions in the Bible (and not use these seeming contradictions to disprove God's infallible words).
I would suggest that Nazareth and Nazarene is implied in the Old Testament. Saint Jerome and Eusebius seem to have shared the same idea since they came up with the speculation that Nazareth is derived from the Hebrew word 'neser' which means "a shoot" thus they linked Matthew's prophetic reference to Isaiah 11:1, "And there shall come forth a rod out of the root of Jesse, and a flower shall rise up out of his root." In the Latin Vulgate the Hebrew neser is translated as 'flos' meaning flower. Although this verse surely is a prophetic reference to Christ this view fails to convince me since it only refers to one verse in the Old Testament whereas Matthew mentions the plural form prophets meaning that it is mentioned multiple times in the Old Testament by more than one prophet that Jesus would be called a Nazarene.
There is another speculation that the towns name may be derived from or had some relationship with the name Nazarite which refers to a certain ritual taken by certain Israelites whereby they took vows and followed certain rituals. Since Matthew lived in Caphernaum of Galilee near the town Nazareth perhaps it was common knowledge that Nazareth was derived from Nazarite and so for Matthew Nazarite and Nazarene may have been in someway equivalent in meaning or perhaps symbolically interchangeable. And perhaps he under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit made a correct interpretation since Nazarites are clearly a symbolic foreshadowing of Christ as was Samson:
[Judges]
{13:5} For you shall conceive and bear a son, whose head no razor shall touch. For he shall be a Nazirite of God, from his infancy and from his mother’s womb. And he shall begin to free Israel from the hand of the Philistines.”
{13:6} And when she had gone to her husband, she said to him: “A man of God came to me, having the countenance of an Angel, exceedingly terrible. And when I had inquired of him, who he was, and where he was from, and what name he was called, he was not willing to tell me.
{13:7} But he responded: ‘Behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. Take care that you do not drink wine or strong drink. And you shall not consume anything unclean. For the boy shall be a Nazirite of God from his infancy, from his mother’s womb, even until the day of his death.’ ”
These verses refer to an Angel appearing to the woman who would bear Samson as her son. Notice how "For he shall be a Nazirite of God" and "For the boy shall be a Nazirite of God" bear a resemblance to Mathew's "For he shall be called a Nazarene."
Also, in Jacob's prophetic discourse about the twelve tribes, Christ may be interpreted as the Nazarite:
[Genesis]
{49:26} The blessings of your father are strengthened by the blessings of his fathers, until the desire of the hills of eternity shall arrive. May they be at the head of Joseph, and at the summit of the Nazarite, among his brothers.
The Nazarites are mentioned in other verses of Scripture. On account of this seeming tacit coherency between Nazareth possibly being derived from Nazarite, Matthew having lived in Galilee close to the town of Nazareth, and the Old Testament verses referring to the Nazarites in general as a symbolic foreshadowing of Christ, Samson as a type of Christ and Jacob's prophetic discourse it seems to me that this view clarifying the seeming contradiction is more convincing than Eusebius' and Saint Jerome's theory.
{4:13} And leaving behind the city of Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, near the sea, at the borders of Zebulun and of Naphtali,
{4:14} in order to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah:
{4:15} “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way of the sea across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles:
{4:16} A people who were sitting in darkness have seen a great light. And unto those sitting in the region of the shadow of death, a light has risen.”
This prophecy was revealed by God to Isaiah hundreds of years before Jesus literally fulfilled it by moving into the city of Caphernaum. Matthew's style is instructive for us. He is teaching us that we should intrepret the the Old Testament in light of the New Testament
Now in the second chapter of his Gospel Matthew describes the event of the Holy Family's flight into Egypt. Then after Herod died an Angel instructed Joseph to take Jesus and Mary back into Israel, yet Joseph was afraid to move back into Judea because Archelaus (Herod's son) reigned there, and so after another warning in a dream he settled the Holy Family in the northern region of Israel in a city called Nazareth. Matthew in his characteristic style of demonstrating Jesus as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy describes it as follows:
{2:23} And arriving, he lived in a city which is called Nazareth, in order to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets: “For he shall be called a Nazarene.”
This verse presents a small problem. In the Old Testament 'Nazareth' or 'Nazarene' is not explicitly mentioned anywhere whatsoever. Yet Sacred Scripture (both Old and New Testaments) is inspired by God, and by being inspired by God it is thereby inerrant, since God is Truth. Inerrancy and inspiration are inseparable. Inerrancy proceeds from inspiration, therefore anything inspired by God cannot contradict itself otherwise it would in fact be errant. If any one verse of the Bible were in error then every and all verses may be put into question for possible errors and falsehoods, yet such is not the case, for the Bible is infallible since it is the inspired Revelation of God. Thus in general it is the duty of the Faithful in and the task of theologians and scripture scholars to clarify apparent contradictions in the Bible (and not use these seeming contradictions to disprove God's infallible words).
I would suggest that Nazareth and Nazarene is implied in the Old Testament. Saint Jerome and Eusebius seem to have shared the same idea since they came up with the speculation that Nazareth is derived from the Hebrew word 'neser' which means "a shoot" thus they linked Matthew's prophetic reference to Isaiah 11:1, "And there shall come forth a rod out of the root of Jesse, and a flower shall rise up out of his root." In the Latin Vulgate the Hebrew neser is translated as 'flos' meaning flower. Although this verse surely is a prophetic reference to Christ this view fails to convince me since it only refers to one verse in the Old Testament whereas Matthew mentions the plural form prophets meaning that it is mentioned multiple times in the Old Testament by more than one prophet that Jesus would be called a Nazarene.
There is another speculation that the towns name may be derived from or had some relationship with the name Nazarite which refers to a certain ritual taken by certain Israelites whereby they took vows and followed certain rituals. Since Matthew lived in Caphernaum of Galilee near the town Nazareth perhaps it was common knowledge that Nazareth was derived from Nazarite and so for Matthew Nazarite and Nazarene may have been in someway equivalent in meaning or perhaps symbolically interchangeable. And perhaps he under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit made a correct interpretation since Nazarites are clearly a symbolic foreshadowing of Christ as was Samson:
[Judges]
{13:5} For you shall conceive and bear a son, whose head no razor shall touch. For he shall be a Nazirite of God, from his infancy and from his mother’s womb. And he shall begin to free Israel from the hand of the Philistines.”
{13:6} And when she had gone to her husband, she said to him: “A man of God came to me, having the countenance of an Angel, exceedingly terrible. And when I had inquired of him, who he was, and where he was from, and what name he was called, he was not willing to tell me.
{13:7} But he responded: ‘Behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. Take care that you do not drink wine or strong drink. And you shall not consume anything unclean. For the boy shall be a Nazirite of God from his infancy, from his mother’s womb, even until the day of his death.’ ”
These verses refer to an Angel appearing to the woman who would bear Samson as her son. Notice how "For he shall be a Nazirite of God" and "For the boy shall be a Nazirite of God" bear a resemblance to Mathew's "For he shall be called a Nazarene."
Also, in Jacob's prophetic discourse about the twelve tribes, Christ may be interpreted as the Nazarite:
[Genesis]
{49:26} The blessings of your father are strengthened by the blessings of his fathers, until the desire of the hills of eternity shall arrive. May they be at the head of Joseph, and at the summit of the Nazarite, among his brothers.
The Nazarites are mentioned in other verses of Scripture. On account of this seeming tacit coherency between Nazareth possibly being derived from Nazarite, Matthew having lived in Galilee close to the town of Nazareth, and the Old Testament verses referring to the Nazarites in general as a symbolic foreshadowing of Christ, Samson as a type of Christ and Jacob's prophetic discourse it seems to me that this view clarifying the seeming contradiction is more convincing than Eusebius' and Saint Jerome's theory.
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