Saturday, July 25, 2009

Saturday, Day of Our Lady

Inspiring thoughts of St Teresa about Queen of Heaven, Flower and Beauty of Carmel. Devotion to Our Lady is our legacy given to us by Christ from the Cross: "Behold, Thy mother" (John 19:27).


I saw our Lady in the greatest glory clothed in a white mantle; it seemed she was sheltering us all under it. I understood how high degree of glory the Lord would give to those living in this house (1:320)

He showed me [His Mother's] ascent to heaven, the happiness and solemnity with which she was received, and the place where she is...The glory my spirit experienced in seeing so much glory was magnificent. The effects of this favour were great (I:353)

I saw Christ who seemed to be receiving me with great love and placing a crown on my head and thanking me for what I did for His Mother (I:320)

[Jesus] told me that immediately after His resurrection he went to see our Lady because she then had great need and that the pain she experienced so absorbed and transpierced her soul that she did not return immediately to herself to rejoice in that joy...What must have been that transpiercing of the Blessed Virgin's soul (I:390-391).

Quotations after "Collected Works of St Teresa " Vol.I, 1976 ed and "Sermon in a Sentence"

If you are a Catholic lady who loves Blessed Mother of Our Lord, please read Requirement of modesty in dress" and make the pledge of modesty for your sake and those close to your heart, in reparation for the sins of immodesty and pride and remain under the protective wings of Our Lady: "Our Sorrowful and Immaculate Mother, who in all her apparitions is fully covered, is presented by her divine Son to us as the perfect model of modesty and purity. She is terribly saddened by the immodest and impure conduct so prevalent in our society. Our Lord speaks to us through His Blessed Mother in condemning the modern trends of uncovering the body. In fact, Our Lady came down from heaven to warn against this disrobing trend. Listen to what she revealed to little ten-year-old Jacinta of Fatima while she was dying in a hospital in Lisbon, Portugal, in 1920: "Certain fashions will be introduced which will offend Our Divine Lord very much. Those who serve God ought not to follow these fashions. Our Lord is always the same." And she also revealed to Jacinta that "the sins that lead most souls to hell are the sins of the flesh." Today's fashion is extremely immodest and very much of bad taste, not far from mere vulgarity. By keeping carefully modesty in apparel and conduct, Christian women give good example, are pleasing to God, and shine in the world like precious gems. Do not be discourage by dissapproving looks or ironical, sneering smiles - by resisting you practice your virtue. "St. John Chrysostom (347-407), the illustrious Bishop of Constantinople and one of the 32 doctors of the Church, had this to say about women who dress immodestly: "You carry your snare everywhere and spread your net in all places. You allege that you never invited others to sin. You did not indeed by your words, but you have done so by your dress and your deportment. "