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.

 


“All infidels and heretics are surely on the way to being lost. What an obligation we owe God for causing us to be born not only after the coming of Jesus Christ, but also in countries where the true faith reigns! I thank Thee, O Lord, for this. Woe to me if, after so many transgressions, it had been my fate to live in the midst of infidels or heretics!”

“In the Great Deluge in the days of Noah, nearly all mankind perished, eight persons alone being saved in the Ark. In our days a deluge, not of water but of sins, continually inundates the earth, and out of this deluge very few escape. Scarcely anyone is saved.”

“Saint Teresa, as the Roman Rota attests, never fell into any mortal sin; but still Our Lord showed her the place prepared for her in Hell; not because she deserved Hell, but because, had she not risen from the state of lukewarmness in which she lived, she would in the end have lost the grace of God and been damned.”

“The saints are few, but we must live with the few if we would be saved with the few. O God, too few indeed they are; yet among those few I wish to be!”

“All persons desire to be saved, but the greater part, because they will not adopt the means of being saved, fall into sin and are lost. […] In fact, the Elect are much fewer than the damned, for the reprobate are much more numerous than the Elect.” -


Saint Alphonsus Maria Liguori, Doctor of the Church

 


We shall be raised therefore, all with our bodies eternal, but not all with bodies alike: for if a man is righteous, he will receive a heavenly body, that he may be able worthily to hold converse with angels; but if a man is a sinner, he shall receive an eternal body, fitted to endure the penalties of sins, that he may burn eternally in fire, nor ever be consumed. And righteously will God assign this portion to either company; for we do nothing without the body. We blaspheme with the mouth, and with the mouth we pray. With the body we commit fornication, and with the body we keep chastity. With the hand we rob, and by the hand we bestow alms; and the rest in like manner. Since then the body has been our minister in all things, it shall also share with us in the future the fruits of the past” 

 -Cyril of Jerusalem, Father and Doctor of the Church, (Catechetical Lectures 18:19 [A.D. 350]).

From the book "Purgatory Explained"

Part II, Chapter III

Consolation of the Souls -- St. Stanislaus of Cracow and the Resuscitated

Peter Miles

This contentment in the midst of the most intense suffering cannot be

explained otherwise than by the Divine consolations which the Holy Ghost

infuses into the souls in Purgatory. This Divine Spirit, by means of faith,

hope, and charity, puts them in the disposition of a sick person who has to

submit to very painful treatment, but the effect of which is to restore him

to perfect health. This sick person suffers, but he loves his salutary

suffering. The Holy Ghost, the Comforter, gives a similar contentment to

the holy souls. Of this we have a striking example in Peter Miles raised

from the dead by St. Stanislaus of Cracow, who preferred to return to

Purgatory rather than to live again upon earth.

The celebrated miracle of this resurrection happened in 1070. It is thus

related in the Acta Sanctorum on May 7. St. Stanislaus was Bishop of Cracow

when the Duke Boleslas II governed Poland. He did not neglect to remind

this prince of his duties, who scandalously violated them before all his

people.

Boleslas was irritated by the holy liberty of the Prelate, and to revenge

himself he excited against him the heirs of a certain Peter Miles, who had

died three years previously after having sold a piece of ground to the

church of Cracow. The heirs accused the saint of having usurped the ground,

without having paid the owner. Stanislaus declared that he had paid for the

land, but as the witnesses who should have defended him had been either

bribed or intimidated, he was denounced as a usurper of the property of

another, and condemned to make restitution. Then, seeing that he had

nothing to expect from human justice, he raised his heart to God, and

received a sudden inspiration. He asked for a delay of three days,

promising to make Peter Miles appear in person, that he might testify to

the legal purchase and payment of the lot.

They were granted to him in scorn. The saint fasted, watched, and prayed

God to take up the defense of his cause. The third day, after having

celebrated Holy Mass, he went out accompanied by his clergy and many of the

faithful, to the place where Peter had been interred. By his orders the

grave was opened; it contained nothing but bones. He touched them with his

crosier, and in the name of Him who is the Resurrection and the Life, he

commanded the dead man to arise.

Suddenly the bones became reunited, were covered with flesh, and, in the

sight of the stupefied people, the dead man was seen to take the Bishop by

the hand and walk towards the tribunal. Boleslas, with his court and an

immense crowd of people, were awaiting the result with the most lively

expectation. "Behold Peter," said the saint to Boleslas; "he comes, prince,

to give testimony before you. Interrogate him; he will answer you."

It is impossible to depict the stupefaction of the Duke, of his councilors,

and of the whole concourse of people. Peter affirmed that he had been paid

for the ground; then turning towards his heirs, he reproached them for

having accused the pious prelate against all rights of justice; then he

exhorted them to do penance for so grievous a sin.

It was thus that iniquity, which believed itself already sure of success,

was confounded. Now comes the circumstance which concerns our subject, and

to which we wished to refer. Wishing to complete this great miracle for the

glory of God, Stanislaus proposed to the deceased that, if he desired to

live a few years longer, he would obtain for him this favor from God. Peter

replied that he had no such desire. He was in Purgatory, but he would

rather return thither immediately and endure its pains, than expose himself

to damnation in this terrestrial life. He then entreated the saint only to

beg of God to shorten the time of his sufferings, that he might the sooner

enter the abode of the blessed. After that, accompanied by the Bishop and a

vast multitude, Peter returned to his grave, laid himself down, his body

fell to pieces, and his bones resumed the same state in which they had

first been found. We have reason to believe that the saint soon obtained

the deliverance of his soul.

That which is the most remarkable in his example, and which should most

attract out attention, is that a soul from Purgatory, after having

experienced the most excruciating torments, prefers that state of suffering

to the life of this world; and the reason which he gives for this

preference is, that in this mortal life we are exposed to the danger of

being lost and incurring eternal damnation.

----------------------------------------------------