From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   The Interior Life,  Meditation: (3)   
      
      When Christ was in the world, He was despised by men; in the hour   
   of need He was forsaken by acquaintances and left by friends to the   
   depths of scorn. He was willing to suffer and to be despised; do you   
   dare to complain of anything? He had enemies and defamers; do you want   
   everyone to be your friend, your benefactor? How can your patience be   
   rewarded if no adversity test it? How can you be a friend of Christ if   
   you are not willing to suffer any hardship? Suffer with Christ and for   
   Christ if you wish to reign with Him.   
   --Thomas à Kempis --Imitation of Christ Book 2, Chapter 1   
      
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   August 5th - The Dedication of St. Mary Ad Nives   
   by Father Francis Xavier Weninger, 1876   
      
   The Catholic Church celebrates today the annual feast of the   
   dedication of a very remarkable church at Rome, called St. Mary Ad   
   Nives--" St. Mary of the Snow," or " St. Mary Major." The origin of   
   this church is as follows: In the middle of the fourth century, at the   
   time of Pope Liberius, there resided at Rome a nobleman named John.   
   Although rich in temporal goods, he was still wealthier in those which   
   are not of this world, and his wife was his equal in birth, riches and   
   virtue. They had been married many years without having been blessed   
   with children, although they had often prayed to God for them. At   
   last, they resigned themselves to the will of Providence, and resolved   
   to employ all their wealth in honor of the Blessed Virgin, and make   
   her heir to it, as they had always entertained great devotion for her.   
   They were, as yet, uncertain as to the manner in which they should   
   carry out their intention. They both sought refuge in prayer and alms,   
   begging the Blessed Virgin to teach them how they might best   
   appropriate their possessions to her honor.   
      
   Mary, the Divine Mother, deigned to make her wishes known to them.   
   Appearing to them both in the night, she told them to go, on the   
   following day, which was the fifth of this month, to the Aesquiline   
   mount, in Rome, and to build a church in her honor on the spot which   
   they would find covered with snow. This, she added, would be more   
   agreeable to her than anything else they could do. When they awoke   
   next morning and told each other their dream or rather their vision,   
   they were filled with inexpressible joy, and immediately repaired to   
   Pope Liberius to hear his opinion on the subject. As the Pope had had   
   the same vision the same night, there was no longer reason to doubt   
   the truth of the revelation. Assembling the clergy and people without   
   delay, the Pontiff formed a procession to go to the appointed spot.   
      
   When they arrived there, they saw, in truth, a place large enough for   
   a church, covered with snow. All were greatly surprised at this, which   
   they could not but consider a miracle, since it was in the midst of   
   summer, on the fifth of August, when neither in Rome nor within many   
   miles of it, any snow could naturally have fallen. The pious couple   
   drew from this fact the greatest comfort, as it was an indication that   
   the Almighty and the Blessed Virgin were pleased with their intention.   
   Therefore, hesitating no longer, they forthwith made all the necessary   
   preparations for building a magnificent temple. The building was begun   
   and very soon completed. All that was needed for its erection, as well   
   as for its maintenance, was joyfully furnished. Pope Liberius most   
   solemnly consecrated the new temple; and all the faithful went to it   
   to venerate the Queen of Heaven. At first, this church was called the   
   Basilica, signifying a palace, or the Liberian Basilica, on account of   
   its royal magnificence. It was also called St. Mary ad Nives, for the   
   reason mentioned above. Today it is known as the St. Mary Major, or   
   the Great, as it is the greatest of all the churches of Rome built in   
   honor of the Blessed Virgin, on account of its origin, magnificence   
   and rich endowment. It is also called St. Mary ad Praesepe--St. Mary   
   of the Manger--because in one of its chapels, the crib or manger, in   
   which the new-born Saviour was placed by His virgin mother, is kept.   
      
   Pope Gregory the Great, in 509, formed and led the great precession,   
   celebrated in the annals of the church, to implore God, through the   
   intercession of Mary, to avert the dreadful pestilence which ravaged   
   Rome. Its fury somewhat abated, but as it was still in the city, the   
   Pope, in the following year, formed a second precession, headed by the   
   picture of the Blessed Virgin painted by St. Luke, which is kept in   
   the church of St. Mary ad Nives. During the procession, the pestilence   
   left all those houses by which the picture passed, until, at last,   
   when the faithful dispersed, the whole city was free from the terrible   
   scourge. Another miraculous event occurred during the procession,   
   which must not be omitted. Angels were heard singing: "Rejoice, O   
   Queen of Heaven, Alleluia. He whom thou didst deserve to bear,   
   Alleluia! is risen as He said, Alleluia!" The holy Pope, prostrating   
   himself with all the people, finished the angels' hymn of praise with   
   the words: "Pray for us to God, Alleluia!" When the procession had   
   reached the Mausoleum, or tomb of the Emperor Adrian, the Pope saw   
   upon its summit an angel sheathing his sword, as a sign that the wrath   
   of the Almighty was appeased by the intercession of Mary, and that the   
   pestilence which had so long ravaged the city, would disappear. The   
   rejoicing of the people, and the devotion which was from that time   
   shown to the miraculous picture of the Blessed Virgin, cannot be   
   worthily described.   
      
      
   PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS   
      
   Those who are not Catholics and who blame us for our veneration of the   
   Queen of Heaven and for the churches built in her honor, may see by   
   the origin of the church of St. Mary ad Nives, how ancient this pious   
   practice is, and how agreeable to God. The building of this celebrated   
   church took place in the fourth century, at a time when Protestants   
   themselves say that the Catholic Church was still the true Church of   
   God. Even at that remote period, Mary was venerated and churches were   
   built in her honor. The church approved of it, and God confirmed it by   
   special miracles. Who dares say that the Church of Christ erred, and   
   that God Himself confirmed that error by a miracle? Even in countries   
   where the population has ceased to be Catholics, we find ancient   
   churches which were built in honor of the Blessed Virgin. Surely, if   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)