The Nativity of the Blessed Mother

R. This day was the Blessed Virgin Mary born of the lineage of David ; * The same is she through whom the salvation of the world hath been manifested before the eyes of all believers, and whose glorious life hath given light to the world.

V. With joy let us keep the Birth-day of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Traditional Roman Breviary 

Today, September 8, we celebrate the Nativity of Our Blessed Mother, the Virgin Mary, the only person outside of her Divine Son who was born into this world without the stain of original sin.  From the time of her Immaculate Conception, Mary was formed and shaped to become the Ark of the Covenant, the one who would give birth to the Messiah.  She was born into a humble Jewish family and now reigns in heaven as Queen of heaven and earth, Queen of the Angels, who intercedes constantly for us before the throne of Her Son, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. 

There is a beautiful reading from St. Augustine in today's traditional breviary:

The Lesson is taken from a Sermon by St. Augustine the Bishop

Dearly beloved brethren, the day for which we have longed, the Feast-day of the Blessed and Worshipful and Alway-Virgin Mary, that day is come. Let our land laugh and sing with merriment, bathed in the glory of this great Virgin's rising. She is the flower of the fields on which the priceless lily of the valleys hath blossomed.

This is she whose delivery changed the nature that we draw from our first parents, and cleansed away their offence. At her that dolorous sentence which was pronounced over Eve ended its course ; to her it was never said : In sorrow thou shalt bring forth children. She brought forth a Child, even the Lord, but she brought him forth, not in sorrow, but in joy.

Eve wept, but Mary laughed. Eve's womb was big with tears, but Mary's womb was big with gladness. Eve gave birth to a sinner, but Mary gave birth to the sinless One. The mother of our race brought punishment into the world, but the Mother of our Lord brought salvation into the world.

Eve was the foundress of sin, but Mary was the foundress of righteousness. Eve welcomed death, but Mary helped in life. Eve smote, but Mary healed. For Eve's disobedience, Mary offered obedience ; and for Eve's unbelief, Mary offered faith.

Mary replacing Eve

Let Mary now make a loud noise upon the organ, and between its quick notes let the rattling of the Mother's timbrel be heard. Let the gladsome choirs sing with her, and their sweet hymns mingle with the changing musick. Hearken to what a song her timbrel will make accompaniment. She saith : My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden, for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is Mighty hath magnified me. The new miracle of Mary's delivery hath effaced the curse of the frail backslider, and the singing of Mary hath silenced the wailing of Eve.

Kudos to Cardinal Dolan: Prayer at the DNC

Thumbs up to
Cardinal Dolan

"We ask your benediction on those waiting to be born, that they may be welcomed and protected"
Timothy Cardinal Dolan, Prayer at the DNC 

I have been really hard on Cardinal Dolan, going after him recently for inviting Obama to the Al Smith Dinner.  But you gotta give props where they are due, and Timothy Cardinal Dolan deserves them for the great prayer he gave at the Democratic National Convention.  An exorcism would not have been out of place, given the promotion of abortion with no restrictions and same sex marriage, the omission of God from the DNC platform only to be put back in, with great reluctance, after the nation expressed its shock, and Caroline Kennedy telling us that "as a Catholic woman", it is important to her to have access to "reproductive health services", i.e., abortion, to name just a few of the atrocities committed at the 2012 DNC. 

But His Eminence closed the convention with a strong and brave prayer.  He was a wonderful witness to all who heard him.

The Huffington Post gives us the full text of both of the Cardinal's prayers at the DNC and RNC. 

Cardinal Timothy Dolan's Benedictions At RNC And DNC (FULL TEXT)

 Posted: 09/06/2012 11:51 pm Updated: 09/07/2012 1:07 am

Offering a benediction to close the Democratic National Convention, Cardinal Timothy Dolan largely stuck to a similar script as he did when praying in front of Republicans at their convention last week, with two notable exceptions.

Proudly supporting abortion
at the Democratic Convention

"We ask your benediction on those waiting to be born, that they may be welcomed and protected," Dolan, who as the Archbishop of New York and president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has spoken out strongly against abortion, said at the DNC.

And making what seemed to be a allusion to same-sex marriage, which President Barack Obama and the DNC have endorsed, Dolan said: "Show us anew that happiness is found only in respecting the laws of nature and of nature’s God. Empower us with your grace so that we might resist the temptation to replace the moral law with idols of our own making, or to remake those institutions you have given us for the nurturing of life and community."

While Dolan prayed for the "sacred and inalienable gift of life" at the Republican National Convention, he did not ask specifically for protection for the unborn. At the RNC, he said, "We ask your benediction upon those yet to be born, and on those who are about to see you at the end of this life."

Dolan mentioned morality at the RNC, but not remaking "institutions [God] has given us." At the RNC, he said, "May we know the truth of your creation, respecting the laws of nature and nature’s God, and not seek to replace it with idols of our own making."

Dolan, who spoke for 700 words at the DNC and 544 at the RNC, also prayed for Mitt Romney and Rep. Paul Ryan by name at the DNC, in addition to Obama and Vice President Joe Biden. At the RNC, he prayed for the Republican candidates by name and prayed for Obama and Biden when he mentioned the "president and vice-president."

Dolan also prayed for religious freedom at both conventions.

The phrase applies broadly to the constitutional freedom of religion, but it also relates more specifically to a fight Dolan and Catholic bishops have led against the Obama administration. The Archdiocese of New York is one of dozens of Catholic organizations suing federal government because of a portion of his health care overhaul that requires employers, including Catholic schools and hospitals but not houses of worship, to provide free contraception as part of employee health plans.

While it's customary for local Catholic bishops to speak at political conventions, it's rare to have someone of Dolan's stature come from out of town to speak. The most recent exception was in 1972, when Philadelphia Cardinal John Krol was president of the Catholic bishops' conference and flew to Miami to pray at the Republican convention the year Richard Nixon was nominated.

Dolan was first invited to speak at the RNC and accepted an invitation to the DNC afterwards. Through his spokesman, he has said that both benedictions were not endorsements or meant to be political. In a tweet on Thursday, Dolan said he would be in Charlotte "as a pastor. Not to endorse any party, platform, or candidate."  [And he was a wonderful pastor.]

The Rev. Gabriel Salguero, president of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition and senior pastor of Lamb's Church in New York City, also offered an invocation to before main events on Thursday evening. In his remarks, he prayed for God to "guide this great nation" and "help us all, Republicans, independents, and Democrats, never to tire in the work of justice and mercy." Salguero also prayed for God to "help us always to be mindful of the most vulnerable among us: the child, the widow, the orphan and the stranger." 

Cardinal Dolan's Benediction at Democratic National Convention 2012

With a “firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence,” let us close this convention by praying for this land that we so cherish and love:

Let us Pray.

Almighty God, father of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, revealed to us so powerfully in your Son, Jesus Christ, we thank you for showering your blessings upon this our beloved nation. Bless all here present, and all across this great land, who work hard for the day when a greater portion of your justice, and a more ample measure of your care for the poor and suffering, may prevail in these United States. Help us to see that a society’s greatness is found above all in the respect it shows for the weakest and neediest among us.

We beseech you, almighty God to shed your grace on this noble experiment in ordered liberty, which began with the confident assertion of inalienable rights bestowed upon us by you: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Thus do we praise you for the gift of life. Grant us the courage to defend it, life, without which no other rights are secure. We ask your benediction on those waiting to be born, that they may be welcomed and protected. Strengthen our sick and our elders waiting to see your holy face at life’s end, that they may be accompanied by true compassion and cherished with the dignity due those who are infirm and fragile.

We praise and thank you for the gift of liberty. May this land of the free never lack those brave enough to defend our basic freedoms. Renew in all our people a profound respect for religious liberty: the first, most cherished freedom bequeathed upon us at our Founding. May our liberty be in harmony with truth; freedom ordered in goodness and justice. Help us live our freedom in faith, hope, and love. Make us ever-grateful for those who, for over two centuries, have given their lives in freedom’s defense; we commend their noble souls to your eternal care, as even now we beg the protection of your mighty arm upon our men and women in uniform.

We praise and thank you for granting us the life and the liberty by which we can pursue happiness. Show us anew that happiness is found only in respecting the laws of nature and of nature’s God. Empower us with your grace so that we might resist the temptation to replace the moral law with idols of our own making, or to remake those institutions you have given us for the nurturing of life and community. May we welcome those who yearn to breathe free and to pursue happiness in this land of freedom, adding their gifts to those whose families have lived here for centuries.

We praise and thank you for the American genius of government of the people, by the people and for the people. Oh God of wisdom, justice, and might, we ask your guidance for those who govern us: President Barack Obama, Vice President Joseph Biden, Congress, the Supreme Court, and all those, including Governor Mitt Romney and Congressman Paul Ryan, who seek to serve the common good by seeking public office. Make them all worthy to serve you by serving our country. Help them remember that the only just government is the government that serves its citizens rather than itself. With your grace, may all Americans choose wisely as we consider the future course of public policy.

And finally Lord, we beseech your benediction on all of us who depart from here this evening, and on all those, in every land, who yearn to conduct their lives in freedom and justice. We beg you to remember, as we pledge to remember, those who are not free; those who suffer for freedom’s cause; those who are poor, out of work, needy, sick, or alone; those who are persecuted for their religious convictions, those still ravaged by war.

And most of all, God Almighty, we thank you for the great gift of our beloved country.

For we are indeed “one nation under God,” and “in God we trust.”

So dear God, bless America. You who live and reign forever and ever.

Amen!

Cardinal Dolan's Benediction at the Republican National Convention 2012

With firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, let us pray:

Almighty God, father of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Jesus, we beg your continued blessings on this sanctuary of freedom, and on all of those who proudly call America home. We ask your benediction upon those yet to be born, and on those who are about to see you at the end of this life. Bless those families whose ancestors arrived on these shores generations ago, as well as those families that have come recently, to build a better future while weaving their lives into the rich tapestry of America.

We lift up to your loving care those afflicted by the recent storms and drought and fire. We ask for the grace to stand in solidarity with all those who suffer. May we strive to include your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, in the production and prosperity of a people so richly blessed.

Oh God of wisdom, justice, and might, we ask your guidance for those who govern us, and on those who would govern us: the president and vice-president, the Congress, the Supreme Court, and on all those who seek to serve the common good by seeking public office, especially Governor Romney and Congressman Ryan. Make them all worthy to serve you by serving our country. Help them remember that the only just government is the government that serves its citizens rather than itself.

Almighty God, who gives us the sacred and inalienable gift of life, we thank you as well for the singular gift of liberty. Renew in all of our people a respect for religious freedom in full, that first most cherished freedom. Make us truly free, by tethering freedom to truth and ordering freedom to goodness. Help us live our freedom in faith, hope, and love; prudently, and with justice; courageously, and in a spirit of moderation. Enkindle in our hearts a new sense of responsibility for freedom’s cause. And make us ever-grateful for all those who, for more than two centuries, have given their lives in freedom’s defense; we commend their noble souls to your eternal care, as even now we beg your mighty hand upon our beloved men and women in uniform.

May we know the truth of your creation, respecting the laws of nature and nature’s God, and not seek to replace it with idols of our own making. Give us the good sense not to cast aside the boundaries of righteous living you first inscribed in our hearts even before inscribing them on tablets of stone. May you mend our every flaw, confirming our soul in self-control, our liberty in law.

We pray for all those who seek honest labor, as we thank you for the spirit of generosity to those in need with which you so richly blessed this nation.

We beseech your blessing on all who depart from here this evening, and on all those, in every land, who seek to conduct their lives in freedom.

Most of all, Almighty God, we thank you for the great gift of our beloved country.

For we are indeed “one nation under God.”

And “in God we trust.”

Dear God bless America. You who live and reign, forever and ever,

Amen!

Image of Our Lady Survives Destruction of Chapel in the Phillipines

A landslide in Barangay Pagsabungan, Mandaue City
buried the coffin of a woman whose remains were still
lying in state in the small chapel (kapilya) of Sitio San Roque.

Back in June, a Catholic Church was completely destroyed in Juarez, Texas in a fire, yet miraculously an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe survived completely intact with just a little smoke damage.  This seems to have been repeated in the Philippines.  A chapel collapsed due to monsoon rains and soil erosion, with only the images of the Blessed Mother and San Roque surviving. 

This is what Wikipedia has to say about San Roque:

According to his Acta and his vita in Legenda Aurea, he was born at Montpellier, at that time "upon the border of France" as Legenda Aurea has it, the son of the noble governor of that city. Even his birth was accounted a miracle, for his noble mother had been barren until she prayed to the Virgin Mary. Miraculously marked from birth with a red cross on his breast that grew as he did, he early began to manifest strict asceticism and great devoutness; on days when his "devout mother fasted twice in the week, and the blessed child Rocke abstained him twice also, when his mother fasted in the week, and would suck his mother but once that day".
 

Statue of San Roque

On the death of his parents in his twentieth year he distributed all his worldly goods among the poor like Francis of Assisi— though his father on his deathbed had ordained him governor of Montpellier— and set out as a mendicant pilgrim for Rome. Coming into Italy during an epidemic of plague, he was very diligent in tending the sick in the public hospitals at Acquapendente, Cesena, Rimini, Novara and Rome, and is said to have effected many miraculous cures by prayer and the sign of the cross and the touch of his hand. At Rome, according to Legenda Aurea he preserved the "cardinal of Angleria in Lombardy" by making the mark of the cross on his forehead, which miraculously remained. Ministering at Piacenza he himself finally fell ill. He was expelled from the town; and withdrew into the forest, where he made himself a hut of boughs and leaves, which was miraculously supplied with water by a spring that arose in the place; he would have perished had not a dog belonging to a nobleman named Gothard Palastrelli supplied him with bread and licked his wounds, healing them. Count Gothard, following his hunting dog that carried the bread, discovered Saint Roch and became his acolyte.

On his return incognito to Montpellier he was arrested as a spy (by orders of his own uncle) and thrown into prison, where he languished five years and died on 16 August 1327, without revealing his name, to avoid worldly glory. (Evidence suggests, as mentioned earlier, that the previous events occurred, instead at Voghera in 1370s.) After his death, according to Legenda Aurea,"anon an angel brought from heaven a table divinely written with letters of gold into the prison, which he laid under the head of S. Rocke. And in that table was written that God had granted to him his prayer, that is to wit, that who that calleth meekly to S. Rocke he shall not be hurt with any hurt of pestilence."

Below is the story from the Phillipines:

Cebu chapel collapses; Virgin Mary image saved

ABS-CBNnews.com
Posted at 09/05/2012 4:26 PM | Updated as of 09/05/2012 10:58 PM\

MANILA, Philippines – A man was injured after a small chapel in Barangay Pagsabungan, Mandaue City, Cebu collapsed on Tuesday due to continuous rains.

The injured victim, Remegio Magallanes, sustained wounds on his arms and face.

Authorities said the continuous downpour of rain caused soil erosion in some parts of Barangay Pagsabungan, triggering the collapse of the chapel.

The chapel was completely destroyed save for the images of Virgin Mary and San Roque.

The incident also damaged a casket inside a chapel.

The residents of Barangay Pagsabungan are hoping that their chapel will be rebuilt at the soonest time possible. -- Report from Reno Tallada, ABS-CBN News Central Visayas
 

Is this just a coincidence that once again, even though a church was completely destroyed, our Lady's image was spared, and the only other statue that survived was that of a saint who had been born as a result of prayers to her? 

Divine Mercy Taught by St. Gregory The Great

Original Divine Mercy Picture

St. Faustina, a Polish nun who lived in the 20th Century and died shortly before the beginning of WWII, is often referred to as the Apostle of Divine Mercy.  Our Lord appeared to her and gave her many visions and proclamations regarding His Divine Mercy.  She was also directed by Our Lord to have the picture painted, shown above, as an image of Christ's Divine Mercy.  The picture above is the original Divine Mercy picture.  However, St. Faustina wept when she saw this painting because it did not capture the beauty of the risen Christ. 

St. Faustina was directed by her confessor to keep a diary of everything that happened to her, and as a result we have St. Faustina's Diary entitled, "Divine Mercy in My Soul." 

Many think that the teaching of Divine Mercy is a new understanding of the church.  Far too many believe that prior to the 20th Century, the Church believed in a harsh unbending God who condemned people for the slightest infraction.  We either "toe the line" or we're out. 

While it is true that we must become perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect, the Church has always recognized our God as a great God of love and mercy  That fact is amply demonstrated by the following reading from St. Gregory the Great, whose feast day is celebrated in today's contemporary calendar.  St. Gregory the Great lived from 540 to 604 A.D., and was pope from 590 to 604.  That is a long, long, long time before St. Faustina, and yet he wrote profoundly and deeply on the power of Divine Mercy in our lives. 

St. Gregory is considered one of our very greatest popes, and was immediately cannonized upon his death.  He died on March 12, 604 and was cannonized that same day.  He is the patron saint of musicians, singers, students, and teachers.  He is responsible for the development of Gregorian chant, which has been strongly promoted by our present Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, who describes it "as the supreme model of sacred music."

This reading is taken from today's Magnificat, a magazine I cannot recommend highly enough whether you go to daily Mass or not.  It is specifically for the Ordinary Form of the Mass, but even if you are not a devotee of the Ordinary Form, you will still benefit greatly from this magazine and daily devotional, which is a spiritual feast.

Today's meditation from the Magnificat:

The Mercy Jesus Proclaimed

What tongue can describe the heart of the divine mercy? What mind is not amazed by the riches of such great love? The psalmist was thinking of these riches of divine love when he said: My helper; I will sing a psalm to you.  It is you, O God, who are my protector; my God my mercy.  Carefully weighing the labors surrounding our humanity, he called God his helper.  He calls his "protector" the one who protects us in the midst of our present distress until we come to eternal rest.  But bearing in mind that God sees our evil deeds and bears with them, that he puts up with our sins and still preserves us for his rewards because of repentance, he could not just speak of God as being merciful but called him mercy itself, saying:  My God, my mercy.

Let us then recall before our eyes the evil deeds we have done, let us consider with how much goodness God puts up with us, let us bear in mind the depth of his love.  He is not only lenient toward our sins, but he even promises the heavenly kingdom to those who repent after sinning.  Let each of us say from the very depths of our hearts, let us all say, My God, my mercy.

St. Gregory The Great 

The Church has always taught the love and mercy of God, and don't ever let anyone tell you differently.  We need never doubt the Mercy of God.  You need only to look upon the suffering Lord on the Cross and know that if He cared that much to come and die such a terrible death that we might be saved, He is always going to be there for us.  As St. Gregory the Great wrote:

He is not only lenient toward our sins, but he even promises the heavenly kingdom to those who repent after sinning. Let each of us say from the very depths of our hearts, let us all say,

My God, my mercy. 



Karl Rove Wants Akin Put Permanently Out of Action

I have been following the Todd Akin story, absolutely fascinated at how the Republicans have turned on this 100% pro life candidate and attempted to destroy him.  I expect the Democrats to be out for blood against any one who is anti-abortion, but the Republicans are suppose to be pro life.  Why, it was even in their platform at the Republican National Convention, as CNN told us:

Republicans drafting their party's official policy platform on Tuesday ratified a call for a Constitutional ban on abortion that makes no exceptions for rape or incest.

* * * 

The CNN report came out on August 21, just two days after Rep. Todd Akin, who is running for senator in Missouri, said he was against abortion in cases of rape.  Akin was slammed on all sides for using the term "legitimate rape" and saying that pregnancy is rare in cases of rape, which is statistically true. But everyone knows that Akin's vocal faux pas was just an excuse to attack him. The real reason he was being attacked is because he is against abortion in cases of pregnancies resulting from rape. So despite Akin's admittedly stupid use of the word "legitimate", you would think Republicans would run to defend him since he is completely in line with their platform.  Well, if that is what you would think, you would be wrong. Republicans could not distance themselves from Akin fast enough, condemning him and calling for him to step down from the race and telling him they were cutting off all political funding for his senate race.

One of the main cheerleaders in the effort to dump Akin is the Republican candidate for president, Mitt Romney.  The VP candidate, Paul Ryan, despite being on the record for being against abortion in cases of rape and despite having drafted a pro life bill with Todd Akin, also turned against his colleague, phoning him and telling him to get out of the race.  Loyalty has no place in politics. 

Paul Ryan and Todd Akin when they were
on friendlier terms

One of the big guns in the Republican party calling for Todd Akin to find another planet on which to live was Karl Rove.  And Rove seemingly wants Akin permanently gone, as he talked about the murder of Todd Akin.  See the story from the Washington Post below:

Karl Rove jokes, ‘We should sink Todd Akin,’ report says

Posted by Sean Sullivan on August 31, 2012 at 10:11 am

Bloomberg Businessweek reports from inside a donor briefing Karl Rove hosted in Tampa on the final day of the Republican National Convention, where the Republican reiterated his desire for embattled Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.) to end his Senate campaign in Missouri.

Rove explained to an audience dotted with hedge fund billionaires and investors—including John Paulson and Wilbur Ross—how his super PAC, American Crossroads, will persuade undecided voters in crucial swing states to vote against Barack Obama. He also detailed plans for Senate and House races, and joked, “We should sink Todd Akin. If he’s found mysteriously murdered, don’t look for my whereabouts!”

Fortunately, there are some people who are seeing that something is not right here.  Finally here is someone who has some strong words about Karl Rove. 

Phyllis Schlafly Calls on Karl Rove to Resign

Karl Rove has made himself toxic to Republicans by his incredibly offensive and dangerous statement suggesting the murder of Congressman Todd Akin of Missouri. Any candidate or network who hires Rove will now be tarnished with this most malicious remark ever made in Republican politics.  [Don't bet on it, Phyllis.]

Just imagine if someone had made that statement about Barack Obama. The Secret Service would go on Red Alert and you can bet that the author of that remark would be in jail by now. As quoted by a Businessweek reporter and now on the internet, Rove in Tampa told some 70 big donors to his Super PAC, American Crossroads, that every attendee should apply pressure to "sink Todd Akin" and force him out of the Senate race for which Missourians had nominated him. Then Rove said that if Akin were "found mysteriously murdered, don’t look for my whereabouts."

This stunning attack on Akin is now reported as a joke. Sorry, Karl, it isn’t funny to joke about murdering a Congressman.  [Let's hope he was joking.]

Rove has disliked Akin ever since Akin was one of the principled members of the U.S. House who voted against George W. Bush’s extravagant expansion of Medicare when the vote was called at 5:53 am in November 2003. Akin is a man of principle who doesn’t cave in to political pressure, so he’s not Rove’s kind of politician.

Rove tried to excuse his obscene joke by saying he would not have said it if he had known a reporter was in the room. That makes his statement worse! Is murder the kind of secret political advice Rove gives to Republican donors and candidates who hire him?  [Your guess is as good as mine.]

A private phone call by Rove to Akin to sort of apologize does not erase the public offense. At the very least Rove should make a public apology. But even that can’t wipe out his gross political mistake.

Karl Rove is an embarrassment to the Republican Party. [Phyllis, here is a news flash:  Rove IS the Republican Party.]  We don’t want any more of his advice in secret briefings or publicly on Fox News. Missourians don’t want politicians from other states telling us who to run for the Senate.

Rove has been calling on Todd Akin to resign, but the one who should resign because he made an embarrassing, malicious, and downright stupid remark is Karl Rove. 
 

Sigh.   Hey Phyllis, have you or anyone else noticed that Romney hasn't said a word about Rove's "joke?"  We have seen Mike Huckabee and, amazingly, Newt Gingrich criticize Rove for the remark.  But everyone else is remaining completely silent on this issue.

Karl Rove will suffer no political repercussions as the result of his hateful remark and everyone will continue to tell me that I must vote for the Republicans because it's the only way to stop the Democrats.  Will someone just tell me the difference between the two parties?

Hal David of Bacharach/David Songwriting Team Dies

Burt Bacharach and Hal David

Hal David, who wrote the beautiful lyrics to Burt Bacharach's great melodies in the 1960's and 70's, has died at the age of 91.  I grew up with this music and can remember loving it when I was as young as 9 and 10 years old, and the fact that I still love this music all these many decades later is a testament to just how great these songs are.

From the Washington Post:

Bacharach and David were among the most successful teams in modern history, with top 40 hits including “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head,” ‘’(They Long to Be) Close to You” and “That’s What Friends Are For.” Although most associated with Dionne Warwick, their music was recorded by many of the top acts of their time, from the Beatles and Barbra Streisand to Frank Sinatra and Aretha Franklin. They won an Oscar for “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” (from the movie “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”), Grammys and Tonys for the songs from the hit Broadway musical “Promises, Promises.”

David and Bacharach met when both worked in the Brill Building, New York’s legendary Tin Pan Alley song factory where writers cranked out songs and attempted to sell them to music publishers. They scored their first big hit with “Magic Moments,” a million-selling record for Perry Como.

In 1962 they began writing for a young singer named Dionne Warwick, whose versatile voice conveyed the emotion of David’s lyrics and easily handled the changing patterns of Bacharach’s melodies. Together the trio created a succession of popular songs including “Don’t Make Me Over,” ‘’Walk On By,” ‘’I Say a Little Prayer,” ‘’Do You Know the Way to San Jose,” ‘’Trains and Boats and Planes,” ‘’Anyone Who Has a Heart,” ‘’You’ll Never Get to Heaven” and “Always Something There to Remind Me,” a hit in the 1980s for the synth pop band Naked Eyes. 

I stopped listening to contemporary pop music about 20 years ago because there were no longer any melodies, only beats, and it was all explicitly sexual.  No one writes love songs anymore, just sex songs.  Burt Bacharach and Hal David were among those who wrote truly romantic love songs that talked about commitment and caring, not just a few moments of physical passion and then on to the next one.  And the melodies were beautiful and singable, and you felt good just listening to them.

Below is a Youtube video of one of the best Bacharach/David songs ever.  It's hard for me to listen to this without tears in my eyes.

Thank you, Hal David, for this and all the other beautiful music you gave us.  God bless you, and may you rest in peace.






Here is one more video of Dionne Warwick and Burt Bacharach doing a medley of some of those great songs.  You will see Hal David at the end of the video.

Meditation on the Second Sorrowful Mystery: The Scourging at the Pillar

Today, September 1, is the First Saturday of the Month. The First Saturday Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary was first mentioned by Our Lady of Fatima on July 13, 1917. After showing the three children a vision of hell she said, "You have seen hell where the souls of poor sinners go. To save them, God wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart. If what I say to you is done, many souls will be saved and there will be peace... I shall come to ask for... the Communion of reparation on the first Saturdays..." The First Saturday devotion is as follows:

It consists in going to Confession, receiving Communion, reciting five decades of the Rosary and meditating for a quarter of an hour on the mysteries of the Rosary on the first Saturday of five consecutive months. The Confession may be made during the eight days preceding or following the first Saturday of each month, provided that Holy Communion be received in the state of grace. Should one forget to form the intention of making reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, it may be formed at the next Confession, occasion to go to confession being taken at the first opportunity.
 

Jesus in the Garden

Today I wish to share my meditation on the Second Sorrowful Mystery:  the scourging of our Lord at the pillar.  This mystery of the Rosary has to do with the Passion of our Lord and how he suffered in reparation for our sins.  The Passion started of course, in the Garden of Gesthesame the previous night when our Lord endured untold agony as He prepared to take the sins of the world - past, present and future - onto himself as our perfect and complete Sacrifice to the Father. 

Shortly thereafter he was betrayed by Judas and taken prisoner by the Romans, who beat, mocked and spit upon him.  He was taken to the High Priest's house, where he was tried in a mock, totally illegal trial and found guilty of blasphemy against God.  They then took Jesus to Pilate, who wanted nothing to do with the execution of Jesus.  Pilate sent Jesus to Herod, as we are told in Luke 23:7-11:

Jesus before Herod Antipas

And when he [Pilate] understood that he [Jesus] was of Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him away to Herod, who was also himself at Jerusalem, in those days. 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.

Pilate, not happy that he now had to make a decision of what to do with Jesus, thought up the "brilliant" plan of scourging Jesus, hoping that the people would be satisfied with this and give up the idea of actually crucifying Jesus. 

The Romans had scourging down to a science.  From the-crucifixion.org:

Flogging was a legal preliminary to every Roman execution, and only women and Roman senators or soldiers (except in eases of desertion) were exempt. The usual instrument was a short whip (flagellum) with several single or braided leather thongs of variable lengths, in which small iron balls or sharp pieces of sheep bones were tied at intervals. Occasionally, staves also were used.  For scourging, the man was stripped of his clothing, and his hands were tied to an upright post. The back, buttocks, and legs were flogged either by two soldiers (lictors) or by one who alternated positions. The severity of the scourging depended on the disposition of the lictors and was intended to weaken the victim to a state just short of collapse or death.  After the scourging, the soldiers often taunted their victim.

Roman whips used on Jesus

Medical Aspects of Scourging

As the Roman soldiers repeatedly struck the victim's back with full force, the iron balls would cause deep contusions, and the leather thongs and sheep bones would cut into the skin and Subcutaneous tissues. Then, as the flogging continued, the lacerations would tear into the underlying skeletal muscles and produce quivering ribbons of bleeding flesh. Pain and blood loss generally set the stage for circulatory shock.  The extent of blood loss may well have determined how long the victim would survive on the cross.

 

My back is covered with cuts, as if a farmer
had plowed long furrows. (Ps. 129:3)

Scourging of Jesus

At the Praetorium, Jesus was severely whipped. (Although the severity of the scourging is not discussed in the four gospel accounts, it is implied in one of the epistles [1Peter 2:24]. A detailed word study of the ancient Greek text for this verse indicates that the scourging of Jesus was particularly harsh. It is not known whether the number of lashes was limited to 39, in accordance with Jewish law. The Roman soldiers, amused that this weakened man had claimed to be a king, began to mock him by placing a robe on his shoulders, a crown of thorns on his head, and a wooden staff as a scepter in his right hand. Next, they spat on Jesus and struck him on the head with the wooden staff. Moreover, when the soldiers tore the robe from Jesus' back, they probably reopened the scourging wounds.

Our Lord, the most innocent and the only perfect human being who ever lived, the One who created the Universe, suffered one of the most brutal beatings ever invented by man, with every inch of his precious Body covered in cuts, lacerations and bruises.  He did this all in reparation for our sins, offering it up to His Father and asking forgiveness for us. 

From Spiritual Combat by Lorenzo Scupoli:

WHEN A CONSIDERABLE length of time [as a half-hour, hour, or an even longer period] is to be spent in prayer, it is advisable to make a meditation on some feature of our Savior's life or passion; the reflections naturally arising from such meditation should then be applied to the particular virtue we are striving to attain.

If, for instance, you need patience, contemplate the mystery of your Savior scourged at the pillar. Consider first the blows and revilements hurled at Him by the soldiers as they brutally drag their innocent victim to the appointed place as ordered. Secondly, consider Him stripped of His garments, exposed to the piercing cold. Thirdly, picture those innocent hands, bound tightly to the pillar. Fourthly, consider His body, torn with whips until His blood moistened the earth. And finally, envision the frequency of the blows, creating new wounds, reopening others on that sacred body.

 

Dwelling on these or similar details, calculated to inspire in you a love of patience, you should try to feel within your very soul the inexpressible anguish so patiently borne by your Divine Master. Then consider the excruciating agony of His spirit, and the patience and mildness with which that agony was endured by Him Who was ready to suffer even more for God's glory and your welfare.

Behold, then, your Master, covered with blood, desiring nothing more earnestly than your patient acceptance of affliction; and be assured that He implores for you the assistance of the Heavenly Father that you may bear with resignation, not only the cross of the moment, but the crosses to come. Strengthen, therefore, by frequent acts your resolution to suffer, with joy; and, raising your mind to Heaven, give thanks to the Father of mercies, Who didst send His only Son into this world to suffer indescribable torments, and to intercede for you in your necessities.

 

Conclude your meditation by beseeching Him to grant you the virtue of patience, through the merits and intercession of this beloved Son in Whom He is well pleased.

When life seems to be overwhelming us and we feel powerless against the temptations and trials of this earth, it is good to meditate upon the suffering that our dear Lord offered for us so that we might be united to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and forgiven of the sin that so easily besets us.  The love of Jesus in offering his body for our reparation and to redeem us from hell is beyond our capacity to understand, but to catch just a glimpse of it should be enough to inspire us to say no to the devil and the world and yes to the great God of the Universe.

But he was wounded for our iniquities, he was bruised for our sins: the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and by his bruises we are healed.

Isaiah 53:5

 

Mitt Romney Disagrees with GOP Pro Life Platform

If you have  been paying attention to the news this past week, you are well aware of the fact that GOP Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney has attacked Rep. Todd Akin of Missouri for saying that abortion should not be used in pregnancies resulting from rape.  Romney and others have used the convenient excuse of attacking Akin because he made the faux pas of using the words "legitimate rape", an admittedly stupid thing to do, and for which  Akin has apologized profusely.  But Romney's real disagreement with Akin has to do with the fact that Romney supports abortion in cases of rape, as he made very plain in an interview with CBS news.  This is in contradiction to the GOP Platform which opposes abortion in all cases, including rape or incest.  This is also in complete contradiction to the plain teaching of the Catholic Church, which teaches that abortion, the direct and intentional killing of an unborn child, is always intrinsically evil and should never be used. 

I have been told by good, devout Catholics that I must vote for Romney because he is our best chance of overturning Roe v. Wade.  Really?  This is what Romney said in this CBS interview.  ""Recognize this is the decision that will be made by the Supreme Court," he said. "The Democrats try and make this a political issue every four years, but this is a matter in the courts. It's been settled for some time in the courts."  Romney says the matter is settled.  That doesn't sound like someone who wants to overturn this decision.  In fact, Romney says this matter is no more than a "distraction", just like the Chick-Fil-A matter was a distraction and not part of his campaign.

Here is an article from Life Site News regarding this interview:

Romney: ‘I’m in favor of legal abortion for health and life of mother,’ rape, incest

by Kathleen Gilbert

Tue Aug 28, 2012 09:19 EST
Comments (75)
Tags: abortion, election 2012, mitt romney

MICHIGAN, August 28, 2012 (LifeSiteNews.com) - GOP presidential contender Mitt Romney told an interviewer this week that he supports legal abortion in cases that threaten either life or health of mother, as well as rape and incest.

The former Massachusetts governor emphasized his differences with the GOP platform position on abortion, which embraces a pro-life position without exceptions, during a CBS interview at a campaign stop in Michigan.

“The platform as written at this convention for the Republicans does not allow for exceptions on abortion with regard to the health of the mother or rape or incest. Is that where you are?” asked CBS Evening News anchor Scott Pelley.

“No. My position has been clear throughout this campaign. I’m in favor of abortion being legal in the case of rape and incest, and the health and life of the mother,” said Romney.
  [What does "health and life of the mother" mean?  This is completely consistent with the pro abortion forces.]

The candidate, expected to receive the Republican nomination on Thursday, said the abortion issue does not belong in the political arena and is a question for the courts: “But recognize, this is a decision that will be made by the Supreme Court. The Democrats try and make this a political issue every four years, but this is a matter in the courts. It’s been settled for some time in the courts.”

“I’ve come down on the side of life [Really?  I hadn't noticed]. I respect people who have a different point of view. ... But this issue of life is an important one. And we have different views on this and people should consider them,” he said.  [A beautiful example of double speak.  Thank you, Mitt.]

The relevant portion of the interview is below.  If Romney is elected, ain't nothing gonna change.

The Lesson of John the Baptist: What Are You Willing to Die For?

"O God, who willed that Saint John the Baptist
should go ahead of your Son
both in his birth and in his death,
grant that, as he died a Martyr for truth and justice,
we, too, may fight hard
for the confession of what you teach. 
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever."
(Collect from the Ordinary Form of the Mass)

Today we celebrate, both in the Traditional Calendar and the Contemporary Calendar of the Church, the Feast Day of the Martyrdom of John The Baptist, who was beheaded by Herod Antipas. Our Lord said of His cousin:  "Amen I say to you, there hath not risen among them that are born of women a greater than John the Baptist."  There are many reasons why John the Baptist is the greatest "born of women".  Taking a look at his life gives many clues.

John the Baptist was conceived and born  as the result of a miracle from God after his mother's child bearing years had ended.  His father was a priest in the temple in Jerusalem, a prestigious position, yet despite this lofty position, his parents had suffered their entire married lives from the social stigma of being childless.  Childless couples were viewed as being cursed by God, having done something to merit God's disfavor.  Even after John's birth, they no doubt still felt the pain of being judged by others.


Zacharias, Elizabeth, Mary
and the baby John the Baptist

John the Baptist could have had a comfortable life as a priest in the Temple.  But he chose instead to go literally go off into the wilderness, rejecting all worldly comforts, and instead live with the outcasts of society - those who were deformed physically or mentally in some way, those whom society had rejected.  It is estimated that only 20% to 30% of the Jews were even allowed into the temple.  All the rest were, for various reasons, considered unclean and unfit to even enter the temple. John rejected a position with the elite of society and instead chose the weak and poor and those who "mourned", as our Lord described them.

The Preaching of St John the Baptist by
Alessandro Allori, 1601-1603

John the Baptist is often described as a sort of wild man, kind of frothing at the mouth and condemning everyone for being great sinners.  The fact is, he was the Mother Teresa of his day, taking care of those who had been rejected by the rest of society.  He had a great many followers because he truly loved and ministered to them. 

But, as the Gospels also tell us, he did not waste words in pointing out those who were oppressing the weak and poor, and told them, "Ye brood of vipers, who hath shewed you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of penance. And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham for our father. For I tell you that God is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham. For now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that doth not yield good fruit, shall be cut down, and cast into the fire."  (Matt. 3:7-10). It is well to remember that John the Baptist may have personally known those he was condemning as he had once lived in Jerusalem at the temple with his parents.  So while John was very popular with the "common" people because of his great love for them, the Jewish leaders despised him because he called them out for exactly what they were and did not spare any words.

It is interesting to note that Jesus started his public ministry by being baptized by John the Baptist, this social and religious outcast, looked down upon by elite members of religious society. 

John the Baptist rebuking Herod and Herodias

But John didn't stop at the religious leaders.  He did not shy away from pointing out the political leaders when they were involved in evil.  That included Herod Antipas, who was married to his brother's wife, an evil and scandalous act, and John paid a heavy price for his fearless condemnation.  Mark 6:17-20:

For Herod himself had sent and apprehended John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias the wife of Philip his brother, because he had married her. For John said to Herod: It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife. Now Herodias laid snares for him: and was desirous to put him to death, and could not. For Herod feared John, knowing him to be a just and holy man: and kept him, and when he heard him, did many things: and he heard him willingly.  

Herodias finally got her chance to get rid of John the Baptist at Herod's birthday party.  She had her daughter perform a particularly provocative dance for Herod, getting him into such a state that he promised her anything she wanted in return.  At her mother's prompting, she asked for the head of John the Baptist, who was being held prisoner.  Herod, knowing that he was killing a good and holy man, nonetheless cut off the head of John the Baptist.

The meditation from today's Magnificat  is from a priest who was executed by the Nazis on February 2, 1945 in Berlin, Germany.  His name is Father Alfred Delp, S.J.  Father Delp was part of the Resistance movement in Germany against Adolph Hitler.  Father Delp was arrested and imprisoned on July 28, 1944 by the Nazis after a major attempt on Hitler's life.  Although the Nazis were not aware of it, Fr. Delp took his final vows to the Jesuit Order on December 8, 1944 while in prison.  He wrote that day: It was too much, what a fulfillment, I prayed for it so much, I gave my life away. My chains are now without any meaning, because God found me worthy of the "Vincula amoris" (chains of love). 

Father Alfred Delp, S.J.

THE WITNESS OF JOHN THE BAPTIST

The figure of John demonstrates two laws about authentic people and shatters two dangers to which man's authenticity generally succumbs.  He shatters two situations in which an authentic man so very often suffocates and drowns.  The first law and the first danger:  the prophet stands before the king.  And the first point:  do not permit regard for private security or personal existence to make you into an inauthentic person.  So very often throughout history, whenever prophet and king have encountered one another, the king is always in the superior position.  What is easier, what is simpler, than to muzzle a prophet!  Yet, indeed, hasn't it been - not the voices of those who went into the palaces and were welcome there - but rather the voices calling in the wilderness who filled the cosmos, who prepared the way, who directed people toward Advent, and who arranged for the proper meeting with the end and the Ultimate?

Prophet and king!  The prophet must have known that the king's power and force and majesty would fall upon him and crush him if he said, "Non licit:  That is wrong because it is inauthentic and is not in accordance with the divine order."  And John said it, and he was crushed, and he was brutalized, and - for all time and eternity - he stands as the witness within history, as the witness before the face of the Lord, as authenticity itself.  And he was right!

Along with that are the second law and the second danger.  Futility or ineffectiveness do not dispense one from speaking the truth, declaring what is wrong, and standing up for what is right and just.  How could this prophet think he could interfere in the family history and family scandals of the king, and be successful?  Whoever considers success, or makes his decisions or attitudes dependent upon whether something is futile or certain of success, is already corrupt.  Then authenticity no longer means his personal encounter with what is real; it is rather his personal dependence upon success, upon being heard, on popularity and applause, and on the roar of the great throngs.  He is already corrupt.  And woe if the prophets are mute out of fear that their word might not be heeded.

John the Baptist had great love for God and no fear of his fellow man. He cared only in serving God and, in turn, serving and loving his fellow man. And sometimes that meant pointing out their sin, their hypocrisy, letting others know that unless they change, they are headed for eternal damnation. And nothing would stop John the Baptist, not fear of death or death itself. He could have played "nice" with Herod, but instead he took the fearless road of serving God.

There is much we could take from the example of John the Baptist to apply to the situation in which the Church finds herself today in the United States.  The Church is facing an enemy who wants to effectively destroy her.  We have an enemy who espouses evil and calls it good.  This is no time for "dialog" and "civility."  It is highly unlikely that John the Baptist, or even Father Alfred Delp, would spend a night of fun and frivolity with Barack Obama as Cardinal Dolan is planning. As Father Delp wrote, the prophet must be willing to say:  ""Non licit: That is wrong because it is inauthentic and is not in accordance with the divine order."  John the Baptist would not be talking about "religious freedom."  He would be talking about good and evil, pointing out the sin that threatens to destroy millions of souls. 

Our Bishops need the fearlessness of John the Baptist.  He called out Herod because he knew that there is no "dialog" with evil.  Evil must be called out for what it is and dealt with accordingly, even if it means giving our lives, as both Father Alfred Delp and John the Baptist did.  As Father Delp warned us:

Futility or ineffectiveness do not dispense one from speaking the truth, declaring what is wrong, and standing up for what is right and just. .  . .Whoever considers success, or makes his decisions or attitudes dependent upon whether something is futile or certain of success, is already corrupt. Then authenticity no longer means his personal encounter with what is real; it is rather his personal dependence upon success, upon being heard, on popularity and applause, and on the roar of the great throngs. He is already corrupt. And woe if the prophets are mute out of fear that their word might not be heeded.

11-Year Old Christian Boy Tortured and Killed in Pakistan

Terrible stories of persecution by Muslims of Christians continue to come out of the Middle East and other parts of the world, and the MSM in America continues to ignore these stories.  I found this latest one in a London paper, The Telegraph.  It can be found elsewhere on the Internet, but not on any of the mainstream media sources, not even the conservatives' beloved Fox News.  And you certainly aren't going to hear Rush Limbaugh or any of the other talking heads even mentioning this atrocity.

Below is the article concerning the brutal torture and murder of an 11-year old Christian boy in Pakistan.  We ignore these stories at our own peril.  It is not just an accident that these stories are not being reported to us in the mainstream media.  They don't want us to know about them.  They don't want us to know that the hostility and hatred of Christians around the world and in our beloved United States is growing and deepening.  And it is only a matter of time before we see it here in the western world.

Christian boy tortured and killed in Pakistan

The tortured body of an 11 year old Christian boy has been found in a town in Punjab, Pakistan, days after a young Christian girl was arrested on blasphemy charges.

By Dean Nelson, South Asia Editor

6:19PM BST 23 Aug 2012

Detectives in Faisalabad, around 60 miles from Lahore, said they were investigating whether accusations of blasphemy had also been made against the boy.

Human rights campaigners condemned the killing of Samuel Yaqoob whose burned and tortured body body was discovered on Eid, the celebration which marks the end of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan.

His lips and nose had been sliced off, his stomach removed and there was evidence that his legs had been mutilated too.

The boy had been missing since Monday when he left his home in the town's Christian Colony to visit a local market. His relatives identified his body from a distinctive mark on his forehead.

Yaquub was reported to be an orphan but in local newspaper reports his mother Asia Bibi was quoted denying he had been accused of blasphemy. "We neither received any phone call for ransom nor were we told that Samuel had committed blasphemy," she said.

Police said they were investigating whether blasphemy had been behind the attack on Samuel. His death comes just days after the arrest of Rimsha Masih, an eleven year old girl with Down's Syndrome, after Muslims in Islamabad accused her of burning pages from the Koran for cooking.

President Asif Zardari intervened in the case after dozens of Christians fled their homes fearing violence. He said the country's controversial blasphemy laws, in which those guilty of insulting Islam face the death penalty, must not be misused to settle scores.

The country's leading human rights campaigner Ansar Burney said he had "strongly condemned the brutal murder" of Samuel Yaqoob who had been killed "mercilessly".

Pray for the souls of these martyrs who die for love of Jesus, and pray even more for the souls of those who kill them, for truly they are in much more need of prayers than those who have found eternal rest in the arms of our Lord.