Dec. 5 - Day 8 of Advent Journey on First Saturday

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

First Saturday has greater urgency this Advent – considering so many more babies are in danger from abortion and infanticide! Their protection in the USA hinges very much right now on the coming run-off election in the state of Georgia. The evil one seeks whom he can destroy! (cf 1 Pet 5:8)

Both Jesus as a child, and Mary His Mother appeared to Sister Lucia of Fatima to ask for Reparation on First Saturdays. I"ve posted this scene many times but repeat it now as we journey towards our Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary:

Lucia was a postulant in the Convent of St. Dorothy in Pontevedra, Spain when she had the apparition of our Blessed Mother. She was standing over a cloud of light with the Child Jesus at her side. The Blessed Virgin put one hand on Lucia’s shoulder, while her other hand sustained her Immaculate Heart that was surrounded with thorns. The Child Jesus said: “Have compassion on the Heart of your Blessed Mother. It is surrounded with thorns that ungrateful men pierce each moment, and there is no one that is willing to offer an act of reparation to take the thorns away.”

Our Lady immediately said to Lucia: "Look, my daughter. My Heart is surrounded with thorns that ungrateful men pierce unceasingly with their blasphemies and ingratitude. You, at least, try to console me … – more HERE

St. Louis de Montfort urges the Church not only in his own tumultuous times in France, but God gave him wisdom for the Church in all time to “empty ourselves of the spirit of the world which is opposed to Christ” Let us listen to God as our Mother Mary listened and did the Truth she heard. Let us practice what God gave St. Louis to write in “True Devotion”

On this First Saturday many of us may not be able to participate at Mass or receive Holy Communion. Some of us may only be able to watch Mass live-streamed on EWTN and pray to receive a “Spiritual Communion” in Reparation for our sins and the sins of the world. But all of us can offer little sacrifices of Love during today – doing whatever may be asked of us with great love for Jesus through Mary.

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your Faithful; kindle in us, the Fire of Your Love! Enable us to offer Reparation to the Heart of our Mother as Jesus and she have asked.

 

[hazcompat]

Imitation of Christ : Book 1, Chapter 13​

Of Resisting Temptations

As long as we live in this world, we cannot be without temptations and tribulations. Hence it is written in Job “Man’s life on earth is a temptation.” Everyone therefore should be solicitous about his temptations and watch in prayer lest the devil find an opportunity to catch him: who never sleeps, but goes about, seeking whom he can devour. No one is so perfect and holy as sometimes not to have temptations and we can never be wholly free from them. Nevertheless, temptations are very profitable to man, troublesome and grievous though they may be, for in them, a man is humbled, purified and instructed. All the Saints passed through many tribulations and temptations and were purified by them. And they that could not support temptations, became reprobate, and fell away.

Many seek to flee temptations, and fall worse into them. We cannot conquer by flight alone, but by patience and true humility we become stronger than all our enemies. He who only declines them outwardly, and does not pluck out their root, will profit little; nay, temptations will sooner return and he will find himself in a worse condition. By degrees and by patience you will, by God’s grace, better overcome them than by harshness and your own importunity. Take council the oftener in temptation, and do not deal harshly with one who is tempted; but pour in consolation, as thou wouldst wish to be done unto yourself. Inconstancy of mind and little confidence in God, is the beginning of all temptations. For as a ship without a helm is driven to and fro by the waves, so the man who neglects and gives up his resolutions is tempted in many ways.

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear hazcompat,

Thanks for your excerpt from “The Imitation of Christ”. How truly the author speaks, on Resisting Temptations! He does well to remember the First Letter of Peter in writing that the devil “seeks whom he can devour” (cf 1 Peter 5:8). St. Peter knew well how the devil almost “devoured him” when Peter denied he knew Jesus!

How often do we give in to a temptation to say something, out of “fear” of being criticized or being shunned or unliked by others for telling the Truth? If we do not determine in our hearts and cry out to God in prayer to remain steadfast in our faith, we will grow more and more cowardly and risk losing our souls to gain the praise of the world.

If we are to “empty ourselves of the spirit of the world which opposes Christ” we need to keep listening to His Truth and do the Truth we hear. By God’s Grace may we grow stronger in our faith by looking at Jesus as Mary did on Calvary and seeing how much He has loved us. May the Lord be our strength always as He was and Is for Mary.