Election Rosary Novena 2020

2020 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
ROSARY NOVENA
Beginning on the Feast of Christ the King, October 25th
Ending on the Feast of the Poor Souls in Purgatory, November 2nd

THOUGHTS & QUOTES FOR THE DAY

Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith to them: “Behold, I bring him forth unto you, that you may know that I find no cause in Him!” Jesus therefore came forth, bearing the crown of thorns and the purple garment. And Pilate saith to them: “Behold the Man!”

When the chief priests, therefore, and the servants, had seen Him, they cried out, saying: “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

Pilate saith to them: “Take Him you, and crucify Him―for I find no cause in Him!”

The Jews answered him: “We have a law―and according to the law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God!”

When Pilate therefore had heard this saying, he feared the more. And he entered into the hall again, and he said to Jesus: “Whence art Thou?”

But Jesus gave him no answer.

Pilate therefore saith to Him: “Speakest Thou not to me? Knowest Thou not that I have power to crucify Thee, and I have power to release Thee?”

Jesus answered: “Thou shouldst not have any power against Me, unless it were given thee from above! Therefore, he that hath delivered Me to thee, hath the greater sin.”

And from henceforth Pilate sought to release Him. But the Jews cried out, saying: “If thou release this Man, thou art not Caesar's friend! For whosoever maketh himself a king―speaketh against Caesar!”

Now when Pilate had heard these words, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat, in the place that is called Lithostrotos, and in Hebrew Gabbatha. And it was the Parasceve of the Pasch, about the sixth hour, and he saith to the Jews: “Behold your King!” But they cried out: “Away with Him! Away with him! Crucify Him!”

Pilate saith to them: “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered: “We have no king but Caesar!”

Then therefore he delivered Him to them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led Him forth. And bearing His own cross, He went forth to that place which is called Calvary, but in Hebrew Golgotha―where they crucified Him, and, with Him, two others, one on each side, and Jesus in the midst. And Pilate wrote a title also, and he put it upon the cross. And the writing was: “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” (John 19:4-19).

LITANY TO OUR LADY
FOR AMERICA

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.

God the Father of Heaven, Have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us.
God the Holy Ghost, Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, Have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, pray for us.
Holy Mother of God, pray for us.
Holy Virgin of virgins, pray for us.

O Immaculate Heart, triumph over our enemies!
O Immaculate Heart, expose the snares of Satan!
O Immaculate Heart, expose the plots of our enemies!
O Immaculate Heart, paralyze the plans of our enemies!
O Immaculate Heart, protect the true children of Holy Mother Church!
O Immaculate Heart, convert or destroy the enemies of the Church and Mankind!
O Immaculate Heart, crush the head of Satan and his stooges, instruments and minions!
O Immaculate Heart, strengthen us in this persecution!
O Immaculate Heart, obtain for us the courage to fight for the Faith!
O Immaculate Heart, increase in us fervor in prayer!
O Immaculate Heart, lead us to penance!
O Immaculate Heart, obtain for us the zeal to make many sacrifice in this battle with Satan and the world!
O Immaculate Heart, help us to overcome our worldliness!
O Immaculate Heart, help us to overcome our indifference!
O Immaculate Heart, help us repair the damage caused by our sins!
O Immaculate Heart, obtain for us a sorrow for our negligence and sins!
O Immaculate Heart, help us repair the damges caused by our negligences and sins.

O Mother of Mercy, have mercy on the sins of America!
O Mother of Mercy, intercede for sinners in America!
O Mother of Mercy, convert the sinners of America!
O Mother of Mercy, uproot the spirit of blasphemy and irreligion!
O Mother of Mercy, help us repair the grievous sin of abortion!
O Mother of Mercy, bring to an end the spirit and practice of contraception!
O Mother of Mercy, stamp out the spirit of lust and impurity!
O Mother of Mercy, destroy the spirit of adultery and fornication!
O Mother of Mercy, overcome the spirit of homosexuality!
O Mother of Mercy, bring to an end the abuse of children!
O Mother of Mercy, overcome the hypocrisy of racism!
O Mother of Mercy, cast out all alcoholism and drug abuse!
O Mother of Mercy, remove from us a desire for riches and wealth!
O Mother of Mercy, remove from us a spirit of greed and avarice!
O Mother of Mercy, replace our materialism with a true spirituality!

O Virgin Most Powerful, help us to put God before country!
O Virgin Most Powerful, help us to put the Faith before our politics!
O Virgin Most Powerful, convert America to the Catholic Faith!
O Virgin Most Powerful, convert or destroy the enemies of God and the Faith!
O Virgin Most Powerful, obtain for us a Catholic government!
O Virgin Most Powerful, replace pagan schools with truly Catholic schools!
O Virgin Most Powerful, grant that the laws of the Nation comply with the laws of God!
O Virgin Most Powerful, replace our secular sinful culture with a religious Catholic culture!
O Virgin Most Powerful, make us value grace more than money!
O Virgin Most Powerful, replace our vices with virtues!
O Virgin Most Powerful, bring about the Social Reign of Christ the King!

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us.

V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray:
O Most powerful Mother of God, bring America to repentance and reconciliation with God. Grant America the humility to see her innumerable sins, offenses and negligences against God and the grace to do worthy penance and make sufficient reparation for them. Crush Satan’s empire of sin and erect the social reign of Christ the King―so that throughout the land we may witness a hatred of sin and a true love of God. Though our sins be like scarlet, make them white as snow! We ask this through Christ thy Son, Who lives and reigns with the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, world without end. Amen.

ACT OF CONSECRATION OF AMERICA TO OUR LADY

Most Holy Trinity: Our Father in Heaven, Who chose Mary as the fairest of Your daughters; Holy Spirit, Who chose Mary as Your Spouse; God of Son, Who chose Mary as Your Mother; in union with Mary, we adore Your Majesty and acknowledge Your supreme, eternal dominion and authority.

Most Holy Trinity, we put the United States of America into the hands of Mary Immaculate, in order that she may present the country to You. Through her we wish to thank for You the great resources of this land and for the freedom, which has been its heritage. Through the intercession of Mary, have mercy on the Catholic Church in America.

Grant us peace. Have mercy on our president and all the officers of our government. Grant us a fruitful economy born of justice and charity. Have mercy on capital and industry and labor. Protect the family life of the nation. Guard the precious gift of many religious vocations. Through the intercession of our Mother, have mercy on the sick, the poor, the tempted, sinners ― on all who are in need.

Mary, Immaculate Virgin, our Mother, Patroness of our land, we praise you and honor you and give our country and ourselves to your Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart. O Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, pierced by the sword of sorrow prophesied by Simeon, save us from degeneration, disaster and war. Protect us from all harm. O Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, who bore the sufferings of your Son in the depths of your heart, be our advocate. Pray for us, that acting always according to your will and the will of your divine Son, we may live and die pleasing to God. Amen.

YOUR DAILY ROSARY MEDITATIONS

Ten Scriptural quotes, one for each Hail Mary.
Say the appropriate one before saying the Hail Mary.

THE JOYFUL MYSTERIES

1. THE ANNUNCIATION

1. And in the sixth month, the Angel Gabriel was sent, from God, into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth.

2. He was sent to a Virgin espoused to a man, whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the Virgin’s name was Mary.

3. And the Angel, being come in, said unto her: “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee! Blessed art thou among women!”

4. Who, having heard, was troubled at his saying, and thought within herself what manner of salutation this should be.

5. And the Angel said to her: “Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God!”

6. “Behold! Thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a Son; and thou shalt call His Name Jesus.”

7. “He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of David, His father; and He shall reign in the House of Jacob for ever. And of His kingdom there shall be no end.”

8. And Mary said to the Angel: “How shall this be done, because I know not man?”

9. And the Angel, answering, said to her: “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee. And, therefore also, the Holy, which shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of God.”

10. And Mary said: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord! Be it done unto me according to thy word!” And the Angel departed from her.

2. THE VISITATION

1. A priest, named Zachary, and his wife, Elizabeth, were both just before God, walking in all the commandments and justifications of the Lord without blame. And they had no son, for Elizabeth was barren, and they both were well advanced in years.

2. And it came to pass, when Zachary executed the priestly function, going into the Temple of the Lord in the order of his course before God, for it was his lot to offer incense, according to the custom of the priestly office. And all the multitude of the people was praying outside, at the hour of incense. And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And Zachary, seeing him, was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

3. The angel said to him: “Fear not, Zachary, for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. And thou shalt have joy and gladness, and many shall rejoice in his nativity. For he shall be great before the Lord; and shall drink no wine, nor strong drink: and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb. And he shall convert many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. And he shall go before Him in the spirit and power of Elias; that he may turn the hearts of the fathers unto the children, and the incredulous to the wisdom of the just, to prepare unto the Lord a perfect people.”

4. Zachary said to the angel: “Whereby shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years!” And the angel answering, said to him: “I am Gabriel, who stands before God: and am sent to speak to thee, and to bring thee these good tidings. And behold, thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not be able to speak until the day wherein these things shall come to pass, because thou hast not believed my words, which shall be fulfilled in their time!”

5. The people were waiting for Zachary; and they wondered that he tarried so long in the Temple. And when he came out, he could not speak to them―and they understood that he had seen a vision in the Temple. And he made signs to them, and remained dumb.

6. And it came to pass, after the days of his office were accomplished, he departed to his own house. And after those days, Elizabeth, his wife, conceived and hid herself five months, saying: “Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein He hath had regard to take away my reproach among men!”

7. And Mary, rising up in those days, went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda. And she entered into the house of Zachary and saluted Elizabeth. And it came to pass, that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the infant leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost.

8. And Elizabeth cried out with a loud voice, and said: “Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb! And whence is this to me, that the Mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the infant in my womb leapt for joy! And blessed art thou that hast believed, because those things shall be accomplished that were spoken to thee by the Lord.”

9. And Mary said: “My soul doth magnify the Lord. And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. Because He hath regarded the humility of His handmaid; for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. Because He that is mighty, hath done great things to me; and holy is His Name. And His mercy is from generation unto generations, to them that fear Him. He hath showed might in His arm: He hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart. He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich He hath sent empty away. He hath received Israel His servant, being mindful of His mercy: as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to His seed for ever.”

10. And Mary abode with her about three months; and she returned to her own house. Now Elizabeth’s full time of being delivered was come, and she brought forth a son. And her neighbors and kinsfolks heard that the Lord had showed His great mercy towards her, and they congratulated her.
And it came to pass, that, on the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child, and they called him by his father’s name―Zachary. And his mother answering, said: “Not so! But he shall be called John!” And they said to her: “There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name!” And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called. And demanding a writing table, he wrote, saying: “John is his name!”
And they all wondered. And immediately his mouth was opened, and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. And fear came upon all their neighbors; and all these things were noised abroad, over all the hill country of Judea. And all they that had heard them, laid them up in their heart, saying: “What a one, think ye, shall this child be? For the hand of the Lord was with him!”

3. THE BIRTH OF OUR LORD AT BETHLEHEM

1. And it came to pass, that in those days there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that the whole world should be enrolled. This enrolling was first made by Cyrinus, the governor of Syria. And all went to be enrolled, everyone into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem―because he was of the house and family of David―to be enrolled with Mary his espoused wife, who was with Child.

2. And it came to pass, that when they were there, her days were accomplished, that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him up in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

3. And there were, in the same country, shepherds watching and keeping the night watches over their flock. And, behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the brightness of God shone round about them; and they feared with a great fear. And the angel said to them: “Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy―that shall be to all the people!”

4. “For, this day, is born to you a Savior, Who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David. And this shall be a sign unto you―you shall find the Infant wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger!” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army, praising God, and saying: “Glory to God in the highest; and on Earth peace to men of good will!”

5. And it came to pass, after the angels departed from them into Heaven, the shepherds said one to another: “Let us go over to Bethlehem, and let us see this word that is come to pass, which the Lord hath showed to us!” And they came with haste; and they found Mary and Joseph, and the Infant, lying in the manger. And seeing, they understood of the word that had been spoken to them concerning this Child. And all that heard, wondered at those things that were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these words, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God, for all the things they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

6. When Jesus therefore was born in Bethlehem of Juda, in the days of King Herod, behold, there came Wise Men from the East to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East, and are come to adore Him.”  And King Herod hearing this, was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And assembling together all the Chief Priests and the Scribes of the people, he inquired of them where Christ should be born. But they said to him: “In Bethlehem of Juda. For so it is written by the prophet: ‘And thou Bethlehem, the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come forth the Captain that shall rule My people Israel.’”

7. Then Herod, privately calling the Wise Men, learned diligently of them the time of the star, which appeared to them; and, sending them into Bethlehem, said: “Go and diligently inquire after the Child, and, when you have found Him, bring me word again, that I also may come to adore Him.” Who, having heard the king, went their way; and, behold, the star which they had seen in the East, went before them, until it came and stood over where the Child was. And, seeing the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And entering into the house, they found the Child with Mary His Mother, and falling down they adored Him; and opening their treasures, they offered Him gifts―gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And, having received an answer, in sleep, that they should not return to Herod, they went back another way into their country.

8. And, after they were departed, behold an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph, in his sleep, saying: “Arise, and take the Child and His Mother, and flee into Egypt: and be there until I shall tell thee! For it will come to pass that Herod will seek the Child to destroy Him.” Who arose, and took the Child and His Mother by night, and retired into Egypt: and he was there until the death of Herod―that it might be fulfilled, which the Lord spoke by the prophet, saying: “Out of Egypt have I called My Son.”

9. Then Herod, perceiving that he was deluded by the Wise Men, was exceedingly angry; and, sending soldiers, killed all the male children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the borders thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the Wise Men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremias the prophet, saying:  “A voice in Rama was heard, lamentation and great mourning; Rachel bewailing her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not!” But when Herod was dead, behold an angel of the Lord appeared, in Egypt, to Joseph in his sleep, saying: “Arise, and take the Child and His Mother, and go into the land of Israel. For they are dead that sought the life of the Child.”

10. Who arose, and took the Child and His Mother, and came into the land of Israel. But, hearing that Archelaus reigned in Judea, in the room of Herod his father, he was afraid to go there―and, being warned in sleep, retired into the quarters of Galilee. And coming, he dwelt in a city called Nazareth― that it might be fulfilled which was said by prophets: “That He shall be called a Nazarene.”

4. THE PRESENTATION OF THE INFANT JESUS IN THE TEMPLE

1. And after the days of her purification were accomplished, according to the law of Moses, they carried Him to Jerusalem, to present Him to the Lord―as it is written in the Law of the Lord: “Every male, opening the womb, shall be called holy to the Lord!”―and to offer a sacrifice, according as it is written in the law of the Lord: “A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.”

2. And behold there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Ghost was in him.

3. And he had received an answer from the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Christ of the Lord. And he came by the Spirit into the Temple.

4. And when His parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the Law, Simeon also took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said: “Now Thou dost dismiss Thy servant, O Lord, according to Thy word in peace; because my eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples―a light to the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel!”

5. And His father and mother were wondering at those things which were spoken concerning Him.

6. And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother: “Behold this Child is set for the fall, and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be contradicted; and thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that, out of many hearts, thoughts may be revealed.”

7. And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser; she was far advanced in years, and had lived with her husband seven years from her virginity. And she was a widow for eighty-four years; who departed not from the Temple, by fastings and prayers serving night and day.

8. Now she, at the same hour, coming in, confessed to the Lord; and spoke of Him to all that looked for the redemption of Israel.

9. And after they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their city Nazareth.

10. And the Child grew and waxed strong, full of wisdom; and the grace of God was in Him.

5. THE FINDING OF THE CHILD JESUS IN THE TEMPLE

1. And His parents went every year to Jerusalem, at the solemn day of the Pasch.

2. And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem, according to the custom of the feast.

3. And having fulfilled the days, when they returned, the Child Jesus remained in Jerusalem; and His parents knew it not.

4. And thinking that He was in the company of others, they came a day’s journey, and sought Him among their kinsfolk and acquaintances. And not finding Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him.

5. And it came to pass, that, after three days, they found Him in the Temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, hearing them and asking them questions. And all that heard Him were astonished at His wisdom and His answers. And seeing Him, they wondered.

6. And His mother said to Him: “Son, why hast Thou done so to us? Behold Thy father and I have sought Thee sorrowing!”

7. And He said to them: “How is it that you sought Me? Did you not know, that I must be about My Father’s business?” And they understood not the word that He spoke unto them.

8. And He went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them.

9. And His Mother kept all these words in her heart.

10. And Jesus advanced in wisdom, and age, and grace with God and men.

THE SORROWFUL MYSTERIES

1. THE AGONY OF OUR LORD IN THE GARDEN

1. And a hymn being said, going out, He went, according to His custom, to the Mount of Olives. He went forth over the brook Cedron and His disciples also followed Him. Then Jesus came with them into a country place, a farm which is called Gethsemane. And taking with Him Peter and James and John, the two sons of Zebedee, He said to His disciples: “Sit you here, till I go yonder and pray!” And He began to fear and to be heavy, and grow sorrowful and to be sad. Then He said to them: “My soul is sorrowful even unto death: stay you here, and watch with Me!”

2. And when He was gone forward a little, and was withdrawn away from them a stone’s cast, He fell upon His face, flat on the ground; and He prayed, that if it might be, the hour might pass from Him, saying: “My Father, if it be possible, let this chalice pass from Me--remove this chalice from Me! Nevertheless, not My will, but Thine be done!”

3. And He cometh to His disciples and findeth them asleep, and He saith to Peter: “What! Could you not watch one hour with Me? Watch ye, and pray that ye enter not into temptation! The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh weak!”

4. Again the second time, He went and prayed, saying: “My Father, if this chalice may not pass away, but I must drink it, Thy will be done!” And He cometh again and findeth them sleeping―for their eyes were heavy and they knew not what to answer Him.

5. And leaving them, He went again and He prayed the third time, saying the same words. And there appeared to Him an angel from Heaven, strengthening Him. And, being in an agony, He prayed the longer. And His sweat became as drops of blood, trickling down upon the ground.
And when He rose up from prayer, and was come to His disciples, He found them sleeping for sorrow and saith to them: “Sleep ye now and take your rest! It is enough! Behold the hour is at hand, and the Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of sinners!  Rise! Let us go! Behold he is at hand that will betray Me!”

6. And while He was yet speaking, behold, Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, came―and with him a great multitude with swords and clubs―sent from the Chief Priests and the Ancients of the people. Judas, who betrayed Him, knew the place; because Jesus had often visited there―together with His disciples. Judas, therefore, having received a band of soldiers and servants from the Chief Priests and the Pharisees, cometh there with lanterns and torches and weapons.
And he, that betrayed Him, gave them a sign, saying: “Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is He! Hold Him fast and lead Him away carefully!” And forthwith coming to Jesus, and immediately going up to Him, he said: “Hail, Rabbi!” And he kissed Him. And Jesus said to him: “Friend, whereto art thou come? Judas, dost thou betray the Son of man with a kiss?”

7. Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon Him, went forth, and said to them: “Whom seek ye?” They answered Him: “Jesus of Nazareth!” Jesus saith to them: “I am He!” And Judas also, who betrayed Him, stood with them. As soon, therefore, as He had said to them: “I am He”, they went backward, and fell to the ground. Again, therefore, He asked them: “Whom seek ye?” And they said: “Jesus of Nazareth!”  Jesus answered: “I have told you that I am He! If therefore you seek Me, let these go their way!” That the word might be fulfilled which He said: “Of them whom Thou hast given Me, I have not lost any one” Then they came up, and laid hands on Jesus, and held Him.

8. And they, that were about Him, seeing what would follow, said to Him: “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” And, behold, one of them that was with Jesus, Simon Peter, having a sword, stretching forth his hand, drew out his sword and struck the servant of the High Priest and cut off his right ear. And the name of the servant was Malchus.
Then Jesus saith to him: “Put up thy sword into the scabbard! For all that take the sword shall perish with the sword! The chalice which My Father hath given Me―shall I not drink it? Thinkest thou that I cannot ask My Father, and He will give Me presently more than twelve legions of angels? How then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled, that so it must be done? Suffer ye thus far!”  But when Jesus had touched his ear, He healed him.

9. And Jesus said―to the Chief Priests, Magistrates of the Temple and the Ancients, that were come unto Him: “You are come out as it were to a robber, with swords and clubs, to apprehend Me! I sat daily with you, teaching in the Temple, and you laid not hands on Me! But this is your hour and the power of darkness!”
Now all this was done, that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then the disciples, all leaving Him, fled away. And a certain young man followed Him, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and they laid hold on him. But he, casting off the linen cloth, fled from them naked.

10. Then the band and the tribune, and the servants of the Jews, apprehending and holding Jesus, bound Him and led Him away to Annas first, for he was father-in-law to Caiphas, who was the High Priest of that year, and then to Caiphas, where the Scribes and the Ancients were assembled. But Peter followed afar off.

2. THE SCOURGING OF OUR LORD AT THE PILLAR

1. And when morning was come, all Chief Priests holding a consultation with the Ancients of the people and the Scribes and the whole Council, took counsel against Jesus, that they might put Him to death. And the whole multitude of them, rising up, binding Jesus, led Him away from Caiphas to the governor’s hall and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor. They went not into the hall, that they might not be defiled, but that they might eat the Pasch.

2. Pilate, therefore, went out to them, and said: “What accusation bring you against this Man?”
They answered and said to him: “If He were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered Him up to thee!” And they began to accuse Him, saying: “We have found this Man perverting our nation, and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that He is Christ the King!”

3. And when He was accused by the Chief Priests and Ancients, He answered nothing.
Then Pilate saith to Him: “Dost not Thou hear how great testimonies they allege against Thee?”
And He answered him not a word; so that the governor wondered.
And Pilate again asked Him, saying: “Answerest Thou nothing? Behold in how many things they accuse Thee!”
But Jesus still answered nothing; so that Pilate wondered exceedingly.

4. Pilate therefore said to them: “Take Him you, and judge Him according to your law!”
The Jews therefore said to him: “It is not lawful for us to put any man to death!” That the word of Jesus might be fulfilled, which He said, signifying what death He should die. But they were more earnest, saying: “He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place.”
But Pilate, hearing “Galilee”, asked if the Man were of Galilee. And when he understood that He was of Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him away to Herod, who was also at Jerusalem in those days.

5. And Herod, seeing Jesus, was very glad; for he was desirous of a long time to see Him, because he had heard many things of Him; and he hoped to see some sign wrought by Him. And he questioned Him in many words.
But He answered him nothing.
And the Chief Priests and the Scribes stood by, earnestly accusing Him. And Herod, with his army, set Him at nought, and mocked Him, putting on Him a white garment, and sent Him back to Pilate.
And Herod and Pilate were made friends that same day; for, before, they were enemies one to another.

6. And Pilate, calling together the Chief Priests, and the Magistrates, and the people, said to them: “You have presented unto me this Man, as one that perverts the people; and, behold I, having examined Him before you, find no cause in this Man, in those things wherein you accuse Him. No, nor Herod neither! For I sent you to him, and behold, nothing worthy of death is done to Him!”
But they cried again, saying: “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”
And he said to them again: “Why? What evil hath this Man done? I find no cause of death in Him. I will chastise Him therefore, and let Him go!”
But they cried again, saying: “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”

7. Pilate, therefore, went into the hall again, and called Jesus. And Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked Him, saying: “Art Thou the king of the Jews?”
Jesus answered: “Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or have others told it thee of Me?”
Pilate answered: “Am I a Jew? Thy own nation, and the Chief Priests, have delivered Thee up to me! What hast Thou done?”

8. Jesus answered: “My kingdom is not of this world. If My Kingdom were of this world, My servants would certainly strive that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now My Kingdom is not from hence.”
Pilate therefore said to Him: “Art Thou a king then?”
Jesus answered: “Thou sayest that I am a king. For this was I born, and for this came I into the world―that I should give testimony to the truth. Everyone that is of the truth, heareth My voice!”
Pilate saith to Him: “What is truth?”

9. And when Pilate said this, he went out again to the Jews, and saith to them: “I find no cause in Him! But you have a custom that I should release one unto you at the Pasch! Will you, therefore, that I release unto you the King of the Jews?”
Then they all cried again, saying: “Not this Man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.
Pilate said to them: “What shall I do then with Jesus, that is called Christ?”
They
all said: “Let Him be crucified!”
The governor said to them: “Why? What evil hath He done?”
But they cried out the more, saying: “Let Him be crucified!”
And the whole people answering, said: “His blood be upon us and our children!”

10. But they insisted with loud voices, requiring that He might be crucified; and their voices prevailed. And Pilate seeing that he prevailed nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, taking water, washed his hands before the people, saying: “I am innocent of the Blood of this just Man―look you to it!”
And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required. And he released unto them Barabbas, whom they had desired―who, for murder and sedition, had been cast into prison; but he had Jesus scourged and delivered up to their will.

3. THE CROWNING OF OUR LORD WITH THORNS

1. Then the soldiers of the governor led Jesus away into the hall, the court of the palace, and they called together unto Him the whole band; and stripping Him, they put a scarlet cloak about Him.

2. And plaiting a crown of thorns, they put it upon His head, and a reed in His right hand.

3. And they began to salute Him, and, bowing the knee before Him, they adored Him. And they mocked Him, saying: “Hail, King of the Jews!”

4. And they took the reed and struck His Head with the reed. And they did spit on Him and they gave Him blows.

5. And after they had mocked Him, they took off the purple cloak from Him, and put on Him His own garments, and led Him back to Pilate.

6. Pilate therefore went forth again, and said to them: “Behold, I bring Him forth unto you, that you may know that I find no cause in Him!” Jesus therefore came forth, bearing the crown of thorns. And Pilate said to them: “Behold the Man!” When the Chief Priests, therefore, and the servants had seen Him, they cried out, saying: “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”

7. Pilate said to them: “Take Him you, and crucify Him! For I find no cause in Him!”
The Jews answered him: “We have a law; and according to the law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God!” When Pilate therefore had heard this saying, he feared the more. And he entered into the hall again, and he said to Jesus: “Whence art Thou?” But Jesus gave him no answer.

8. Pilate therefore said to Him: “Speakest Thou not to me? Knowest Thou not that I have power to crucify Thee, and I have power to release Thee?”
Jesus answered: “Thou shouldst not have any power against Me, unless it were given thee from above. Therefore, he that hath delivered Me to thee, hath the greater sin!”

9. And from henceforth Pilate sought to release Him. But the Jews cried out, saying: “If thou release this Man, thou art not Caesar’s friend! For whosoever maketh himself a king, speaketh against Caesar!”
Now when Pilate had heard these words, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat, in the place that is called Lithostrotos, and in Hebrew Gabbatha. And it was the Parasceve of the Pasch, about the sixth hour, and he said to the Jews: “Behold your King!” But they cried out: “Away with Him! Away with Him! Crucify Him!”

10. Pilate said to them: “Shall I crucify your King?” The Chief Priests answered: “We have no king but Caesar!” Then, therefore, he delivered Him to them to be crucified. And they took Jesus and led Him forth.

4. OUR LORD CARRIES HIS CROSS TO CALVARY

“And bearing His own Cross, He went forth to that place which is called Calvary, but in Hebrew, Golgotha” (John 19:17).

1. And after they had mocked Him, they took off the cloak from Him, and put on Him His own garments, and led Him away to crucify Him.

2. And bearing His own Cross, He went forth to that place which is called “Calvary”―but in Hebrew, “Golgotha.”

3. And there were also two other malefactors, led with Him, to be put to death.

4. And going out, they found a man named Simon, who passed by, coming out of the country of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and of Rufus. And they forced Simon to take up His Cross.

5. And there followed Him a great multitude of people, and of women, who bewailed and lamented Him.

6. But Jesus turning to them, said: “Daughters of Jerusalem! Weep not over Me; but weep for yourselves, and for your children! For behold, the days shall come, wherein they will say: ‘Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that have not borne, and the paps that have not given suck!’”

7. Jesus said to them: “Then shall they begin to say to the mountains: ‘Fall upon us!’ and to the hills: ‘Cover us!’ For if in the green wood they do these things, what shall be done in the dry?”

8. Pilate wrote a title, also, and he put it upon the Cross. And the writing was: “Jesus of Nazareth, The King of the Jews.”

9. This title, therefore, many of the Jews did read―because the place where Jesus was crucified was near to the city―and it was written in Hebrew, in Greek, and in Latin.

10. Then the Chief Priests of the Jews said to Pilate: “Write not, ‘The King of the Jews’; but that He said, ‘I am the King of the Jews’!” Pilate answered: “What I have written, I have written!”

5. THE CRUCIFIXION AND DEATH OF OUR LORD

“And it was the third hour, and they crucified Him” (Mark 15:26).

1. And it was the third hour when they were come to the place which is called Calvary, they crucified Him there. And Jesus said: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do!” The soldiers, therefore, when they had crucified Him, took and divided His garments, and they made four parts, to every soldier a part, and also His coat. Now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.
They said then one to another: “Let us not cut it, but let us cast lots for it, whose it shall be!” that the Scripture might be fulfilled, saying: “They divided My garments among them; and upon My vesture they cast lots.” And the soldiers indeed did these things.

2. And they put over His head the written inscription of His cause: “This is Jesus the King of the Jews.” And with Him they crucified two thieves; the one robber on His right hand, and the other on His left, so that the Scripture was fulfilled, which saith: “And with the wicked He was reputed.” And they sat and watched Him.

3. And they that passed by, blasphemed Him, wagging their heads, and saying: “Vah! Thou that destroyest the Temple of God, and in three days dost rebuild it! Save Thy own self! If Thou be the Son of God, come down from the Cross!”
In like manner also the Chief Priests, with the Scribes and Ancients, mocking, said: “He saved others; Himself He cannot save! Let Christ the King of Israel come down now from the Cross! If He be the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the Cross, that we may see and believe! He trusted in God; let Him now deliver Him if He will have Him! For He said: ‘I am the Son of God!’ He saved others; Himself He cannot save!”
And the soldiers also mocked Him, coming to Him and offering Him vinegar, and saying: “If Thou be the King of the Jews, save Thyself!”
And the self-same thing the thieves, that were crucified with Him, also reproached Him with and reviled Him.

4. And one of those robbers, who were hanged, blasphemed Him, saying: “If Thou be Christ, save Thyself and us!” But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying: “Neither dost thou fear God, seeing thou art condemned under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man hath done no evil!” And he said to Jesus: “Lord! Remember me when Thou shalt come into Thy Kingdom!”
And Jesus said to him: “Amen I say to thee, this day thou shalt be with Me in paradise!”
And it was almost the sixth hour.

5. Now there stood by the Cross of Jesus, His Mother, and His Mother’s sister, Mary of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalen. When Jesus, therefore, had seen His Mother and the disciple standing, whom He loved, He saith to His Mother: “Woman, behold thy son!” After that, He saith to the disciple: “Behold thy Mother!” And from that hour, the disciple took her to his own.

6. And when the sixth hour was come, the sun was darkened and there was darkness over the whole Earth until the ninth hour. And, about the ninth hour, Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying: “Eli, Eli, lamma sabacthani?” That is: “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” And some that stood there and heard, said: “Behold, this Man calleth Elias!” And the others said: “Let be! Let us see whether Elias will come to deliver Him!”

7. Afterwards, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said: “I thirst!” Now there was a vessel set there, full of vinegar. And immediately, one of them running, took a sponge and filled it with vinegar and hyssop and put it on a reed. And they, putting a sponge full of vinegar and hyssop, put it to His mouth and gave Him to drink. Jesus, therefore, when He had taken the vinegar, said: “It is consummated!””

8. And Jesus, again crying with a loud voice, said: “Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit!” And after saying this, bowing His head, He gave up the ghost. And the veil of the Temple was rent in two, from the top to the bottom. And the centurion, who stood over against Him, seeing that, crying out in this manner, He had given up the ghost, seeing what was done, glorified God, saying:  “Indeed this was a just Man! Indeed this Man was the Son of God!” And all the multitude of them that were come together to that sight, and saw the things that were done, returned striking their breasts.

9.Then the Jews, because it was the Parasceve, that the bodies might not remain on the Cross on the Sabbath day—for, at the time of the Pasch or Passover, it was a great Sabbath day—besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. The soldiers, therefore, came; and they broke the legs of the first and of the other, that was crucified with Him.
But after they were come to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers, with a spear, opened His side, and immediately there came out blood and water. For these things were done, that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “You shall not break a bone of Him.”  And again another Scripture saith: “They shall look on Him Whom they pierced.” And he that saw it, hath given testimony, and his testimony is true. And he knoweth that he saith true; that you also may believe.

10. And all His acquaintances, and the women that had followed Him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things. Among whom was Mary Magdalen, and Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joseph, and Salome: who, also, when He was in Galilee, followed Him, and ministered to Him, and many other women that came up with Him to Jerusalem.
And when evening was now come, the day before the Sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, a noble counsellor, who was also himself looking for the Kingdom of God, came and went in boldly to Pilate and begged the Body of Jesus. But Pilate wondered that He should be already dead. And sending for the centurion, he asked him if He were already dead. And when he had understood it by the centurion, he gave the Body to Joseph. And Joseph, buying fine linen and taking Him down, wrapped Him up in the fine linen, and laid Him in a sepulcher, which was hewed out of a rock. And he rolled a stone to the door of the sepulcher. And Mary Magdalen, and Mary the mother of Joseph, beheld where He was laid.

THE GLORIOUS MYSTERIES

1. THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD FROM THE DEAD

1. And when the Sabbath was past, when it began to dawn towards the first day of the week, there was a great earthquake. For an angel of the Lord descended from Heaven, and coming, rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. And his countenance was as lightning, and his raiment as snow. And for fear of him, the guards were struck with terror, and became as dead men. Later the guards came into the city, and told the Chief Priests all things that had been done. And they, being assembled together with the Ancients, taking counsel, gave a great sum of money to the soldiers, saying: “Say you: ‘His disciples came by night, and stole Him away when we were asleep!’ And if the governor shall hear this, we will persuade him, and secure you!” So they, taking the money, did as they were taught: and this word was spread abroad among the Jews―even unto this day.

2. Very early in the morning Mary Magdalen, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought sweet spices, so that, coming to see the sepulcher, they might anoint Jesus. Mary Magdalen came first unto the sepulcher, when it was yet dark; and she saw the stone taken away from the sepulcher. She ran, therefore, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith to them: “They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulcher, and we know not where they have laid Him!”

3. Meanwhile, with the sun being now risen, the other women arrived at the sepulcher, bringing the spices which they had prepared. And they said one to another: “Who shall roll us back the stone from the door of the sepulcher?” For it was very great. And looking, they saw the stone rolled back. And entering into the sepulcher, they found not the Body of the Lord Jesus. They saw a young man, sitting on the right side, clothed with a white robe―and they were astonished. They were afraid and bowed down, their countenance towards the ground. And the angel answering, said to the women: “Be not afraid! For I know that you seek Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified! Why seek you the living with the dead? He is not here, but is risen. Remember how He spoke unto you, when He was in Galilee, saying: ‘The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again!’ He is risen! He is not here! Come, and see the place where the Lord was laid. Now go quickly, tell His disciples and Peter that He will go before you into Galilee; there you shall see Him, as He told you!”

4. But they going out, fled from the sepulcher with fear and great joy, running to tell His disciples. For a trembling and fear had seized them: and they said nothing to any man; for they were afraid. And going back from the sepulcher, they told all these things to the Eleven, and to all the rest. And these words seemed to them as idle tales; and they did not believe them.

5. In the meantime, Peter went out, and that other disciple, and they came to the sepulcher. And they both ran together, and that other disciple did outrun Peter and came first to the sepulcher. And when he stooped down, he saw the linen cloths lying; but yet he went not in. Then cometh Simon Peter, following him, and went into the sepulcher, and saw the linen cloths lying, and the napkin that had been about His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but apart, wrapped up into one place. Then that other disciple also went in, who came first to the sepulcher, and he saw and believed. For, as yet, they knew not the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. The disciples therefore departed again to their home.

6. Jesus appeared first to Mary Magdalen, out of whom He had cast seven devils. Mary, having returned again to the sepulcher, stood outside, weeping. Now as she was weeping, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulcher, and she saw two angels in white, sitting, one at the head, and one at the feet, where the Body of Jesus had been laid.
They said to her: “Woman, why weepest thou?”
She said to them: “Because they have taken away my Lord; and I know not where they have laid Him!”
When she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing; and she knew not that it was Jesus.
Jesus said to her: “Woman, why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou?”
She, thinking it was the gardener, saith to Him: “Sir, if Thou hast taken Him out of here, tell me where Thou hast laid Him, and I will take Him away!”
Jesus said to her: “Mary!”
She, turning, said to Him: “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Master).
Jesus said to her: “Do not touch Me! For I am not yet ascended to My Father! But go to My brethren and say to them: ‘I ascend to My Father and to your Father, to My God and your God!’” Mary Magdalen went and told the disciples: “I have seen the Lord! And these things He said to me!”

7. In the meantime, Jesus met the women, saying: “All hail!” But they came up and took hold of His feet, and adored Him. Then Jesus said to them: “Fear not! Go, tell My brethren that they go into Galilee, there they shall see Me!”
The women told these things to the Apostles. And these words seemed to them as idle tales; and they did not believe them. And they hearing that He was alive, and had been seen, did not believe. And after that He appeared in another shape to two of them walking, as they were going into the country. And they going told it to the rest: neither did they believe them. At length He appeared to the Eleven as they were at table: and He upbraided them with their incredulity and hardness of heart, because they did not believe them who had seen Him after He was risen again.

8. Two disciples, the same day, walked to a town which was sixty furlongs from Jerusalem, named Emmaus. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. And while they talked and reasoned, Jesus Himself joined them. But their eyes were held, that they should not know Him.
And He said to them: “What are you talking about and why are you so sad?”
And Cleophas said to Him: “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, and how our Chief Priests and princes delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him. We hoped, that it was He that should have redeemed Israel! Today is the third day since these things were done and some women of our company, who were at the sepulcher, and not finding His body, came and frightened us, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, who say that He is alive!”

9. Then Jesus said to them: “O foolish, and slow of heart to believe in all things which the prophets have spoken! Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and so to enter into His glory?” And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded to them, in all the Scriptures, the things that were concerning Him.
And as they drew near to the town where they were going, they constrained Him; saying: “Stay with us, because it is towards evening, and the day is now far spent!” And He went in with them. And it came to pass, whilst He was at table with them, He took bread, and blessed, and broke, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew Him: and He vanished out of their sight.
And they said one to the other: “Was not our heart burning within us, whilst He spoke in this way, and opened to us the Scriptures?” And rising up, the same hour, they went back to Jerusalem: and they found the Eleven gathered together, and those that were staying with them, saying: “The Lord is risen indeed!”

10. Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, who is called “Didymus”, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him: “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them: “Except I shall see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe!” And, after eight days again His disciples were within, and Thomas with them. Jesus cometh, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said: “Peace be to you!” Then he saith to Thomas: “Put in thy finger here, and see My hands; and bring here thy hand, and put it into My side―and be not faithless, but believing!” Thomas answered, and said to Him: “My Lord, and my God!” Jesus saith to him: “Because thou hast seen Me, Thomas, thou hast believed! Blessed are they that have not seen, and have believed!”

2. THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD INTO HEAVEN

1. And the Eleven Disciples went into Galilee, and Jesus led them out as far as Bethania, unto the mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And seeing Him they adored: but some doubted.

2. They, therefore, who were come together, asked Him, saying: “Lord, wilt Thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” And Jesus, spoke to them, saying: “It is not for you to know the times or moments, which the Father hath put in His own power.”

3. And Jesus said to them: “All power is given to Me in Heaven and in Earth. But you shall receive the power of the Holy Ghost coming upon you, and you shall be witnesses unto Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the uttermost parts of the Earth. Go ye into the whole world, and preach the Gospel to every creature. Teach ye all nations; baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.”

4. “He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved: but he that believeth not shall be condemned.”

5. “And these signs shall follow them that believe—In My Name they shall cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they shall drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay their hands upon the sick, and they shall recover.”

6. “Behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world!”

7. And the Lord Jesus, after He had spoken to them, lifting up His hands, He blessed them. And it came to pass, whilst He blessed them, He departed from them, and was carried up to Heaven while they looked on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. He now sitteth on the right hand of God.

8. And while they were beholding Him going up to Heaven, behold two men stood by them, in white garments, who also said: “Ye men of Galilee, why stand you looking up to Heaven? This Jesus, Who is taken up from you into Heaven, shall so come, as you have seen Him going into Heaven!”

9. Then they adoring went back from the mount, which is near Jerusalem, that is called Olivet, and with great joy returned to Jerusalem, which is within a Sabbath day’s journey.

10. And when they reached Jerusalem, they went up into an upper room, where abode Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James of Alpheus, and Simon Zelotes, and Jude the brother of James. All these were persevering with one mind in prayer with the women, and Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and with His brethren.

3. THE DESCENT OF THE HOLY GHOST AT PENTECOST

1. And when the days of the Pentecost were accomplished, they were all together in one place.

2. And suddenly there came a sound from Heaven, as of a mighty wind coming, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.

3. And there appeared to them parted tongues as it were of fire, and it sat upon every one of them.

4. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they began to speak with divers tongues, according as the Holy Ghost gave them to speak.

5. And when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded in mind, because that every man heard them speak in his own tongue.

6. And they were all amazed and astonished, and wondered, saying one to another: “What meaneth this?” But others mocking, said: “These men are full of new wine!”

7. But Peter standing up with the Eleven, lifted up his voice, and spoke to them: “Ye men of Judea, and all you that dwell in Jerusalem, be this known to you, and with your ears receive my words! For these are not drunk, as you suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day!”

8. “Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man approved of God among you, by miracles, and wonders, and signs, which God did by Him in the midst of you―as you also know. This same Being delivered up, by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, you, by the hands of wicked men, have crucified and slain. Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the sorrows of Hell, as it was impossible that He should be held by it.

9. When they had heard these things, they had compunction in their heart, and said to Peter, and to the rest of the Apostles: “What shall we do, men and brethren?” But Peter said to them: “Do penance, and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins―and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost! The promise is to you, your children and to all that are far off, whomsoever the Lord our God shall call!”

10. And with very many other words did he testify and exhort them, saying: “Save yourselves from this perverse generation!” They, therefore, that received his word, were baptized; and there were added in that day about three thousand souls. And they were persevering in the doctrine of the Apostles, and in the communication of the breaking of bread, and in prayers. And fear came upon every soul―many wonders also and signs were done by the Apostles in Jerusalem, and there was great fear in all. And all they that believed, were together, and had all things common. Their possessions and goods they sold, and divided them to all, according as everyone had need.

4. THE ASSUMPTION OF OUR LADY INTO HEAVEN

1. “Lift up your eyes to Heaven” (Isaias 51:6).

2. “Look up to Heaven and see, and behold the sky, that it is higher than thee” (Job 35:5).

3. “They shall make themselves wings like those of an eagle, and shall fly towards Heaven” (Proverbs 23:5).

4. “Who mounteth above the Heaven of Heaven” (Psalm 67:34).

5. “If I ascend into Heaven, Thou art there” (Psalm 138:8).

6. “And He had commanded the clouds from above, and had opened the doors of Heaven” (Psalm 77:23).

7. “God give thee the dew of Heaven” (Genesis 27:28).

8. “Then hear thou from Heaven, and do justice to thy servants” (2 Paralipomenon 6:23).

9. “Hear thou from Heaven their prayers and their supplications” (2 Paralipomenon 6:35).

10. “Hear thou from thy dwelling place, that is, from Heaven, and show mercy!” (2 Paralipomenon 6:21).

5. THE CORONATION OF OUR LADY IN HEAVEN

1. “Be thou faithful until death―and I will give thee the crown of life!” (Apocalypse 2:10).

2. “When the Prince of pastors shall appear, you shall receive a never fading crown of glory” (1 Peter 5:4).

3. “Behold, I come quickly! Hold fast that which thou hast, that no man take thy crown!” (Apocalypse 3:11).

4. “Thou shalt put her on as a robe of glory, and thou shalt set her upon thee as a crown of joy” (Ecclesiasticus 6:32).

5. “God will clothe thee with the double garment of justice, and will set a crown on thy head of everlasting honor” (Baruch 5:2).

6. “Thou shalt be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God” (Isaias 62:3).

7. “That thou mayest receive a crown as an ornament of grace” (Ecclesiasticus 32:3).

8. “And a great sign appeared in Heaven―a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars” (Apocalypse 12:1).

9. “With the crown set upon her head, to show her beauty to all … for she was exceedingly beautiful” (Esther 1:11).

10. “A jewel upon thy forehead and earrings in thy ears, and a beautiful crown upon thy head” (Ezechiel 16:12).

MEDITATIONS ON THE JOYFUL MYSTERIES

THE FIRST JOYFUL MYSTERY
THE ANNUNCIATION TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

This first mystery is all about a message from Heaven to Earth. The world is in a mess and God mercifully wants to redeem the world by sending His Only-Begotten Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, as a Savior for the world. Today, the world is in an even greater mess―as Our Lady revealed to Blessed Elena Aiello in 1956: “People are offending God too much! If I were to show you all the sins committed on a single day, you would surely die of grief! These are grave times! The world is in total turmoil because it is in a worse condition than at the time of the deluge! Materialism marches on ever fomenting bloody strifes and fratricidal struggles. Clear signs show that peace is in danger. That scourge, like the shadow of a dark cloud, is now moving across mankind―only my power, as Mother of God, is preventing the outbreak of the storm. All is hanging on a slender thread! When that thread shall snap, Divine Justice shall pounce upon the world and execute its dreadful, purging designs! All the nations shall be punished because sins, like a muddy river, are now covering all the Earth!”

In the Annunciation, “Mary said to the angel: ‘How shall this be done, because I know not man?” (Luke 1:34) ― these two presidential candidates could well say: “How shall this [victory] be done, because I know not God!” It is only a naïve person who thinks that both these presidential candidates are godly persons! At the very best Our Lord would say of both of them: ““Well did Isaias prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honoureth Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain do they worship Me, teaching doctrines and precepts of men!’ For leaving the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men, the washing of pots and of cups: and many other things you do like to these!’ And He said to them: ‘Well do you make void the commandment of God, that you may keep your own tradition!’’” (Mark 7:6-9).

Each one could protest that they are pro-God in some way―Trump speaks of God from time to time, claims to be a Presbyterian, but rarely goes to church, know little or nothing of Holy Scripture and married his Catholic ‘wife’, not in a Catholic church, but in an Anglican church―thus casting objective doubt over the validity of his marriage and the likelihood of the ‘marriage’ being a mere concubinage. Yes―Trump is against abortion and against the LGBTQ movement (at least in part)―but that is only partially pleasing to God. On the financial front, the words of Our Lord come to mind: “Amen, I say to you, that a rich man shall hardly enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. And again I say to you: It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven!’ And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus again answering, said to them: ‘Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches, to enter into the Kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God!’” (combined account of Matthew 19:23-24; Mark 10:23-25; Luke 18:24-25). Furthermore, Trump is heavily involved and supported by many Jews (over 100) and his daughter married a Jew who is now one of Trump’s right-hand-men in the White House―some even call him the shadow president!

Biden―who claims to be a devout Catholic who loves the Mass and the Rosary―is pro-abortion and pro-LGBTQ, even having presided as the ‘minister’ in the marriage of two men in the White House chapel! Biden, too, has in recent years become a multi-millionaire―thus qualifying for Our Lord’s comments about rich men and Heaven. Biden is also heavily sponsored by the Jews and also has children married to the Jews.

Our Lady was totally committed to God and totally humble―hence she was chosen to be the vehicle by which God would try to save the world by sending His Only-Begotten Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. These two candidates are far away from God―though they profess to be in favor of Him. Actions speak louder than words―and though there may many (proud) words and promises for the future―there remains a major shadow cast over their sincerity.

Our Lord came to seek and save those who are lost― “The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10) … “I came not to call the just―but sinners to penance!” (Luke 5:32) … “I say to you― unless you shall do penance, you shall all likewise perish!” (Luke 13:3). Let us be honest―America, with its current crop of leaders and politicians is perishing―as attested by Our Lady’s quote above to Blessed Elena Aiello. What are we doing to try and put the brakes on this demise? The Church commands us pray for our leaders―both religious and secular―how much have we prayed for them over the years? Let us not pretend that the current state of affairs has nothing to do with us! It has a lot to do with us―for we have neglected to draw down from the Heaven the graces that our spiritual and secular leaders needed to be Godly and follow God’s will and laws. Hence Our Lady lamented at Fatima: ““Pray, pray very much, and make sacrifices for sinners; for many souls go to Hell, because there are none to sacrifice themselves and pray for them!” (Our Lady of Fatima, August 1917).

The Angel Gabriel said to Our Lady: “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the most High shall overshadow thee … Because no word shall be impossible with God!” (Luke 1:35-37). God is always seeking to bring good out of evil―He is willing to bring good out of the evils besieging America and the world today―but are we willing to pay the price? As Our Lady asked the CHILDREN (not even adults) at Fatima: “Are you willing to offer yourselves to God and bear all the sufferings He wills to send you, as an act of reparation for the conversion of sinners? … Then you are going to have much to suffer, but the grace of God will be your comfort!” (Our Lady of Fatima, May 1917). Will we respond with Our Lady’s words: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word!” (Luke 1:38)? Or will we look away and turn away and indifferently go on with the preoccupations of our own petty lives?

THE SECOND JOYFUL MYSTERY
THE VISITATION BY THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY TO ST. ELIZABETH

The second Joyful Mystery―the Visitation by the Blessed Virgin Mary to St. Elizabeth and St. Zachary―can be seen in the light of Our Lord’s and Our Lady’s “visitations” to America asking for America’s cooperation in God’s work within the world, whereby America would be a kind of a “St. John the Baptist”, chosen to preach God’s will to the rest of the world.

Here are some of things that Our Lord and Our Lady communicated to Sister Mary Ephrem in the 1940s and 1950s concerning America:

► In May of 1954, Our Lord said: “The Voice of My Heart is the Voice of Mercy. If man will not listen, there is no more I can do, for he ties My hands. My Heart beats with compassion for the sorrows of man. Oh, how gladly would I help him bear the weight of his terrible cross, fashioned, for the most part, by his own guilt! But alas, he will have none of My help. So I am forced to stand by the side of the road and watch him struggle hopelessly in his agony. O man, what have I done to you that you should refuse My aid?”

► In July of 1954, Our Lord further added: “I am not loved in the homes of men. And because I am not loved, the Divine Trinity refuses to dwell therein. Children are not taught to love Me, because those who have charge over them have no time or patience to do so. My Heart grieves over My children in the world. Their hearts are being drawn farther and farther away from Me. They will not even listen to My Mother, because they have never been taught to listen. I am a Beggar for love, but how few give to Me the means by which to satisfy My divine hunger. I hunger for the love of My own, and I receive only the crumbs no other would accept. My Father is angry. If My children will not listen to My Heart, which is a Voice of mercy and instruction, punishment will come swiftly and none shall be able to stay it. The pleadings of My Heart have held back the divine justice about to descend on an ungrateful and sinful generation. Woe to parents who set a bad example to their children! Terrible will be their judgment. I will demand a strict account of every soul entrusted to their care. Woe to parents who teach their children how to gain materially in this world and neglect to prepare them for the next! Woe to children who disobey and show disrespect towards their parents!”

► During the winter of 1954, Our Lord spoke of the negligence of priests and religious: “Where are your prayers, O My priests and religious? Where are your sacrifices? Do you not know that sinners will not be converted unless prayer and sacrifices call down the grace of God upon them? My chosen ones, you in particular are responsible for the souls of poor sinners! It is to you I have entrusted them! You―their spiritual fathers and mothers―you must care for them and by your unceasing prayers on their behalf, lead them safely to My Father’s House!”

► In September of 1956, Our Lady stated: “I am pleased with the love and honor my children in America give to me [no longer today, in 2020, though], especially through my glorious and unique privilege of the Immaculate Conception. I promise to reward their love by working through the power of my Son’s Heart and my Immaculate Heart miracles of grace among them. I do not promise miracles of the body, but of the soul. For it is mainly through these miracles of grace that the Holy Trinity is glorified among men and nations. Let America continue and grow in its love for me, and I in return, in union with the Heart of my Son, promise to work wonders in her. My child, I desire that this be known ... I am Our Lady of America. I desire that my children honor me, especially by the purity of their lives … I entrust you with this message that you must make known to my children in America. I wish it to be the country dedicated to my purity. The wonders I will work will be the wonders of the soul. They must have Faith and believe firmly in my love for them. I desire that they be the children of my Pure Heart.

“I desire, through my children of America, to further the cause of Faith and purity among peoples and nations. Let them come to me with confidence and simplicity, and I, their Mother, will teach them to become pure like to my Heart that their own hearts may be more pleasing to the Heart of my Son … Behold, O my children, the tears of your Mother! Shall I weep in vain? Relieve the sorrow of my Heart over the ingratitude of sinful men by the love and chasteness of your lives. Will you do this for me, beloved children, or will you allow your Mother to weep in vain? I come to you, O children of America, as a last resort. I plead with you to listen to my voice. Cleanse your souls in the Precious Blood of My Son. Live in His Heart, and take me in that I may teach you to live in great purity of heart which is so pleasing to God. Be my army of chaste soldiers, ready to fight to the death to preserve the purity of your souls. I am the Immaculate One, Patroness of your land. Be my faithful children as I have been your faithful Mother. These are my words―make them known to my children. I desire to make the whole of America my shrine by making every heart accessible to the love of my Son.”

► In January of 1957 Our Lady warned: “The hour grows late. My Son’s patience will not last forever. Help me hold back His anger, which is about to descend on sinful and ungrateful men. Suffering and anguish, such as never before experienced, is about to overtake mankind. It is the darkest hour. But if men will come to me, my Immaculate Heart will make it bright again with the mercy which my Son will rain down through my hands. Help me save those who will not save themselves. Help me bring once again the sunshine of God’s peace upon the world ... The time is short, but the punishment will be long and, for many, forever! … Will my children in America listen to my pleadings and console my Immaculate Heart? Will my loyal sons carry out my desires and thus help me bring the peace of Christ once again to mankind? Pray and do penance!”

► In April of 1957, Our Lord warned: “Unless my children reform their lives, they will suffer great persecution. If man himself will not take upon himself the penance necessary to atone for his sins and those of others, God in His justice will have to send upon him the punishment necessary to atone for his transgressions.”

► In August of 1957, Our Lady added this warning: “Time passes and with it wasted graces and constant refusals on the part of man to co-operate with me in the accomplishment of the Divine Will for his own sanctification and salvation. What am I to do, when my children turn from me? The false peace of this world lures them and in the end will destroy them. They think they have done enough in consecrating themselves to my Immaculate Heart. It is not enough! That which I ask for and is most important many have not given me. What I ask, have asked, and will continue to ask is reformation of life. There must be sanctification from within. I will work my miracles of grace only in those who ask for them and empty their souls of the love and attachment to sin and all that is displeasing to my Son. Souls who cling to sin cannot have their hands free to receive the treasures of grace that I hold out to them.”

► In October of 1957, Our Lady becomes more insistent: “What I am about to tell you concerns in a particular way my children in America. Unless they do penance by mortification and self-denial and thus reform their lives, God will visit them with punishments hitherto unknown to them. There will be peace, as has been promised, but not until my children are purified and cleansed from defilement, and clothed thus with the white garment of grace, are made ready to receive this peace, so long promised and so long held back because of the sins of men. My dear children, either you will do as I desire and reform your lives, or God Himself will need to cleanse you in the fires of untold punishment. You must be prepared to receive His great gift of peace. If you will not prepare yourselves, God will Himself be forced to do so in His justice and mercy.

“Making the Rosary a family prayer is very pleasing to me. I ask that all families strive to do so. But be careful to say it with great devotion, meditating on each mystery and striving to imitate in your daily lives the virtues depicted therein. Live the mysteries of the Rosary as I lived them, and it will become a chain binding you to me forever. They who are found in the circle of my Rosary will never be lost. I myself will lead them at death to the throne of my Son, to be eternally united to Him. Write these words upon your hearts, my dear children, because of the compassion I have for you in my Immaculate Heart. Oh, if you knew the punishments I am holding back from you by my pleading and intercession on your behalf! Will you at last do as I wish, my children?”

► In October of 1957, Our Lady complained: “My children will not heed―they will not listen! Every other way they will take, but not this one. I ask greater sacrifices of the most favored and beloved of my children. I ask in the Name and for the love of my Son, Who so desires this. If I ask for reform of life, it is first from the chosen that I look for it. They must by the example of a sacrificial life lead the way for souls to union with Christ, honoring the Father by putting on His Spirit and His likeness in all things. O my small one, beloved of my Son’s Heart, prepare yourself by prayer, penance and suffering for what is to come!”

► In July of 1959, Our Lord spoke these words: “Oh, the pride of souls! How they resist My grace! O My priests, My religious, what would I not do for you if you would only let Me? I come daily laden with graces which you daily refuse. What am I to say of you, My best beloved? How long will you resist My love? It is from you I expect everything, and you give Me but the husks of your affections. How long will I bear with you, O My chosen ones? How long will you spurn My approaches? This ingratitude on the part of My priests and My religious that caused Me so much sorrow in My passion. Oh, how they resist My grace! How they fight against My love! So fearful are they―that I will deprive them of their tawdry trinkets―that they turn their backs lest they see the reproach in My eyes.”

► In December of 1959, Our Lady lamented: “I come again to warn and to plead. Oh, penance, penance! How little my children understand it! They give me many words, but sacrifice themselves they will not. It is not me they love but themselves. Oh, what blindness, sweet child, what blindness! How it pierces my heart! See, I weep―but my children show me no compassion. They behold the sword in my heart, but will make no move to withdraw it. I give them love―they give me only ingratitude. Weep, then, weep with your Mother over the sins of men. Intercede with me before the throne of mercy―for sin is overwhelming the world and punishment is not far away.”

THE THIRD JOYFUL MYSTERY
THE BIRTH OF OUR LORD IN BETHLEHEM

The King of kings is born! The Ruler of the world arrives! The Only-Begotten Son of God takes on human flesh and is born―not in a palace in Jerusalem―but in a cave or stable outside the little town of Bethlehem. No airplane or helicopter arrival! No limousine! No fanfares! No fireworks! No crowds! No celebrations! No feasts! No television cameras! No media coverage! No ceaseless flashing cameras and whirring videos! No Secret Service security guards! The Son of God enters the world in humility and poverty! How contrary that is to the trappings, the noise, the hype, the fanfare, the spotlight for modern day rulers, governors and politicians!

Danger of Riches
Holy Scripture is full of quotes about the distraction and danger of riches: “Behold the man that made not God his helper: But trusted in the abundance of his riches and prevailed in his vanity” (Psalm 51:9). This brings to mind a sad incident in the life of Our Lord:

“A certain man running up and kneeling before Jesus, asked Him: ‘Good Master! What shall I do that I may receive life everlasting?’ And Jesus said to him: ‘Thou knowest the commandments: Do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, bear not false witness, do no fraud, honor thy father and mother!’ But he answering, said to him: ‘Master, all these things I have observed from my youth!’ And Jesus looking on him, loved him, and said to him: ‘One thing is wanting unto thee: go, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in Heaven; and come, follow Me!’ Who being struck sad at that saying, went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. And Jesus looking round about, saith to His disciples: ‘How hardly shall they that have riches, enter into the Kingdom of God!’ And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus again answering, saith to them: ‘Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches, to enter into the kingdom of God? It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God!’ Who wondered the more, saying among themselves: ‘Who then can be saved?’ And Jesus looking on them, saith: ‘With men it is impossible; but not with God! For all things are possible with God!’” (Mark 7:17-27).

The Regret of the Rich
St. James speaking to the rich, writes: “Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl in your miseries, which shall come upon you! Your riches are corrupted and your garments are moth-eaten! Your gold and silver is cankered: and the rust of them shall be for a testimony against you, and shall eat your flesh like fire! You have stored up to yourselves wrath against the last days!” (James 5:1-3). There is nothing wrong with riches rightly used according to the mind of God—who gave those riches in the first place. Yet to use riches selfishly and store them greedily is not according to the mind of God.

Words of Our Lady
“The vow of poverty is a generous renunciation and detachment from the heavy burden of temporal things. It is an alleviation of the spirit, it is a relief afforded to human infirmity, the liberty of a noble heart to strive after eternal and spiritual blessings. It is a satiety and abundance, in which the thirst after earthly treasures is allayed, and a sovereignty and ownership, in which a most noble enjoyment of all riches is established. All this, and many other blessings, are contained in voluntary poverty, and all this the sons of the world are ignorant and deprived of, precisely because they are lovers of earthly riches and enemies of this holy and opulent poverty.

“They do not consider, although they feel and suffer, the heavy weight of riches, which pins them to the earth and drives them into its very bowels to seek gold and silver in great anxiety, sleeplessness, labors and sweat, as if they were not men, but wild beasts that know not what they are suffering and doing. And if they are thus weighed down before acquiring riches, how much more when they have come into their possession? Let the countless hosts that have fallen into Hell with their burden, proclaim it; let their incalculable anxieties of preserving their riches, and much more, let the intolerable laws, which riches and those that possess them have foisted upon the world, testify what is required to retain them.

“If, on the one hand, possessions throttle the spirit and tyrannically oppress it in its weakness, if they suppress the soul’s most noble privilege of following eternal goods and God himself: it is certain on the other hand, that voluntary poverty restores to man the nobility of his condition and, liberating him from vile servitude and reinstating him his noble freedom and mastery of all things. The soul is never more a mistress than when she despises them, and only then has she the more firm possession and makes the more excellent use of riches, when she gives them away or leaves them of her own free will; only then her appetite for them is best satiated, when she does not care to possess them. Then above all is the heart set free and made capable of the treasures of the Divinity, for which it is furnished by the Creator with almost infinite capacity.

“I wish thee to study diligently this divine philosophy and science, which the world forgets, and not only the world, but also many religious souls, who have promised it to God. Great is the divine wrath on account of this fault, and suddenly will the infringers of this vow receive heavy and unexpected punishment. By setting aside their voluntary poverty, they have alienated from themselves the spirit of Christ, my most holy Son, and all that We have come to teach men in abnegation and poverty. Although they do not now feel it, because the Judge delays and they enjoy the abundance which they desire, yet in the judgment they will find themselves overwhelmed and dismayed by the rigor of their punishment, greater than they ever expected, considered or imagined in their forgetfulness of divine justice.

“The temporal goods are created by the Most High for the sale purpose of sustaining life; having attained this end, the need of them ceases. And as this need is limited, soon and easily satisfied, there is no reason that the care for the immortal soul should be only fitful and temporary, while the hunger after riches should be so perpetual and unintermitting, as it has come to be among men. It is the height of perverseness for man to mix up the end and the means in an affair so important and urgent, that he devote all his time, all his care, all the exertion of his powers and all the alertness of his mind to the life of his body, of which he knows not the duration nor the end, and that on the other hand, in many years of his existence he spare for his poor soul only one hour, and that very often the last and the worst one of his whole life

“My most holy Son is such a faithful Lover of souls that He hast set me as the teacher and living example of the love of humility and true contempt of worldly vanity and pride. He ordained also, for his own glory as well as for my sake, that I should be left without shelter and be turned away by mortals. He also sought destitution and poverty, not because He had any need of them for bringing the practice of virtues to the highest perfection, but in order to teach mortals the shortest and surest way for reaching the heights of divine love and union with God ... Thus riches as well as poverty must be attributed to God and made use of in a holy and legitimate way for the glory of the Creator and Ruler of all things. If men would observe this rule of action nobody would be without the assistance of the Lord, who is a true Father, and neither would the poor be led into sin by poverty, nor the rich by prosperity.” (Our Lady to the Venerable Mary of Agreda).

Thoughts on Riches and Poverty
Fr. Tanquerey has a passage of the spirit of poverty that is well worth taking to heart: “As regards inordinate love of the goods of this world, we must bear in, mind that wealth is not an end in itself, but the means given by Providence to minister to our needs. God ever retains the supreme dominion over all things, and we are but stewards who shall have to render an account of the use we have made of our temporal possessions: ‘Give an account of thy stewardship!’ (Luke 16:2). It is wise, then, to give a large portion of what is over and above, our needs in almsgiving and. other good works.

“This is in truth to enter into the designs of God who wills that the rich be, so to speak, the treasurers of the poor; it is to make in the Bank of Heaven a deposit which will be returned to us with a hundredfold interest upon our entrance into eternity. ‘Lay up to yourselves treasures in Heaven, where neither the rust nor the moth doth consume, and where thieves do not break through or steal’ (Matthew 6:20). This is the way to detach our hearts from earthly goods so as to raise them to God; for as our Lord adds: ‘Where thy treasure is, there is thy heart also’ (Matthew 6:21). Let us then seek first the kingdom of God, holiness, and all other things shall be added unto us.

One—Two—Three
“If we would be perfect we must go further and practice evangelical poverty. ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit’ (Matthew 5:3). This may be achieved in three ways according to our attractions and opportunities:
(1) By selling all our goods and giving the proceeds to the poor. ‘Sell what you possess and give alms’ (Luke 12:33).
(2) By having all things in common, as is done in religious communities.
(3) By renouncing the right of using the capital which we retain, refraining, for instance, from making any outlay not sanctioned by a prudent spiritual director” (Fr. Tanquerey, The Spiritual Life, §202-§203).

“Charity in what concerns ownership suffices for entrance into Heaven, but if one would be perfect, one must sell his possessions, give their price to the poor and so practice voluntary poverty … Poverty, by uprooting disordered love for wealth, sets the heart free to reach out to God and heavenly things ... Those who are not bound by vows must, in
order to be perfect, observe the spirit of these vows, each according to his condition in life, the inspirations of grace, and the guidance of a prudent spiritual adviser. Thus they will exercise themselves in the spirit of poverty by depriving themselves of many useless things, and so will spare money for almsgiving and for works of charity or zeal” (Fr. Tanquerey, The Spiritual Life, §335-§339).

Detached from Things, Attached to God
“Whichever way is adopted, the heart must be freed from its attachment to riches if it would take its flight towards God. This is what Bossuet urges: ‘Happy they who in the lowly seclusion of God's house delight in the bareness of their narrow cells, in the beggarly appointments that satisfy their wants in this earthly existence a shadow of death there to gaze solely upon their weakness and the heavy, oppressing , yoke of sin. Happy those consecrated Virgins who no longer seek to appear before the world and who would fain hide themselves from their own eyes beneath the sacred veil that shrouds their form! Blessed that sweet restraint wherewith we guard our eyes lest they light upon vain things, the while we say with David: “Turn away mine eyes, that they may not behold vanity!” (Psalm 113:37). Happy those who, living in the, world according to their state of life, remain undefiled and unfettered, ... those who can say with Queen Esther: “Thou knowest, Lord, how I scorn this emblem of pride (her crown); how I abhor the glory of the wicked and ungodly; how thy handmaid hath never rejoiced save in thee, Lord God of Israel” (Esther 14:15-18).’ (Fr. Tanquerey, The Spiritual Life, §202-§203).

Struggle Against Avarice and Riches
“This, however, we can do only if we practice mortification; for, on the one side, the Holy Ghost, given us in Baptism, urges us to embrace contempt, poverty, suffering; and, on the other, our flesh longs for honor, pleasure, riches. Within us, therefore, rages a conflict, an incessant struggle; nor can we be faithful to God unless we renounce the inordinate love of honor, pleasure, and riches. Thus in the rite of Baptism, the priest marks us with two Crosses, one upon the heart to stamp thereon the love. of the Cross, the other upon our shoulders to give us the strength to carry it. We should be untrue to our baptismal vows, if we did not carry our cross by waging war against the lust for honor through humility, against the lust for pleasure through mortification, against the lust for riches through poverty” (Fr. Tanquerey, The Spiritual Life, §760).

Natural Poverty
“Besides, we stand in sore need of God's help. Whether in the order of nature or in the order of grace, we are poor, steeped in poverty. Depending of necessity upon God, even in the order of nature, we cannot so much as preserve the very existence He has given us; we are at the mercy of physical causes, themselves depending on God. In vain we may protest that we possess brain and sinews, and that we are well able with our strength and our energy to draw from the Earth, the things we need for our subsistence. That brain, those sinews, are sustained by God; they can work only with His concurrence. The Earth flowers not, save when watered by the rain He sends; it produces nothing, save when quickened by the warmth of His glowing sun. And how many forces of destruction can wreck the fruit of man’s work and man's care!

Supernatural Poverty
“Our dependence upon God .in the supernatural order is more absolute still. We need light to guide us, and who will give it to us if not the Father of lights? We need courage and strength to fellow the light; who will give these except He Who is All-Powerful? What else then can we do but implore the help of Him Whose one desire is to succor us? Let no one say that. His omniscience is aware of all that is necessary and useful to us. St. Thomas answers that ho doubt, out of pure liberality, God does bestow upon us innumerable benefits unasked, unsought, but that there are some which He will grant only at our request, and this for our own good, namely, that we should place our confidence in Him and come to acknowledge Him as the source -and origin of all our goods. When we pray, we cherish the hope of being heard and we are less exposed to forget God. As it is, we forget Him all too often; what would it be, if we should never feel the need of recurring to Him in our distress? It is for very good reasons then that God demands of us prayer in the form of petition” (Fr. Tanquerey, The Spiritual Life, §508-§509).

The Three Degrees of St. Ignatius
“Towards the end of the Second Week of the Spiritual Exercises, before the Rules for Election (Vocation in Life), St. Ignatius proposes three degrees of humility, which are at bottom three degrees of self-abnegation.

(1) The first degree consists, as St. Ignatius writes, ‘in perfect submission to the law of God, so that we should be ready to refuse the empire of the whole world, or even to sacrifice our lives, rather than transgress any precept which obliges us under pain of mortal sin.’ This degree is essential for every Christian who wants to remain in the state of grace.

(2) The second is more perfect. St. Ignatius says ‘It consists in the indifference of the soul towards riches or poverty, honor or shame, health or sickness, provided the glory of God and the salvation of souls are equally secured; further, that no consideration of interest or temporal disgrace, not even the consideration of immediate death, should be capable of drawing us into deliberate venial sin.’ This is a disposition already implying great perfection, and few souls attain it.

(3) St. Ignatius then says: ‘The third is most perfect. It embodies, the first two, and it goes further, preferring, for the sole love of Jesus Christ and from the wish to resemble Him the more, poverty to riches, shame to honors, etc., even though our salvation and the glory of God would be assured by either.’ This is the degree of perfect souls; it is the love of the Cross and the love of humiliation, in union with Christ arid out of love for Him. When a soul has arrived thus far, it is already on the highroad, to sanctity.” (Fr. Tanquerey, The Spiritual Life, §1133).

What is more important―to Make America Great or to Make America Holy? Modern day politics seeks to attach people to riches, to give them more money, to give them more possessions, more comfort, more ease. Yet the teachings of Christ seek to detach us from the things of this world, to uproot us from our comforts and to give us a cross instead! Whose way do you want to follow? Whose way is the prudent way? Whose way leads to Hell? Whose way leads to eternal life? Who am I following?

THE FOURTH JOYFUL MYSTERY
THE PRESENTATION OF THE INFANT JESUS IN THE TEMPLE

“And thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that, out of many hearts, thoughts may be revealed!” (Luke 2:35).

Rise and Fall of Many—A Sign of Contradiction
“When His parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, Simeon also took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said: ‘My eyes have seen thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples! A light to the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel!’ … And Simeon said to Mary, His Mother: ‘Behold this Child is set for the fall and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be contradicted!’” (Luke 2:27-34).

From the Very Beginning!
From the very outset of His life on Earth, Our Lord is to be contradicted and He is to be cause of division. The word “contradict” is a compound word, formed from the Latin words “contra” (meaning “against”) and “dicere” (the verb meaning “to speak”)—therefore Our Lord is destined to be spoken against. We see this clearly throughout the whole of His life—Herod speaks against him; the Scribes and Pharisees speak against Him; Judas speaks against Him; Pilate and Herod are against Him; a large number of Jews speak against Him. This is to be part and parcel of His life--“a sign which shall be contradicted.”

Unflinching Jesus!
He would stand resolute when spoken against—He would not bow to public pressure; He would not please the crowd; He would not change His doctrine to make it more palatable. This would make Him a cause of division—He would be the cause “for the fall and for the resurrection of many in Israel”—and in the rest of world, for that matter, throughout all time and in all places. We still see that division today!

Take It Or Leave It!
Our Lord would not change His teachings! As St. Thomas Aquinas says, you will never change the will of God by your prayers or complaints—all you can do by your prayers is change your own mind and will. God is never wrong. His ways and thoughts and not our ways and thoughts: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts: nor your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are exalted above the earth, so are my ways exalted above your ways, and my thoughts above your thoughts” (Isaias 55:8-9). At Capharnaum, when Our Lord reveals the future Eucharist, the Jews find the thought of eating His flesh and drinking His blood as something repulsive, and consequently, walked away from Him. He lets them go! He does not run after them saying: “Hey! Let’s talk about this! You misunderstood Me!” No, He lets them go and even turns to His Apostles, and says to them, in effect: “You can go too, if you want!” Here is the Scriptural passage:

“Jesus answered them, and said: ‘Amen, amen I say to you, you seek Me, not because you have seen miracles, but because you did eat of the loaves, and were filled [He had just performed the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand]. Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that which endureth unto life everlasting, which the Son of man will give you ... Amen, amen I say to you! Moses gave you not bread from Heaven, but My Father giveth you the true bread from Heaven ... I am the bread of life: he that cometh to Me shall not hunger: and he that believeth in Me shall never thirst ... I am the bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the desert, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from Heaven; that if any man eat of it, he may not die. I am the living bread, which came down from Heaven. If any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever; and the bread that I will give, is My flesh, for the life of the world!’

“The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying: ‘How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?’ Then Jesus said to them: ‘Amen, amen I say unto you! Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, you shall not have life in you. He that eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, hath everlasting life: and I will raise him up in the last day.
For My flesh is meat indeed: and My blood is drink indeed. He that eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, abideth in Me, and I in him!’ These things He said, teaching in the synagogue, in Capharnaum.

“Many therefore of His disciples, hearing it, said: ‘This saying is hard, and who can hear it?’ After this many of His disciples went back; and walked no more with Him. Then Jesus said to the Twelve: ‘Will you also go away?’ And Simon Peter answered Him: ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. And we have believed and have known, that Thou art the Christ, the Son of God!’” (John 6:26-69).

Cause of Separation
He Himself confirmed the prophecy of Simeon, when He later said: “I am come to cast fire on the Earth; and what will I, but that it be kindled? … Think ye, that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, no; but separation! For there shall be, from henceforth, five in one house divided―three against two, and two against three. The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against his father, the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother, the mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law” (Luke 12:49-53).

We see the great divisions Jesus caused amongst the Jews—they are always arguing over Him: some saying He was a good Man, others saying He was evil: “And there was much murmuring among the multitude concerning him. For some said: ‘He is a good man!’ And others said: ‘No, but He seduceth the people!’” (John 7:12).

“Jesus therefore cried out in the Temple, teaching, and saying: ‘You both know Me, and you know whence I am: and I am not come of Myself; but He that sent Me, is true, whom you know not … Of that multitude therefore, when they had heard these words of His, some said: ‘This is the prophet indeed!’ Others said: ‘This is the Christ!’ But some said: ‘Doth the Christ come out of Galilee? Doth not the Scripture say that Christ cometh of the seed of David, and from Bethlehem the town where David was?’ So there arose a dissension among the people because of Him” (John 7:28; 7:40-43).

Our Lot in Life? Lots of Division and Contradiction!
This contradiction (being spoken against) and division (because of Christ’s teachings) is to be our lot in life—there is to be no escape from it. Which family is there to be found where there is not some trace of this division—either in the immediate family, or amongst relatives, or at least among friends or parishioners? Our Lord warns us of this fate if we wish to be His followers--“There shall be five in one house divided―three against two, and two against three”—this was to be true even in the family of Our Lord, where some of His relatives did not even believe Him: “For neither did His brethren believe in Him” (John 7:5).

The Servant and the Master
How can the servant try to escape what the master cannot escape? Our Lord tells us: “Remember My word that I said to you! ‘The servant is not greater than his master!’ If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you … If the world hate you, know ye, that it hath hated Me before you. If you had been of the world, the world would love its own: but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you” (John 15:18-20).

Yet we are not to worry about such a fate—on the contrary, we are to rejoice: “Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake: for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are ye when they shall revile you, and persecute you, and speak all that is evil against you, untruly, for my sake! Be glad and rejoice, for your reward is very great in Heaven! For so they persecuted the prophets that were before you” (Matthew 5:10-12).

Standing By The Truth!
To be a follower of Christ—Who says of Himself that He is “the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6)—we have to stick with the “way”—which is the Way of the Cross—we must stick with the “truth”—which is perennial and traditional teaching of the Church—and we must reproduce the “life”—which is to imitate the life of Christ and live a spiritual life, not a materialistic life.

Falling Apart
Yet, today, “the way, and the truth, and the life” is falling apart! Nobody wants the Cross anymore—the spirit of the world is one creating more comfort, more ease, more wealth, more fun, less pain, less difficulty, less worry, less suffering, less hardship. The spirit of Christ is not the spirit of the world: “Now we have received not the spirit of this world, but the Spirit that is of God; that we may know the things that are given us from God … But the sensual man perceiveth not these things that are of the Spirit of God; for it is foolishness to him, and he cannot understand” (1 Corinthians 2:12-14).

Pah! What Is Truth?
As regards “the truth”, most people in the world today side with Pontius Pilate in saying disdainfully: “What is truth?!” (John 18:38). It is no longer to the Church that people look for truth, but they look to the world, to science, to technology—yet the world belongs, as Our Lord says, to the devil: he is “the prince of world” (John 14:30) and “the father of lies” and those who are of the world and believe the world, are of the devil: “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and he stood not in the truth; because truth is not in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father thereof” (John 8:44). Truth, today, in now thought to come from within each person—“I will decide what I want to believe!” they say. Which is why most Catholics no longer believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist (over 60%); and why most Catholics no believe that missing Sunday Mass is a Mortal Sin; and why most Catholics (57%) favor allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry legally; and the list could go on and on! “Truth can now change and I am the one who can change it!” seems to be the viewpoint of many, if not most. This is exactly the viewpoint of Liberalism and Modernism—that truth can and must change to fit the times and the attitudes of the age we live in.

As for imitating Christ—forget it! It is the ‘stars’ of the world that are imitated by our children and even by adults. The stars of movies, sports, fashion, etc. ― these are the gods of today, whose commandments are followed and kept. The words of Jesus--“Learn of Me…” (Matthew 11:39)―are thrown aside, for it is more fun to learn from the world. Yet we had better not forget some other words of His:

“Everyone therefore that shall confess Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father Who is in Heaven. But he that shall deny Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father Who is in Heaven. Do not think that I came to send peace upon earth: I came not to send peace, but the sword. For I came to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a man’s enemies shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than Me, is not worthy of Me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than Me, is not worthy of Me. And he that taketh not up his cross, and followeth Me, is not worthy of Me. He that findeth his life, shall lose it: and he that shall lose his life for me, shall find it” (Matthew 10:32-39).

So true was—and still is—the prophecy of St. Simeon, when Jesus was presented in the Temple: “Behold this Child is set for the fall and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be contradicted!”

THE FIFTH JOYFUL MYSTERY
THE FINDING OF THE CHILD JESUS IN THE TEMPLE
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MEDITATIONS ON THE SORROWFUL MYSTERIES

THE FIRST SORROWFUL MYSTERY
THE AGONY OF OUR LORD IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE
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THE SECOND SORROWFUL MYSTERY
THE SCOURGING OF OUR LORD AT THE PILLAR
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THE THIRD SORROWFUL MYSTERY
THE CROWNING OF OUR LORD WITH THORNS
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THE FOURTH SORROWFUL MYSTERY
OUR LORD CARRIES HIS CROSS TO CALVARY
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THE FIFTH SORROWFUL MYSTERY
THE CRUCIFIXION AND DEATH OF OUR LORD
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MEDITATIONS ON THE GLORIOUS MYSTERIES

THE FIRST GLORIOUS MYSTERY
THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD FROM THE DEAD
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THE SECOND GLORIOUS MYSTERY
THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD INTO HEAVEN
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THE THIRD GLORIOUS MYSTERY
THE DESCENT OF THE HOLY GHOST UPON OUR LADY AND THE APOSTLES
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THE FOURTH GLORIOUS MYSTERY
THE ASSUMPTION OF OUR LADY INTO HEAVEN
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THE FIFTH GLORIOUS MYSTERY
THE CORONATION OF OUR LADY IN HEAVEN
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