IN PREPARATION FOR ADVENT

Jesus came at Christmas not to fill your empty stocking, but to fill your empty life! He wants to bring you joy, peace, and hope regardless of your circumstances

 

THE PRESENCE OF GOD

The third way of remaining attentive to the Presence of God is to contemplate Him living in ourselves.

While it is true that God is present everywhere, He dwells in a special manner in the human soul which is the masterpiece of creation!

When our souls are adorned with His grace, His delight in us is unbounded.

“I will dwell and move among them. I will be their God and they shall be My people” (2 Cor 6:16).

“Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you” (1 Cor 3:16).

God dwells among us, therefore and lives in us as in so many temples.

We should recognise His Presence and listen to His Voice, furthermore, we should adore Him, love Him and pray to Him.

Then, we can sincerely claim to belong entirely to Him.

(by Cardinal Antonio Bacci)

CHARITY

  “Learn from me,” said Jesus when He proposed Himself to us as our model, “for I am meek and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” (Mt. 11:30) “By your patience,” He said on another occasion, “you will win your souls.” (Luke 21:19) “Love your enemies,” He said also, “do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who persecute and calumniate you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven, who makes his sun to rise on the good and the evil, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.” (Mt. 5:44)

If we obey this lofty teaching, we shall have peace of soul. We shall not be easily annoyed, but shall rather regret the misdeeds and unhappiness of those who unjustly offend us. Moreover, we shall be able to persuade our fellow-men to follow the path of virtue. This is why the Psalmist says that “the meek shall possess the land, they shall delight in abounding peace.” (Ps. 36:11) “Blessed are the meek,” Jesus repeats in the Sermon on the Mount, “for they shall possess the earth.” (Mt. 5: 4)

What is meant by this promise? Tyrants, persecutors, and evil-doers have passed away and are remembered with bitterness. But the Saints still hold sway over the world and dominate the minds and hearts of millions, winning universal love and veneration. We should imitate the gentleness which can give such peace and exert such influence.

 St. John Climacus notes that there are three levels of meekness. (Scala Paradisi, pp. 296-298) The first grade, he says, consists in enduring with difficulty the injuries done to us. The second consists in enduring them without displeasure, and the third in regarding them as an honour. Those who reach the first level are to be congratulated, those who reach the second are to be applauded, but those in the third and highest category are really blessed by God. "One day," he says, "I saw three monks receiving the same insult. The first was offended but said nothing; the second was not displeased on his own account, but regretted the offence against Almighty God; the third wept for the fault of his neighbour." The first monk, the Saint comments, feared God; the second loved God; and the third loved both God and his fellow-man.

At what stage of perfection in this virtue can we claim to have arrived? If we desire to be sincere Christians, we must realise that we ought to have achieved at least the first level and should hope to advance eventually as far as the third and most perfect grade.

(from the writings of cardinal antonio bacci)

COSPICUA - THE CITY ATTACHED AND WHOLLY DEVOTED TO THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

A Bit About Bormla / Cospicua

Bormla / Cospicua is one of the so-called ‘Three Cities’, a trio of cities across the Grand Harbour from Valletta that actually predates Valletta. The Three Cities are also collectively known as ‘the Cottonera’.

The Three Cities have withstood two sieges, each worthy of more reading if you are interested in Malta: The Great Siege of 1565 (against the Ottoman Turks), and the World War II Siege (against the Axis powers), during which Malta became one of the most bombed places on earth.

Bormla was the city’s original name, but it was renamed Cospicua after the Great Siege of 1565 because of the prominent — or conspicuous role —  it played during the siege. While many tourist maps and brochures will refer to the town as ‘Cospicua,’ most of the Maltese people I’ve chatted with call it ‘Bormla.’

Finally, if you see The Three Cities called the ‘Cottonera,’ know that name goes back to when Malta was occupied by Napoleon’s troops.

THE TITULAR PAINTING

 THE TITULAR PAINTING OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION IN THE SANCTUARY

Titular Choir Pane. Painter: Pietro Paola Caruana (1794-1852).

The Sanctuary painting of the Immaculate Conception, which dominates the marble facade of the church choir, was painted by Pietro Paolo Caruana (1794 – 1852) in 1828. The idea behind this painting was that of Canon  Ludovico Mifsud Tommasi, who was a theologian, poet and great devotee of Our Lady.

This painting was not immediately accepted and it was only in 1850 that it was placed in the church. The old painting, Carlo Gimach's work (1651 – 1730), is now in the sacristy of the parish.

On 25 June 1905, Cardinal Domenico ferrata, on behalf of Pope Pius X, crowned the image of the Immaculate Mary with a golden crown on the head of Our Lady. Fifty years later, on 25 July 1955, Cardinal Federico Tedeschini placed a gold and diamond sculpture around Our Lady's head.

This painting, together with the statue of the Conception, was taken in January 1941 to the Basilica of Birkirkara for shelter from enemy bombs in World War II. They were brought back to Cospicua on a pilgrimage from Birkirkara to Cospicua, on 19 November 1944 as a form of gratitude for the divine intervention that the Church did not suffer any damage during the war. And one must take into account that Cospicua being a city in the Grand Harbour area was a prime target for the bombardments.

THE CHURCH TODAY.  FACADE RENOVATED A FEW YEARS BACK.

THE STATUE OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

 

The statue depicted in the above photo is the effigy of the Immaculate Conception of the Mother of God which one can find in my parish of Cospicua, Malta. We celebrate its feast on the 8th December but 9 days prior to the celebration, a novena is held to prepare the parishioners spiritually.

According to tradition, the first statue of the Immaculate Conception in Cospicua was sculptured from the trunk on which, according to the legend of the Marzabba (Whip), Our Lady had free a child from the outrage of the devil. This statue is today located in the Parish Church of Qrendi.

It was Sister Maria de Domenicis, who studied under Mattia Preti, who sculpted the statue of the Conception in wood at around 1680. But in 1905 the statue was changed from its previous appearance. It was sent to Milan  to Antonio Ghezzi & Figlo where she was dressed in silver on the design Abraham Gatt (1863 – 1944). Only the head, hands, feet and snake were taken from the statue of de Domenicis. The statue was inaugurated on 18 June 1905 under the portico of the church of Santa Margerita, on the occasion of the coronation of the titular painting of the Colligiate Church.

more to follow in the coming days

ALWAYS ASK FOR GOD'S HELP

 ALWAYS ASK FOR  GOD'S FOR HELP

“When you need to arrive at some decision, or to give some important advice, ask God's assistance before you do so. Repeat as often as you reasonably are able during the day: 'Incline unto mine aid, O God,' as St Rose of Lima was accustomed to do.

To obtain this assistance from God turn frequently to the Crucifix or to the image of our Blessed Lady (which, of course, you will have in your room) and do not fail to often invoke the Names of Jesus and Mary …

God, being infinitely kind, has the greatest desire to communicate His Graces to us.

The Venerable Father Alphonsus Alvarez saw our Lord, on one occasion, with His Hands filled with Graces, going about seeking souls to whom He might dispense them.

But He will have us ask Him for them: 'Ask and you shall receive' otherwise He will withdraw His Hands.

He will, on the contrary, stretch them out to us and willingly open them, if we invoke Him.

… David declares, God shows, not only Mercy but Great Mercy, to those who beseech Him: For Thou, O Lord, art sweet and mild and plenteous in mercy to all who call upon Thee (Ps 85:5).”

THE GOOD DEEDS

 

THE GOOD DEEDS

And the Lord, seeking His worker among the multitudes to whom He thus cries, says again: “Which of you desires life and would like to see prosperous days? (Ps 33:13) And if, hearing Him you answer, “I am he,” God says to you: if you would have true and everlasting life, “keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Turn away from evil and do good; seek after peace and pursue it” (Ps 33:14-15). And when you have done these things, My Eyes will be upon you and My Ears open unto your prayers. And before you call Me, I shall say to you, “Lo, here I Am” (Is 58:9).

What can be sweeter to us, dearest brethren, than this Voice of our Lord inviting us? Behold in His loving Mercy, the Lord show us the way of life. Let us, therefore, gird our loins with faith and the performance of good deeds and following the guidance of the Gospel, walk in His paths, so that we may merit to see Him Who has called us into His Kingdom (1Thes 2:12). For if we wish to live in the dwellings of His Kingdom, unless we run there with good deeds, we shall not arrive. ” – St Benedict (480-547) Abbot, Founder, Father of Western Monaticism (From the Prologue to the Rule 8-22).

DO NOT CESASE TO PRAY

 DO NOT CEASE TO PRAY

“When you awake in the morning, let your first thought be to raise up your mind to God, to offer to His honour whatever you may have to do, or suffer, during the day and, to beseech Him, to assist you with His holy Grace. 

Then, perform your other morning devotions, making Acts of Love and of Gratitude and praying and resolving, to spend the day as if it were to be the last of your life.

 SHOW HIM YOUR GRATITUDE

ONLY ON LEPER RETURNED TO THANK OUR LORD

“When you receive some pleasant news, do not act like those unfaithful and thankless souls, who have recourse to God in time of trouble but forget and forsake Him, when things go well. Show Him the fidelity you would show to a sincere friend, who rejoices in your happiness. Go at once and tell Him of your joy and praise Him and give Him thanks, acknowledging your good fortune as a gift from His Hands alone!

Rejoice in the fact that you owe your happiness to Him and place all your joy and comfort in Him – I will rejoice in the Lord (Hab 3:18) Say to Him: My Jesus, I bless and will ever bless Thee, for granting me so many favours, when I deserved at Thy hands not favours but chastisements for the affronts I have offered Thee.

 PRAY FOR OTHERS

Recommend to God with confidence not only your own needs but also the needs of others.
How pleasing to Him it will be if you sometimes forget yourself and speak to Him of His own glory, of the miseries of others, especially those who mourn in sorrow; of the souls in purgatory, His spouses, who long to behold Him in Heaven and of poor sinners, who live deprived of His grace.

ST ALPHONSE DE LIGUORI

 PRAY WHEN IN DOUBT

“Whenever you are in doubt about anything -whether it regards yourself or others - act like good friends do who always consult one another in their difficulties. Show the same mark of confidence to God; consult Him; ask Him to enlighten you, that you may decide on that which is most pleasing to Him.

 

“Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” – Matthew 16:16

REFLECTION – “Peter did not say “Thou are a Christ” or “a son of God” but “the Christ, the Son of God.” For there are many christs by grace, who have attained the rank of adoption [as sons] but, [there is] only One ,Who is by nature the Son of God. Thus, using the definite article, he said, THE Christ, THE Son of God. And in calling Him, Son of the LIVING God, Peter indicates that Christ Himself is Life and that death has no authority over Him. And even if the flesh, for a short while, was weak and died, nevertheless, it rose again, since the Word, Who dwelled in it, could not be held under the bonds of death.” – St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444) Known as “The Pillar of Faith” Archbishop of Alexandria, Father and Doctor Incarnationis (Doctor of the Incarnation) (Fragment 190).

A CONFORTING LETTER FROM JESUS

 

 HOW TO SPEAK TO GOD

Never, then, forget His sweet Presence, as do the greater part of men. Speak to Him as often as you can, for He does not grow weary of this, nor disdains it …

If you love Him, you will not be at a loss of what to say to Him. Tell Him all that occurs to you, about yourself and your affairs, as you would tell it to a dear friend.

Do not look upon Him as a haughty King Who will converse only with the superior and on great matters. He, your God, is pleased to lower Himself to you and to hear you communicate to Him, your smallest and most ordinary concerns.

… Say not: Why disclose all my wants to God, since He already sees and knows them better than I do?

Yes, He knows them but, He acts as if He did not know the needs about which you do not speak to Him and for which, you do not seek His aid.

Our Saviour knew that Lazarus was dead and yet, He acted as if He did not know until Martha told Him of it. It was only then, He comforted her by bringing her brother back to life.”

 

GOD WATCHES OVER YOU, DAY AND NIGHT

You may sleep but God will place Himself at your side and watch over you continually: I will rest with Him and He will be a comfort in my cares and grief (Cf Wis 8:9,16). When you take your rest He does not leave your bedside. He remains there, always thinking of you, that if you awake in the night He may speak to you by His inspirations and, receive from you in return, some act of love, of oblation, of thanksgiving. Thus, He desires to continue, even in the hours of the night, His sweet and gracious converse with you.

Sometimes too, He will speak to you while you sleep and make you hear His Voice, so that, in waking, you may put into practice that which He has spoken: I will speak to Him in a dream (Num 12:6).

He is there also in the morning, to hear from you some word of affection, of confidence; to be the depository of your first thoughts and of all the actions which you promise to perform that day, to please Him; of all the griefs, too, which you offer to willingly endure for His glory and love.

But as He fails not to present Himself to you at the moment of your waking, do not fail, on your part, to immediately give Him a look of love and, to rejoice, when your God announces to you the glad tidings that He is not far from you (as once He may have been, by reason of your sins) but that, He loves you and would be beloved by you.”

 

GOD LOVES ME, SO MUST I

Bear well in mind, you have neither friend, nor brother, nor father, nor mother, nor spouse, nor lover, who loves you more than God.

He loves us so much that He went as far as to become an Infant, to become poor, to die publicly on a cross; He went as far as to hide Himself under the appearance of bread, in order to become our constant Companion and to unite Himself intimately to us: He who eateth My Flesh and drinketh My Blood, abideth in Me and I in him (John 6:57).

He loves you as though He had no-one else to love but you alone.

You, too, should love Him alone and all others for His Sake.

Of Him you may say and, indeed, you should say: My Beloved to me and I to Him (Cant, 2:16). 

My God has given Himself all to me and I give myself all to Him; He has chosen me for His beloved and I choose Him, above all others, for my only Love.

 

GOD LOVES ME

CONSIDER, in the first place, God deserves to be loved by you, since He loved you first, that you might love Him and He, has been the first of all to love you.

“I have loved thee with an everlasting love.” (Jer xxxi: 3).

The first to love you on earth, were your parents but they did not love you before they knew you but God, loved you before you had any being. When neither your father nor your mother were in the world, God loved you when the world was not even created, God loved you. And how long before the creation of the world did God love you? Perhaps a thousand years or ages. There is no need to reckon years and ages. Know, that God has loved you from eternity!

“ I have loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore, with loving kindness have I drawn Thee.” (Jer xxxi: 3)'

In short, God has loved you since He has been God; as long as He has loved Himself, He has loved you. Therefore, St Agnes had good reason to say: “I am prevented by another love.” When the world and the creature demanded her love, she answered: “No, O world, no, O creature, I cannot love you. My God has been the first to love me and it is, therefore, right that I should consecrate my love to God alone.”

PERSEVERANCE

 “IT is of the many to begin, of the few to persevere,” writes St Jerome.

Saul, Judas, Tertullian, began well but they ended badly, since they did not persevere in good.

“In Christians, the beginnings are not sought for but the end,” continues St. Jerome and St Bonaventure confirms this by saying: “Perseverance alone is crowned.”

Hence, St Laurence Justinian calls perseverance “the door of Heaven.”

So that he cannot enter into Heaven who cannot find the gate of entrance. My brother, you have at this present time abandoned sin and may justly hope that you have been pardoned, in this case, you are the friend of God but know that you are still, not saved. And when will you be saved? When you have persevered even to the end!

“He who shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”

Have you begun the good life? thank the Lord but St Bernard warns you: “The reward is promised to those beginning, it is given to those who persevere.” It is not enough to run for the prize but we must run until we obtain it, or, as the Apostle says: “So run that ye may obtain.” (i Cor ix: 24).

Pray for the grace of the Lord, frequent Holy Communion, make a daily meditation. Blessed are you if you have progressed to do thus and if, so doing, Jesus Christ shall find you, when He comes to judge you.

“Blessed is that servant, whom his Lord, when He cometh, shall find so doing.” (Matt xxiv:46)