ANGEL HUG
~By Monique Nicole Fox~
When my mother hugs me
When my father hugs me
When my brother hugs me
When my nephew hugs me
I am getting an earthly angel hug
A family cuddle or snug
A parental and sibling lovebug
- Psalm 27:14 -
Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.
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His wisdom is sublime;
His heart profoundly kind:
God never is before His time,
And never is behind.
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April 7th - St. Herman Joseph, Visionary
St. Herman was a great devotee of Our Lady and one of the most popular of
medieval contemplatives. He was born in Cologne, Germany in 1150 into a
family
of good name that had lost its wealth. From his early childhood he sought
out
the altar of the Holy Virgin to converse with her. His simplicity was
charming.
On one occasion he brought an apple to the Mother of God and asked her to
accept
it. The statue of the Virgin moved, and she extended her hand to take the
gift.
Another time he arrived at the church and saw the Queen of Heaven in great
splendor in the choir. At her side were two children, St. John the Baptist
and
the Christ Child playing together. As Herman stood contemplating the
scene,
the
Virgin called to him. He swiftly climbed the steps of the presbytery, but
the
grilled gate to the choir was closed and locked.
"I cannot reach you," he said to Mary, "the grill is locked and there is
no
ladder for me to climb over it."
The Holy Virgin then directed him where to put his hands and feet in order
to
climb over the grill. Doing this, he entered the choir and she told him to
join
the Christ Child and St. John in play.
One cold winter day he came barefoot to the church to pray. As he
approached
the
statue of Our Lady, she asked him: "Why are you barefoot on this cold
day?"
He answered: "Because I don't have shoes." She told him to look under a
certain
stone in the church where he would find enough money for a pair of shoes.
The whole life of St. Herman was filled with visions and ecstasies. Until
his
last day he enjoyed a continuous familiarity with the supernatural.
At age 12 Herman joined the Premonstratensians (Norbertines) of Steinfeld,
where
he was assigned many different jobs. Later, he was ordained a priest, and
became
the director of several convents of sisters, for whom he wrote various
treatises
on piety and a commentary on the Canticle of Canticles. He also composed
hymns,
one being the first hymn in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
His life was one of continuous penance, and he suffered strong temptations
and
physical illnesses. He was afflicted by incessant headaches that only
ceased
when he approached the altar to celebrate Mass. Their violence used to
increase
with the approach of Feast Days. In a play on words, he used to say: Festa
sunt
mihi infesta [the Feast Days are devastating for me].
He had great sympathy for afflicted persons who always found in him a warm
welcome and secure refuge.
He died in 1241, after having added the name Joseph to his first name
under
the
personal guidance of Our Lady. Later his body was found incorrupt.
Comments of the late Prof. Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira: (died 1995)
The life of St. Herman was like a drop of Heaven on earth, and hearing it
gives
us nostalgia for Heaven. The marvelous atmosphere that accompanies it by
contrast permits us to see how dirty, deformed, aggressive and chaotic the
atmosphere of the Revolution is in which we are immersed today.
For us this description has an effect similar to that of an angel who
would
visit Purgatory and bring a breath of fresh air to the souls suffering in
its
flames. Considering his life, we can say: The day will come when I also
will
go
to Heaven, and I will no longer have to see and live among all these
monstrosities of the Revolution. I will see St. Herman and I will be able
to
talk with him. It is a drop of the hope for Heaven amid the terrible
furnace
of
our days.
See Images at:
http://www.traditioninaction.org/SOD/j067sdHerman4-7.htm
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Whoever taketh not up his cross and followeth Me, is not worthy of
Me. -Matt.
10:38
"If anyone, O Lord does Thee a service, Thou repayest him by some trial.
Oh,
what an inestimable reward is this for those who truly love Thee, if it
might be
given them to know its value!"
-St. Teresa
When the venerable Marco di Palfox saw that after he had done a good work,
some
tribulation, reproach, or calumny came upon him, he considered this as a
special
favor from the Lord; "For" he said, "as I receive no reward in this world,
it is
a sign that God means to reward me fully in Heaven."
(Taken from the book "A Year with the Saints". April - Patience)
Bible Quote:
27 My sheep hear my voice: and I know them, and they follow me. 28 And I
give
them life everlasting; and they shall not perish for ever, and no man
shall
pluck them out of my hand. (John 10:27028)
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This Prayer Is Part Of the Confidence Prayer and is also known
As The Short Novena prayer: it is probably the most loved of
all prayers to St. Anthony
"Blessed be God in His Angels and in His Saints"
O Holy St. Anthony, gentlest of Saints, thy love for God and
Charity for His creatures, madest thee worthy, when on earth,
to possess miraculous powers. Encouraged by this thought, I
implore thee to obtain for me (request). O gentle and loving
St. Anthony, whose heart was ever full of human sympathy,
whisper my petition into the ears of the sweet Infant Jesus,
Who didst love to be folded in thine arms; and the gratitude of
my heart will ever be thine. Amen.
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To Prevent One Mortal Sin
If every day we begged Mary for grace to hinder one mortal sin,
What a year's service to god and souls!
O MARY, Immaculate Mother of Jesus, we beseech thee, offer to the
Eternal Father the Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, to prevent at least
one mortal sin from being committed somewhere in the world today.
Amen.
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