Our Perpetual Goal

The above photo was taken at 6.50 am this morning, just before the first of our Advent Rorate Masses was offered at St John Henry’s. One lady commented afterwards that the Mass - her first experience - was both beautiful and peaceful; a fitting honour for Our Lady in this season of expectation.

‘Desire and reformation of life are human factors; God’s advent through grace is intrinsically divine. Here Mary is the sublime model. She desired the kingdom of God and based her life on the words “I am the handmaid of the Lord”. Then came the great moment when God made her His dwelling place. She hears the greeting, “Hail, full of grace...” With open heart she receives God; her soul becomes His kingdom in all its fulness. Again she knows of nothing to say but “I am the handmaid of the Lord”. This brought Christmas to her heart.

Her example must be our perpetual goal on earth. We must ever be ready and willing to receive the kingdom of God within ourselves as opportunities present themselves. Baptism was our first Christmas, and every Eucharistic Sacrifice is Christmas repeated. The feasts of the Church’s liturgical year are days of grace, days of the kingdom of God. Maintain a calm, reverent, and recollected attitude so as not to disturb God’s holy stirrings within you’.

​from The Church’s Year of Grace, 1953, by Pius Parsch, 1884-1954

O God, who didst will that thy Word should take flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, at the message of an Angel: grant that we thy suppliants, who believe her to be in very deed the Mother of God, may be aided by her intercession with thee; through the same Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen. - Collect for the Mass of Saint Mary: Advent to Christmas, Divine Worship: The Missal.