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Planner Survey - Printed Version

1/31/2018

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I would like to know how many people would prefer a printed version of our planner
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Little Therese Coloring Book

1/22/2018

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Several years ago we posted the book, "Little Therese" a chapter at a time with a coloring picture.  You can find those posts here. We have taken all of those coloring pictures and put them in one book.  It is available for a free download here or below.

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Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary or Candlemas

1/15/2018

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                                            CANDLEMAS

This is one of the oldest feasts of our Lady, and in Rome in the 7th century it ranked next to the Assumption. Everyone received a candle, which had been blessed at Mass, and afterwards walked in procession with it. The procession recalled the journey of Mary and Joseph to the temple, the burning candles, Simeon's words that the child in his arms was a "light for the revelation of the gentiles." And how appropriate is this symbolic burning candle! "A candle is made of wick and wax; so was Christ's soul hid within the manhood; also the fire betokeneth the Godhead; also it betokeneth our Lady's motherhood and maidenhood, lighted with the fire of love."

If anything still remained of the Christmas candle, or the Christmas block, it was lighted on this day. Now-a-days, one could light up the Christmas candle and these smaller candles whenever the family are together, or at meal-times, or let them burn before a statue of our Lady.

This day was called the "Wives' feast," and "our Lady's-churching," and it is in memory of this that even today women carry a candle at their churching, even though of course theirs is a ceremony of thanksgiving, and Mary's was that of ritual purification.
                                                       - A Candle is Lighted - Imprimatur 1945 -


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Twelfth Day of Christmas - Epiphany

1/6/2018

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                             EPIPHANY TRADITION - THE BLESSING OF THE HOME

                                                                         EPIPHANY
(We gather round the crib with lighted candles and say:)
 
All:    A child is born in Bethlehem, alleluia!
          Full joyous sings Jerusalem, alleluia, alleluia!
          From the Orient, behold the star, alleluia.
         And holy kings come from afar, alleluia, alleluia.
 
The father reads the gospel for the Feast of the Epiphany, St. Matthew 2:1-12

All:  From the East came the magi to Bethlehem to adore theLord; and opening their treasures, they offered costly gifts  gold to the Great King, incense to the True God, and myrrh in symbol of His burial, alleluia.

While the father sprinkles the rooms with holy water, the mother and children recite the magnificat:

My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
Because He has regarded the lowliness of His handmaid,
for behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed,
Because He who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is His Name;
And His mercy is from generation to generation
toward those who fear Him
He has shown might with His arm;
He has scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.
He has put down the mighty from their thrones
and has exalted the lowly.
The hungry He has filled with good things
and the rich He hath sent empty away.
He has given help to Israel His servant,
Mindful of His mercy -
As He promised our fathers -
toward Abraham and his descendants forever.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.    Amen.
 
All:       From the East came the Magi to Bethlehem  to adore the Lord; and opening their treasures, they offered  costly gifts:  gold to the Great King, incense to the True God, and myrrh in symbol of  His burial, alleluia.

Father:   Many shall come from Saba.

All:        Bearing gold and incense.

Father:   O Lord, hear my prayer.

All:        And let my cry come onto Thee.

Father:   Let us pray:  O God, who by the guidance of a star didst this day reveal Thy Only-Begotten Son to the Gentiles, grant that  we who know Thee by faith may be brought to the contemplation of the heavenly majesty.  Through the same Jesus Christ.

All:        Amen.

All:       Be enlightened and shine forth, O Jerusalem, for thy light is come and upon thee is risen the glory of the Lord, Jesus Christ, born of the Virgin Mary.

Father:   Nations shall walk in thy light, and kings in the brilliance of  thy rising.

All:        And the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.

Father:  Let us pray:  O Lord, Almighty God, bless this house that it may become a shelter of health, chastity, self-conquest, humility, goodness, mildness, obedience to the         Commandments, and thanksgiving to God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.  Upon this house and those who dwell herein may Thy blessing remain forever.  Through Christ our Lord.

All:        Amen.
 
With chalk the lintels above the door are marked with the initials of the three kings and with crosses.

Father:  Let us pray.  O Lord God, bless this chalk to make helpful to man.  Grant that we who use it with faith and inscribe with it the names of Thy saints Caspar, Melchior, and Baltassar upon the entrance of our homes, may through their merits and petition enjoy physical health and spiritual protection.  Through Christ our Lord.

All:        Amen.

The father then writes the initials of the names of the Magi separated by crosses and the year above the door in this manner.
20 + C + M + B + (year)

In conclusion the following hymns are sung or prayed:
The star of Jacob leadeth them, alleluia!
From Saba to blest Bethlehem, alleluia, alleluia!
Gold, myrrh, and incense pure they bring, alleluia.
To Mary's Child, God, Man and King, alleluia, alleluia!
 
SING: We Three Kings of Orient Are        

A coloring picture can be found below:                                 


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Avoid Their Company

1/2/2018

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                                              Shame, shame, shame on you Jorge Bergoglio!
The Churches teaching on participating in other faiths is below. He is not guarding the deposit of Faith as it has been handed down to us by the apostles he is attempting to destroy it! 

"Then if any man shall say to you: Lo here is Christ, or there, do not believe him. For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders, insomuch as to deceive (if possible) even the elect." Matt 24: 23, 24

Comm: Lo, here is Christ.  These words are very aptly applied by Catholics to the conventicles of heretics; and would Christians attend to the injunctions of their divine Master, "Go ye not out: believe it not, we should not see the miserable confusion occasioned in the Catholic Church, by unsteady Christians; who are guilty of schism, in forsaking the one true fold, and one shepherd, to follow their blind and unauthorized leaders. E.


The language of Holy Scripture is unmistakable: all religion other than that of Christ and His Church arises from false teachers, false teachers who are deceivers and antichrists, says Saint John                 (2 John 7 ); liars who organize their followers into sects of perdition, says Saint Peter; impostors who teach the doctrines of devils (1 Timothy 4:1,2), ravening wolves and perverters (Acts 20:29, 30), enemies of the Cross of Christ, says Saint Paul (Philippians 3:18).

Of Saint Paul's command in 2 Corinthians 6:14ff., "Do not be yoke fellows with unbelievers. For what partnership have innocence and iniquity? What has light in common with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? How can a believer have part with an unbeliever?"; of this command, the fathers who prepared the Rheims New Testament say, in their note upon this passage: "Here is forbidden dealing with unbelievers in prayers, or meetings at their schismatical service, or other worship service whatsoever."

"Give a heretic one warning, then a second," says Saint Paul, "and after that avoid his company; he is perverted, and in sin, and is self-condemned" (Titus 3:10, 11). In their note on this text the translators of the Rheims New Testament declare that "heretics must not marvel if we warn all Catholic men, by the word of the Apostle in this place, to take warning against them, and to shun their preaching, books and meeting-places." Saint Paul, writing to the Ephesians, elaborates upon Our Saviour's warning that we "must beware of false prophets" (Matthew 7:15). "Let no one deceive you with empty arguments," he says, "these are what brings down the wrath of God on unbelievers; do not associate with them" (Ephesians 5:6, 7). Here is an express command not to have any contact with those who teach false religion, to avoid their meetings and sermons, lest we be deceived by them, and incur the anger of Almighty God, provoking Him to withdraw His grace from us and leave us to ourselves, in punishment of our disobedience.

The same Apostle renews this command in his Epistle to the Romans. "Brethren," he says to them, " I beg of you, watch out for those who are causing dissension and scandals, contrary to the doctrine you have learned, and avoid their company. Such men do not serve our Lord Christ but their own belly; by their pleasing speeches and flatteries they seduce the hearts of the innocent" (Romans 16:17, 18). See
here whom we are to avoid: those who cause dissension contrary to the traditional doctrine. Aid why we are to avoid them: because they are not servants of Christ but slaves to themselves whose appeal is not to faith and reason but to emotions and passions.

"Now these avoid," Saint Paul commands his beloved disciple Saint Timothy, speaking of false teachers, even though Timothy was a bishop of the Church, and fully instructed by the Apostle himself in all the truths of the Faith; because, besides the danger of seduction, which none can escape who voluntarily expose themselves to it, all such communication is evil in itself, and therefore to be avoided by all, and especially by bishops and priests, whose bad example would be most poisonous to others.

Saint John the Evangelist says of the doctrine of the Faith that "if any one comes to you who does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house; do not even greet him; to greet him is to share the guilt of his wicked works" (2 John 10, 11). If the holy Apostle declares that even greeting such people is a participation in their wickedness, what would he say of going to their meeting-places, hearing their sermons or joining in their prayers? It is a great and damnable sin in any one to do any of these things, but a much greater crime in those who are learned and powerful.

                                                        The Church's Constant Practice

The conduct of the Catholic Church in this matter has been uniformly the same in all ages with what the Holy Scripture teaches. She has always forbidden her children to have any communication, in religious matters, with those who are separated from her, and this she has sometimes done under the most severe penalties. In the Apostolic Canons, which are for the most part handed down from the apostolical age, it is thus decreed:

"If any bishop or priest or deacon shall join in prayer with heretics, let him be suspended from communion." Also: "If anyone, clergy or lay, shall go into the synagogue of the Jews, or the meetings of heretics, to join in prayer with them, let him be deposed and deprived of communion."

The Council of Carthage held in 398, at which the great Saint Augustine was present, enacted that: "No one must either pray or sing psalms with heretics; whosoever shall communicate with those who are cut off from the communion of the Church, whether clergy or layman, let him be excommunicated."

Pope Paul IV wrote thusly to the Catholics of England, at a time when the most severe persecutions were raised against them, unless they agreed to go from time to time to the Protestant church:
"Great has been the grief of our mind for the calamities you have had to undergo for your adherence to the Catholic Faith; and as we understand that these trials are become more severe at present, our affliction is increased exceedingly. We are informed that you are compelled, under the most grievous penalties, to go to the churches of heretics, to frequent their meetings, and be present at their sermons. But we are fully persuaded that you who with so much fortitude and constancy have hitherto endured almost infinite miseries that you might walk without stain in the law of the Lord will never consent to be defiled by communicating with those who have forsaken the Divine law. Nevertheless, urged by the zeal of our duty, and by our paternal care for you, we admonish and command you that on no account you go to the churches of heretics, or hear their sermons, or join in their rites, lest you incur the wrath of God, for it is not lawful for you to do such things without dishonouring God, and hurting your own souls."

The constant practice of the Church shows that any attempt to authorize or excuse communication in religion with those who are separated from her falls under the curse pronounced by Saint Paul on all novelty in religion, and is contrary to the Gospel which has been preached from the beginning and handed down from the holy Apostles.

                                                                    The Law Unalterable

No power on earth can  make that allowable which the law of God forbids; and to say that because there are those Who do go to heretical churches and hear heretical sermons and read heretical books,without being censured, it is therefore allowable, is the same as to say that because great numbers curse and lie and drink to excess it is therefore allowable to commit these sins. No, the law is by no means altered by the fact that it is widely disobeyed; it stands as a testimony against those who flaunt it, and though they here and now escape the censure of men, they will not escape the just punishment of their transgression at the tribunal of God.

                                                                          Sinful Curiosity

Whatever is a sin to do, is a sin to appear to do; and it is evident that whoever goes to non-Catholic churches, even though his motive is mere curiosity and no more, appears to join with what is done there, whatever be in his own mind; and Our Lord not only condemns those who deny Him in their hearts, but also all those who deny Him before men, whatever be the inward disposition of their hearts.

Do not the texts of Scripture we have cited forbid the very going to such places at all, do they not command us to avoid them? and how can one be said to avoid them who goes to them, whatever his intention? Does not the Scripture say that there is no fellowship, no participation, no concord, no part, no agreement between the faithful and the unbeliever? and how can this be said of one who goes to their religious meetings, is present at their service, and hears their preachings? Does not the Scripture expressly affirm that he who so much as greets them, communicates in their wicked works? how much more he who honours their meetings with his presence?

As for the motive of curiosity, it is certainly a disgrace for a Christian to fly to such an excuse for doing a thing forbidden by any lawful authority, but much more for doing what is so frequently, so severely, and for such important reasons, forbidden by the law of God and of His Church. Whatever useful purposes curiosity may serve in the acquisition of knowledge, however blameless it may be when employed about innocent objects, yet curiosity is, without doubt, a very great sin in itself when to gratify it a person either does what is criminal, or prohibited by lawful authority, or exposes himself to the danger of doing so.

                                                          The Learned No Less Obliged

It is no argument to say that a person might go to see and hear what passes among heretics so long as he is well grounded in the true Faith, and so unlikely to be seduced from it.  Even if we grant that such a person would run no risk o losing his faith, yet this is only avoiding one of those reasons for which going to heretical places is forbidden.  It would still be, at least in the eyes of the world, a seeming approbation of the heresy, and a transgression of an express command of God and His Church, and a very grievous scandal to the faithful.  In fact, the scandal arising from the example of
such more learned people must be greater than from others, because every one of the faithful well knows that it is a sin to go to such places, and therefore all must be more offended to see a person who ought to know his duty better than others acting so contrary to it, and the weaker sort among them will be more influenced to do the same from the example of such a person, than if less learned and less instructed in his religion. But even the most learned cannot answer for themselves when, contrary to their duty, they culpably expose themselves to the danger. Saint Paul assures us that "it is by grace that you are saved, with faith for its instrument, and that not of yourselves, for it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8).

Our faith, then, being God's gift, our perseverance in it is no less so. If therefore a person, though ever so learned, offends Almighty God by doing what is dishonourable to His holy Faith, is this not provoking God to withdraw that gift from him, of which by his disobedience he renders himself unworthy?

In the primitive ages, Tertullian and Tatian were most learned men, and great champions of the Catholic Faith, having written many excellent things in defense of it, yet by exposing themselves to these very dangers they were miserably seduced, lost their faith, and fell into the most unreasonable heresies.

It is impossible that there should be any solid reason in favour of falsehood capable of convincing the understanding of a person who is well instructed in the Faith of Jesus Christ, but the most learned and best instructed are not proof against their own passions, and the seductions of the heart, and therefore can have no security against these if they culpably expose themselves to the danger, by which they offend God, and provoke Him to withdraw His grace from them, and leave them a prey to their passions. On this account was the command to avoid all fellowship with false teachers given to all without exception, to the learned as well as to the unlearned, to priests as well as to people.

                                                        Even Refutation a Poor Excuse

But might a well instructed person go to such heretical meetings that he might be the better able to confute the heretics? This case is the same, as to the danger, as that of reading bad books with the design of confuting them. To read bad books is forbidden by the law of God, by the natural law, and by the law of the Church, precisely because of the danger of being seduced by them to evil. Even a person thoroughly learned and in no probable danger of being seduced by them cannot read them with a safe conscience, even with the design of confuting them, unless he has received permission from his spiritual superiors to do so. Should he read them without such leave, he runs the risk of being hurt by them, all his learning notwithstanding, in punishment of his disobedience to what the law of God requires of him. But if he has the required permission, and reads with the intention of confuting them, he may do it lawfully; and he has reason to hope that God will preserve him from danger.

In like manner, if a learned person, by permission of his lawful superiors, should go to the meetings of those of a false religion, precisely to learn their ways and teachings that he may be able the better to confute them, this will take away the sin as to this one point of exposing himself to the danger; but this will not excuse the other evils of his doing so, namely, its being an apparent communication with
a false religion, a seeming approbation of it, and a source of offense and scandal to the faithful, most of whom, hearing of his doing so, and not knowing either the permission he has got, or the intention with which he goes, cannot fail to be greatly offended and scandalized by it.

So except in circumstances where all these evils could also be prevented, such permission could not be granted; and though granted, would not, I fear, give him full security before the tribunal of God—especially when it is considered that there seldom or ever can be a necessity for granting such permission, since the teachings of all false religions can easily be known from their books, or from the relation of others, without doing a thing so detrimental to the honour of the true religion, and so obnoxious in the eyes of all pious members of the Church of Christ.


Source: The Works of Bishop Hay, "The Sincere Christian,"  Imprimatur 1871
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The Most Holy Name of Jesus

1/1/2018

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O sweet Jesus, in Whose Holy Name every knee should bow in heaven, on earth, and under the earth, give unto us a perpetual fear and love of Thy Holy Name, that we may praise and magnify it forever.  Amen.

O sweet Jesus, with the angels let me praise Thee; with the shepherds let me see Thee; with St. Joseph let me find Thee.

O sweet Jesus, with Thy holy Mother I will embrace Thee; with the Magi I will adore Thee.

O sweet Jesus, with Thy spouses let me love Thee; with Thy servants let me serve Thee, live for Thee, honor Thee and follow Thee.

O sweet Jesus, with all Thy chosen friends especially the saints of Christmas-tide, let me proclaim Thee, suffer for thee, and finally die for Thee, O Jesus, Who art my Model, my Master, and my King.  Amen.

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The Seventh Day of Christmas - The Feast of the Circumcision

1/1/2018

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                                                      Building on a Solid Foundation
THE Church places the name of Jesus at the beginning of the year to teach us the important truth that the new year can become a happy year only when Jesus lives in our hearts.

Today, my dear children, as we start the new year, we are going to do some building. Each and every one of us is erecting a building in the course of our daily lives; we are placing stone upon stone every day till the building is completed and the Great Architect accepts or rejects the work we have done.

Once there was a great architect who had built great cities and little villages, marble palaces and simple thatched cottages. Some of his buildings were very grand; others were very simple; but all were well built. These houses were let to different people to live in, and some took care of them, but others did not. The great architect had two servants in his workshop. He taught them how to build, and always gave them three pieces of advice: first, Always build on a good foundation; second, Always choose good materials; third, build slowly. After a time the great architect sent his servants into a new country and told them each to build a good stone house. The two servants went to the new country, and there they found many people building, some well, others badly; one servant remembered his master's advice, Always build on a good foundation. So he got workmen together and looked about for a spot to build on. When he found it he cleared away all the soil and rubbish, until he came to solid rock. Remembering his master's second rule, Always choose good materials, he hewed seven pillars of stone to support the roof, and to each pillar he gave a name. The first pillar he called Faith; the second, Obedience; the third,Love; the fourth, Truth; the fifth, Gentleness; the sixth, Prayer, and the seventh, Work. And he did not forget the third rule, Build slowly. On top of the roof, high over all, he fixed a great stone cross, so that whenever the sun was shining the house was under the shadow of the cross. At last, the house was finished. Now what was the other servant doing? He went to work in a very different way. He laughed at his companion for taking so much pains, and went down to the riverside, where the sand lay smooth and yellow. He began to build there, and forgot all about his master's advice, Always build on a good foundation. He also forgot the advice about building slowly; he hurried on the work, so that he might finish his work and enjoy himself. Neither did he choose good materials for his building, but used any wood or stone which came in his way. Instead of the seven pillars of the house, this builder had but one, and that was called Selfishness. At last his house was finished.

The winter came and the wind roared, and the storm raged, and the floods rose and beat upon the houses. The gentle summer stream became a foaming torrent, which dashed against the walls of the buildings. But the waves beat and the lightnings flashed in vain against the one house, and in vain the wind shrieked at the windows; the house stood firm. Why, my children? Because it was founded upon a rock, and was well built of good materials.

Now, let us look at the other house. It seemed strong enough in fair weather, but when the storm came the sandy foundation began to sink and tremble. The one pillar, called Selfishness, began to totter and give way, and soon the whole building fell to pieces like a house of cards; then the flood swept away the ruins and the poor, foolish builder was whirled down the torrent with the wreckage.

My dear boys and girls, this is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. You know, of course, that God is the great Architect, who has built up all the cities and villages, and the mountains and islands. We are all His servants, and He sends us into this world, a new country to build. What are we building? Good lives, lives which will stand and last forever? Remember the lessons of the architect. First, we must build on a good foundation, and our foundation must be Jesus Christ, the Rock of Ages. Next, we must choose good materials with which to build our lives. What are they, do you think? Good companions, good books, good works, innocent amusement.And, thirdly, remember to build slowly. Good lives are built up on little things and bit  by bit. Great generals and statesmen and lawyers and clergymen become great slowly by learning; so do good Christians. Then we must remember the seven pillars of our house.

The first pillar must be Faith in God, in believing all He has revealed and all that His Church teaches. And then comes Obedience, for if we believe in God we must be obedient to Him. We must obey His commandments and those of His Church. Then there must be Love, love of God and to one another; no good life can be built up without the pillar of love. Next come Truth and Honesty. Every noble life is built up on Truth and Honesty. And we must not leave out Gentleness, which makes our building so sweet and beautiful. Nor must we omit prayer, including the sacraments, without which we cannot erect a good building; nor Work, that we may be useful to ourselves and helpful to others. These are the seven pillars that keep up a good Christian life. And above all, my children, there must be the Cross of Christ. Our life cannot be good, cannot be what God loves, unless we deny ourselves and prefer His will to our own—that is, living under the shadow of the Cross.

We have looked at the house built on the rock, the holy life founded on Jesus. Now look at the house which fell, the life which was lost. The foundation of sand is this world's pleasure and sin, and the pillar is selfishness; such a life cannot stand against the storms—the temptations, sorrows and losses of this life—which come to all of us. Remember that the flood beat against both houses; so, also, troubles and temptations come to good and bad alike, but only the lives founded on Jesus can stand against them.

Now I want you to ask yourselves a very serious question: "What am I building?" Children, on this, the first day of the year, just ask yourselves: "What kind of a building am I putting up? Have I a good foundation? Am I following out the plans of the Architect as my teachers daily show me in school and in church?" You are still very young, and now is the time to lay the foundation of your future happiness or your future ruin. We all are the builders of our fortunes. God grant we may build as the Great Architect teaches us to build!

This year will be a new year for you if you lay aside everything that is sinful and endeavor daily to become more perfect. Let no day pass without practising some self-denial, and give your whole, entire love to God. If you spend every day in His service, the new year will be a happy one for you. And when God calls you from your earthly home the angels will welcome you into His mansions beyond the skies.
Source: Anecdotte - Sermonettes for Children's Mass, Imprimatur 1921

A coloring page for today can be found below.

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New Years Day - "Behold, I make all things new" Apoc. 21: 5

1/1/2018

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A GLADDENING thought for the New Year! And who so fit to bring it as the Divine Child on His Name Day, when He was called Jesus, because He came to save His people from their sins? The world was old when He came—old, and hardened in wickedness, so sodden in corruption that it was hard to
see how it could be cleansed unless by fire. Renovation seemed too late. But desire had not died out in the world, and where desire is, renovation may always follow.

Behold, I make all things new," He said when the fulness of time had come. Behold! —that bugle note of Scripture, calling to Attention; that word which has ushered in God's greatest mysteries: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord!" "Behold the place where the Lord was laid!" "Behold, I am with you all days!" "Behold, He cometh and every eye shall see Him!" I make all things new — I to whom all things are possible, who can restore the first robe, and make that which was scarlet white as snow.

All things —a new heaven and a new earth; heaven at peace again with the earth renewed in Christ; angels and men united in one brotherhood, under one and the same Head; a new Gospel brought to the world, a new fire to cleanse, inflame, and expand the hearts of men.

How cold and hard was the old world before He came—society divided between tyrants and slaves; on one side an appalling selfishness, luxury, and cruelty, on the other a misery without limit and without hope. No protection for the weak, no justice for the oppressed, no mercy for the poor. Not a hospital for the sick, not a refuge for the homeless, the needy, the aged, the orphan, the failures of life. "Men, lovers of themselves, covetous, haughty, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, wicked, without affection...without kindness," says St. Paul. As to humility, for a virtue unknown to it, the world had not even a name.

He came. "When all things were in quiet silence and night was in the midst o f her course, Thy Almighty Word came down from Heaven," and His Spirit renewed the face o f the earth. The heathen world was renewed to the very core. Wherever the influence of the Gospel prevailed, and in the measure in which it prevailed, pagan ideals, institutions, laws, society—all were transformed. A new Covenant succeeded to the old, a new Church to the Synagogue that had proved unfaithful to its trust, a Church with new authority, new privileges, new means of grace, a new Tabernacle of God with men, whence all good flows to man. To the members of this Church He says today, says to them one by one: "Behold, I make all things new. I am ready to forgive and forget the past, to bind up what was broken, to strengthen what was weak, and what was sound and strong to preserve.

Jesus, dear Lord, in whose sacred Name we begin each year of our pilgrimage, fulfil in me Thy promise. Come to me today to make all things new within me. Do more than cleanse: Cor mundum crea in me, Deus. Create a new  heart in me, O God." A workman weeks new material to display his  skill.  In default of this, he will acdept what is deteriorated or repaired, but his choice is for the new.  Create a new heart in me, O God!  I appeal for this to Thy Almightiness, Thy Wisdom, Thy Goodness.  All things are possible to Thee. All ways are known to Thee and are open to Thee. And Thy Will to do this for me I cannot doubt, seeing that Thou bringest me as Thy New Year's Gift—Thyself! Say to me, then, on the threshold of this New Year:

"Behold, I make all things new!' Give me a new interest in the things of God, in all that leads to Thee, in all that belongs to Thy service, in all work for Thee that may come to my hand this year. Give me an increase of faith and hope and charity, a new strength against myself and all that bars my way to Thee or hinders our closer union. Be more and more to me as the year goes on. O Lord, increase my Faith. Let Thy Real Presence on the altar be an ever-growing reality to me. Draw me oftener to kneel before Thee, O great High Priest, as Thou offerest Thy Morning Sacrifice; as Thou spreadest Thy hands to us in the evening Benediction; as Thou callest us to the Communion rails for our daily Bread. Let me face courageously the difficulties and trials the year may bring, and behave in them as the spirit of faith dictates. And strengthen my Hope. Let my trust in Thee grow day by day till it comes to be the instinct of my soul that no chance nor trouble can disturb. Above all, increase my love by a frequent lifting of my heart to Thee through the busy hours of the day; by the offering to Thy glory and service of all I think, and do, and suffer; by a more docile following o f Thy guidance, a greater readiness for self-sacrifice, a gradual lessening of the self-seeking that taints all my work for Thee. I offer to Thee by a new oblation all I have and am, as a possession to be Thine more and more fully as the months go by. This is my New Year's gift to Thee. Thine to me, dear Lord, is Thyself. More than this is not in Thy power to give. More I do not ask till in the New Year of Eternity Thou showest Thyself to me face to face.

Source: With the Church, Volume 1: Advent to Ascension by Mother Mary Loyola, Imprimatur 1924

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