The Two Hearts Of Jesus and Mary

In my quest to be closer to God, I have come to realise something.  I need to read, see, speak and hear His Word every day... otherwise the heart grows forgetful and cold.  But when I pray, when I read the Word of God, when I hear the Word of God, the small fire within burns a little bit brighter.  And the amazing thing is I wil 'hear' and 'see' more of Him in everything.

I use the word 'amazing' because sometimes some things happen and it's too much of a coincidence to be ignored.

In the last three weeks, the avalanche of work (which includes work at the office and also work in charity) kept me so busy that I neglected my prayers and my readings.  Sometimes I think it is true that too much of labouring overmuch like Martha makes us neglectful of God (see Luke 10:38-42).

When I realised that, I quickly cut back on the work and did more praying.  The very same day, I was online and came across a reference to a saint (St Catherine of Laboure), which brought me to a book review about a book written by Dr Kelly Bowring.  My heart jumped when I read the review and I knew I had to read this book.

It was also the novena I began last month.  But unbelievably, both Amazon dan Barnes & Noble 'do not sell the book to those in my location.'  I tried to get a friend in Australia to buy it but they didn't sell the book to people in her location either.  It turned out that the publisher of the book didn't have the rights and blah blah blah to sell the book outside of the US.

I stopped trying... wondering how else I was to get it.

Then the very next day, an old friend suddenly smsed me, asking me what I wanted for my birthday.  She'd never done such a thing before.  THEN I remembered she had a sister who lived in Texas.  Was this how I was to get this book???  So I asked her to get the book for me.. only about USD10 in ebook form.  So far, there is no response yet from her sister as she wanted to figure out if the book would be coded to her credit card or to her computer.

But last night, I thought of a local online book reseller Acmamall.  And I wondered if perhaps they had the book.  Unbelievably, they did. Hmm, does that mean they have the rights to sell the book outside of the US??? Peculiar thing.  Well, I just bought the book.  Hopefully I get it by next week.  If I get the ebook, that would be another plus... mobile books don't tear, wear down or weigh down the purse :)

I just know I must read this book.

Revelations Revelations Revelations

Just an hour into surfing the net, I found myself with almost twenty opened tabs of different revelations.  This also included their supporters and detractors.  I even found a list of 'true' and 'false' private revelations compiled by Ron Conte, the administrator of the Catholic Planet forum. Ron Conte lists Stanley Villavicencio (who I have blogged about) as false.

Most confusing.  And frustrating.

But why am I so surprised? 

Matthew 7:15 (King James Version)¹⁵Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

Matthew 24:11 (KJV)
¹¹And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

1 Timothy 4 (KJV)
¹Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

So now what am I to do?  What am I to believe in?  WHO am I to believe in?

The answer is very simple.  Ask a question and answer it..LOL.I will believe in God.

He speaks to us all and has been speaking to us all via his prophets... His words are all in the Bible. Not that I will confine myself purely to the Bible.

Difficult to verbalise... but most reasonable people will know what to do.  If I come across any claims of private revelation, I will consider what is said very carefully.  And I will also consider its effect on me.

Back to Stanley Villavicencio.  He was asked how to tell a false prophet from a true one.  He replied,"By the fruits."  I like that answer very much.  If the effect of a revelation on me is of fervent piety and more attention to my spiritual life, then I will focus on the effect.  People can say whatever they want...what matters is our reaction to it.

Sometimes we need to make our own decisions.  After all, jewels come from the darkest of places.  Didn't 'Amazing Grace' come from a convict?

An Invitation To Fulfil Jesus' Request : The Double Great Novena

The past few days, thoughts of fulfilling one of Jesus' requests have been constantly on and in my mind.  The particular request I am talking about is the Double Great Novena (nine First Fridays and nine First Saturdays).

Whenever I opened the brown Pieta book, I keep finding myself on the pages referring to the Double Great Novena.  I knew then that it was something I had to do.  But I thought I'd think about starting it first, before I actually did it.  

Then today, I was keying in important feast days and Catholic dates in my PDA, when I came to entering the dates of The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (July 1) and the Immaculate Heart of Mary (July 2).  At that moment, I KNEW that if I counted the months, there would be exactly nine First Fridays and First Saturdays between this week and the first week of July.  

The Background of the Double Great Novena (page 127 of the brown Pieta book)

In a message of Jesus Christ to Sister Natalia in Hungary, He requests all to pray the Double Great Novena to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary for nine consecutive First Fridays and First Saturdays.

All know about the devotion of the nine consecutive First Fridays.  Few know about the Five Consecutive First Saturdays.  And very few now know about the Nine Consecutive First Fridays and the Nine Consecutive First Saturdays.

As in Paray-le-Monial, France and Fatima, a private revelation to Sister Natalia received the Imprimatur from the local bishiop in Hungary.

Jesus : "As the Father entrusted all things to Me, so I give My victorious power over the world and sin to the Immaculate Heart to My Mother."

"Through my daughter (Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, I gave the world great promises, but because of My infinite Goodness, now, I give much more.  If people wish to gain the benefits of My promises, they must love and venerate the Immaculate Heart of My Mother.  The greatest sign of this veneration will be to receive Holy Communion on Nine Consecutive First Saturdays, and int eh same way, on Nine Consecutive First Fridays, after a preparation and true repentance.  Their intentions must be to console My Heart and, at the same time, the Immaculate Heart of My Mother."

Sister Natalia :"When Our Lord told me the first time about these First Saturdays, I did not realise that the Blessed Virgin at Fatima asked for only Five First Saturdays, in comparison with the Nine First Saturdays mentioned in the Messages I received.  Consequently, the authorities of the Church wanted me to ask the Saviour why He asked for nine, while Mary asked for only five.  

The Divine Saviour replied:"The request of My Mother for Five Saturdays is a sign of Her humility and consequently, She did not consider Herself worthy of receiving a devotion that is equal to Mine.  My request is a sign of My love.  I cannot bear the idea of demanding more for Me than for My Mother who is united with Me in love."

"Hence, I understood that Jesus would have us make reparation for Nine Saturdays because He had demanded for Himself, to Saint Margaret Mary, Nine First Fridays."

So, come... join me in fulfilling Jesus' request for the Double Great Novena, which is to receive Holy Communion on nine consecutive First Fridays and First Saturdays from the first week of November 2010 to the first week of July 2011.  We would be ending on the feast days of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  


To make a good Novena, it is recommended to :
a) Prepare yourself with true repentance, if possible, go to Confession.
b) Receive Holy Communion on both days (Saturday Sunset Mass is not part of the Novena)
c) The intentions of the Novena must be to console both Hearts.

Swiss Army Knife of The Spirit

Scott P. Richert lists prayer, fasting and almsgiving as the 'Swiss Army Knife' of the spirit. (article can be found here)

What a visual that is... we always think of the swiss army knife as a tool we can depend on, especially in times of dire need.  Or even life and death. 

I know prayer is a powerful tool...as is charity.  However, I haven't thought or dwelt much on fasting.  Maybe because it is such a 'troublesome' thing to do.  

St Peter Chrysologus said, "There are three things, my brethren, by which faith stands firm, devotion remains constant, and virtue endures. They are prayer, fasting and mercy. Prayer knocks at the door, fasting obtains, mercy receives. Prayer, mercy and fasting: these three are one, and they give life to each other." (source)

Confession : Stronger Than Exorcism

Recently I received an email which mentioned the importance of confession.  I'd been wondering why the saints went to confession so frequently...some went DAILY!  The email seemed to answer that question.  

At the same time, I'd wanted to do something special for the month of October.  And as usual, my thoughts were focused on the holy souls in purgatory.  I wanted to offer all the indulgences that I could get in October for them.  However, one of the prerequisites was weekly confession.  

I didn't think the email about confession was a coincidence, so now I'm posting what the email said.  The article can be read here as well.  

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We must insist on the need for frequent confession - in spite of all the difficulties existing today to the frequent reception of this sacrament - since both theologians and exorcists reaffirm its great efficacy.

The exorcist of the Archdiocese of Venice, Fr. Pellegrino Ernetti, of the Order of Saint Benedict, said: "The sacrament of the Confession, we know, is the second best 'safety belt', right after Baptism… Experience teaches us that it is most difficult for Satan to penetrate a soul that washes itself frequently with the Most Precious Blood of Jesus. This Blood becomes a veritable armor against which Satan may force, but never succeeds in opening, not even the smallest breach. The assiduous and constant frequency to this sacrament is a necessity, for both those who perform the exorcism and those who need the exorcism. I am convinced, after my long experience that the priest ought to wash his soul in the Blood of Jesus daily, if he wants to fight against the demon, side by side with Jesus, and be victorious. It is this, truly, the sacrament that Satan fears… Christ defeated Satan with His Own Blood. And the Apocalypse tells us explicitly: 'These are the ones that have conquered Satan by the Blood of the Lamb'."

Fr. Gabriele Amorth, exorcist of the Diocese of Rome, is equally forceful: "I have written many times that one causes much more furor to the demon with Confession - that is expelling the demon from the soul - than with exorcism, that expels him from the body… Confession is much stronger than exorcism."

A sovereign contempt for the demon

The Saints and spiritual authors also encourage a sovereign contempt for the demon.

Let us hear to what Saint Therese says:

"It is very often that these damned spirits come to torment me; but they inspire very little fear in me, because I know them well and they cannot even stir without God's permission… This should be well known by all: every time we show our contempt for the demons, they lose their strength and the soul acquires more predominance upon them… To see themselves despised by weaker beings is, in fact, a severe humiliation for these arrogant beings. Well, as we said before, humbly supported by God, we have the right and the obligation of showing our contempt: if God is with us, who will be against us? They can bark, but they cannot bite, unless in the cases that - by imprudence, or pride - we place ourselves in their power".

Evidently, we must not confuse this contempt for the demon with the vain pretension that we, by ourselves, have any power over the fallen Angels.

By our nature, we have no power whatsoever over them; on the contrary, by their superior nature, they are far more powerful than us. Therefore, the foundation of this healthy contempt for the infernal enemies must not be based on a rash disregard of danger. Rather, it must be supported by the most perfect humility and true confidence in the Creator and in the Most Holy Virgin. If these cares are taken, it is befitting to do what the great Saint Therese indicates with such propriety.

Above all, we should make every effort to live a life of serious and sincere piety, without superstition or sentimentality. This will certainly maintain the demon at a distance, as much as that is possible.

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(By Luis Solimeo, from his book Angels and Demons)