A First Saturday meditation: A meditation on the prophecy of Simeon: Heavenly Mother, I enter into Your sorrow at the prophecy of Simeon when you presented with St. Joseph the child Jesus in the Temple. The joy you felt upon presenting Jesus to the Father was taken away by the words spoken by Simeon, “…and your heart will be pierced also…(Luke 2:34) Oh, my sorrowful Mother, in these words was the knowledge given to you how many would reject your Motherly embrace and in rejecting you, would also be rejecting your Jesus. How many souls were contained in your Heart that would reject the many Graces that you wanted to offer them. My sweet Mother, to make reparation to you for all the rejection you suffered upon seeing those souls that would not only reject your Jesus, but would also reject you, I bring you the love of all the faithful throughout the ages. I bring you the love of Jesus, your Son; of the Holy Spirit, your spouse; and Our Heavenly Father, to comfort and console you in this great sorrow. I will remain always with you upon your lap begging together with you that the Kingdom come on earth, as it is in Heaven. LB
First Friday and First Saturday is soon upon us again. With the solemnity of Mary on Friday, hopefully this means more Graces will fall on our poor world, sinners and the Church.
SOLEMNITY OF MARY, MOTHER OF GOD https://www.shrineofdivinemercy.org/events/solemnity-mary-mother-god-0
Just as we can make spiritual communions when unable to physically receive our Lord in the Holy Eucharist, we can do our best to fulfill the rest of the requirements for First Fridays and Saturdays when it is beyond our ability to physically assist at Mass or go to Confession. Our Lord sees and knows what's in our hearts. The yearning to obey His commands are most pleasing to Him. Just do your best and entrust everything to our Heavenly Mother. She will not let us down. +
A First Saturday meditation: As Our Lady presented the Infant Jesus to God the Father in the Temple, She also presents Him to us each day at the Mass (in the Temple), and also presents each of us to God the Father as She presented Jesus to Him. As Simeon and Anna knew that this Infant was the son of God, we also must see Him in the Eucharist with the same faith as they did. We must believe in His true Presence. Jesus has told me that the “abomination will soon be set up in the temple” and that we must continue to walk in faith – “to be His Light” in the darkness surrounding us. I have complained to Him to open the hearts of all the people that they may return to Him, and He has told me many times that He “will not impose on their will.” He cannot enter the hearts of so many as they are hardened and filled with pride – that many of them will be lost. We are asked to continue to pray for them during this time of Mercy that their hearts may open. This is where the “abomination” begins – in the heart”, but will “soon be set up in the temple”. As Our Lady presented Jesus, She by tradition, was to be purified according to the Law (though She was already pure!) – the Church must also be purified! LB
Praise God I have been able to make another five first Saturdays. I find it much easier to make the 9 first Fridays as the Mass, adoration, confession and benediction start at 11.30 but on the Saturdays there is no confession, adoration or benediction and the mass time is early. Praise the merciful Love of Jesus as He gives so many graces. May God enlightened us all to defend Our Lady, not only with the prescription of the 5 first Saturdays but more importantly to truly safeguard Our Lady from the blasphemies that the 5 first Saturdays represent! Five First Saturdays HOME / FIVE FIRST SATURDAYS “You, at least, try to console me.” To console the Immaculate Heart of Mary Two great devotional practices are associated with the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima. One is the Holy Rosary. The second is what has come to be known as the Five First Saturdays Devotion. The Rosary is an ancient tradition that Our Lady repeatedly asked to be prayed in all of the six apparitions ay Fatima. But the Five First Saturdays is only mentioned by Our Lady during the July apparition as a new practice she would later “come to ask for.” The request was finally made to Lucia, the oldest of the three Fatima children, eight years after the famous apparitions. At the time she was living in a convent in Spain where she hoped to be received soon as a nun. It was 10 December 1925 when the Child Jesus and the Virgin Mary appeared to her in her convent cell. Enraptured by this extraordinary vision, Lucia was shown the Immaculate Heart of Our Lady surrounded by thorns. Our Lady then said to her: “My daughter, look at my Heart surrounded with the thorns which ungrateful men pierce me constantly through blasphemies and ingratitude. You, at least, try to console me, and tell men that I promise to assist at the hour of death with the graces necessary for salvation all those who, on the first Saturday of five consecutive months, go to confession, receive Holy Communion, pray the Rosary, and keep me company for a quarter of an hour meditating on the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary with the intention of offering me reparation.” Sister Lucia lost no time reporting this visit, with its magnificent promise, to her spiritual director. Once some initial difficulties were resolved, Church authorities gave it their approval and Lucia did all in her power to spread the request Our Lady had made. Soon, more and more people enthusiastically and devoutly took up the new devotion, setting aside some time every first Saturday of the month to carry out the prayers and meditations asked for by the Blessed Virgin Mary. Gradually the devotion spread throughout the universal Church and has since become known as the First Saturdays Devotion. If you are not already practising this devotion we invite you to do so. You will not only have Our Lady’s great promise of all the graces necessary for salvation at the hour of your death, but you will also receive many other graces throughout your life by carrying out this devotion. What do I have do do? To make our reparation truly pleasing to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and to benefit from the great promise attached to the First Saturdays Devotion, it is important to carefully carry out all of the following requirements that Our Lady asked for: 1. Go to the Sacrament of Confession (Reconciliation); Ψ 2. Receive Holy Communion (in the state of grace); 3. Recite five decades of the Rosary; 4. Keep Our Lady company for fifteen minutes while meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary; * 5. Do all of these with the intention of making reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary; 6. Do all of the above every first Saturday for five consecutive months. Ψ If you cannot go to Confession on the first Saturday itself, you may go anytime up to eight days before of after the first Saturday. Sister Lucia obtained this concession from Our Lord on the 15 February 1926 after presenting the problems that this requirement posed for some people. * Read the suggested meditation on the Joyful Mysteries using texts taken from the Holy Bible. Why five Saturdays? Our Lord answered this question when He appeared to Sister Lucia in May 1930. He explained that there are five principle blasphemies and offences committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary which require reparation. These are: 1. Blasphemies against her Immaculate Conception; 2. Blasphemies against her Perpetual Virginity; 3. Blasphemies against her Divine Maternity; 4. Blasphemies by those who openly encourage indifference or even contempt in the hearts of children towards His Immaculate Mother, and 5. The dishonouring of her images. “Have pity on the Heart of your Blessed Mother, which is pierced and covered with thorns by ungrateful men at every moment.” – The Child Jesus, December 1925
Did you know that the Marians of the Immaculate Conception in Stockbridge MA are having special devotions livestreamed for all first Fridays and Saturdays this year? The first ones were just livestreamed this past weekend. Wonderful Holy devotions that fullfill all obligations for the devotion! If you haven't watched their online Masses yet, I encourage you to see one as they are so holy and reverent. It is our Mass of choice, we watch every day if possible. We have a new lockdown again with no public Masses so this is such a gift.. God is great! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-z10o42s5ZsZ-RTID7ZOZw
Freezing rain and icy conditions here on Friday. And I am halfway through the 9 Masses. Praying the storm comes late.
