Patriotism is an Invincible Religion

 "As I write, highly civilized human beings are flying overhead, trying to kill me. They do not feel any enmity against me as an individual, nor I against them. They are ‘only doing their duty’, as the saying goes. Most of them, I have no doubt, are kind-hearted law-abiding men who would never dream of committing murder in private life. On the other hand, if one of them succeeds in blowing me to pieces with a well-placed bomb, he will never sleep any the worse for it. He is serving his country, which has the power to absolve him from evil." ― George Orwell, England Your England

The same man, George Orwell also wrote: People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.

George Orwell

Think about it.  They don’t necessarily contradict each other.  They are words from two different people with different eyes because of the positions they currently occupy.  One view is from the bomb’s recipient.  The other view is from the person benefiting from the bombs.

Orwell wrote the second quote in his essay "The Lion and the Unicorn: Socialism and the English Genius."    These two seemingly different opinions aren't Orwell's.  He is describing people.  I think Orwell recognizes that patriotism is a religion.  It even takes precedence over Christianity or any other religion, because a Christian or other, doesn't recognize patriotism as a religion. He can be both.  God and country aren't the same, so loyalty to each wouldn't be the same.  But they get confused and patriotism comes ahead.  Hitler and Mussolini  knew this and rose to power on it.  Putin tells his people that the noble Russians are freeing the Ukrainians.  The Russians are the good guys liberating Ukraine.

People are fickle.  How they sleep depends on what country they are in.

The Choreography of the Liturgy of the Eucharist

 Catholics accept most postures for prayer.  St. Dominic had Nine ways of praying.  Kneeling is interpreted as the acceptable posture for supplication.  But many can't kneel due to age or various health reasons, so they usually bow.  You'll see people due this to show reverence when they enter their pew.  They will look at the Tabernacle or altar and genuflect or bow to greet Jesus and show respect.

Kneeling show humility before God, so just think what prostrations show.  You will see priest do this at Ordinations or a Penitential Liturgy.  Standing can be a sign of respect, too.  Gentlemen stand when a lady enters the room.  Catholics stand to listen to the Gospel.  Some pictures in catacombs or other early Christian venues with the people standing to worship.  They even have their hands raised during the Eucharistic prayer.

There is a story that St. Monica when to bishop, St. Ambrose, complaining about the way the Romans received and worshipped.  St. Ambrose responded, "When in Rome, do what the Romans do."  Unity in the Liturgy of the Eucharist is needed, but in charity is what is always necessary.

The Joke's on Us.

 Today's hike brought us to an abandoned building (there are many abandoned bldgs. at Medfied State Hospital) that had a fence around it.  The fence had 36 locks on it.  36!!!  Bob counted them and he's a semi-retired cop, so he notices those things. 

There were nine hikers, this morning.  When we came upon this fence, we stopped.  We read the sign:

  "Isn't a velociraptor a dinosaur?"

  "Not sure."

What threw us off, was the statement underneath the velociraptor notice: carnivore handlers only within 50 feet.

"What's that mean?"
"Not sure."

 

As we seriously debated the meaning of this ominous sign, a dog-walker came by.  He was laughing and said "Funny, huh?"

"Oh yes, we knew it was a joke, right away!"

God's Kingdom

 My yearning for Jesus in the Eucharist led me to Bread of Life, Cup of Salvation by John F. Baldovin, sj. He answers the question, "Why bother to go to Mass when you can worship God anywhere?"  

Where it is true that God is everywhere, the Mass offers God the best worship.  It's communal and any union member can tell you, the more, the better.  You personally experience the consecration in a shared communion.  Celebrations need to be shared.

I think community worshipping God is what God wants.  The world giving glory to God is what the world should look like. Praying for each other's needs and the world is an important shared need. Besides, Jesus shares Himself with us.  How could that be a private thing?  Share the joy of the celebration.

Slap Shot

 Fire Keeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley confirmed my suspicions that I'm out of touch; I'm over the hill, and I'm glad I'm on the way out, and not on the way in.  Educationally, the book is excellent.  I learned about our Indigenous Americans, how they were mistreated, and still are.  I learned about some natural medicines, botany, etc.  I learned about a part of history that I didn't know.  

What I was surprised about and why I'm glad I'm not a teenager are the messages the book sends concerning morality, violence, language, consumerism and drinking and drugs.  The heroine, Daunis, which is Ojibwe for daughter is our protagonist.  While she is a good kid, I was shocked that at age 18 she wore an implanted birth control device.  That's so she wouldn't have an unplanned pregnancy.  She also had a package of condoms in the glove compartment of her car, so she wouldn't get a sexually transmitted disease.  Did I mention the blanket in the back seat for impromptu "snagging."  Did I mention that she was 18?  High School seniors are 18!  Her brother and friends, who were in high school were always "snagging."

Daunis gave a party that provided a keg of beer.  But don't worry.  The drinking age was 18, so it was OK. !!!!!!!

Daunis' father impregnated two women within months of each other, so Daunis has a younger half brother only a few months younger than herself.  They themselves, and both her mother's and father's families are devoted to both Daunis and her brother, Levi.  They all get along.

The families are hockey families and both Daunis and Levi play. In fact, they're super-stars.  Daunis becomes involved with a newcomer to the hockey team,by  Jaime.  Jaime happens to be an undercover FBI agent and recruits Daunis to help.  When Daunis best friend, Lily, is shot and killed by her meth-crazed boyfriend, she is dedicated to rid her team, her reservation, and her people of the drugs.

The story becomes a page-turning thriller.  The deeper Daunis goes, the more her family is involved.  The people whom she has trusted prove to be controlling, untrustworthy, money hungry, murderers.  She barely gets out alive.  Well, she does, but she's not the same person she was.

At the end, the reader will be breathless.  It is quite a tale.  Daunis is a strong, brave, loving young lady and a good role model.  But the casual sex, booze, racism, assaults, language, and violence is cultural and that's what bothers me.  Is this all normal behavior for teens?  I'm glad I'm not a teen.  

Thy Will Be Done

 The Lord's Prayer has the phrase, "Thy Will be done."  When you think about it, you will see that God's Will is always done.  Everything is part of His plan.  

You might ask, "Then why pray for anything?  God gets what He wants, all the time, anytime."

I think it's because God likes to be asked because He enjoys communicating with us.  Us asking is better than no communicating.  Always asking is better than nothing.  Besides, during contemplation you probably will get your answer: yes, no, how to go about obtaining what you want.  Finally, you will realize "Thy Will be done."

The Sons of America

 Top News from the Franklin Observer is an internet newsletter sent via email by Alan Earls.  For the past three days I've been reading about Albert Richardson, a local man who left town and lived quite the adventurist's life.  He lived during the Civil War and worked as a journalist.  He was captured and put in a Confederate prison.  He escaped and was helped by a network of people who called themselves the Sons of America.

One of these helpers, was a woman disguised as a man.  Her name was Melvina Stevens.

Mass Intentions

 Catholics believe in the Communion of Saints: we pray for our dead and they pray for us.  This is especially so when associated with the eucharistic sacrifice. The Prayers of the Faithful, also, show our concern for the needs of the world and we connect them to the eucharistic sacrifice.  

Throughout the church's history, the people have requested prayers for their loved ones and other special intentions.  My parish has Mass Intentions form listed on its website.  But do you pay for it?

Theoretically, no because no one can pay for a Mass.  So we don't call it paying for Mass; we make an offering.  After all, there are utilities, insurance, etc. and other necessities to support a parish.

It is very important that we bring to our Lord our concerns and that means our blessings on our loved ones.  We communicate with the Lord, all day, so a special grace would be to offer these prayers at the eucharistic sacrifice.  

People often do this on the anniversary of a special occasion. It is a nice gesture.

Consecration in a Bakery

 If a priest goes into a bakery and says the words of consecration, what would happen?

NOTHING.  

Absolutely nothing because it's not the words, by themselves, that change the bread into the Body of Jesus.

The priest isn't saying magic words that create change.  It's the prayer of the Church, the congregation, the faith of the people--the Church, expressed in the words Jesus used at the Last Supper, that empowers the priest to act as Jesus.  It's the liturgy in prayer, not a formula of words.  

This is difficult.  We can see natural, concrete, worldly bread and wine. However, through the power of the Holy Spirit communing with these natural substances, transubstantiation occurs.  The term Transubstantiation was first used at the Lateran Council IV (1215).  Thomas Aquinas explains that the natural substances aren't reacting to physics but deeper, rather metaphysics.  It's the inside that changes, not the outside (the accidents).  Surely, it is a miracle of faith. 

When we offer the gifts at the oblation of the Mass, we are joined by Christ.  That's the only offering we can give to the Father--His Son, who is transforming not only bread and wine but all of us as the Body of Christ for the salvation of the world.

Council of Jerusalem

LECTIO:

Acts 15:1-2, 22-29

Some who had come down from Judea were instructing the brothers,
“Unless you are circumcised according to the Mosaic practice,
you cannot be saved.”
Because there arose no little dissension and debate
by Paul and Barnabas with them,
it was decided that Paul, Barnabas, and some of the others
should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders
about this question.

The apostles and elders, in agreement with the whole church,
decided to choose representatives
and to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas.
The ones chosen were Judas, who was called Barsabbas,
and Silas, leaders among the brothers.
This is the letter delivered by them:

“The apostles and the elders, your brothers,
to the brothers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia
of Gentile origin: greetings.
Since we have heard that some of our number
who went out without any mandate from us
have upset you with their teachings
and disturbed your peace of mind,
we have with one accord decided to choose representatives
and to send them to you along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
who have dedicated their lives to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
So we are sending Judas and Silas
who will also convey this same message by word of mouth:
‘It is the decision of the Holy Spirit and of us
not to place on you any burden beyond these necessities,
namely, to abstain from meat sacrificed to idols,
from blood, from meats of strangled animals,
and from unlawful marriage.
If you keep free of these,you will be doing what is right.  Farewell.’”

STUDIUM: 

This controversy led to the first Council,the Council of Jerusalem, quite the defining moment in the early Church.  The discussion was  about the status of the Gentile believers.  Some insisted that everyone had to be circumcised.  Others said to leave the initiation into the church to the grace of God.  Here is where the Church breaks with the religion of Israel.  The Catholic Community will embrace all nations.

Note that the Antioch Church looked to the Church in Jerusalem for guidance. The deliberations and decisions were led by the Holy Spirit, which Jesus promised would happen.  

MEDITATIO: 

I think how upsetting this debate must have been.  It certainly must have turned many "rules are rules" people away.  There is no mention of that.  But you can never get everyone to agree to everything.  Consensus must have been reached.  And so a precedent was set. 

ORATIO: 

Lord, help me to be obedient to You.  Give me the grace to humbly accept the laws of the Church, the Corporal Works of Mercy and the Spiritual Works, not to mention the Beatitudes.  Give me the grace to listen to the Church before criticizing, like I know better.  Let the Holy Spirit be my guide. 

CONTEMPLATIO: 

I believe in the Church and what it teaches, not because I understand everything, but because I trust that the Holy Spirit guides it.  

RESOLUTIO:

No more being so quick to criticize.  I will try to understand and when I can't I will trust.

Silver Sneakers

 In my TOPS group, one of our members sang the praises of an exercise group called Silver Sneakers. It really is a good group.  It is especially for senior citizens and most of our insurance policies cover it.  

The SilverSneakers program has agreements with thousands of gyms and trained fitness and exercise instructors at more than 17,000 locations. The trained instructors provide fitness programs designed specifically for seniors.

The program also has an on-demand video library for people who prefer exercising at home and a program that holds fitness classes outside of gyms in parks, community centers and churches.

Look into it.

The Easter Bunny Delivers Chocolate Eggs

 The Easter bunny????  Where do dying eggs for Easter come from?  Is Easter a pagan holiday?  Mark Shea's Facebook page has a post that explains it all.  

Easter was not a pagan holiday.  Pagans have lots of holidays, you probably can't celebrate anything without it being coincidentally somebody's holiday and Spring is something to celebrate no matter who you are.

Where did the Easter bunny come from?  Well, look at all the bunnies out on your lawn in the Spring season.  It's mating time the bunnies are out.

Where does dying eggs come from?  Fasting rules up until our times were stricker.  That means not only no eating meat but also eggs--other stuff too.  But all these eggs laid during Lent were piling up, what do you suggest we do with them?  Let's have a contest to see who can make the prettiest!

  

The Butterfly Garden

 Today is Good Friday.  To teach my grandchildren about the Resurrection, I brought them to a Butterfly Garden.

A caterpillar dies as a caterpillar and goes into a tomb-like chrysalis.  See the picture.  Eventually, he will start a new life as a beautiful butterfly.

The lesson was successful, even if I do say so, myself!

The Institution of the Priesthood

Catholics believe that Jesus' command to do this in remembrance of Him was instructions for His priests.  Well not only John 6: 53-56, but include Leviticus 16, where the High Priest would go to the Holy of Holies.  Jesus was following the instructions in Leviticus 16.  He removed His outer garments, then tied a towel around His waist.  He then proceeded to wash the feet of His disciples.  See the High Priest would go to the Holy of Holies, remove his outer garments to bathe before he offered sacrifice as a priest, on behalf of the people.

Jesus didn't wash His own feet.  No, He washed His priests'.  He was ordaining them and at the Last Supper instituted the Holy Eucharist with the instructions, "Do this in remembrance of me."

The Eucharist and the institution of the priesthood, and the continuance of  Apostolic Succession, all began on Holy Thursday.  We Catholics follow these traditions just as Christ instituted them.

The Tabernacle is Empty

 The Tabernacle is empty.  The sanctuary lamp is extinguished.  Why?

It's Holy Thursday and the night of Jesus' Last Supper is best expressed by the people having Supper with Jesus.  There are no consecrated bread in the Tabernacle, so EVERYONE will receive the Eucharist from the altar breads consecrated just then.  We are literally, spiritually, really sharing a meal with Jesus, His apostles and we His followers, at this particular liturgical ceremony. 

In your after Communion thanks and meditation, look over at the empty Tabernacle.  Reflect on what it be like to have no Christ!  

What would it be like to have no Eucharist, rather than having our Lord truly present?  The Church would be just like a Protestant service.

How barren!  How lifeless!  Thank God, I'm Catholic.

Fido the Pool Shark

The pool table was free.  I could have never afforded a table like this one.  It was constructed out of solid maple wood with a black stain finish.  The pockets were genuine leather.  The legs were intricately scrolled in a curving foot design.  The add said, “Free to a good home.”    I jumped at the chance.  Borrowing my brother and his truck, we it picked up.  What a beauty!  The man even threw in four cues, a bridge stick, the pool balls, a vinyl pool table cover and an 8 ball rack.

 My brother thought he had died and gone to heaven.  But he lived in a small apartment, so we put the table in my basement.  I always wanted to finish my basement, now with this pool table, I have the incentive. 

But before inviting people over to play in my new rec room, I had the time to practice.  My partner was my rescue cat, Fido.  He was hiding when the pool table was moved in through the bulk head.  Fido is quite the prude when she hears coarse language.  She probably figured that with all the noise and cursing and trash talk, she had better make herself scarce.  Fido is a smart kitty.

But Fido quickly surveyed my new acquisition.  It had a long, flat, table top to stretch out on.  There were balls to swat back and forth.  There was the possibility of a gathering of people to pet and scratch her when using this table, so there was that.  On the whole, Fido approved.

And when Fido heard the clack of the balls after the break shot, she came running and jumped up on the table to play.  She pounced on the apex ball.

“Hmmm, this isn’t going to work.”  Faith thought.

“Do I have to keep you out of the room?”

Faith tried to work around Fido, and tried a bank shot.  But Fido was quick and chased the ball down the pocket.

“MeOWWW! “  Ouch.  That meow is an ouch and Fido’s paw was stuck. What was wrong?

Faith felt  around and in the pocket and gingerly worked Fido’s paw out.  Attached to her top claw was a ring.  Yes, a round gold ring, like  wedding ring.  It wasn’t a toy; it was a nice piece of jewelry.  I brought it closer to a lamp and looked at the inside.  There were engraved initials and a date.  This was a wedding ring.

I immediately phoned the man who gave me the pool table.  He laughed and laughed.  Then he told me this story.

He loved to play pool.  It was a matter of contention between him and his wife.  So much so that wifey said he might as well be married to a cue stick and she took off her wedding ring and placed it on the cue stick.

To retaliate, he picked up that very stick and played a game of pool with the ring on the cue stick.  He cleaned the table with it.  When he finished, they saw that her ring was gone.

She was so angry that she was gone, too.   He looked for the ring in all the pockets and all around the pool table.  But he couldn’t imagine where it went.

Eventually, they reconciled.  But part of the agreement was that he got rid of the pool table.  He asked how he could reward Fido for finding his wife’s wedding ring?

I said, "Oh, no reward.  I was happy that he and his wife reconciled and that the wedding ring will be soon reconciled to its owner.

Fido loves happy endings.

 

 

 

Carrying the Fire

 Cormac McCarthy's The Road is an end of time novel.  It is an easy read about a father and son trying to survive some sort of apocalyptic event.  Seemingly everything is burnt.  The father and son wear masks to keep out the ash.  They are traveling south hoping to get to a warm place, hopefully a better place.  The father tries to keep up his son's spirits.  He tells him that they are the good guys--the carriers of the fire.

They come across shady, bad guys, cannibals, thieves and other desperate people.  It's desolate.  The boy keeps his father humane.  The boy is the carrier of the fire.  The reader can see that the boy is the future and it will be good. 

We Were There

 It was beautiful.  The last hymn at the noon Mass was astoundingly spectacular.  It was a noon Mass.  The last Mass of the day.  There was no choir, only a cantor and the organist, who just happens to have a beautiful voice.  The cantor leads the congregation in singing the hymns.  At least that's what the cantor is supposed to do.  The people don't cooperate.  Very few participate.  By the time, the last hymn is sung the people rush out to get to their cars.

However, this particular time, the congregation stayed in mesmerized respect.  The hymn was "were you there when they crucified my Lord."  It was composed by unknown slaves.  The first publication is credited to William Eleazar Barton.  In 1899 it is found in Old Plantation Hymns.  The Episcopal Church hymnal has it in 1940.

The cantor and the organist sang and people listened.  Very few left.  People stood there and listened.  They sang all four verses.  And people stayed in respectful, listening, attention.  On the last verse, the organ music ceased and just those two voices sang.  That's all you could hear.  If people weren't actively singing, their hearts surely were. 

The World as a Gift

For Lent, I signed up for a JustFaith Ministry program, called "Sacred Land". The three required books are related.  Well, everything assigned was related: movies, videos, journaling, articles, cooking, letter writing, etc.  But what I enjoyed the most were the three books: Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer, Laudato Si by Pope Francis, Earth Prayers, edited by Elizabeth Roberts, and Elias Amidon. 

Braiding Sweetgrass was written by a naturalist, scientist, and mother.  Robin Wall Kimmerer always lists "mother," first.  I can see that as a mother she loves nature. The theme is restorative reciprocity.  If we treat nature with care, nature will care for us.  She also uses similar terms like "obligate symbiosis," "covenant of responsibility," "mutual responsibility," and the "moral covenant of reciprocity."  You get the idea.

Coincidently, Pope Francis' encyclical, Laudato Si, is expounding on the same theme.  It's uncanny how Kimmerer and the Pope think alike.  

Kimmerer writes like a poet.  While Braiding Sweetgrass is instructing us in botany and environmental care of the land, the poetry of the author amazes the reader. No one who reads this book will walk through the woods, the same way as they did before reading Braiding Sweetgrass. 

Nature is God's gift, Pope Francis tells us.  As such, Kimmerer will explain that gifts require expressions of gratitude.  These expressions necessitate a responsibility to take care of Nature's gifts.

The last book, Earth Prayers, is a book of poetry.  Isn't praying poetry? 

Let us pray this Chinook Litany, on p. 106-7:  

We call upon the earth, our planet home,
with its beautiful depths and soaring heights,
its vitality and abundance of life,
and together we ask that it
Teach us, and show us the way.

We call upon the mountains,
Saddle Mountain and Wahkiakum Mountain,
the Willapa Hills, the summits of intense silence,
and we ask that they
Teach us, and show us the way.

We call upon the waters that rim the earth,
the waters of our great river the Iyagatthl Imathl,
the waters of Willapa Bay, and all of the waters,
the flowing of our rivers and streams,
the water that falls upon us,
and we ask that they
Teach us, and show us the way.

We call upon the land which grows our food,
the nurturing soil that sustains our lives,
and we ask that it
Teach us, and show us the way.

We call upon the forests, the great cedar trees
reaching strongly to the sky, with earth in their roots
and the heavens in their branches,
cedar tree, the keeper of all knowledge,
and we ask them to
Teach us, and show us the way.

We call upon the creatures of the fields and
forests and the seas, our brothers and sisters,
Lilu the Wolf, Mulak the Elk, and Mawich the Deer,
Ch’akch’ak the Eagle, the great Whales
and the Sturgeon, and the Salmon people
who share our Chinook waters,
and we ask that they
Teach us, and show us the way.

We call upon all those who have lived on this earth,
our ancestors and our friends,
who dreamed the best for future generations,
and upon whose lives our lives are built,
and with thanksgiving, we call upon them to
Teach us, and show us the way.

And lastly, we call upon all that we hold most sacred,
the presence and power of the Great Spirit
which flows through all the Universe,
to be with us to
Teach us, and show us the way.

Chinook Blessing 

Tyler the Tapioca Pearl

 Today at Senior Scribblers my granddaughter and I created a story. “Tyler the Tapioca Pearl.” Unfortunately, it’s size is too big to post  

She is seven years old and has no problem making up stories. Again I can’t upload it. Very frustrating. Even though it is a short story she has a cover, a table of contents, the story, and a glossary.       

A Thing to be Grasped

 During Lent, I've been going to Father Rocco's Lectio Divina.  It's good even though it's not Dominican.  Today, we chose Philippians 2: 6.  There were five of us, plus Father Rocco.  Each of us had a different translation.  It was an interesting interpretation.  Which do you prefer?

Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped...

...a thing to be stolen...

...something to be seized...

...something held fast...

...something to be exploited for personal gain...

An argument could be made for all of them.  They do mean something different, though.

By the way, Philippians 2: 6-11 is an ancient hymn. It is known as a hymn to Christ.  

Again and Again

 This is the first novel by Stuart Turton. The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is an impressive feat. I don't think I've ever read anything like it. The storyline is original, at least to me. The major protagonist, Aidan wakes up every day, a different character, attending a dinner at Blackheath Manor. The will go on forever unless Aidan figures out who kills Evelyn Hardcastle.

The characters are all unsympathetic people. They get more obnoxious as the plot goes on. The story kept my interest because I wondered how Aidan got out of the situation. There are too many characters to remember and Aidan was running out of time.
The story is fast-paced and if you like stories with twists, you'll enjoy this novel.

Asatro

 There's a new/old religion taking hold in the prison I volunteer.  It's called Asatro.  I understand it's an old Norse religion.  It's pagan and Thor, Odin, etc. and not actually worshipped but prayed to act as intercessors.  There's no dogma and no scripture.  Old poetry is read and revered.  It doesn't seem to be violent like you picture Vikings.  It's peaceful and tolerant of others.  Harmony with nature is promoted.

What's the attraction?  Catholicism offers saints as intercessors.  Pope Francis wrote an encyclical, Laudate Si, which promotes harmony between mankind and nature.  We are all interrelated.  Man is in an obligatory symbiosis with nature.

Besides, Thor, Odin, or whoever never told us they loved us, never mind die for us.  What's the attraction?  

Credit:  https://marvel-movies.fandom.com/wiki/Odin_Borson

Marana Tha!

 We, humans, are so forgetfull. I knew this and forgot it.  CCC 671 Until everything is subject to him... then Jesus will come again.

and CCC 674 The glorious Messiah's coming is suspended at every moment of history until his recognition by "all Israel" ...

How many times have I seen these sentiments in Luke 2: 27, 2 Thes 2:7, Matt 23: 29?  

Everyone must recognize Christ as the Messiah.  Are we getting closer?  

Pray.

Walk With Mary

 There are different ways of praying the Stations of the Cross.  Different stations to follow, too.  There's one way that says that Mary followed Jesus as He went to Cavalry.  The Stations follow Mary's Walk.  They are also called the Seven Sorrows of Mary.

Since the sorrows of Our Lady are caused by the rejection of her Son, the Via Matris constantly and necessarily refers to the mystery of Christ as the suffering servant. It also refers to the mystery of the Church: the stations of the Via Matris are stages on the journey of faith and sorrow on which the Virgin Mary has preceded the Church, and in which the Church journeys until the end of time.

The highest expression of the Via Matris is the Pietà which has been an inexhaustible source of inspiration for Christian art since the middles ages. (Directory of Popular Piety and Liturgy)

First Sorrow: The Prophecy of Simeon

Second Sorrow: The Flight Into Egypt

Third Sorrow: The Loss of Jesus in the Temple

Forth Sorrow: The Journey to Calvary and the Crucifixion

Fifth Sorrow: The Agony and Death of Jesus

Sixth Sorrow: Jesus Is Taken Down from the Cross

Seventh Sorrow: The Burial of Jesus

Credit for this information goes to The Via Matris Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows