Prudence

It is possible for the intellect, enlightended by faith, to know the truth about God, yet fail to see all the windings of the road we must tread to come to him and see how we should carry ourselves upon the road.  Prudence is the virtue by which the grace-aided soul sees the world as it actually is and our relation to it as it should be.  It is thus the virtue which enables the intellect to see what is right to do.

Fruits of the Spirit

Come, O Divine Spirit, fill my

heart with Thy heavenly fruits,

The charity, joy, peace, patience,

benignity, goodness, faith, mildness,

and temperance, that I may

never weary in the service of God,

but by continued faithful

submission to Thy inspiration may

merit to be united eternally with

Thee in the love of the Father and

the Son, Amen.

Fortitude

What feels like the most difficult arena to work through is the global events that we've lost control over.  Humanly speaking we've cornered ourselves into a self righteous position tolerant of so many immoral acts both of the mind and body.  What policed humanity prior to the advent of technology, that which we called the stirring of the Spirit deep within our souls, was the presences of "guilt" , now so deadend, it no longer exist to the degree in us to combat the most malicious temptation and threat to mankind.  Were it not for individuals with deep conviction for the truth, truths meaning would be nothing more than ones numbed conscious, without a guiding light back to safety.  Outlined deep in each of our souls is the intrinsic meaning of Truth given by grace at each of our Baptisms, yet left to sprout  on its own in an untethered vacuum it looses its indelible hold on righteousness falling back to a primitive state of mere spiritual survival, void of all faith.  Pray, pray then with conviction seeking the intercession of those souls justified in God.  Come, O Blessed Spirit of Fortitude, uphold my soul in time of trouble and adversity, sustain my efforts after holiness, strengthen my weakness, give me courage against all the assaults of my enemies, that I may never be overcome and separated from Thee, my God and greatest Good. Amen

Choice of Friends

Envy not a sinner's fame,

for you know not what disaster awaits him.

Rejoice not at a proud man's success;

remember he will not reach death unpunished.

With the learned be intimate;

let all your conversation be about the

law of the LORD.

Have just men for your table companions;

in the fear of God be your glory.

Sirach 9: 11-12, 15-16

Against Presumption

Rely not on your wealth;

say not: "I have the power."

Rely not on your strength

in following the desires of your heart.

Say not: "Who can prevail against me?"

for the LORD will exact the punishment.

Say not: "I have sinned, yet what has

befallen me?"

for the LORD bides his time.

Of forgiveness be not overconfident,

adding sin upon sin.

Say not: "Great is his mercy;

my many sins he will forgive."

For mercy and anger alike are with him;

upon the wicked alights his wrath.

Delay nor your conversion to the LORD,

put it not off from day to day;

For suddenly his wrath flames forth;

at the time of vengeance, you will be

destroyed.

Rely not upon deceitful wealth,

for it will be no help on the day of wrath.

Sirach 5:1-10

The Rewards of Wisdom

Wisdom instructs her children and admonishes those who seek her.  He who loves her loves life; those who seek her out win her favor.  He who holds her fast inherits glory; wherever he dwells, the LORD bestows blessing.

Those who serve her serve the Holy One; those who love her the LORD loves.  He who obeys her judges nations; he who hearkens to her dwells in her inmost chambers.

If one trust her, he will possess her; his descendants too will inherit her.  She walks with him as a stranger, and at first she puts him to the test; Fear and dread she brings upon him and tries him with her discipline; With her precepts she puts him to the proof, until his heart is fully with her.

Then she comes back to bring him happiness and reveal her secrets to him.  But if he fails her, she will abandon him and deliver him into the hands of despoilers

Sirach 4:11-19

Wisdoms Prayer

Come, O Spirit of Wisdom, and

reveal to my soul the mysteries of

heavnly things, their exceeding

greatness, power and beauty.

Teach me to love them above and

beyond all the passing joys and

satisfactions of earth.  Help me to

attain them and possess them

forever.  Amen

The Gift of Wisdom

Embodying all the other gifts, as charity embraces all the other virtues, Wisdom is the most perfect of the gifts.  Of Wisdom it is written "all good things come to me with her, and innumerable riches through her hands."  It is the gift of Wisdom that strengthens our faith, fortifies hope, perfects charity, and promotes the practice of virtue in the highest degree.  Wisdom enlightens the mind to discern and relish things divine, in the appreciation of which earthly joys lose their savor, whilst the Cross of Christ yields a divine sweetness according to the words of the Savior: "Take up thy cross and follow me, for my yoke is sweet and my burden light."

Philosophy Key

Philosophy is like trying to open a safe with a combination lock: each little adjustment of the dials seems to achieve nothing, only when everything is in place does the door open.
by Ludwig Wittgenstein

Friends in Poverty

 

In poverty and other misfortunes of life,

true friends are a sure refuge.  The young

they keep out of mischief; to the old they

are a comfort and aid in their weakness, and

those in the prime of life they incite to noble deeds

by Aristotle

Harmony

How is it they live in such harmony the billions of stars - when most men can barely go a minute without declaring war in their minds about someone they know.

by St. Thomas Aquinas

Philosophy

“The Study of philosophy is not that we may know what men have thought, but what the truth of things is. ”

by St. Thomas Aquinas

Poverty

 We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless.  The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty.  We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty.
by Mother Teresa

On Suffering

God of our life, there are days when the burdens we carry chafe our shoulders and weigh us down; when the road seems dreary and endless, the skies gray and threatening; when our lives have no music in them, and our hearts are lonely, and our souls have lost their courage. Flood the path with light, turn our eyes to where the skies are full of promise. Amen

by St. Augustine

On Friendship

 

“In friendship...we think we have chosen our peers. In reality a few years' difference in the dates of our births, a few more miles between certain houses, the choice of one university instead of another...the accident of a topic being raised or not raised at a first meeting--any of these chances might have kept us apart. But, for a Christian, there are, strictly speaking no chances. A secret master of ceremonies has been at work. Christ, who said to the disciples, "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you," can truly say to every group of Christian friends, "Ye have not chosen one another but I have chosen you for one another." The friendship is not a reward for our discriminating and good taste in finding one another out. It is the instrument by which God reveals to each of us the beauties of others.”

by C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves

How To Receive the "Bread of Angels"

Let us approach to receive the bread of angels with great faith and with a great flame of love in our hearts.  Let us await this  most tender lover of our souls in order to be consoled in this life with the kiss of his mouth.  Happy are we, if we succeed in receiving  from the Lord the consolation of this kiss in the present life!  Then indeed will we feel our will inseparably bound at all times to Jesus' will, and nothing in the world can prevent us from willing what our divine Master wills.  O my God and my glory, then alone can we say: Yes, O divine lover, O Lord of our life, Your love is better than wine, your anointing oils are fragrant.
When our most tender Lord enables one to pronounce these words as the spouse in the Song pronounced them, one feels such a sweetness that one is well aware that Jesus is very near.
by St. Padre Pio

The Field Of Battle

The field of battle between God and Satan is the human soul.  This is where it takes place every moment of our lives.  The soul must give free access to our Lord and be completely fortified by him with every kind of weapon.  His light must illumine it to fight the darkness of error, he must put on Jesus Christ, his truth and justice, the shield of faith, the word of God to overcome such powerful enemies.  To put on Jesus Christ, we must die to ourselves.

by St. Padre Pio

Just a Little Wish

 

When shadows are creeping,

When joy lights are leaping,

When troubles or triumphs walk

close by your side;

In dark days and sad days,

In bright days and glad days,

May Mary protect you and

God be your guide.

by Brian O'Higgins

The Present

“How can the past and future be, when the past no longer is, and the future is not yet? As for the present, if it were always present and never moved on to become the past, it would not be time, but eternity.”
by St. Augustine of Hippo

Mans Mystery

“And men go abroad to admire the heights of mountains, the mighty waves of the sea, the broad tides of rivers, the compass of the ocean, and the circuits of the stars, yet pass over the mystery of themselves without a thought.”
by St. Augustine of Hippo

Life

“Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it.”

by Mother Teresa 

Our Problems

Christ is not a mere means to the end of solving your problem and relieving your sorrow.  Your problem, however big or small it is, is His wise and loving will to you, even though it may not look wise or loving.  It is His deliberate permissive will.  And your response to it is your response to him.
by Peter Kreeft

Our Lady of Fatima

O Most Holy Virgin Mary, Queen of the most holy Rosary, you were pleased to appear to the children of Fatima and reveal a glorious message.  We implore you, inspire in our hearts a fervent love for the recitation of the Rosary.  By meditating on the mysteries of the redemption that are recalled therein may we obtain the graces and virtues that we ask, through the merits of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Redeemer.  Amen

Medicine/Reparation

A sick man, by taking the bitter medicine prescribed, not only denies himself, but also cures himself.

A Good Man

A good man would prefer to be defeated than to

defeat injustice by evil means.

by Sallust

Truth

St. Paul says: "Covetousness is the root of all evils."  This money-craving we might also label as the hotbed of insincerity.  Dishonesty and untruthfulness make the world a place of misery:  cheating and illegal commerce inscrease.  Christ asked:  "What does it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, but suffer the loss of his own soul?"

Humility

Christ taught humility in the clearest words: exalt yourself and be humbled, humble yourself and be exalted-modesty with honor, its opposite with disgrace.  "Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted."  Therefore, according to our Saviour, the test of true greatness is humility;  its opposite-pride, is the telltale inferiority.

Saints

"The saints are like the stars. In his providence Christ conceals them in a hidden place that they may not shine before others when they might wish to do so. Yet they are always ready to exchange the quiet of contemplation for the works of mercy as soon as they perceive in their heart the invitation of Christ."

by St. Anthony of Padua

Love

What does love look like?  It has the hands to help others.  It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy.  It has the eyes to see misery and want.  It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men.  That is what love looks like.
by St. Augustine

Afflictions

Some people feel guilty about their

anxieties and regard them as a defect

of faith but they are afflictions, not sins.

Like all afflictions, they are, if we can so take

them, our share in the passion of Christ.

by C.S. Lewis

Trials

The times in life that seem to us to be the worst

Always turn out for the Best

Holy Fear of God

It is not very wise to think only of having a

pleasant time and to forget your spiritual needs.

It is reasonable and good for you to be afraid of

losing My graces.  Without them you can never

reach the perfect life and happiness of Heaven.

Chapter 21 My Daily Bread

Imitate Him

Christ is virtue personified.  He called Himself the door through which we must enter.  Moreover, He reprimanded those who admire Him and even believe Him, but who fail to imitate Him.  To be merely Christian in name is often the only virtue of the worldly.  "He built God a church, but laughed His word to scorn," says Cowper.  How sad and contradictory!  There are many such-they may not build a church, but they satisfy themselves with giving Christ their name, and that is all.  The proverb says: "The sign brings customers," but their sign frightens them away.

Man's Possessions Part II

Life is filled with the devotees of frivolity, who look upon seriousness as a type of wretched gloom.  They are like the 'wise' squanderers, who pity the 'foolish' savers.  They laugh when they should weep, for sin means little to them, and virtue in their eyes is just a necessary evil.  Their strength is that of the reed, and when the wind blows they break.  How different their opposites!  Threats and tortures move not the serious, of whom Jesus said:  "You will stand before governors and kings for my sake, for a witness to them."  They have the interior command which withstands the worst onslaughts of the exterior forces.  They are like mountains in the midst of storms.
"Take heed to yourselves," cautioned our Savior, "lest your hearts be overburdened with self-indulgence and drunkenness and the cares of this life."  Let us hearken to Him!

Cooperation

It is said of Jesus that as many as but touched the hem of His garment were made whole.  Behold how true compassion cooperates with neediness!  He brought down to us that blessed message from His Father, that men should depend upon one another, should have respect and love for one another, and should bear one anther's burdens. 
When we cooperate with others, both they and we are better off;  it is that discreet compromise, by which an easier attainment of our mutual purposes is reached.

On Being Considerate



Statue to the Consideration in Palacio das Necessidades, Lisbon


When we speak of a person being considerate toward his fellows, we mean that, in the face of all ignorance, guilt, and short coming, he still preserves a thoughtful and kindly feeling toward them, and is ready to treat them accordingly.  For he is like the hospitable door of an asylum or sanctuary, always open for any fugitive.  Such was the consideration of Jesus for man's weakness, that He uttered those unforgettable words: "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest."  Age and experience often teach this broadness of view best, as in the case of that writer who said of himself, that in his younger life he thought of writing a satire on men and their ways, but when older deemed ti better to write an apology for them.

Man's Joy

If true serenity is an asset, cheerfulness is a companion boon; for both depend on the faith we have in divine providence.

Real joy consists in the confidence of one day possessing eternal good things.  "Rejoice on that day and exult," said Jesus, "for behold your reward is great in heaven."  There are many joys upon this earth, but the safest ones are those that keep us close to God, the first of which is religion, endowed with a wondrous power that binds us to eternity.

Christian gladness comes from true self-control in this life; unbridled self-indulgence can never attain it.  In the story of Dives, the rich man, our Saviour impressed this truth most earnestly.  "But God said to him: 'Thou fool, this night do they demand thy soul of thee; and the things that thou hast provided, whose will they be?' "

Man's Possessions

No man is truly serene who is dissatisfied; satisfaction on the other hand tends to pacify.  However, it is an error, according to Christ to measure satisfaction by money.  "Take heed," He said, "and guard yourselves from all covetousness, for a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."  Money should be our servant, not our master.
Security, in the temporal sense, is only a relative good;  security of soul is far above it.  But even here, we must no grow over anxious.  A condition like this is best remedied by having and clinging to the truth.  To Mary Magdalene Jesus said: "Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace."  We cannot find true rest anywhere but in God, for Whom we were made and to Whom we must return, as St. Augustine points out.

If flesh and blood stand in our spiritual way, we must decide against them in favor of Christ.  He had His cross, and we have ours.  "He who does not carry his cross and follow me, cannot be my disciple."  Attachment to God cannot be had without detachment from creatures, as far as they hinder our way.

Discipline

"My sons, do not disdain the discipline of the Lord

or lose heart when reproved by him;

for who the Lord loves, he disciplines;

he scourges every son he acknowledges."

Endure your trials as "discipline"; God treats

you as sons.  For what "son" is there whom his father

does not discipline?  If your are without discipline, in

which all have shared, you are not sons but bastards.

Besides this, we have had our earthly fathers

to discipline us, and we respected them.  Should we

not (then) submit all the more to the Father of spirits and live?

They disciplined us for a short time as

seemed right to them, but he does so for

our benefit, in order that we may share his holiness.

At the time, all discipline seems a cause not for

joy but for pain, yet later it brings the peaceful fruit of

righteousness to those who are trained by  it.

(Hebrews 12: 5-11) 

The Will of God

The Will of God will never take you,
Where the grace of God cannot keep you,
Where the arms of God cannot support you,
Where the riches of God cannot supply your needs,
Where the power of God cannot endow you.

The will of God will never take you,
Where the Spirit of God cannot work through you,
Where the wisdom of God cannot teach you,
Where the army of God cannot protect you,
Where the hands of God cannot mold you.

The will of God will never take you,
Where the love of God cannot enfold you,
Where the mercies of God cannot sustain you,
Where the peace of God cannot calm your fears,
Where the authority of God cannot overrule for you.

The will of God will never take you,
Where the comfort of God cannot dry your tears,
Where the Word of God cannot feed you,
Where the miracles of God cannot be done for you,
Where the omnipresence of God cannot find you.

"Everything happens for a purpose. We may not see
the wisdom of it all now, but trust and believe
in the Lord that everything is for the best."

The way to be anxious about nothing is to
be prayerful about everything.

Unknown

The Gift of Grace

Grace (gratia, Charis), in general, is a supernatural gift of God to

intellectual creatures (men, angels) for their eternal salvation,

 whether the latter be furthered and attained through salutary acts

 or a state of holiness.  Eternal salvation itself consists in heavenly

 bliss resulting from the intuitive knowledge of the Triune God, who

 to the one not endowed with grace "inhabiteth light

inaccessible" (1Timothy 6:16).  Christian grace is a fundamental

 idea of the Christian religion, the pillar on which, by a special

 ordination of God, the majestic edifice of Christianity rests in its

 entirety.  Among the three fundamental ideas, sin, redemption, and

 grace-grace plays the part of the means, indispensable and

 Divinely ordained, to effect the redemption from sin through

 Christ and to lead men to their eternal destiny in heaven.

Church

There is a feeling that one who makes all his own decisions in religion is freer and more natural.  But if a man joins, or remains in, the Church because he believes Christ founded it to give us truth and life and union with him, then it is mere sanity to accept the doctrines and the moral laws it tells us Christ has given it, and the means of life and union.  It is not as if we could discover these things for ourselves.  We know them on God's revelation or not at all.  We must find the teacher authorized by God to teach and accept his authority.  The alternative is to go without.  And freedom is not served by ignorance.

Man

Treat a man as if he were what he

ought to be and you help him become

what he is capable of being.

by Johann von Goethe

Mother Teresa

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self centered;
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you have anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God;
It was never between you and them anyway.

by Mother Teresa

Regrets

When one door closes, another opens;

but we often look so long and so regretfully

upon the closed door that we do not see

the one which has opened for us.

Helen Keller

Lovely Lady Dressed in Blue

Lovely Lady dressed in blue-

Teach me how to pray!

God was just your little boy,

Tell me what to say!

Did you lift Him up, sometimes,

Gently, on your knee?

Did you sing to Him the way

Mother does to me?

Did you hold His hand at night?

Did you ever try

Telling stories of the world?

O! And did He cry!

Do you really think He cares

If I tell Him things-

Little things that happen? And

Do the Angels' wings

Make a noise?  And can He hear

Me if I speak low?

Does He understand me now?

Tell me-for you know?

Lovely Lady dressed in blue-

Teach me how to pray!

God was just your little Boy,

And you know the way.

Giving

Then said a rich man, "Speak to us of Giving."

And he answered:

You give but little when you give of your possessions.

It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.

For what are your possessions but things you keep and guard for fear you may need them tomorrow?

And tomorrow, what shall tomorrow bring to the overprudent dog burying bones in the trackless sand as he follows the pilgrims to the holy city?

And what is fear of need but need itself?

Is not dread of thirst when your well is full, thirst that is unquenchable?

There are those who give little of the much which they have - and they give it for recognition and their hidden desire makes their gifts unwholesome.

And there are those who have little and give it all.

These are the believers in life and the bounty of life, and their coffer is never empty.

There are those who give with joy, and that joy is their reward.

And there are those who give with pain, and that pain is their baptism.

And there are those who give and know not pain in giving, nor do they seek joy, nor give with mindfulness of virtue;

They give as in yonder valley the myrtle breathes its fragrance into space.

Though the hands of such as these God speaks, and from behind their eyes He smiles upon the earth.

It is well to give when asked, but it is better to give unasked, through understanding;

And to the open-handed the search for one who shall receive is joy greater than giving

And is there aught you would withhold?

All you have shall some day be given;

Therefore give now, that the season of giving may be yours and not your inheritors'.

You often say, "I would give, but only to the deserving."

The trees in your orchard say not so, nor the flocks in your pasture.

They give that they may live, for to withhold is to perish.

Surely he who is worthy to receive his days and his nights is worthy of all else from you.

And he who has deserved to drink from the ocean of life deserves to fill his cup from your little stream.

And what desert greater shall there be than that which lies in the courage and the confidence, nay the charity, of receiving?

And who are you that men should rend their bosom and unveil their pride, that you may see their worth naked and their pride unabashed?

See first that you yourself deserve to be a giver, and an instrument of giving.

For in truth it is life that gives unto life - while you, who deem yourself a giver, are but a witness.

And you receivers - and you are all receivers - assume no weight of gratitude, lest you lay a yoke upon yourself and upon him who gives.

Rather rise together with the giver on his gifts as on wings;

For to be overmindful of your debt, is to doubt his generosity who has the free-hearted earth for mother, and God for father.

By Khalil Gibran

Pride

False scales are an abomination to the Lord,

but a full weight is his delight.

When pride comes, disgrace comes;

but with the humble is wisdom.

The honesty of the upright guides them;

the faithless are ruined by their duplicity.

Wealth is useless on the day of wrath,

but virtue saves from death.

The honest man's virtue makes his way straight,

but by his wickedness the wicked man falls.

The virtue of the upright saves them,

but the faithless are caught in their own intrigue.

When a wicked man dies his hope perishes,

and what is expected from strength come to nought.

The just man escapes trouble,

and the wicked man falls into it in his stead.

With his mouth the impious man would ruin his neighbor,

but through their knowledge the just make their escape.

(Proverbs 11: 1-9)

Grace

Picture of Penseroso by Thomas Cole

Grace is not just a way of saying that a soul is in God's favor; it is real life, with its own proper powers, living in the soul; and he who has it is a new man.
A soul with sanctifying grace in it is indwelt with God.  The God who indwells is the Blessed Trinity.  Father and Son and Holy Spirit make the soul their home, acting upon the soul, energizing within it, while it responds to their life-giving, light-giving, love-giving energy.

Oh my God, You know my weakness and failings, and that without Your help I can accomplish nothing for the good of souls, my own and others’. Grant me, therefore, the help of Your grace. Grant it according to my particular needs this day. Enable me to see the task You will set before me in the daily routine of my life, and help me work hard at my appointed tasks. Teach me to bear patiently all the trials of suffering or failure that may come to me today. Amen.

Spirit

Spirit is an element within us by which we know and love by which we therefor decide.   It's our soul interfacing with our mind which produces ideas yet it has no parts, there is no element in it which is not the whole of it.  It occupies no space, it is superior to the need for space, it occupies nothing and yet its everything about us!

Eternity

We possess our being, the philosophers say, successively. Not so God.  All that he is, he possesses in one single act of being.  Eternity does not mean everlasting time, time open at both ends, so that however far you go back into the past there is no beginning, howver far you go forward in the future, there is no end.  Eternity is not time at all.  It is God's total possession of himself.
by Frank Sheed "Theology for beginners"

God

"The material universe is God's work of art, but spiritual beings are his self-portraiture.  If we leave out God it is not only the whole universe that we see wrong.  We do not see any single thing right.  God is at the center of the being of each individual thing, giving it the existence it has, keeping it in existence.  To see anything yourself, for instance-without in the same act seeing God holding it in existence is to be living in a world of fantasy, not the real world."
by Frank Sheed "Theology for beginners"

Ultimate Measure

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." - Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Queenship of Mary Part 2

The book of Revelation testifies to this fact.  Solomon's temple with the ark of the covenant were destroyed in 587 B.C..  But when Jesus ascended to heaven, he established a new temple: "Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple" (Revelation 11:19).  With these words, John, the author of Revelation, presents Jesus as one who eternally rebuilt in heaven what Solomon so fleetingly built on earth.  Then John introduces a woman.  "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" (Revelation 12:1).

Revelation portrays Christ, then, as a new Solomon who has built a Temple and Ark of the Covenant in heaven.  Just as Solomon entrhoned his queen mother at his right, so Christ has enthroned his Queen Mother, "clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of Twelve stars."  Those familiar with the Old Testament would expect any king in the line of David to have a queen mother.  We who are Catholic recognize Mary as the Queen Mother of the King of kings.  And that is why we pray, "Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope."
by Father Oscar Lukefahr, C.M.