Stations Of The Cross. Every Friday During Lent. When Was The Last Time You Followed The Way Of The Cross ?

Taken from: FR. Z's BLOG

This Article is taken from, and can be read in full at, FR. Z's BLOG

Since it is a Friday of Lent, a First Friday, do please Pray The Act of Reparation.

Here also are my audio projects of The Way of The Cross.

What we need right now is PRAYER, especially at the end of this hard week. And remember to

GO TO CONFESSION !!!

Also, these days, we especially need to Pray for Priests, which includes Bishops and everyone up the hierarchy

There are many Priests, today, who  – for one reason or another  –  are failing in their duty to teach with clarity what The Church has always taught.

There are other Priests who are becoming discouraged and afraid concerning what might befall them if they remain clear and faithful. Yet other Priests are mired in sins. And always there are those Priests who are infirm, old, nearing their judgment.

Hence, this year, I’ve added a new version, The Way Of The Cross For Priests from The Benedictines of Silverstream Priory. HERE.

Would you consider getting copies of this for your Priests where you are ?

They also have beautiful Altar Cards HERE.

 In my reading, I left out the references to the Scripture passages which are quoted, for they would not be read in a public recitation. I urge you, however, to obtain a hard copy so that, if you wish, you can find them. Even more, I urge you Lay People to get a copy and then Pray with it for Priests.

Below are readings of The Via Crucis, The Way of The Cross, composed by
Joseph Card. Ratzinger, later Pope Benedict XVI, for the 2005 Good Friday observance at The Colosseum in Rome.
Saint Alphonus Liguori.
Blessed John Henry Newman.
Saint Francis of Assisi (according to the method . . . )
Silverstream Priory – The Way Of The Cross For Priests.

There are two versions of "The Way" by Saint Alphonsus Liguori. One is plain with just my voice. The other is the same voice recording, but with The Gregorian Chant Sequence Stabat Mater interlaced between The Stations.

There are two versions of "The Way", by Saint Alphonsus Liguori. One is plain, with just my voice. The other is the same voice recording but with the Gregorian chant Sequence Stabat Mater interlaced between The Stations.

 The Way Of The Cross For Priests [ 24:00 ] Hide Player | Play in Popup | Download (80)

 Stations of the Cross - Joseph Ratzinger (Good Friday 2005) [ 1:05:40 ] Hide Player | Play in Popup | Download (28051)

 Stations of the Cross by St. Alphonsus Liguori [ 35:43 ] Hide Player | Play in Popup | Download (14045)

 Stations of the Cross by St. Alphonsus Liguori (with chant) [ 34:16 ] Hide Player | Play in Popup | Download (23256)

 Stations of the Cross by Bl. John Henry Newman [ 50:42 ] Hide Player | Play in Popup | Download (7490)

 Stations of the Cross according to the method of St Francis of Assisi [ 42:43 ] Hide Player | Play in Popup | Download (268)

You can gain a Plenary Indulgence, under the usual conditions of Confession and Communion, within a few days of the work, and detachment even from Venial Sin. From The Handbook of Indulgences:

63. Exercise of The Way of The Cross (Viae Crucis exercitium).

A Plenary Indulgence is granted to The Faithful, who make the pious exercise of The Way of The Cross.

The gaining of the Plenary Indulgence is regulated by the following norms:

The pious exercise must be made before Stations of The Way of The Cross, legitimately erected.

For the erection of The Way of The Cross, Fourteen Crosses are required, to which it is customary to add Fourteen Pictures, or, Images, which represent The Stations of Jerusalem.

According to the more common practice, the pious exercise consists of Fourteen Pious Readings, to which some vocal Prayers are added. However, nothing more is required than a pious Meditation on The Passion and Death of The Lord, which need not be a particular consideration of the individual Mysteries of The stations.

A movement from one Station to the next is required.

I believe that, if you follow The Holy Father’s Way of The Cross on Good Friday, even by television, the Indulgence is available.

If the pious exercise is made publicly and if it is not possible for all taking part to go in an orderly way from Station to Station, it suffices if, at least, the one conducting the exercise goes from Station to Station, the others remaining in their place.

Those who are “impeded” can gain the same Indulgence, if they spend at least one half an hour in pious Reading and Meditation on The Passion and Death of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

For those belonging to Eastern Rites, among whom this pious exercise is not practiced, the respective Patriarchs can determine some other pious exercise in memory of The Passion and Death of Our Lord Jesus Christ for the gaining of this Indulgence.

Meanwhile, from a reader last year . . .

Just a quick note to say thank you for providing your recordings of The Stations of The Cross. I am completely blind and had committed to making this part of my Lenten practices, only to have the Braille display, from which I read promptly, die. I had been struggling to find a recording of Saint Alphonsus’ version.

May God bless you !

If these recordings are helpful to you, please say a Prayer for me, especially if you use The Way Of The Cross For Priests.

Friday In Passion Week. The Seven Sorrows Of The Blessed Virgin Mary.

Text from The Saint Andrew Daily Missal for Friday in Passion Week,
unless otherwise stated.

The Seven Sorrows of The Blessed Virgin Mary.

Friday in Passion Week.

Greater-Double.

White Vestments.

English: The Blessed Virgin Mary surrounded by The Seven Sorrows.

Nederlands: Linkerluik van een diptiek Onze-Lieve-Vrouw

der Zeven Weeën door Adriaen Isenbrant (circa 1490-1551); KMSKB, Brussel.

Photo: June 2009.

Source: Own work.

Author: Georges Jansoone (JoJan) -

artwork by Adriaen Isenbrant.

(Wikimedia Commons)

The Christmas Cycle Celebrated the part taken by The Blessed Virgin in The Mystery of The Incarnation, glorifying both The Divinity of Jesus and The Divine Maternity of Mary.

The Easter Cycle tells us how The Mother of The Saviour co-operated in The Mystery of The Redemption. It shows her in this Season of The Passion at The Foot of The Cross, where Christ is dying (Introit, Sequence, Gospel). “An ineffable union is established between The Oblation of The Incarnate Word and that of Mary; The Divine Blood and The Tears of The Mother flow together and are mixed for the redemption of the human race.” [The quoted Text is taken from “The Liturgical Year” by Dom Guéranger: Friday in Passion Week.]

“The Prophecy of Simeon is fulfilled: A Sword of Grief pierces The Most Gentle Soul of The Glorious Virgin Mary (Collect), who, by her unequalled love, becomes The Queen of Martyrs” (Communion). [The quoted Text is taken from Saint Bernard of Clairvaux: Sixth Lesson at Matins.]

As Judith had delivered Israel by killing Holofernes (Epistle), The Virgin is our Deliverer, with Jesus. Wherefore, the Gospel shows us, at The Foot of The Tree of Passion, in a scene which recalls The Tree of Prevarication, The Maternity of Mary with regard to The Church personified by Saint John.

“Let us Venerate The Transfixion of The Glorious Virgin Mary at The Foot of The Cross, in order to gather the happy fruit of The Passion of her Son” (Collect).

Mass: Stabant justa.

The Friday In Passion Week. Our Lady Of The Seven Sorrows.

English: Our Lady of Sorrows.

Español: Nuestra Señora de los Dolores, 1816.
Fernando Estévez de Salas. 
Parroquia de San Juan Bautista,
Villa de La Orotava.
Photo: April 2010.
Source: Own work.
Author: JosuHdez.
(Wikimedia Commons)

Text from Wikipedia - the free encyclopaedia,
unless otherwise stated.

Our Lady of Sorrows (Latin: Beata Maria Virgo Perdolens), and The Sorrowful Mother, or Mother of Sorrows, (Latin: Mater Dolorosa, at times just Dolorosa), and Our Lady of The Seven Sorrows, or Our Lady of The Seven Dolours, are names by which The Blessed Virgin Mary is referred to, in relation to Sorrows in her Life.

As Mater Dolorosa, it is also a key subject for Marian Art In The Catholic Church.

English: The Descent from The Cross into The Arms of Mary (detail).

Francaise: La descente de Croix, les larmes de Marie (Detail).

Current location: Unterlinden Museum, Colmar, France.

Source/Photographer: Own work, Alsace, Haut-Rhin, Colmar,

Musée d'UnterLinden : la descente de Croix,

les larmes de Marie., vincent desjardins, 2008-12-27.

Archetypal Gothic Lady of Sorrows 

from a Triptych

by the Master of the Stauffenberg Altarpiece,

Alsace, France, circa 1455.

(Wikimedia Commons)

The Seven Sorrows of Mary are a popular Roman Catholic Devotion. There are Devotional Prayers, which consist of Meditations on her Seven Sorrows. Examples include the Servite Rosary, or the Chaplet of The Seven Sorrows of Our Lady. Also, there is a corresponding Devotion to The Seven Joys of Mary. The term "Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary" refers to the combined Devotion of both The Immaculate Heart and The Seven Sorrows of Mary as first used by the Franciscan Tertiary, Berthe Petit.

The Seven Sorrows (or Dolours) are events in The Life of The Blessed Virgin Mary, which are a popular Devotion and are frequently depicted in art. It is a common Devotion for Catholics to say, daily, one Our Father and seven Hail Marys for each of The Seven Sorrows, which are:

The Prophecy of Simeon. (Luke 2:34-35) or the Circumcision of Christ; The Flight into Egypt. Matthew 2:13); The Loss of The Child Jesus in the Temple. (Luke 2:43-45); Mary Meets Jesus on The Way to Calvary; Jesus Dies on The Cross. (John 19:25); Mary Receives The Body of Jesus in Her Arms. (Matthew 27:57-59); The Body of Jesus Is Placed in the Tomb. (John 19:40-42).

These Seven Sorrows should not be confused with The Five Sorrowful Mysteries of The Rosary.

English: Mater Dolorosa with open hands, 1555,

Madonna in Sorrow, by Titian, 1555.

Prado Museum, Madrid, Spain.

Español: Tiziano, Dolorosa con las manos abiertas, 1555,

óleo sobre mármol, museo del Prado (Madrid, España).

Source: http://www.museodelprado.es/imagen/

alta_resolucion/P00444.jpg

Author: Titian (1490–1576).

(Wikimedia Commons)

The Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows was originated by a Provincial Synod of Cologne in 1413 as a response to the iconoclast, Hussites. It was designated for The Friday after The Third Sunday after Easter. It had the Title: Commemoratio angustiae et doloris Beatae Mariae Virginis. Before the 16th-Century, The Feast was Celebrated only in parts of Northern Europe.

Earlier, in 1233, seven youths in Tuscany founded The Servite Order (also known as "The Servite Friars", or "The Order of The Servants of Mary"). Five years later, they took up "The Sorrows of Mary, Standing Under The Cross", as the principal Devotion of their Order.

Over the Centuries, several Devotions, and even Orders, arose around Meditation on Mary's Sorrows. The Servites developed the two most common Devotions to Our Lady's Sorrows, namely The Rosary of The Seven Sorrows and The Black Scapular of The Seven Dolours of Mary. The Black Scapular is a symbol of The Confraternity of Our Lady of Sorrows, which is associated with The Servite Order. Most Devotional Scapulars have requirements regarding ornamentation or design. The Devotion of The Black Scapular requires only that it be made of Black Woollen Cloth.

English: "Our Lady 

Softening The Evil Hearts".

Русский: Икона "Умягчение злых сердец".

Date: Mid-19th-Century.

Source: http://days.pravoslavie.ru

Author: Anonymous.

(Wikimedia Commons)

On 2 February, the same day as The Great Feast of The Meeting of The Lord, Orthodox Christians and Eastern Catholics Commemorate a wonder-working icon of The Theotokos (Mother of God) known as "The Softening of Evil Hearts" or "Simeon's Prophecy."

It depicts The Virgin Mary at the moment that Simeon The Righteous says: "Yea, a Sword shall pierce through thy own Soul also . . ." (Luke 2:35) She stands with her hands upraised in Prayer, and Seven Swords pierce her heart, indicative of The Seven Sorrows. This is one of the few Orthodox icons of The Theotokos which do not depict The Infant Jesus. The refrain, " Rejoice, much-sorrowing Mother of God, turn our sorrows into joy and soften the hearts of evil men ! " is also used.

"Dolorosa".

Artist: Bartolomé Esteban Murillo.

Description: Dolorosa,

Museo de Bellas Artes de Sevilla.

Date: circa 1665.

Source/Photographer: http://www.juntadeandalucia.es/

cultura/museos/MBASE/index.jsp?redirect=

S2_3_1_1.jsp&idpieza=24&pagina=3

(Wikimedia Commons)

The first Altar to The Mater Dolorosa was set up in 1221 at The Monastery of Schönau, Germany. Especially in Mediterranean Countries, Parishioners Traditionally carry statues of Our Lady of Sorrows in Processions on the days leading to Good Friday.

No Feast in her honour was included in Pope Saint Pius V's 1570 Tridentine Calendar. Vatican approval for The Celebration of a Feast, in honour of Our Lady of Sorrows, was first granted to The Servite Order in 1667.

English: Our Lady of Sorrows,

El Viso del Alcor, Seville, Spain.

Español: Nuestra Señora de los Dolores.

Capilla del Sagrario de la Iglesia Parroquial

de Santa María del Alcor. El Viso del Alcor (Sevilla).

Procesiona bajo palio en la tarde noche del Viernes Santo.

Photo: December 2007.

Source: Own work.

Author: Ajjb

(Wikimedia Commons)

By inserting The Feast into The Roman Catholic Calendar of Saints in 1814, Pope Pius VII extended the Celebration to the whole of The Latin Church. It was assigned to The Third Sunday in September. In 1913, Pope Pius X moved The Feast to 15 September, the day after The Feast of The Cross. It is still observed on that date.

Another Feast, originating in the 17th-Century, was extended to the whole of The Latin Church in 1727. It was originally celebrated on Friday in Passion Week, one week before Good Friday. In 1954, it still held the Rank of Major-Double (slightly lower than the Rank of the 15 September Feast) in The General Roman Calendar.

The 15 September Feast is known as "The Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows" (Beatae Mariae Virginis Perdolentis). The Sequence, known as Stabat Mater, may be sung at Mass on that day.

"The Madonna in Sorrow".

Source: http://www.bridgemanartondemand. 

com/art/104827/The_Madonna_in_Sorrow.

Author: Giovanni Battista Salvi da Sassoferrato (1609–1685).

(Wikimedia Commons)

Our Lady of Sorrows, depicted as "Mater Dolorosa" (Mother of Sorrows) has been the subject of some key works of Roman Catholic Marian Art. Mater Dolorosa is one of the three common artistic representations of a Sorrowful Virgin Mary, the other two being Stabat Mater ("The Mother Stood") and Pietà.

In this iconography, Our Lady of Seven Sorrows is, at times, simply represented in a sad and anguished mode by herself, her expression being that of tears and sadness. In other representations, The Virgin Mary is depicted with Seven Swords in her heart, a reference to the Prophecy of Simeon, at The Presentation of The Child Jesus in The Temple.

Our Lady of Sorrows is The Patron Saint of: Slovakia; The Congregation of Holy Cross; The village of Mola di Bari and the Molise region of Italy; The State of Mississippi, USA; Dolores, in The Philippines; Lanzarote, Canary Islands. Mater Dolorosa (Berlin-Lankwitz).

The Friday In Passion Week. The Feast Day Of Our Mother Of Sorrows.

Friday in Passion Week 

is the 

Feast Day of

The Seven Sorrows 

of The Blessed Virgin Mary.

Illustration: TRANSALPINE REDEMPTORISTS

Friday In Passion Week. The Stabat Mater. Prepare For Good Friday.

Text is from Wikipedia - the free encyclopaedia,
unless otherwise stated.

English: The Crucifixion.

Church of Jesus, 

Genoa, Italy.

Svenska: "Korsfästelsen".

Chiesa del Gesù. Genua.

Artist: Simon Vouet (1590–1649).

Date: 1622.

Source: Originally from sv.wikipedia;

description page is/was here.

Author: Simon Vouet.

(Wikimedia Commons)

Stabat Mater Dolorosa, often referred to as Stabat Mater, is a 13th-Century Catholic Hymn to Mary, variously attributed to the Franciscan, Jacopone da Todi, and to Pope Innocent III. It is about The Sorrows of Mary.

The Title of the sorrowful Hymn is an Incipit of the first line, Stabat mater dolorosa ("The Sorrowful Mother Stood"). The Dolorosa Hymn, one of the most powerful and immediate of extant Mediaeval poems, meditates on The Suffering of Mary, Jesus Christ's Mother, during His Crucifixion.

It is sung at The Liturgy on The Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. The Dolorosa has been set to music by many composers, with the most famous settings being those by Palestrina, Pergolesi, Alessandro Scarlatti and Domenico Scarlatti, Vivaldi, Haydn, Rossini, Poulenc, and Dvořák.

The Dolorosa was well-known by the end of the 14th-Century and Georgius Stella wrote of its use in 1388, while other historians note its use later in the same Century. In Provence, France, about 1399, it was used during The Nine Days Processions.

As a Liturgical Sequence, The Dolorosa was Suppressed, along with hundreds of other Sequences, by The Council of Trent, but restored to The Missal by Pope Benedict XIII, in 1727, for The Feast of The Seven Dolours of The Blessed Virgin Mary.

"Stabat Mater"

(The Mother Stood),

Composer: Pergolesi.

Performed by

Andreas Scholl and Barbara Bonney.

Available on YouTube at

YOU TUBE

Friday In Passion Week. The Te Deum Is Sung At Matins On The Feast Day Of The Seven Sorrows Of The Blessed Virgin Mary.

Text is taken from Wikipedia - the free encyclopaedia,
unless otherwise stated.

When was the last time you heard the Te Deum sung in your Church ?

Why not ask your Parish Priest (Pastor) to arrange to have it sung in your Church ?

The Te Deum Window,

by Christopher Whall,

Church of Saint Mary The Virgin,

Ware, Hertfordshire, 

England.

Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/

barkingtigs/3263493149/.

Author: Barking Tigs.

(Wikimedia Commons)

English: Saint Ambrose.

One of the traditionally-ascribed authors of the 

Te Deum, together with Saint Augustine.

Deutsch: hl. Ambrosius.

Artist: Francisco de Zurbarán (1598–1664).

Date: 1626-1627.

Current location: Museo Provincial de Bellas Artes, Seville, Spain.

Note: Deutsch: Urspr. für den Konvent San Pablo in Sevilla, Auftraggeber: 

Prior Diego de Bordas.

Source/Photographer: The Yorck Project: 

10.000 Meisterwerke der Malerei. DVD-ROM, 2002.

ISBN 3936122202. Distributed by DIRECTMEDIA Publishing GmbH.

Permission: [1].

(Wikimedia Commons)

The Te Deum (also known as "The Ambrosian Hymn" or "A Song of The Church") is an Early-Christian Hymn of Praise. The Title is taken from its opening Latin words, "Te Deum laudamus", rendered as "Thee, O God, we Praise".

The Hymn remains in regular use in The Catholic Church, in The Office of Readings (The Divine Office), found in The Liturgy of The Hours, and in thanksgiving to God for a special Blessing, such as the Election of a Pope, the Consecration of a Bishop, the Canonisation of a Saint, a Religious Profession, the publication of a Treaty of Peace, a Royal Coronation, etc. It is sung either after Mass or The Divine Office, or as a separate Religious Ceremony. The Hymn also remains in use in The Anglican Communion and some Lutheran Churches in similar settings.

In The Traditional Office, the Te Deum is sung at the end of Matins, on all days when the Gloria is said at Mass; those days are all Sundays, outside Advent, Septuagesima, Lent, and Passiontide; on all Feasts (except The Triduum) and on all Ferias during Eastertide.

A Plenary Indulgence is granted, under the usual conditions, to those who recite it in public on New Year's Eve.

The Te Deum.

Sung by The Benedictine Monks of the Abbey of Saint Maurice 

and Saint Maur,

Clervaux. Luxembourg.

The Te Deum is attributed to two Fathers and Doctors of The Church, 

Saint Ambrose and Saint Augustine, and is one the most

majestic 

Chants in The Liturgy of The Church.

It is sung in Traditional Seminaries and Monastic Houses at The Divine Office

and 

for Double Feasts of The First Class, The Nativity, Easter, Corpus Christi, Epiphany,

Pentecost and those which have an Octave.

The Solemn Te Deum is sung on all occasions of public Church rejoicing.

Available on YouTube at

YOU TUBE

Authorship is traditionally ascribed to Saint Ambrose and Saint Augustine, on the occasion of the latter's Baptism by the former in 387 A.D. It has also been ascribed to Saint Hilary, but Catholic-Forum.com says "it is now accredited to Nicetas, Bishop of Remesiana (4th-Century A.D.)".

The Petitions at the end of the Hymn (beginning "Salvum fac populum tuum") are a selection of Verses from The Book of Psalms, appended subsequently to the original Hymn.

The Hymn follows the outline of The Apostles' Creed, mixing a poetic vision of The Heavenly Liturgy with its declaration of Faith. Calling on The Name of God, immediately, the Hymn proceeds to name all those who Praise and Venerate God; from the hierarchy of Heavenly Creatures, to those Christian Faithful already in Heaven, to The Church spread throughout the World.

The Hymn then returns to its Credal formula, naming Christ and recalling His Birth, Suffering and Death, His Resurrection and Glorification. At this point, the Hymn turns to the subjects declaiming the Praise, both The Universal Church and the singer, in particular, asking for Mercy on past sins, protection from future sin, and the hoped-for reunification with The Elect.

Te Deum Laudamus:

te Dominum confitemur.

Te aeternum Patrem

omnis terra veneratur.

Tibi omnes Angeli;

tibi caeli et universae Potestates;

Tibi Cherubim et Seraphim

incessabili voce proclamant:

Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus,

Dominus Deus Sabaoth.

Pleni sunt caeli et terra

maiestatis gloriae tuae.

Te gloriosus Apostolorum chorus,

Te Prophetarum laudabilis numerus,

Te Martyrum candidatus laudat exercitus.

Te per orbem terrarum

sancta confitetur Ecclesia,

Patrem immensae maiestatis:

Venerandum tuum verum et unicum Filium;

Sanctum quoque Paraclitum Spiritum.

Tu Rex gloriae, Christe.

Tu Patris sempiternus es Filius.

Tu ad liberandum suscepturus hominem,

non horruisti Virginis uterum.

Tu, devicto mortis aculeo,

aperuisti credentibus regna caelorum.

Tu ad dexteram Dei sedes, in gloria Patris.

Iudex crederis esse venturus.

Te ergo quaesumus, tuis famulis subveni:

quos pretioso sanguine redemisti.

Aeterna fac cum sanctis tuis in gloria numerari.

[added later, mainly from Psalm Verses:]

Salvum fac populum tuum,

Domine, et benedic hereditati tuae.

Et rege eos, et extolle illos usque in aeternum.

Per singulos dies benedicimus te;

Et laudamus Nomen tuum in saeculum, et in saeculum saeculi.

Dignare, Domine, die isto sine peccato nos custodire.

Miserere nostri Domine, miserere nostri.

Fiat misericordia tua,

Domine, super nos,

quemadmodum speravimus in te.

In te, Domine, speravi:

non confundar in aeternum.

Translation from The Book of Common Prayer.

We Praise Thee, O God:

We acknowledge Thee to be The Lord.

All the Earth doth Worship Thee:

The Father Everlasting.

To Thee all Angels cry aloud:

The Heavens, and all The Powers, therein.

To Thee Cherubim and Seraphim:

Continually do cry,

Holy, Holy, Holy:

Lord God of Sabaoth;

Heaven and Earth are full of The Majesty:

Of Thy Glory.

The glorious company of The Apostles: Praise Thee.

The goodly fellowship of The Prophets: Praise Thee.

The noble Army of Martyrs: Praise Thee.

The Holy Church throughout all the World:

Doth acknowledge Thee.

The Father: Of an Infinite Majesty;

Thine Honourable, True: And Only Son;

Also, The Holy Ghost: The Comforter.

Thou art The King of Glory: O Christ.

Thou art The Everlasting Son: Of The Father.

When Thou tookest upon Thee to deliver man:

Thou didst not abhor The Virgin's Womb.

When Thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death:

Thou didst open The Kingdom of Heaven to all believers.

Thou sittest at The Right Hand of God: In The Glory of The Father.

We believe that Thou shalt come: To be our Judge.

We therefore Pray Thee, help Thy servants:

whom Thou hast Redeemed with Thy Precious Blood.

Make them to be numbered with Thy Saints: In Glory Everlasting.

[These two verses were added later, mainly from Psalm verses:]

O Lord, save Thy people:

and Bless Thine heritage.

Govern them: And lift them up for ever.

Day by day: We magnify Thee;

And we worship Thy Name: Ever World Without End.

Vouchsafe, O Lord: To keep us this day without sin.

O Lord, have mercy upon us: Have mercy upon us.

O Lord, let Thy mercy lighten upon us:

As our trust is in Thee.

O Lord, in Thee have I trusted:

Let me never be confounded.

Friday In Passion Week. The Seven Sorrows Of The Blessed Virgin Mary.

Text from The Saint Andrew Daily Missal for Friday in Passion Week,
unless otherwise stated.

The Seven Sorrows of The Blessed Virgin Mary.

Friday in Passion Week.

Greater-Double.

White Vestments.

English: The Blessed Virgin Mary surrounded by The Seven Sorrows.

Nederlands: Linkerluik van een diptiek Onze-Lieve-Vrouw

der Zeven Weeën door Adriaen Isenbrant (circa 1490-1551); KMSKB, Brussel.

Photo: June 2009.

Source: Own work.

Author: Georges Jansoone (JoJan) -

artwork by Adriaen Isenbrant.

(Wikimedia Commons)

The Christmas Cycle Celebrated the part taken by The Blessed Virgin in The Mystery of The Incarnation, glorifying both The Divinity of Jesus and The Divine Maternity of Mary.

The Easter Cycle tells us how The Mother of The Saviour co-operated in The Mystery of The Redemption. It shows her in this Season of The Passion at The Foot of The Cross, where Christ is dying (Introit, Sequence, Gospel). “An ineffable union is established between The Oblation of The Incarnate Word and that of Mary; The Divine Blood and The Tears of The Mother flow together and are mixed for the redemption of the human race.” [The quoted Text is taken from “The Liturgical Year” by Dom Guéranger: Friday in Passion Week.]

“The Prophecy of Simeon is fulfilled: A Sword of Grief pierces The Most Gentle Soul of The Glorious Virgin Mary (Collect), who, by her unequalled love, becomes The Queen of Martyrs” (Communion). [The quoted Text is taken from Saint Bernard of Clairvaux: Sixth Lesson at Matins.]

As Judith had delivered Israel by killing Holofernes (Epistle), The Virgin is our Deliverer, with Jesus. Wherefore, the Gospel shows us, at The Foot of The Tree of Passion, in a scene which recalls The Tree of Prevarication, The Maternity of Mary with regard to The Church personified by Saint John.

“Let us Venerate The Transfixion of The Glorious Virgin Mary at The Foot of The Cross, in order to gather the happy fruit of The Passion of her Son” (Collect).

Mass: Stabant justa.