- Psalm 121:1-7 -
I lift up my eyes to the hills -
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip -
he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD watches over you -
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
The LORD will keep you from all harm -
he will watch over your life...
____________________________________________________________________
This song expresses assurance and hope in God's protection day and night.
He
not
only made the hills but heaven and earth as well. We should never trust a
lesser
power than God himself. But not only is he all-powerful, he also watches
over
us. Nothing diverts or defers him. We are safe. We never outgrow our need
for
God's untiring watch over our lives.
<<>><<>><<>>
April 26th - Our Lady of Good Counsel
(1467)
The apparition of Our Lady of Good Counsel is so celebrated, Her picture
so
well
known and so honored in the Church, that it is very fitting to allot a
place
to
this devotion. The little city of Gennazano, situated on the mountains of
the
former Sabina province, about ten leagues from Rome, for a thousand years
already had honored the Blessed Virgin as Our Lady of Good Counsel. In the
15th
century, the church of that city was dilapidated and about to collapse. A
pious
woman of advanced age named Petruccia desired to provide for its
reconstruction,
but the gift of her entire fortune, which she made for this purpose,
proved
insufficient. Petruccia foretold that the Blessed Virgin would Herself
finish
the work.
Then on April 25, 1467, at the hour of Vespers, a celestial harmony was
heard in
the air, and the crowd saw a brilliant cloud coming down through the air,
which
came to rest over the altar in the Chapel of Saint Blaise in the Gennazano
Church, where the restoration had begun. At the same time, all the church
bells
began to ring joyously. The cloud disappeared, and the marveling crowd saw
a
picture of Mary holding the Child Jesus, painted on a prepared surface,
suspended in the air over the altar near the wall, without any natural
sup****t.
It was duly verified that this picture had been miraculously trans****ted
from a
church of Scutari, a city of Albania. Providence, wi****ng to preserve it
from
profanation by the Turks who were controlling that land, sent it as a
reward
for
the faith of Petruccia and her fellow citizens of Gennazano.
A history of the marvels of all kinds which have been wrought since that
time
near this miraculous picture, suspended in the air, would require volumes.
Often
the picture has been seen to change its expression, the eyes of the
Blessed
Virgin taking on an appearance of joy or sorrow. How many illnesses and
infirmities have been cured! How many spiritual graces have been obtained!
Gennazano in Italy is still a venerated pilgrimage site, much frequented
by
the
people of that land, and many pious pilgrims from other nations, when time
permits it for them, arrange to visit this blessed sanctuary. The
Sovereign
Pontiffs have granted many indulgences to devotion to Our Lady of Good
Counsel,
and the title Mother of Good Counsel was included in the Litany of the
Blessed
Virgin by Pope Leo XIII.
Source: Vie des Saints pour tous les jours de l'année, by Abbé L. Jaud
(Mame:
Tours, 1950).
Saint Quote:
I die the King's good servant, but God's first.
--Saint Thomas More at his execution
Bible Quote
36 Now whilst they were speaking these things, Jesus stood in the midst of
them,
and saith to them: Peace be to you; it is I, fear not. (Luke 24:36)
<><><><><>
PICK UP YOUR CROSS
Let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
looking unto JESUS the author and finisher of our faith.
If any man will come after ME, let him deny himself and take
up his cross daily, and follow ME.
Who so ever be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath,
he cannot be MY disciple.
Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness.
Every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all
things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we
an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so
fight I, not as one that beateth the air: but I keep under my
body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when
I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this
one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and
reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press
toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of GOD in
CHRIS JESUS.
Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD.
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