A Blessing in Disguise

Bill Withers was raised in a little mining town in West Virginia called Slab Fork. He said the town like so many was divided like so many in the USA into two parts, black and white. But he said there was no Racism there at all. When asked how this could be he said it was because they were all Miners and so had to count on each other. None could afford to be Racist when they counted on each to save each other from harm down the mines.

I think this kind of attitude is reflected in his songs.




I might learn this one next:

 

It is the Mario of 2024 that wrote the above. I believe that I've mentioned my burning Louis DeMontfort books back in 1978. Mary, as any good Mother, has brought me a long way.

 

Yes. She helped me when I was truly down and out. I kept seeing her statue and walking by it.

 

Like all of you I can't even begin to tell you all she has done for me. Miracle after miracle. We have a wonderful mother. That's why I am always wary of any prayer practice that does not acknowledge her.

 

Absolutely!
I am convinced now more than ever that the only safe place is in her Immaculate Heart. She is the ark for these stormy days of evil and lawlessness. To let go of her is to leave oneself in the outer darkness.

 

Holy smokes!

 

This makes me believe that Catholic/ Scriptural Prophesy of all Faiths, including the Jews, being brought to the Church will come about through Mary.

Revelation 12:1

A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head.

 

Our Blessed Lady never gets in the road of our prayer.

Saying the rosary is never, ever, a mistake.
No matter how elevated, how highly contemplative we may consider ourselves to be on the ways of prayer, or in which stage of the Spiritual Life we may consider ourselves to be.

 

I love this picture. Never seen it before. He’s so deep in prayer

 

She is our Queen Mother. I feel so sorry for Protestants who in one sense live in a dysfunctional family without a Mom! They use the terms: Father, Lord, brother, sister, Holy Spirit, but...where's their Mom?

Lord have Mercy!

 

Sorry to go on, but I must...because our next of kin (loosely speaking) are sadly so blind! John the Baptist leaped in the womb of Elizabeth upon hearing whose voice: Mary's. And to whom did Jesus gift Mary as He hung upon the Cross: to the Beloved Disciple who represents all disciples. Does not Mary prophesy that all generations will call her Blessed! This would most certainly include all generations of disciples of the Christ!

Does not Psalm 45 (KJV) declare that to the King of Judah's right is:

9 Kings' daughters were among thy honorable women: upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir. (the Mother of Judah's King). What Protestant would refuse to claim Christ, King? Our Lady was made Christ's Queen at the moment of His conception (Luke 1):

31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

Our Lady is the forever Queen Mother of our heavenly family: God the Father, Mary the Queen Mother, Jesus her Only Begotten (Son of the Father, Final and Forever Davidic King and Brother of all subjects). And who are the subjects but all the faithful baptized who persevere to the end!

In her royalty, Mary deserves our honor and love. It is so simple!!!

Dear Lady, pray that the blinders shall be removed from the eyes of all Protestants. The only threat you pose is to their misguided pride!

 

I am rereading an old book I found about Padre Pio from a gentleman who was his Spiritual Child from the age of 16 until the saints death. The supernatural events are everywhere and are mind blowing. Miracles are an everyday affair. Astonishing.

 

This is so true Padraig.

I have belonged to different prayer groups over the years and found that all of them have been a conduit of graces! I believe this is because God is not limited and He uses even our mere want to find and love Him as a means to draw us deeper to truth.

I belonged to a Charismatic prayer group for probably 10 years and many graces were received. Thank you Dearest Blessed Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

However, I too experienced a negativity towards the rosary, where a very Charismatic nun deterred us from saying the rosary while at the Charismatic meetings, she sort of dismissed it as a private devotion for us to pray in our private time at home. I left the Charismatic prayer group due to this.

Over the years, other deterrents to say the rosary surfaced.

I remember after reading a book on the lives of the saints, I believed there was something greater than the prayer of the rosary, something better, something more agreeable to God. In my mistaken interpretation, I believed the saints somehow bypassed regular life through meditation and contemplation. For a short period of time I found myself negating real prayer (the rosary) while hoping to attain oneness with God without sufferings.

The fact is that Faithfulness to the rosary produces an abundance of contemplative yearnings and an abundance of contemplative harvests; The Little way of St Therese of the Child Jesus gives us this assurance! And Pardo Pio tells us that "The Rosary is the weapon"!

Dearest Mother Mary keep us under Thy mantle, there may we live and die. Amen

 

I find the Rosary kind of focuses or brings down to Earth our prayer giving it aim. Especially those that focus on the Sufferings of Jesus and Mary.

Of course there are times when we set aside the rosary and just go one to one in contemplation.

But the very fact that time and time again in her apparitions Mary holds out the rosary and asks us to use it must give us great pause for thought. She does not say, 'Say the rosary unless you reach the stages of contemplative prayer', she simply says, 'Say the rosary'.

I didn't know the Charismatics had a downer on the rosary. I'd like to think not all of them do.

I know some Catholics have an attitude towards the rosary something like...'We can do better than this'. But really, honestly we can't.

 

Yes, good thing Our Lady had patience with this wayward son! No fiery darts from her Son!

That was shortly before Geralyn and I became acquainted. Another good thing!

 

Oh how I love dear Padre Pio who I have prayed to since he was just Blessed. The National Center in Barto PA is so beautiful and it started as a little shack where I met Maria, the Mother of the miracle girl. I am blessed .

 

Yes. That is quite a blessing!

 

A wonderful Shrine to visit!