So that the thoughts of many may be laid bare

I suppose if something is a Mystery it will always be a little like this staring through the shop window. Always at the beginning of the beginning of understanding..and if we have been in heaven a billion, billion years thinking about things it will still be like this. Only at the doorway.

I came across a really wonderful talk from Monsignor Pope to a Conference this morning. Poor man he looked like someone had hit him with a baseball bat; I hope he is well. Priests like this remind me to make sure I have the Fear of God, which is the beginning of Wisdom.

 

There are beautiful reflections in this thread, I could spend days on just one of them!

About Dismas, I was thinking that he was moved by Mary's grief but it must also have reminded him of the grief he caused his own mother. We all have this in common, we come from a mother and a father and understand that love. The three crucified were before Mary and could not avoid seeing her grief. Jesus had to have Her there because it was the Father's will, but the others had to think of their own mothers when looking at her. Dismas' heart was touched but not the heart of the other convict.

As Catholics we can take the deepest dives into the mysteries of Mary's Heart, but She is also the mother symbol to all humanity and maybe the biggest mystery is simple: that all men of good faith love their mothers and respect them and this is what transcends to unite us. I grieve for families and children in other nations who suffer in wars and I don't want this for anyone, but we know the warmongers of this world don't care one bit. Perhaps that is the thing that will divide the good children from the bad in the end times, a sign of pre-destination in a way is how we love our mothers and have compassion for others because we see them as sons and daughters of mothers too.

 

I had another thought about Mary's Heart when listening to Frances Hogan's series on Genesis. It's not about the depths of Her sorrow, but prophetic about the life of the Temple and Church.

Frances said that the book of Jasher reveals that Sara died of a broken heart when she heard about Abraham's intention to sacrifice Isaac. I don't know about the legitimacy of sharing information in other books outside of the Bible but defer to Frances as bible scholar on this one. But this sounded prophetic about the life and times of the Temple and of the Church in history. Sara died of a broken heart but mystics say that Mary's Heart also stopped beating on Calvary but that She was revived by God the Father Who wanted Her to live on after Her Son's death.

If we think of Sara as the Mother of the Hebrew people and of the time of the Temple, when she died, God did not revive her - which is what happened 2000 years ago. If Mary died too but was revived while standing (She never collapsed but was held up by St John) the prophetic sense in this is that time of the Temple (Mosaic period of the Law) would end and not be revived but would continue in the line of Sara's son from whom we get Jesus and His Church. The Church will die with Jesus like Mary died with Her Son but God will revive Her after He lets the grief overtake the Church.

I was thinking about that famous sword of St Michael that crosses into all of the lands that have brought Israel and Christianity to the world. Perhaps there is a link in this line that pierces the lands and Our Lady's Heart ? Notice that it does not go through Portugal which is said to keep the faith etc...

Too far fetched perhaps?

 

Thank you.

 

Venerable Mary of Agreda says that when Mary and Joseph were on the Flight to Egypt they came upon a family, a Band of Robbers, who took the family into their home intending them harm. But once they got chatting they had a change of heart and were converted. That St Dismas was one the family.

“One evening the Holy Family arrived at the camp of some highway robbers, who were at first inclined to treat them cruelly. But when the leader looked at the Infant Jesus, somehow his hard heart was deeply touched, and he ordered his men not to harm the travelers. Taking them into his hut, he had his wife give them some food and settle them comfortably in a corner.

At Mary’s request the woman brought her a large container filled with water, in which the Blessed Virgin gave her Son a bath and washed His swaddling clothes. Meanwhile the chief robber said to his wife: “That is no ordinary child—He is a holy Baby. Ask His Mother to let you bathe our leprous son in the water she has used. Perhaps it will heal him ...”

But before the woman said a word, Mary urged her to wash her sick son in the water. Then the mother brought in her three-year-old boy, whose leprosy was so advanced that it covered all his face and body. Yet as soon as he was placed in the water that Jesus had used, which was now clearer than it had been before, the sick boy’s skin became perfectly smooth and healthy.

His mother was almost beside herself with joy and gratitude. She tried to kiss Mary and Jesus, but the Mother of God gently held her off and did not let her touch either of them. The father told all his men about the miracle, and they crowded into the hut and stared at the Holy Family with awe.

Later Mary had a long talk with the mother, who promised that she would stop living from crime as soon as she could. That night Mary hardly slept at all. She remained sitting on her bed, praying. The next morning when the Holy Family left with some new provisions, the robber chief gratefully said good-by to them and exclaimed with deep emotion: “Remember me, wherever you are!”

(Thirty-three years later his robber son said to the Man crucified beside him on Calvary: “Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy Kingdom!” And that time—again due to Mary’s prayers—Jesus healed his soul.).

https://www.ourcatholicprayers.com/A-tale-of-two-thieves.html

 

Lovely andree.

 

Very very perceptive!!!