Saint Gabriel the Archangel
by VP
Posted on Tuesday March 24, 2026 at 03:00AM in Saints
Saint Gabriel, the Archangel, El Greco
"The name Gabriel signifies the strength of God, and well becomes the holy archangel, whose feast we celebrate this day; inasmuch as he was the chosen ambassador of God, in the greatest of mysteries, the Incarnation of His divine Son. He had been sent long before to the prophet Daniel, to announce to him the mysterious period of seventy weeks, which were to elapse from the going forth of the decree for rebuilding Jerusalem, to the coming of the world's Redeemer. Thus this holy archangel was sent early to announce the great mystery of the Incarnation.
Again we find St. Gabriel appearing to Zachary in the temple, to bring him the good tidings of the approaching birth of St. John the Baptist. He was the great precursor of the Messias; and St. Gabriel was sent to announce his nativity, on account of the intimate connexion between that event and the Incarnation of the Son of God.
But the greatest and most solemn embassy of the archangel Gabriel, was at the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary; when he was sent to declare the adorable counsels of God to her, and solicit her consent to become the mother of the incarnate Son of God. He was sent to the city of Nazareth, to the Blessed Virgin, to declare to her the joyful tidings that she was chosen to be the Mother of the Son of God, and to bring forth the long-expected and promised Messias. The heavenly messenger, entering her house, saluted her with great reverence, and said to her: "Hail full of grace, the Lord is with thee." Having removed her trouble and surprise at this salutation, he told her of the great mystery to be performed in her, and that she should conceive, and bring forth the Son of God. Having delivered this message, and received her consent, he departed: and by the ineffable operation of the Holy Ghost, she conceived the Saviour of the world. The most exalted commission was here given to St. Gabriel; and he was sent to treat of the most important affair which the world had ever witnessed.
Beseech this holy archangel to obtain for you to be duly penetrated with these sacred mysteries, of which he was the august messenger from God to man. Pray that you may faithfully accomplish the will of God, and be at all times sweetly united to Him. Pray that you may ever walk in His holy presence, and lead the lives of angels on earth, that so you may be associated with those pure spirits hereafter." The Catholic Year by Rev. Fr. John Gother
"’Twas you, Gabriel, that taught us the salutation with which we should greet Mary full of grace. You were the first to pronounce these sublime words, which you brought from Heaven. The children of the Church are now, day and night, repeating these words of yours. Pray for us that we may say them in such a manner as that our Blessed Mother may find them worthy of her acceptance.
Angel of Strength, Friend of Mankind, relent not in your ministry of aiding us. We are surrounded by terrible enemies. Our weakness makes them bold. Come to our assistance, get us courage. Pray for us during these days of conversion and penance. Obtain for us the knowledge of all we owe to God in consequence of that ineffable mystery of the Incarnation of which you were the first witness. We have forgotten our duties to the Man-God, and we have offended Him: enlighten us, that so, henceforth, we may be faithful to His teachings and examples. Raise up our thoughts to the happy abode where you dwell. Assist us to merit the places left vacant by the fallen Angels, for God has reserved them for His elect among men.
Pray, Gabriel, for the Church Militant, and defend her against the attacks of Hell. The times are evil. The spirits of malice are let loose, nor can we make stand against them unless with God’s help. It is by His holy Angels that He gives victory to His Spouse. Be thou, Strength of God, foremost in the ranks. Drive heresy back, keep schism down, foil the false wisdom of men, frustrate the policy of the world, arouse the well-minded from apathy that thus, the Christ whom you announced may reign over the Earth He has redeemed, and that we may sing together with you and the whole angelic choir: Glory be to God! Peace to men!" Dom Gueranger
Prayer to the Holy Angels for Parishes
All you legions and choirs of Angels,
please make haste to come to the aid and defense of our One Holy Roman
Catholic Church. Led by St. Michael, may She be protected from
destruction within by all modernistic attempts that try to diminish the
true presence of God and take away His proper and due respect! In
particular, come to the aid of my parish (name your parish) that it may
remain or be remade to be a place of reverence and a stronghold from
which the One True Triune God may continue to lead and strengthen us.
Amen.
Day 35. Lent with the Cure d'Ars: We are nothing in Ourselves
by VP
Posted on Tuesday March 24, 2026 at 02:00AM in Lenten Sermons
"Temptation is necessary to us to make us realize that we are nothing in ourselves.
St. Augustine tells us that we should thank God as much for the sins from which He has preserved us as for those which He has had the charity to forgive us. If we have the misfortune to fall so often into the snares of the Devil, we set ourselves up again too much on the strength of our own resolutions and promises and too little upon the strength of God. This is very true. When we do nothing to be ashamed of, when everything is going along according to our wishes, we dare to believe that nothing could make us fall. We forget our own nothingness and our utter weakness. We make the most delightful protestations that we are ready to die rather than to allow ourselves to be conquered.
We see a splendid example of this in St. Peter, who told our Lord that although all others might be scandalized in Him, yet he would never deny Him. Alas! To show him how man, left to himself, is nothing at all, God made use, not of kings or princes or weapons, but simply of the voice of a maidservant, who even appeared to speak to him in a very indifferent sort of way. A moment ago, he was ready to die for Him, and now Peter protests that he does not even know Him, that he does not know about whom they are speaking. To assure them even more vehemently that he does not know Him, he swears an oath about it. Dear Lord, what we are capable of when we are left to ourselves!
There are some who, in their own words, are envious of the saints who did great penances. They believe that they could do as well. When we read the lives of some of the martyrs, we would, we think, be ready to suffer all that they suffered for God; the moment is short lived, we say, for an eternity of reward. But what does God do to teach us to know ourselves or, rather, to know that we are nothing? This is all He does: He allows the Devil to come a little closer to us.Look at this Christian who a moment ago was quite envious of the hermit who lived solely on roots and herbs and who made the stern resolution to treat his body as harshly. Alas! A slight headache, a prick of a pin, makes him, as big and strong is he is, sorry for himself. He is very upset. He cries with pain. A moment ago, he would have been willing to do all the penances of the anchorites -- and the merest trifle makes him despair! Look at this other one, who seems to want to give his whole life for God, whose ardor all the torments there are cannot damp. A tiny bit of scandal-mongering .... a word of calumny .... even a slightly cold reception or a small injustice done to him .... a kindness returned by ingratitude .... immediately gives birth in him to feelings of hatred, of revenge, of dislike, to the point, often, of his never wishing to see his neighbor again or at least of treating him coldly with an air which shows very plainly what is going on in his heart. And how many times is this his waking thought, just as it was the thought that almost prevented him from sleeping?
Alas, my dear brethren, we are poor stuff, and we should count very little upon our good resolutions!"
Source: The Sermons of the Cure d'Ars 1960 (Public Domain)
Prayer for Lent: O Lord who, for our sake, didst fast forty days and forty nights; give us grace to use such abstinence that, our flesh being subdued to the spirit, we may worthily lament and acknowledge our wretchedness, and may obtain perfect remission and forgiveness of Thee, the God of all mercy, who livest and reignest with the Father and Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen
Source: Lent with the Cure d'Ars Compiled by the CAPGCalvary
by VP
Posted on Tuesday March 24, 2026 at 12:00AM in Meditations
Crucifix, Mother of Mercy Catholic Church, Washington NC
"The contemplation of Calvary is heartbreaking. The very name Golgotha connotes a world of woe. The ghastly deeds done upon the hill outside of Jerusalem are like a nightmare to devoted Christians. Even to the imagination the Crucifixion is a hideous thing. The swish of scourges upon naked flesh, the spatter of blood, the demoniacal cries of the mob of fanatics and murderers, the sound of the crunching of nails driven powerfully into human flesh and sinews, the inhuman shout of triumph when their Victim was nailed to His cross, the crude, coarse jesting, the blasphemous banter, all the unknown, incredible cruelty of an Oriental mob- it is enough to make the heart stand still with horror.
But we have no right to shrink from witnessing the tragedy of Calvary. If we know not Calvary, we know not Christ. We dare not, like cowardly Christians, omit the cross from our Christianity. God forbid we should glory except in the cross of Christ."
Source: A Thought a Day for Lent, Rev. James M Gilles, C.P.; Paulist Press, 1923.
