In his prophetic encyclical letter THE GOSPEL OF LIFE, John Paul II makes it simple and clear in the following comment:
“The Gospel of Life is something concrete and personal, for it consists in the proclamation of the very person of Jesus…Through the words, the actions and the very person of Jesus, man is given the possibility of ‘knowing’ the complete truth concerning the value of human life.” # 29.
UNBORN WORD ALLIANCE is committed to reflecting upon “the words (Heb 10:5-7), the actions and the very person of (Unborn) Jesus” through its diverse activities: the book Unborn Jesus Our Hope, the Litany of the Unborn Christ Child prayer card (English & Spanish), our website UnbornWordAlliance.com, our blog UNBORNWORD of the day and speaking engagements. To see prayer cards click on the box.
Filed under: John Paul II
Traditionally October 7 is the feast day of Our Lady of the Rosary. The following is taken from Pope John Paul II’s Apostolic Letter on the Most Holy Rosary:
Mary, model of contemplation
“The contemplation of Christ has an incomparable model in Mary. In a unique way the face of the Son belongs to Mary. It was in her womb that Christ was formed, receiving from her a human resemblance which points to an even greater spiritual closeness. No one has ever devoted himself to the contemplation of the face of Christ as faithfully as Mary. The eyes of her heart already turned to him at the Annunciation, when she conceived him by the power of the Holy Spirit. In the months that followed she began to sense his presence and to picture his features. When at last she gave birth to him in Bethlehem, her eyes were able to gaze tenderly on the face of her Son, as she “wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger”. (Lk2:7)
Thereafter, Mary’s gaze, ever filled with adoration and wonder, would never leave him.” #10
October 7th is traditionally the feast day of Our Lady of the Rosary. Following are a few comments about the “Hail Mary” prayer repeated throughout the rosary.
On our website we have the words to the “Hail Mary” prayer visually formatted to demonstrate the simple reality that the prayer is Christ-centered. At the center of the prayer is one word: JESUS. But it is introduced with these words: “Blessed is the fruit of thy womb…Jesus”. These words, taken from the Gospel of Luke (Lk 1:42), are the words Elizabeth speaks to Mary immediately after her unborn baby John the Baptist leaps in her womb due to the arrival and Presence of Unborn Jesus (in Mary’s womb).
The entire “Hail Mary” prayer revolves around Unborn Jesus! Yet, the prayer, like the life of Jesus, is expansive and inclusive, that is, it points to all of the other realities and experiences of Jesus during His life on this earth. His birth, childhood, public ministry, Passion and death, resurrection, ascension into Heaven are all naturally drawn into the simple message of this prayer: “Blessed is the fruit of thy womb JESUS!”
The word JESUS, is perhaps subtle in this prayer, subtle like an unborn baby in the early months of pregnancy. But the other words of the prayer are anchored by this one word. Like spokes emanating outward from the hub of a wheel, the words of the “Hail Mary” go outward from their quiet centerpoint, the word, the Person: JESUS.
And this is precisely the way Mary would want it. Her comment many years later at Cana “Do whatever He tells you” (Jn 2:5) is comparable to the famous comment by John the Baptist: “He must increase, but I must decrease” (Jn 3:30). Mary does not compete for our attention; no, she simply loves her child, the fruit of her womb, and offers Him, to you, in His meekness, His vulnerability, not as Eve offered forbidden fruit, but lovingly as the one necessary fruit for your salvation and happiness. You can reach out to her and accept this fruit: her baby JESUS, her savior JESUS.
Today, October 5, 2007 is the feast day of St. Mary Faustina Kowalska, the Apostle of Divine Mercy. Here she speaks about the Mercy of God in the Incarnation.
“…Mercy has moved You to deign to descend among us and lift us up from our misery. God will descend to earth; the Immortal Lord of lords will abase Himself. But where will You descend, Lord; will it be to the temple of Solomon? Or will You have a new Tabernacle built for Yourself? Where do You intend to come down? O Lord, what kind of tabernacle shall we prepare for You, since the whole earth is Your footstool?
You have indeed prepared a tabernacle for Yourself; the Blessed Virgin. Her Immaculate Womb is Your dwelling place, and the inconceivable miracle of Your mercy takes place, O Lord. The Word becomes flesh; God dwells among us, the Word of God, Mercy incarnate. By Your descent, You have lifted us up to Your divinity. Such is the excess of Your love, the abyss of Your mercy. Heaven is amazed at the superabundance of Your love. No one fears to approach You now.”
From the The Diary of the Servant of God Saint M. Faustina Kowalska, Divine Mercy In My Soul, Notebook VI.
Today, October 4, 2007 is the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi.
Many Franciscans will tell you that the Christmas Crib holds a special place of honor in Franciscan spirituality. We know about Francis re-creating the Christmas scene one year as a living Nativity with real animals and so on. From his inspiration came the tradition of celebrating Christmas with a nativity scene. St. Bonaventure tells the story here.
One might even say that the Crib of Christ balances out, so to speak, the Cross of Christ. Not that the Cross needs to be balanced out or toned down or made pretty. No not at all. Rather, the reality of God’s Love and Incarnation have two marvelous windows for the soul – like sunrise and sunset – in the Crib and the Cross. And Francis lived these realities when he instituted the living Nativity and when he received the stigmata.
One of his modern day followers in writing about “The Simplicity of St. Francis of Assisi” lists five characteristics, the second of which is: A Childlike Quality. This is one of the gifts one can receive from Bethlehem, not under the Christmas tree, not from one of the wise men, but from the baby Jesus Himself. If we go to the crib to honor the baby God there He will bless us in a childlike manner. Here is a wonderful quote from Mother Angelica (a Franciscan nun) of EWTN fame:
“I want very much to spread devotion to the Divine Child Jesus. Not only is He powerful, but what you need and I need is family, and that Child Jesus will make us one again. He will put love in our hearts, back where it should be.“
Another Franciscan nun focusing on the Advent dimension of her Franciscan spirituality speaks of creating space for Jesus in one’s own heart; a “crib in our hearts”. This is definitely a childlike concept. Can we relate to it in our sophisticated world with our complicated perspectives?
The crucified Christ saves our souls, perhaps the infant Christ can heal our attitudes!
Filed under: Poems
Last week, we had a post about Blessed Herman (a remarkable man. who overcame daunting physical limitations to become a saint in his time). We want to thank Julian for bringing to our attention this beautiful poem written about Blessed Herman. It was found in Father Benedict J Groeschel book, Stumbling Blocks or Stepping Stones.
Herman The Cripple
by
William Hart Hurlbut, M.D.
I am least among the low,
I am weak and I am slow;
I can neither walk nor stand,
Nor hold a spoon in my own hand.
Like a body bound in chain,
I am on a rack of pain,
But He is God who made me so,
that His mercy I should know.
Brothers do not weep for me!
Christ, the Lord, has set me free.
All my sorrows he will bless;
Pain is not unhappiness.
From my window I look down
To the streets of yonder town,
Where the people come and go,
Reap the harvest that they sow.
Like a field of wheat and tares,
Some are lost in worldly cares;
There are hearts as black as coal,
There are cripples of the soul.
Brothers do not weep for me!
In his mercy I am free.
I can neither sow nor spin,
Yet, I am fed and clothed in Him.
I have been the donkey’s tail,
Slower than a slug or snail;
You my brothers have been kind,
Never let me lag behind.
I have been most rich in friends,
You have been my feet and hands;
All the good that I could do,
I have done because of you.
Oh my brothers, can’t you see?
You have been as Christ for me.
And in my need I know I, too,
Have become as Christ for you!
I have lived for forty years
In this wilderness of tears;
But these trials can’t compare
With the glory we will share.
I have had a voice to sing,
To rejoice in everything;
Now Love’s sweet eternal song
Breaks the darkness with the dawn.
Brother’s do not weep for me!
Christ, the Lord, has set me free.
Oh my friends, remember this:
Pain is not unhappiness.
Filed under: Pro-life
Travis Boudreaux writes:
As part of the 40 Days for life campaign, I will be running daily pro life, and abortion videos over at my video blog. Please check it out, and let all of your readers know about it. http://www.catholic-tube.com
Click here for the video he posted on October 1. I found it very moving.
Also Kelly Clark at The Lady in the Pew has a beautiful post on Saint Therese of the Child Jesus and her little way:
UNBORN WORD of the day 
