Catholic devotions for the 24th September
Scroll down for today's
Saint of the DayReading of the Martyrology
Dedication of the Month
Dedication of the Day
Rosary
Five Wounds Rosary in Latin
Seven Sorrows Rosary in English
Latin Monastic Office
Reading of the Rule of Saint Benedict
Celebration of Mass
Reading from the School of Jesus Crucified
Feast of Our Lady of Ransom
Our Lady of Ransom is a Marian title commemorating the foundation of the Mercedarian religious order by St. Peter Nolasco in 1218. This name derives from the Spanish word for mercy: merced. The complete name of this order is: Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary for the Ransom of Captives (OdeM). St. Peter Nolasco founded the order in response to a request made by the Blessed Virgin during an apparition on August 1, 1218. Members of this order took a special vow to act as hostages, if necessary, to free Christian captives whose faith was in danger from the Moors. This was important at the time of the Crusades, but has since been adapted to changing historical circumstances. Today, the main thrust of the Mercedarians' apostolate is Reconciliation.
The Mercedarians in Barcelona once commemorated this apparition on the first Sunday after September 24. Our Lady of Ransom is the principal Patroness of Barcelona. In 1696, the feast of Our Lady of Ransom was placed on the calendar for the entire Latin Church at September 24. The title of Our Lady of Mercy is modern and will not be used on this blog as it does not do justice to the reality of the Feast.
The Reading from the Martyrology
September is the Month of Our Lady of Sorrows
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Meditation of Saint Alphonsus Ligouri on the Sixth Sorrow
Of the Piercing of the Side of Jesus, and His descent from the Cross
“O, all ye that pass by the way, attend, and see if there be any sorrow like to my sorrow.” Devout souls, listen to what the sorrowful Mary says this day: “My beloved children, I do not wish you to console me; no, for my soul is no longer susceptible of consolation in this world after the death of my dear Jesus. If you wish to please me, this is what I ask of you; behold me, and see if there ever has been in the world a grief like mine, in seeing Him who was all my love torn from me with such cruelty.”
But, my sovereign Lady, since thou wilt not be consoled, and hast so great a thirst for sufferings, I must tell thee that, even with the death of thy Son, thy sorrows have not ended. On this day thou wilt be wounded by another sword of sorrow, a cruel lance will pierce the side of thy Son already dead, and thou hast to receive Him in thine arms after He is taken down from the cross.
And now we are to consider the Sixth Dolour which afflicted this poor Mother. Attend and weep. Hitherto the dolours of Mary tortured her one by one; on this day they are all, as it were, united to assail her. It is enough to tell a mother that her son is dead, to excite all her love. Some persons, that they may lessen a mother’s grief, remind her of the displeasure at one time caused by her departed child. But I, my Queen, did I thus wish to lighten thy grief for the death of Jesus, of what displeasure that He ever caused thee could I remind thee? No, indeed. He always loved thee, always obeyed thee, and always respected thee. Now thou hast lost Him, who can ever tell thy grief? Do thou explain it, thou who hast experienced it.
A devout author says, that when our beloved Redeemer was dead, the first care of the great Mother was to accompany in spirit the most holy soul of her Son, and present it to the Eternal Father.
“I present Thee, O my God,” Mary must then have said, “the Immaculate soul of Thine and my Son; He has now obeyed Thee unto death; do Thou, then, receive it in Thine arms. Thy justice is now satisfied, Thy will is accomplished; behold, the great sacrifice to Thy eternal glory is consummated.”
Then, turning towards the lifeless members of her Jesus, “O wounds,” she said, “O wounds of love, I adore you, and in you do I rejoice; for by your means salvation is given to the world. You will remain open in the body of my Son, and be the refuge of those who have recourse to you. O, how many, through you, will receive the pardon of their sins, and by you be inflamed with love for the supreme good!”
That the joy of the following Paschal Sabbath might not be disturbed, the Jews desired that the body of Jesus should be taken down from the cross; but as this could not be done unless the criminals were dead, men came with iron bars to break our Lord’s legs, as they had already done those of the two thieves who were crucified with Him. Mary was still weeping over the death of her Son, when she saw these armed men advancing towards her Jesus. At this sight she first trembled with fear, and then exclaimed: “Ah, my Son is already dead; cease to outrage Him; torment me no more, who am His poor Mother.” She implored them, writes Saint Bonaventure, “not to break His legs.”
But while she thus spoke, O God! She saw a soldier brandish a lance, and pierce the side of Jesus: “One of the soldiers with a spear opened His side, and immediately there came out blood and water.” At the stroke of the spear the cross shook, and, as it was afterwards revealed to Saint Bridget, the heart of Jesus was divided in two. There came out blood and water; for only those few drops of blood remained, and even those our Saviour was pleased to shed, that we might understand that He had no more blood to give us. The injury of that stroke was inflicted on Jesus, but Mary suffered its pain. “Christ,” says the devout Lanspergius, “shared this sound with His Mother; He received the insult, His Mother endured its agony.”
The holy fathers maintain that this was literally the sword foretold to the Blessed Virgin by Saint Simeon: a sword, not a material one, but one of grief, which transpierced her blessed soul in the heart of Jesus, where it always dwelt. Thus, amongst others, Saint Bernard says: “The lance which opened His side passed through the soul of the Blessed Virgin, which could never leave her Son’s heart.” The divine Mother herself revealed the same thing to Saint Bridget: “When the spear was drawn out, the point appeared red with blood: then, seeing the heart of my most dear Son pierced, it seemed to me as if my own heart was also pierced.” An angel told the same Saint, “that such were the sufferings of Mary, that it was only by a miraculous interposition on the part of God, that she did not die.” In her other dolours she at least had her Son to compassionate her; but now she has not even Him to pity her.
The afflicted Mother, fearing that other injuries might still be inflicted on her Son, entreated Joseph of Arimathea to obtain the body of her Jesus from Pilate, that at least in death she might guard and protect it from further outrage. Joseph went, and represented to Pilate the grief and desires of this afflicted Mother. Saint Anselm believes that compassion for the Mother softened the heart of Pilate, and moved him to grant her the body of the Saviour. Jesus was then taken down from the cross.
O most sacred Virgin, after thou hast given thy Son to the world, with so great love, for our salvation, behold the world now restores Him to thee; but, O God, in what state dost thou receive Him? O world, said Mary, how dost thou return Him to me? “My Son was white and ruddy;” but thou returnest Him to me blackened with bruises, and red-yes! But with the wounds which thou hast inflicted upon Him. He was all fair and beautiful; but now there is no more beauty in Him; He is all disfigured. His aspect enamoured all; now He excites horror in all who behold Him. “O, how many swords,” says Saint Bonaventure, “pierced the poor Mother’s soul” when she received the body of her Son from the cross! Let us only consider the anguish it would cause any mother to receive into her arms the body of her lifeless son.
It was revealed to Saint Bridget, that three ladders were placed against the cross to take down the Sacred Body; the holy disciples first drew out the nails from the hands and feet, and, according to Metaphrastes, gave them to Mary. Then one supported the upper part of the body of Jesus, and the other the lower, and thus descended it from the cross. Bernardine de Bustis describes the afflicted Mother as standing, and extending her arms to meet her dear Son; she embraced Him, and then sat at the foot of the cross.
His mouth was open, His eyes were dim; she then examined his mangled flesh and uncovered bones; she took off the crown, and saw the sad injuries which the thorns had inflicted on that sacred head; she saw the holes in His hands and feet, and thus addressed Him: “Ah, Son, to what has Thy love for men brought Thee; and what evil hadst Thou done them, that they should thus cruelly have tormented Thee? Thou wast my father” (continues Bernardine de Bustis, in Mary’s name), “Thou wast my brother, my spouse, my delight, my glory; Thou wast my all.” My Son, see my affliction, look at me, console me; but no, Thou no longer lookest at me. Speak, say but a word, and console me; but Thou speakest no more, for Thou art dead.
Then, turning to those barbarous instruments of torture, she said, O cruel thorns, O cruel nails, O merciless spear, how, how could you thus torture your Creator? But why do I speak of thorns or nails? Alas! Sinners, she exclaimed, it is you who have thus cruelly treated my Son. Thus did Mary speak and complain of us. But what would she now say, were she still susceptible of suffering? What would be her grief to see that men, notwithstanding that her Son has died for them, still continue to torment and crucify Him by their sins!
Let us, at least, cease to torment this afflicted Mother; and if we have hitherto grieved her by our sins, let us now do all that she desires. She says, “Return, ye transgressors, to the heart.” Sinners, return to the wounded heart of my Jesus; return as penitents, and He will welcome you. “Flee from Him to Him,” she continues to say with the Abbot Guarric; “from the Judge to the Redeemer, from the tribunal to the cross.” Our Blessed Lady herself revealed to St. Bridget, that “she closed the eyes of her Son, when He was taken down from the cross, but she could not close His arms;” Jesus Christ giving us thereby to understand that He desired to remain with His arms extended to receive all penitent sinners who return to Him. “O world,” continues Mary, “behold, then, thy time is the time of lovers.” “Now that my Son has died to save thee, it is no longer for thee a time of fear, but one of love—a time to love Him, who to show thee the love He bore thee was pleased to suffer so much.” “The heart of Jesus,” says St. Bernard, “was wounded, that through the visible wound, the invisible wound of love might be seen.” “If, then,” concludes Mary, in the words of Blessed Raymond Jordano, “my Son by excess of love was pleased that His side should be opened, that He might give thee His heart, it is right, O may, that thou in return shouldst also give Him thine.” And if you desire, O children of Mary, to find a place in the heart of Jesus, without fear of being rejected, “go” says Ubertino da Casale, “go with Mary; for she will obtain the grace for you.” Of this you have a proof in the following beautiful example.
Example
The disciple relates, that there was a poor sinner who, among other crimes which he had committed, had killed his father and a brother, and therefore was a fugitive. One day in Lent, hearing a sermon on the Divine mercy, he went to confess his sins to the preacher himself. The confessor, on hearing the enormous crimes which he had committed, sent him to an altar of Mary in Sorrow, that she might obtain him contrition, and the pardon of his sins. The sinner obeyed, and began to pray; when, behold, he suddenly dropped down dead from excess of grief. On the following day, when the priest recommended the deceased to the prayers of the people, a white dove appeared in the church, and let a card drop at his feet. The priest took it up, and found the following words written upon it: “The soul of the deceased, on leaving his body, went straight to heaven. Continue thou to preach the infinite mercy of God.”
Prayer
O afflicted Virgin! O soul great in virtue but great also in sorrow, for the one and the other took their rise in that immense love with which thy heart was inflamed towards God, for thou couldst love Him alone; ah, Mother, pity me, for instead of loving God I have greatly offended Him.
Thy sorrows encourage me to hope for pardon. But this is not enough; I wish to love my Lord; and how can better obtain me this love than thou, who art the Mother of fair love? Ah, Mary, thou comfortest all; console me also. Amen.
Litany of the Resurrection
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
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.
Jesus, Redeemer of mankind, have mercy on us.
Jesus, Who hast cleansed us by Thy Blood, have mercy on us.
Jesus, Conqueror of sin and death, have mercy on us.
Jesus, the Holy One and the Just, &c.
Jesus, the First-born from the dead,
Jesus, the Second Adam,
Jesus, the Resurrection and the Life,
Jesus, the Author of life,
Jesus, the Author of our salvation,
Jesus, the God of Abraham, and of Isaac and of Jacob,
Jesus, Who, by death, didst destroy him who had the empire of death,
Jesus, Who didst bring life and immortality to light,
Jesus, Who hadst power to lay it down, and hadst power to take it up again,
Jesus, Who, after three days, didst rise again from the dead,
Jesus, Who didst rise very early in the morning on the first day of the week,
Jesus, Who didst hasten to visit Thy blessed mother in her solitude,
Jesus, Who didst appear to Mary Magdalen while it was yet dark,
Jesus, Who didst graciously console her in her affliction,
Jesus, Who didst send Thy angels to announce to the women
that Thou wast risen as Thou hadst said,
Jesus, Who didst suffer Thyself to be seen of the women, and to be adored by them,
Jesus, Who didst appear to Peter, the chief of the apostles,
Jesus, Who didst appear, in another shape, to the two disciples going to Emmaus,
Jesus, Who didst make Thyself known unto them in the breaking of bread,
Jesus, Who didst appear to the eleven, saying, Peace be unto you,
Jesus, Who didst breathe upon them, and give unto them the Holy Ghost,
Jesus, Who didst confirm the faith of Thomas,
by shewing unto him Thy hands and Thy feet,
Jesus, Who didst shew Thyself again to Thy disciples, at the Sea of Tiberias,
Jesus, Who didst commission Peter to feed Thy lambs and Thy sheep,
Jesus, Who didst converse with Thy disciples upon the mountain of Galilee,
Jesus, Who wast seen by more than five hundred brethren at once,
Jesus, Who wast seen by James,
Jesus, Who didst go in and out among Thy apostles,
speaking to them of the Kingdom of God, and eating with them,
Jesus, Who didst lead them out as far as Bethany and,
while they looked on, wast carried up to Heaven,
Jesus, Who shalt come again with great power and glory, to judge the living and the dead,
Jesus, Son of God,
We sinners, beseech Thee, hear us.
That we may put off the old man, with his acts, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That we may put on the new man, who is created in justice and holiness of truth,
we beseech Thee, hear us.
That we may walk in newness of life, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That we may grow in grace, and in the knowledge of Thee, &c.
That we may persevere unto the end,
That, having risen with Thee, we may die no more,
That we may attain unto the resurrection of the just,
That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to feed us continually with the Bread of Life,
That Thou wouldst reform the body of our lowliness,
and make it like unto the body of Thy glory,
That we may have confidence before Thee at Thy coming,
That we may behold Thy face with joy,
That we may be placed on Thy right hand in the Judgement,
That we may hear those words of joy: Come, ye blessed of My Father,
possess ye the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world,
That Thou wouldst give us part in Thy Heavenly glory,
That Thou wouldst give rest and peace to the faithful departed,
That, with them, we may attain everlasting life,
That we may be with Thee always, for ever and ever,
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.
Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.
V. Christ is risen, Alleluia!
R. He is risen indeed, and hath appeared unto Simon. Alleluia!
Let us pray.
O God, Who, by Thine Only-begotten Son, hast (this day) opened the passage to eternity, through His
victory over death; vouchsafe, we beseech Thee, so to confirm us by Thy grace, that we may walk in
all our ways l
Sundays are the days for renewing Christ's once and for all Sacrifice during the Sacrifice of the Holy Mass. Because Christ rose from His tomb on Sunday, Sabbath was changed from Saturday to Sundays, or "the Lord's Day." On this day we fulfill God's Third Commandment, to "remember the sabbath day (which means "rest", not "Saturday"), to keep it holy." We refrain from unnecessary servile work and fulfill our "Sunday Obligation" to attend Mass.
The Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary are prayed on Sunday
The Rosary in Latin
Chaplet of the Five Holy Wounds of Christ in Latin
Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows of Our Lady in English
Latin Monastic Office for today from Le Barroux in France Texts also provided
The Reading of the Rule of Saint Benedict for September 24
1 Faciamus quod ait propheta: Dixi: Custodiam vias meas, ut non delinquam in lingua mea. Posui ori meo custodiam. Obmutui et humiliatus sum et silui a bonis.
2 Hic ostendit propheta si a bonis eloquiis interdum propter taciturnitatem debet taceri, quanto magis a malis verbis propter poenam peccati debet cessari.
3 Ergo, quamvis de bonis et sanctis et aedificationum eloquiis, perfectis discipulis propter taciturnitatis gravitatem rara loquendi concedatur licentia,
4 quia scriptum est: In multiloquio non effugies peccatum,
5 et alibi: Mors et vita in manibus linguae.
6 Nam loqui et docere magistrum condecet, tacere et audire discipulum convenit.
7 Et ideo, si qua requirenda sunt a priore, cum omni humilitate et subiectione reverentiae requirantur.
8 Scurrilitates vero vel verba otiosa et risum moventia aeterna clausura in omnibus locis damnamus et ad talia eloquia discipulum aperire os non permittimus.
Chapter 5 On restraint in speaking
1 Let us do as the prophet says: I said, I will keep custody over my ways so I do not sin with my tongue: I have kept custody over my mouth. I became speechless, and was humbled, and kept silent concerning good things (Ps 39:1-3).
2 Here the prophet shows that if we ought to refrain even from good words for the sake of restraining speech, how much more ought we to abstain from evil words, on account of the punishment due to sin! 3 Therefore, on account of the importance of restraint in speech let permission to speak be seldom granted even to perfect disciples, even when their conversation is good and holy and edifying,
4 for it is written: In speaking much you cannot avoid sin (Prov 10:19);
5 and elsewhere Death and life are in the hands of the tongue (Prov 18:21).
6 For speaking and teaching befit the master: remaining silent and listening are proper for the disciple.
7 And therefore, if someting is requested of a superior, let it be requested with all humility and reverent submission.
8 But as for ridiculing or otiose words which induce laughter, we permanently ban them in every place; neither do we permit a disciple to open his mouth in such discourse.
Today's Celebration of the Mass
Jesus XPI Passio sit semper in cordibus nostris
May the Passion of Jesus Christ be always in our hearts
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