As I wrote previously, I am sick to death of Breast Cancer Awareness. I'm so turned off by it, I didn't realize until the other day that the secular world has dedicated the whole month of October to it.
Worse, one of the recent 4-H calendars I received had a notation for National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day.
Yet modern man scoffs at the Catholic dedications of the calendar or any public display of religion.
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We prayed all 15 decades of the Rosary this past Sunday during our Christ the King procession through Dickinson. As I stepped upon the tender rose petals strewn in front of our Lord, I was filled with gratitude that the grace of traditional Catholic parish life has been given me--that I am not being led around in circles by a noose of pink ribbon, intent upon saving the "TA-TAs" while neglecting the eternal salvation of my soul.
On Monday I received Fr. Fullerton's October letter to the friends and benefactors of St. Mary's Academy & College. His message on the dedication of October to Our Lady of the Rosary laid out the reasons why the Rosary is so important. It is a splendid response to the emptiness of all the secular dedications:
Contained in the decades of the Holy Rosary is a compendium of the mysteries of our faith into the two principal ones: namely, the mystery of the unity and trinity of God and the mystery of the Incarnation of Jesus. We see the work of the Blessed Trinity preparing for the Incarnation. Then we see the birth and infancy of Our Lord Jesus Christ. This is followed by Christ's redemptive work in the sorrowful mysteries, which leads us on to the blessed and happy life this work guarantees, shown by the glorious mysteries.
The Rosary educates us in the way of the Christian life. The path of Christian perfection is one of joy, sorrow and glory for all those who wish to follow it. The joyful mysteries point out to us the reality of the pure and inward joy of our faith. This joy is such that it does not exclude sorrow, but as something that the soul must pass through in order to attain the true glory that awaits it. The examples of the sufferings of Jesus and Mary educate and encourage us to attend to our duties with generosity and courage.
We also see in the mysteries of the Rosary the heavenly life begun upon this earth. We are taught a life of intimate personal union with our Lord, which sows in us the life of charity towards God and neighbor. This union extends to our sufferings as each of us "fill up in (his) flesh what is lacking of the sufferings of Christ," and it gives us a foretaste of that life of union with God in everlasting glory, so that we truly "both imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise."
Worse, one of the recent 4-H calendars I received had a notation for National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day.
Yet modern man scoffs at the Catholic dedications of the calendar or any public display of religion.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
We prayed all 15 decades of the Rosary this past Sunday during our Christ the King procession through Dickinson. As I stepped upon the tender rose petals strewn in front of our Lord, I was filled with gratitude that the grace of traditional Catholic parish life has been given me--that I am not being led around in circles by a noose of pink ribbon, intent upon saving the "TA-TAs" while neglecting the eternal salvation of my soul.
On Monday I received Fr. Fullerton's October letter to the friends and benefactors of St. Mary's Academy & College. His message on the dedication of October to Our Lady of the Rosary laid out the reasons why the Rosary is so important. It is a splendid response to the emptiness of all the secular dedications:
Contained in the decades of the Holy Rosary is a compendium of the mysteries of our faith into the two principal ones: namely, the mystery of the unity and trinity of God and the mystery of the Incarnation of Jesus. We see the work of the Blessed Trinity preparing for the Incarnation. Then we see the birth and infancy of Our Lord Jesus Christ. This is followed by Christ's redemptive work in the sorrowful mysteries, which leads us on to the blessed and happy life this work guarantees, shown by the glorious mysteries.
The Rosary educates us in the way of the Christian life. The path of Christian perfection is one of joy, sorrow and glory for all those who wish to follow it. The joyful mysteries point out to us the reality of the pure and inward joy of our faith. This joy is such that it does not exclude sorrow, but as something that the soul must pass through in order to attain the true glory that awaits it. The examples of the sufferings of Jesus and Mary educate and encourage us to attend to our duties with generosity and courage.
We also see in the mysteries of the Rosary the heavenly life begun upon this earth. We are taught a life of intimate personal union with our Lord, which sows in us the life of charity towards God and neighbor. This union extends to our sufferings as each of us "fill up in (his) flesh what is lacking of the sufferings of Christ," and it gives us a foretaste of that life of union with God in everlasting glory, so that we truly "both imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise."
4 comments:
I have a very close friend who loves her holidays, celebrates half birthdays and really gets into events like parks and rec celebrations or safety fairs. She was raised Catholic and I think that she, like so many, really has this longing for the Holy Day and is substituting.
Had not considered the whole breast cancer awareness thing to be a substitute for religious observance, but I can see that. I'm a bit of a sourpuss and the whole "tie in our charity to our consumerism" stuff is a bit much for me. I find the ribbons on products particularly disturbing because sometimes you can't even find out which organization or fund your "contribution" will go to.
Yes, there is a lot of empty substituting going on. Viva Cristo Rey!
The secular world must have substitutes for everything, even for God Himself. They idolize athletes, rock or movie stars, money. They substitute animals for children, holidays for Holy Days, causes for religion,modesty or other virtues, clubs or gangs for family, appearances, prestige or money for salvation. People are shocked at a display of modesty, an act of charity, humility, or the desire to suffer. I think it is funny when a woman with her bosom hanging out accosts me to whisper loudly into my ear that my slip (or bloomers) is (are) showing…(about half an inch of lace from the bottom of my ankle length skirt). Some appear embarrassed that my scapular is hanging out from the top of my collar, as if it were a bra strap or something and rush to tuck it back in lest it should be seen in public. What a world…
Eliza
Good points, Eliza. Thanks!
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