SPIRITUALITY 101
SPIRITUAL REFLECTION- 108
Deacon Jim Breazile o.c.d.s.

According to a German legend a poor exiled man returned to his homeland after thirty years in a Siberian prison. He had suffered much torture so that his face had been disfigured and his hair had turned white. When he entered the town of his childhood, his friends did not recognize him. When he approached them and extended his hand in recognition, he understood that he had changed so much that they didn't know who he was. He saw one of his brothers, with whom he had worked, eaten and slept. He called him but the brother did not recognize him and looked upon his disfigured face with contempt. As he walked through the town, he was insulted by little boys and was looked at with suspicion by the police. Finally, sad and dejected he arrived at his old home. An old lady in mourning cloths sat at the door. The man said to himself, "certainly she will know who I am." When he approached her, the woman immediately recognized him and said tenderly, "My dear son, I am so happy you are home." They embraced each other with great tenderness.

Mothers never fail to recognize their children. So it is with the Mother of Jesus and all His brothers and sisters. She continually rejoices as mother of us all.

DEVOTION - Growth in love- 3rd stage 
DEVOTIONALS- MEDITATION-SACRAMENTALS-THE ROSARY-35 
HAIL MARY-1

The principle prayer of the Rosary is the Hail Mary. The importance of this prayer in spiritual growth is emphasized by St. Teresa of Avila who taught her sisters that the Our Father and the Hail Mary, prayed with reflection was all that is required for spiritual perfection (The Way of Perfection, Chapter 21, 2-3). These two prayers contain the central elements of the Christian faith. Because of this relationship, the Our Father and the Hail Mary are commonly associated in many Christian devotions. Both prayers are masterpieces that associate two inseparable characters of salvation revelation, Jesus and Mary. In the Our Father we honor God and petition Him for the needs of body and soul. In the Hail Mary we honor the mother of Christ, and petition her to intercede for us and for our needs at the throne of her Divine Son. At the time at which He was prepared to depart from this life while on the cross, Jesus cast one last worldly affectionate eye toward His Sorrowful Mother and his beloved disciple, John and exclaimed: "Behold thy Mother! Behold thy son!" Through this act Jesus commissioned His beloved mother to be the second "Woman" (Eve), the mother of all the living, the mother of the Church. In His last act from the Cross, Jesus at the same time commissioned us in turn to be her faithful spiritual children.

Since the beginning of Christianity, Mary has been honored as the Mother of Jesus. The Evangelist's, particularly St. Luke, make it clear that this greeting given by the angel Gabriel reflects a central characteristic of Mary's life. "Hail Mary," translated into words of our time would best be expressed, "Rejoice Mary." Her devoted children relate to the Blessed Mother in full knowledge that she was chosen through all ages to give flesh to Jesus, Son of God. Her response to God, "If it is your will, let it be done, I am the handmaid of the Lord", allowed the second person of the Blessed Trinity to enter the world to redeem mankind.

Divine revelation assures us that God held each of us in mind, through all ages of eternity. At a chosen time, when we were conceived in our mothers womb, He create for each of us an individual and unique soul. Our soul is not a duplicate of any soul ever created in the past, and it will never be duplicated through the remainder of time. This unique soul is meant to enliven and conform our body and our actions. The soul in fact enlivens and conforms all that we do in life to give Glory to God. Because of the uniqueness of the human soul the manner in which each person gives glory to God is equally unique. Since the sin of Adam, the human soul has been weakened by sin and concupiscence. Because of the weakness of our soul, even with our best efforts and intentions we always fall short of fulfilling our responsibility to be His glory in the world.

The soul God created for the Blessed Mother of Jesus was also unique. Her soul like ours, enabled her life in this world to be individual and to give glory to God in her special way. As she served as the avenue through which divinity would enter the world united to human flesh, she was to be the donor of that human flesh. By the conception of Jesus through the fecundity of the Holy Spirit, she was to be the mother of God on earth. So that she could aptly fulfill this responsibility, she was protected from the sin of Adam at her conception in her mothers womb protected from the sin of Adam. In this manner the soul of Mary differed in a singular manner from all souls created by God since those of Adam and Eve's of Eden. This protection allowed her to be the sinless channel of love through which Jesus was born.

Her freedom from sin and concupiscence, which weakens the souls of all other's since Adam is the source of a continual rejoicing of the Blessed Mother. Although we experience rejoicing from time to time in this life, it does not persist. Only when we experience the glorification of our body and soul, in the presence of God will we know the rejoicing that characterized the mother of Jesus. Because of the absence of sin and concupiscence, the soul of Mary was continually in full union with God every moment of her life. This is the reason that the angel Gabriel, descending from the great white throne of Light first recognized her by the expression "Rejoice Mary." This was not only her manner of life in the world. This is her name through all ages.

When we say, "Hail Mary," at the beginning of our prayer, we can for a moment join into that rejoicing that comes only from heaven.

NEW CATHOLIC CATECHISM 
ARTICLE NO. 1084 

"Seated at the right hand of the Father" and pouring out the Holy Spirit on his Body which is the Church, Christ now acts through the sacraments he instituted to communicate his grace. The sacraments are perceptible signs (words and actions) accessible to our human nature. By the action of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit they make present efficaciously the grace that they signify.

HIS PRESENCE IN SACRAMENT 
Deacon Jim Breazile o.c.d.s.

With the Father seated 
After He death defeated 
To give His Church on earth 
That from His side gained birth 
Nourishes by His presence in Sacrament

After Jesus ascended 
The Church He defended 
By continued outpouring 
Of Holy Spirit soaring 
He remains present in Sacrament

Gifts to Body transcendent 
His grace resplendent 
By signs perceptible 
Grace made accessible 
Through His presence in Sacrament

Action Christological 
Serves Body mystical 
With power of His Spirit 
Efficacious signs merit 
His presence in Sacrament

Ó2001 DR. JAMES E. BREAZILE, deacon 
JOHN PAUL EVANGELIST OCDS