The Ark of the Covenant (in Hebrew: aron habrit) is described in the Hebrew Bible as a sacred container built at the command
of Moses, wherein rested the stone tablets containing the Ten Commandments. The Ark and its sanctuary were "the beauty of
Israel" (Lamentations 2:1).
During the journeys of the Israelites, the Ark was carried by the priests in advance of the host (Numbers 4:5, 6; 10:33-36;
Psalms 68:1; 132:8). The Ark was borne by priests into the bed of the Jordan, which separated, opening a pathway for the whole
of the host to pass over (Joshua 3:15, 16; 4:7, 10, 11, 17, 18). The Ark was moreover borne in the procession round Jericho
(Josh. 6:4, 6, 8, 11, 12). When carried, the Ark was always wrapped in a veil, in badger skins, a blue cloth, and was carefully
concealed, even from the eyes of the Levites who carried it.
The Hebrew word aron is used in the Bible to designate any type of ark, chest or coffer, for any purpose (Genesis 50:26;
2 Kings 12:9, 10). The Ark of the Covenant is distinguished from all others by such titles as "Ark of God" (1 Samuel 3:3),
"Ark of the Covenant" (Josh. 3:6; Hebrews 9:4), "Ark of the Testimony" (Ex. 25:22).
"MY HOLY MOTHER MARY BLESSED ARE YOU"
Theotokos derives from the Greek terms: Theos / 'God'; and tiktein / 'to give birth'. Mary is the Theotokos,
the one who gave birth to God. This single word sums up the meaning of Luke's phrase: 'Mother of the Lord' (Lk 1:43) and represents
a counterpoint to John's teaching that the 'Word was made flesh' (Jn 1:14). Usually the term is translated
into English as 'Mother of God'. However, Greek-speaking Christians also used the equivalent Meter Theiou. The latter
form offers a more comprehensive vision of Mary's motherhood in line with a personalist point of view.
December 31, 1969 / The month of
October each year is dedicated to the Most Holy Rosary. This is primarily due to the fact that the liturgical feast of Our
Lady of the Rosary is celebrated annually on October 7th. It was instituted to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary in gratitude
for the protection that she gives the Church in answer to the praying of the Rosary by the faithful.
The feast was
introduced by Pope St. Pius V (1504-1572) in the year 1571 to commemorate the miraculous victory of the Christian forces in
the Battle of Lepanto on October 7, 1571. The pope attributed more to the "arms" of the Rosary than the power of cannons and
the valor of the soldiers who fought there.
Legend tells us that the Rosary as a form of prayer was given to St. Dominic
(1170- 1221) by Mary, the Mother of Our Lord, who entrusted it to him as an aid in the conflicts with the Albigensians. The
Dominican pope, St. Pius V, did much to further the spread of the Rosary and it thereafter became one of the most popular
devotions in Christendom. It was the same Pope St. Pius V, who in 1569 officially approved the Rosary in its present form
with the Papal Bull, CONSUEVERUNT ROMANI PONTIFECES. It had been completed by the addition of the second half of the
"Hail Mary" and the "Glory be to the Father" at the conclusion of each mystery.
Current scholarship traces the development
of the Rosary to the High Middle Ages where it came into being in various medieval monasteries as a substitute for the Divine
Office for the lay monks and devout lay persons who did not know how to read. Instead of the 150 psalms, they would pray 150
"Our Fathers" counting them on a ring of beads known as the crown or "corona". With the growth of popularity of Marian devotion
in the twelfth century, the "Psalter of the Blessed Virgin Mary" developed now substituting 150 "Hail Marys" in place of the
"Our Fathers."
The 150 "Hail Marys" were subsequently subdivided into 15 decades by the young Dominican friar, Henry
Kalkar (1328-1408), with each decade referring to an event in the life of Jesus and Mary. The Dominican, Ananus de Rupe (1428-1478)
further divided the episodes in the history of salvation into the joyful, sorrowful and glorious mysteries. He also attributed
the origin of the Rosary , then known as the "Psalter of the Blessed Virgin" to St. Dominic and thus spurred the Dominican
Order to make the Apostolate of the Rosary their special concern. The Dominicans have, since then, promulgated the Rosary
with notable results.
The practice of dedicating the entire month of October to the Holy Rosary developed toward the
end of the last century. Pope Leo XIII ( papacy: 1878-1903 ) strongly promoted the increase of devotion to the Blessed Mother
by encouraging the constant use of the Rosary. Beginning on September 1, 1883, with SUPREMO APOSTOLATUS OFFICIO, he wrote
a total of eleven encyclicals on the Rosary , ending with DIUTURNI TEMPORIS in 1898. We are currently celebrating the centennial
of these papal encyclicals.
Many other popes have contributed to help increase devotion to the Rosary by their writings.
In the recent past, Pope Paul VI ( papacy: 1963-1978) devoted the last section of his Apostolic Exhortation MARIALIS CULTUS
to the Angelus and the Rosary (MC 40-55). In this document, he wrote that "the Rosary retains an unaltered value and intact
freshness." (MC, 41)
The Rosary is primarily a scriptural prayer. This can be summarized by the traditional phrase
used by Pope Pius XII (papacy: 1939-1958) that the Rosary is " a compendium of the entire Gospel" (AAS 38 [1946] p.419) .
The Rosary draws its mysteries from the New Testament and is centered on the great events of the Incarnation and Redemption.
Our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II has called the Rosary his favorite prayer, in which we meditate with Mary upon
the mysteries which she as a mother meditated on in her heart. (Lk. 2:19) (Osservatore Romano, 44; 30 Oct. 1979)
In
this month of October, let us consider this beautiful prayer of the Rosary as a means that we too can use in order to draw
closer to Jesus and Mary by meditating on the great mysteries of our salvation.
Mary, Mother of mercy, watch over all people, that the Cross of Christ may not be emptied of
its power, that man may not stray from the path of good or become blind to sin, but may put his hope ever more fully in God
Who is "rich in mercy." May he carry out the good works prepared by God beforehand and so live completely "for the praise
of His glory." Amen.
~HAIL MARY FULL OF GRACE THE LORD IS WITH YOU~
MARY OUR PROTECTOR
Most Holy Virgin Mary, appointed by God to be the help of Christians, we choose you as the
mother of protectress of our home. We ask you to favor with your powerful protection. Preserve our home from every dangers,
from fire, flood, earthquakes, thieves, vandals and from every other dangers. Bless us, protect us, defend us. Keep as your
own people who dwell in this home. Protect them from all accidents and misfortunes. But above them, obtain them a most important
grace of avoiding sin. Mary help of Christians, pray for all those who live in this home, which is consecrated to you all
the time Amen.
On this page I'll share inspirational quotes and passages, as well as stories from friends, family, or people who visit my
site. I'll update this page frequently, so be sure to check back.
As personal commentary is sometimes useful, I might include my own thoughts and feelings about the passages I present.
Here's an example of a format I might use, "Virgin" Mary: We call her "Virgin Mary" to distinguish her from
other Marys in the Bible... and because she is the only person in the Bible called "Virgin"... and 4 times!: Matt.1:23, Luk.1:26
(twice), Is.7:14.
"Our Mother": At Calvary,
"standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.
When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple who, he loved standing besides her, he sad to his mother, "Woman, here is your
son". Then he said to the disciple, "here is your mother". And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home (John
19:25-27).
- Jesus knew very well that Virgin Mary was not the
mother of John... and Jesus was not saying a lie on the Cross when he called Mary the mother of John... rather Jesus was stating
a very sweet truth: You and I were represented by the "disciple", and to you and me Jesus was saying, "here is your mother"...
... On the Cross, Jesus gave us his Mother, to be also our Mother...
... St. Paul says the "Body of Christ", the Church, has a "head", which is Christ; and many "members",
who are each Christian... that Body has only one Spirit, and only one Father, says Paul... and is got to have one Mother,
otherwise would be a monstrous body, with a father and no mother... the "Mother" of the head, is the Mother of the Body, of
each member of the Body of Christ... otherwise, again, it wold be a monstrous body, with a mother of the "head", and no mother
for the "members"... (1Cor.12, Ef.4, Col.1). e:
"In dwelling, be close to the land. In meditation, go deep in the heart. In dealing with others, be gentle and kind.
In speech, be true. In ruling, be just. In daily life, be competent. In action, be aware of the time and the season." -
Lao Tzu
Commentary:
I often find myself obsessing on things which don't really matter. This passage, taken from
"Tao Te Ching," reminds me that the basic principles of life can and should be simple.
When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to
his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this
disciple took her into his home. John 19:26-27
Pope Pius XII extolled her under these titles:
Mary is beautiful in herself as the moon, radiates her brilliance as the sun; but against "the enemy" she is
formidable; terrible as an army arrayed for war. As we rejoice and exalt her today, God knows how we would like to
forget the difficulties of the times in which we live....There is the "enemy" even at the very doors of the Church, threatening
souls. And behold, another aspect of Mary: her power in combat....Mary, sinless, has crushed the head of the corrupting serpent.
When Mary approaches, the demon flees - just as darkness dissipates when the sun rises. Where Mary is present, Satan is absent;
where the sun shines, there is no darkness (4).
"The word Woman (gynai) is also misleading. It sounds to us very rough and abrupt. But it is the same word as
Jesus used on the Cross to address Mary as he left her to the care of John (John 19:26). In Homer it is the title by which
Odysseus addresses Penelope, his well-loved wife. It is the title by which Augustus, the Roman Emperor, addressed Cleopatara,
the famous Egyptian queen. So far from being a rough and discourteous way of address, it was a title of respect. We have no
way of speaking in English which exactly renders it; but it is better to translate it Lady which gives at least the
courtesy in it" (The Gospel of John, revised edition, vol. 1, p. 98).
CLICK ON THE LINK ABOVE
Bible Passages on Mary the Mother of Jesus
Mary, holy, Holy Mary, Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus, Mother of God, Immaculate Conception, Holy Mother,
bible, scripture, New Testament, nativity, bible story, catechism, Catholic catecism, Catholic, Catholic Church, Roman, Roman
Catholic Church, Holy Family, St. Joseph, St. Mary, art, art links
(ccc means the Cathechism of the Catholic Church.
If you link to the Catechism's concordance and need help to use it click here.)
Annunciation and Visitation
The Annunciation . . ..Luke 1:26-38 (Links to the NIV are provided as a comparason to the more traditional catholic text.)
Lk 1:26-38 "And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth, to a
virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David: and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel being
come in, said unto her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you: blessed are you among women. Who having heard, was troubled
at his saying and thought with herself what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said to her: Fear not, Mary,
for you have found grace with God. Behold you shall conceive in your womb and shall bring forth a son: and you shall call his name Jesus. He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Most
High. And the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father: and he shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever.
And of his kingdom there shall be no end.
And Mary said to the angel: How shall this be done, because I know not man? And the angel answering, said to her: The Holy
Ghost shall come upon you and the power of the Most High shall overshadow you. And therefore also the Holy which shall be
born of you shall be called the Son of God. And behold your cousin Elizabeth, she also has conceived a son in her old age:
and this is the sixth month with her that is called barren. Because no word shall be impossible with God. And Mary said: Behold
the handmaid of the Lord: be it done to me according to your word. And the angel departed from her." Rheims
Click on That Passage Above About The Holy Mother,
This is "BStanley's" Web Site He Has One Of The Best Web Site Around
Check It Out Please...If You Want To Know Your Catholic Faith You Will Learn It There God Bless<<<<<
Those who honor or seek her intercession with God on their behalf. The role of her intercession
is foreshadowed in the Old Testament. The kings had many wives. So, on account of her close relationship to the king, the
mother of the king was the queen of the kingdom. This made her the most powerful representative of the people to the king.
"Bathsheba therefore went to King Solomon, to speak to him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her and bowed down
to her, and sat down on his throne and had a throne set for the king's mother; so she sat at his right hand. Then she said,
'I desire one small petition of you; do not refuse me.' And the king said to her, 'Ask it, my mother, for I will not refuse
you.' " (1 King 2:19-20)
"OUR CHURCH ST. PETER AND PAUL CATHOLIC CHURCH. SCOTT,LA
70506
~ OUR WEEKEND MASS SCHEDULE:~ Saturday Vigil Mass...4pm..6pm Sunday
Mass..6:30..8:00..10:00..6:00pm.
[THE FIRST ARK OF THE COVENANT] IT HELD THE WORD OF GOD WRITTEN ON STONE
TABLETS. IT HELD THE SYMBOL OF THE HIGH PRIEST,THE ROD OF AARON. IT HELD THE MANNA,THE BREAD COME DOWN FROM HEAVEN.
HEBREWS 9:4
{The Ark Was Made of Incrruptible Wood}
"And Thou Shalt Make the Ark of Testimony of Incorruptible Wood"
"Exodus 25:10. Septuagint"
"THE NEW ARK OF THE COVENANT" vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv "LOOK
DOWN AND SEE THE ARK"
~Hail Mary Full Of Grace The Lord Is With You~
[19] Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple; and there
were flashes of lightning, voices, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail. Rev 11:19
[1] And a great portent appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on
her head a crown of twelve stars; Rev 12:1
If I want to share a longer passage, I might make it available for download rather than including it all on this page.
