The greater number of men still say to God: Lord we will not serve Thee; we would rather be slaves of the devil, and condemned to Hell, than be Thy servants. Alas! The greatest number, my Jesus – we may say nearly all – not only do not love Thee, but offend Thee and despise Thee. How many countries there are in which there are scarcely any Catholics, and all the rest either infidels or heretics! And all of them are certainly on the way to being lost.

 -Saint Alphonsus Maria Liguori, Doctor of the Church

Communion cup encircled with a Garland of Fruit (1648), Jan Davidsz. de Heem

THE WORLD IN DANGER SAVED BY THE HOLY NAME

    In the year 1274 great evils threatened the world.  The Church was assailed by

fierce enemies from within and without.  So great was the danger that the Pope,

Gregory X, who then reigned, called a council of Bishops in Lyons to determine on the best means of saving society from the ruin that menaced it.  Among the many means proposed, the Pope and Bishops chose what they considered the easiest and most efficacious of all, viz., the frequent repetition of the Holy Name of Jesus.

    The Holy Father then begged the Bishops to call on the Name of Jesus and to urge

their peoples to place all their confidence in this all-powerful Name, repeating it

constantly with boundless trust.  The Pope entrusted the Dominicans especially with

the glorious task of preaching the wonders of the Holy Name in every country, a work

they accomplished with unbounded zeal.

    Their Franciscan brothers ably seconded them. St. Bernardine of Siena and St.

Leonard of Port-Maurice were ardent apostles of the Name of Jesus.

    Their efforts were crowned with success so that the enemies of the Church were

overthrown, the dangers that threatened society disappeared and peace once more

reigned supreme.

    This is a most important lesson for us because, in these our own days, dreadful

sufferings are crushing many countries, and still greater evils threaten all the

others.

    No government or governments seem strong and wise enough to stem this awful

torrent of evils.  There is but one remedy, and that is prayer.

    Every Christian must turn to God and ask Him to have mercy on us.  The easiest

of all prayers, as we have seen, is the Name of Jesus.

    Everyone without exception can invoke this holy name hundreds of times a day,

not only for his own intentions, but also to ask God to deliver the world from

impending ruin.

    It is amazing what one person who prays can do to save his country and save

society.  We read in Holy Scripture how Moses saved by his prayer the people of

Israel from destruction, and how one pious woman, Judith of Betulia, saved her city

and her people when the rulers were in despair and about to surrender themselves to

their enemies.

    Again, we know that the two cities of Sodom and Gomorrha, which God destroyed by fire for their sins and crimes, would have been pardoned had there been only ten good men to pray for them!

    Over and over again we read of kings, emperors, statesmen and famous military

commanders who placed all their trust in prayer, thus working wonders.  If the

prayers of one man can do much, what will not the prayers of many do?

    The Name of Jesus is the shortest, the easiest and the most powerful of prayers.

Everyone can say it, even in the midst of this daily work.  God cannot refuse to

hear it.

    Let us then invoke the Name of Jesus, asking Him to save us from the calamities

that threaten us.

Taken from the booklet

THE WONDERS OF THE HOLY NAME

by Fr. Paul O'Sullivan

Angels announcing the birth of Christ to the shepherds (1639), Govert Flinck

 

 
The Nativity (1597), Frederico Barocci

This has to be my favorite Nativity picture!  I have it framed but never knew who painted it and now I know!!!  I love the way Baby Jesus is looking around  and the way that  Blessed Mother Mary is focused on Him.  Also, I can see St. Joseph showing the shepherds in that way. 
Blessed Christmas and New Year to all!

 
 Mary with Child and John the Baptist (first half of 16th century), Bernard van Orley



I do not think that part from the felicity of Heaven, there can be a joy comparable to that experienced by the souls in Purgatory. An incessant communication from God renders their joy more vivid from day to day: and this communication becomes more and more intimate, to the extent that it consumes the obstacles still existing in the soul….On the other hand, they endure pain so intense, that no tongue is able to describe it. Nor is any mind capable of comprehending the smallest spark of that consuming fire, unless God should show it to him by a special grace.

 -Saint Catherine of Siena

 

The clients of this most merciful Mother are very fortunate. She helps them both in this life and in the next, consoling them and sponsoring their cause in Purgatory. For the simple reason that the Souls in Purgatory need help so desperately, since they cannot help themselves, our Mother of Mercy does so much more to relieve them. She exercises over these Poor Souls, who are the spouses of Christ, particular dominion, with power to relieve them and even deliver them from their pains. See how important it is then to have devotion to this good Lady, because she never forgets her servants as long as they suffer in these flames. If she helps all the Poor Souls, she is especially indulgent and consoling to her own clients.” 

 -Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Doctor of the Church, The Glories of Mary

From "The Liturgical Year" by Dom Gueranger O.S.B.

Volume 1 Advent - Chapter The Fifth

On Hearing Mass During The Time Of Advent

 

The Immaculate Conception (circa 1618), Diego Velázquez

 

        There is no exercise which is more pleasing to God, or more

meritorious, or which has greater influence in infusing solid piety into

the soul, than the assisting at the holy sacrifice of the Mass. If this be

true at all the various seasons of the Christian year, it is so, in a very

special manner, during the holy time of Advent. The faithful, therefore,

should make every effort in order to enjoy this precious blessing, even on

those days when they are not obliged to it by the precept of the Church.

    With what gratitude ought they to assist at that divine sacrifice, for

which the world had been longing for four thousand years! God has granted

them to be born after the fulfillment of that stupendous and merciful

oblation, and would not put them in the generations of men who died before

they could partake of its reality and its riches! This notwithstanding,

they must earnestly unite with the Church in praying for the coming of the

Redeemer, so to pay their share of that great debt which God had put upon

all, whether living before or after the fulfillment of the mystery of the

Incarnation. Let them think of this in assisting at the holy sacrifice.

    Let them also remember that this great sacrifice, which perpetuates on

this earth even to the end of time, though in an unbloody manner, the real

oblation of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, has this for its express

aim: to prepare the souls of the faithful for the mysterious coming of God,

who redeemed our souls only that He might take possession of them. It not

only prepares, it even effects this glorious advent.

    Let them, in the third place, lovingly profit by the presence of, and

intimacy with, Jesus, to which this hidden yet saving mystery admits them;

that so, when He comes in that other way, whereby He will judge the world

in terrible majesty, He may recognize them as His friends, and even then,

when mercy shall give place to justice, again save them.