Saturday, January 30, 2010

Mary, the Mirror of Justice


The various symbolic meanings of the mirror highlight:

1.-Purity of the soul

2.-Self-knowledge and moral integrity

3.-ability to reflect reality


Mary's soul is holy and pure. She reflects the Sun of Justice, meaning God's perfection and holiness. She is the mirror without blemish of God's majesty. (Wisdom 7:6) The Sun of Justice is reflected on the image of the Madonna and the Child. The angel with balance and sword, usually a symbol of justice, signifies God's perfection. There is a second and oval mirror whose surface is tainted and marred. In it three shadowy silhouettes can be barely perceived, featuring Adam or sinful humanity between Good and Evil, that is Satan, beckoning and tempting, and the guardian angel watching over his protege. This mirror does not reflect light and perfection, but darkness and sin, or at least the blurred and human vision of God and eternity.


Thus St. Paul reminds us that "at present we see indistinctly as in a mirror, but then face to face." (1 Corinthians 13:12) Under the image is a Latin inscription in which Saint Paul said to the Corinthians, in Latin, "Videmus nunc per ipeculum."


Sunday, January 3, 2010

Our Lady of Sorrows



Memorial: September 15


The Virgin Mary is commemorated with the title of Our Lady of Sorrows to signify her spiritual martyrdom and her compassion with the sufferings of Jesus.

Tradition has identified seven times of special sorrow for the Virgin Mary.


The seven sorrows are:



1) The prophecy of Simeon in the Temple

2) The flight into Egypt

3)The disappearance of the Child Jesus in the Temple

4)The carrying of the cross on Calvary

5)The Crucifixion

6)The taking down of Jesus from the Cross


7)The burial of Jesus





The feast of the seven sorrows of the Virgin Mary was initiated by the Servants of Mary in 1668, and extended by Pope Pius VII in 1814 to the whole Church. It is celebrated on the 15th of September to signify the participation of the Virgin Mary in the passion of Jesus, whose glorious cross is celebrated on the 14th of September. Closely connected with the seven sorrows is the Saturday celebration in honor of thee Virgin Mary, who was the only person to keep alive the flame of faith while Jesus was lying on the tomb.


Saturday, January 2, 2010

Introduction of this blog


Mary is the Mother of God. I created this 3 days after the celebration of the Feast day of Mary as the Mother of God or New Year. This blog will help you to know who Mary is and what are the other titles called to her throughout the year. This will help you in studies together with my other blog entitled Lives of the Saints.


In the picture above left is the Coronation of Mary as the Queen of Heaven and Earth. She intercedes for us, and above her is the crown, the angels in the left and in the right hold the crown.
Why is she wearing blue?
Blue means Immaculate, and when her feast day is held, sometimes she is sung in the church the "Immaculate Mary".
Why Immaculate?
Immaculate because Mary is conceived without Original Sin.
Why on her feet a moon?
According to the book of Revelation chapter 12:1-9 says in the title of "The woman and the Dragon"
"A
great sign appeared in the sky, a woman
clothed with the sun, with the moon un-
der her feet, and on her head a crown
of twelve stars. Because she was with
child, she wailed aloud in pain as she
labored to give birth. Then another
sign appeared in the sky: it was a huge
dragon, flaming red, with seven heads
and ten horns; on his heads were seven
diadems. His tail swept a third of the
stars from the sky and hurled them
down to the earth. Then the dragon
stood before the woman about to give
birth, ready to devour her child when
it should be born. She gave birth to
a son-a boy destined to shepherd all the
nations with an iron rod. Her child was
caught up to God and to His throne.
The woman herself fled into the
desert, where a special place had been
prepared for her by God; there she was
taken care of for twelve hundred and
sixty days.
Then war broke out in heaven;
Michael and his angels battled against the
dragon. Although the dragon and his
angels fought back, they were over-
powered and lost their place in heaven.
The huge dragon, the ancient serpent known as the devil or Satan, the seducer
of the whole world, was driven out; he
was hurled down to earth and his min-
ions with him."
For another explanation,
The "woman" who is been said in the scripture is Mary
and the "child' is Our Savior Jesus Christ.
Now the huge dragon is being explained in the scripture, so it does not need to have another explanation.
Now, why is St. Michael the Archangel and the other angels have been in the Scripture?
St. Michael is known as the Chief of the Heavenly Hosts.
Above Mary are the Cherubs. Why are they happy?
Heaven is a place of happiness where you can find the true happiness of our life, Jesus Christ.
Mary will first welcome you to heaven then followed by Jesus, the Saints, the Archangels, and the Angels are in heaven waiting for you. They will comfort you, teach the way to the Father, and with the Holy Spirit guides you.