Thanks for the First Friday and First Saturday reminders. Also, this being the 1st March, don't forget the Storm Heaven Rosary for the Church per Cardinal Burke's request.
You are both welcome And thanks Dolours for the reminder about the Storm Heaven Rosary! All of these things are very important right now. Who knows how much longer we will have to do them before things fall apart and we may not be able to...
Yes, everybody get out there and do your First Saturdays! Who knows how much longer we will be able to do them.
I actually woke up in time for an 8:00am Mass I rarely attend in another parish, and it's the first time I've ever seen a First Saturday Mass in honor of Our Lady of Fatima. It closed with an Act of Reparation then an Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart and 5 decades of the Rosary. And the psalm reading scheduled in the missal for this day (Novus Ordo) was actually the Magnificat. A real blessing to cap a very difficult week.
Please don't forget your 15 minute meditation keeping Our Blessed Mother company. One of my past meditation was on the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple and the Finding of Jesus in the Temple: As Our Holy Mother presented Jesus in the Temple, She present to us Her Heart united to the Heart of Her Son, asking for our hearts in exchange, that She might present them to God the Father. We must offer our hearts to Them for this spiritual exchange of hearts. After this exchange of hearts, we find within the temples of our hearts the pure Hearts of Our Holy Mother and Our Lord. This is where we find Jesus & Mary united with us and where the Triumph of Her Heart will begin.** **Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville, Alabama (Mother Angelica was asked by Jesus, "Build me a TEMPLE and I will help those who help you." This is a whole other story, but I thought it interesting what I experienced at the Shrine (Temple), which I offer to you for your discernment.) After receiving Holy Communion; I saw within my soul Jesus sitting upon my heart as if on a throne; His back towards me, looking out, with something like a staff in His right hand. He spoke to me saying, “It is from here I will reign!” Jesus then turned into a little child, but remained sitting upon my heart with the staff remaining in His Hand. Jesus then spoke again saying, “I will reign in those who love Me.”
Yes, definitely. I'm walking for exercise in my mom's pool every day, as it's one of the best forms of rehab for my balance and weak left leg after the strokes I experienced, and I started two or three weeks ago with the time it takes for a 5 decade Rosary (20-25 minutes.) I've since added the Chaplet of the Holy Face (10-15 minutes) and the chokti (5-10 minutes) when I can make it that long, and offer up the exercise as penance. This way I don't need a watch and time goes MUCH faster. Today I'll add the 15 minute meditation. It's a beautiful day for it here.
lynnfiat, Initially I felt there was tension between the King Jesus and the child Jesus in the two perspectives you saw during your moments of prayer. But then two verses came to mind: child Jesus: "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. (Here the accent is on entering into a trusting love relationship with God.) King Jesus: Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. (Here the accent is on that inner relationship with Christ in your heart extending out into the whole earth and impacting others for the sake of the kingdom.) Safe in the Divine Will.
I have trouble with this. As in I don't know how to meditate on a mystery for 15 minutes. My thoughts will wander so. Any pointers?
I take any five or ten decades and go through each one, recalling as much of the scriptural foundation of each as I can. As I was meditating on the Joyful mysteries today, it occurred to me that "the flight into Egypt" needs to be recalled between the Presentation, and the Finding in the Temple. It could be it's own mystery! A lot of scholars see the silent apparition of Zeitoun Egypt as a reference to the Holy Family's flight into Egypt, because tradition says they passed through there. And the modern apparition is seen as a warning or preparation for our present day version of the slaughter of the innocents. This all passed through my mind as I meditated on the Joyful mysteries today.
But is this not already part of the usual meditations when praying the rosary? It seems to me that there is little difference then, between praying the rosary and the extra 15 minutes of meditation. I ended up viewing a video on the scriptural glorious mysteries as an aid, after praying the joyful mysteries
My understanding is that the fifteen minutes should be spent meditating on Our Lord's Passion. I'm not great at stopping my mind wandering even for a couple of minutes never mind fifteen. Today I did the Stations of the Cross before Mass and took my time contemplating each Station.
I too when shown this vision wondered about this. I can only say what I was shown. Also, what comes to mind is this: "... and a little child shall lead them." [Isaias (Isaiah) 11:6] God bless you.
My recommendation would be to ask for the Gift of contemplative meditation, and if it be God's Will, He will grant it to you. When I first became Catholic, I didn't even know what I was asking for, but felt within my heart that I so desired to be closer to God and to understand the mysteries, I asked and He granted, and so I was given many beautiful meditations and understanding of the mysteries of God. Then one day it all ended. I felt as though God had abandoned me, but I soon realized that He was leading me in another direction, which was to read many, many books by the Saints and Blessed's of the Church. I have spent many years reading and writing on my understanding of these things. So, I first would say to ask for this Gift, and then remove all obsticles of God's love from your mind and heart, sit before Him in Adoration and let Our Lady take over your mind and heart. And then, as Jesus once told me, "You will see wonders as you have never seen." God bless you.
It is my understanding from the message of Our Lady that we are to spend an additional 15 minutes of meditation keeping Her company during this meditation. You can meditate on all or one of the mysteries. Sometimes when I feel very dry and unable to meditate, I will read from other Saints on their meditations - or a video would also be a good idea. I don't think Our Lady cares so much about how we meditate as She does in keeping Her company and just being with Her.
I meditate on all 15 mysteries. Kind of a short overview of the whole Rosary. I don't think we need only meditate on one. The 15 minutes fly by. In fact you will probably find yourself going over by 5 or 10 minutes. The mind is less likely to wander too as it is kept busy.
