The Family Foundation School Catholic Community Bulletin
Pauca Verba (a few words)
Some of us wear Our Lady’s Brown Scapular. Listen to this beautiful instruction!
1. The scapular is a sign and a token: A sign of affiliation to Mary and a token of her maternal protection not only in life but also after death.
2. The scapular incorporates that person to the family of the motherhood of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
3. With the scapular, Mary herself consecrates her child, cloaking him in a special way as belonging to her, “Woman behold thy son!” (John 19:26)
4. With the scapular, the devotee (from the Latin devovere: to offer or consecrate) gives himself to Mary just as a free man in the Middle Ages swore allegiance to a lord to render him service and receive his protection in return. “Behold thy mother.” (John 19:26)
5. The devotee commits to serving Our Lord Jesus Christ through a family-type intimacy with Mary, like a brother or sister to the Blessed Virgin Mary. “From that moment on the disciple too her into his house.” (John 19:27) To understand the scapular, we must see it from the standpoint of the chivalrous epoch in which it was given to humanity – though its value is timeless. “He who wears the scapular”, said Pope Pius XII, “professes to belong to Our Lady like a knight of the thirteenth century (when the scapular originated) who, under the gaze of his ‘lady’ felt strong and secure in combat and, while flying her ‘colors’ would have preferred to die a thousand times rather than allow them to be stained.”
Women of course are invited and encouraged to wear the scapular as well as men. Few women however are comfortable wearing the scapular as its white straps/strings seem to interfere with today’s revealing fashions. We all make our choices.
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Do you know who Johann Sebastian Bach is? One of the world’s great musical composers of the 18th century. One of Bach’s most well-known and loved works is the Christmas Oratorio, a brilliant piece of choral and orchestral music I will surely want to hear, especially if I intend to mature my musical tastes. The word oratorio comes from the Latin word ora, which means to pray. Listen to these lovely choral verses which could be part of our meditation prayer grown out of stillness. Imagine being in the cave of Bethlehem, near the Holy Mother and Her Divine Child!
He came poor upon earth.
Who can rightly extol the love
our savior cherishes for us
for that he pities us,
yes, who is capable of comprehending
how man’s distress so moved Him?
Oh, little Jesu, my heart’s love,
make Thyself a clean soft, little bed,
in which to rest in my heart’s inmost shrine,
that I may never forget Thee.
Break through, oh lovely light of morn,
And let the heavens dawn!
You shepherd folk, be not afraid,
because the angel tells you,
that this weak babe
shall be our comfort and joy,
come to subdue the devil and bring peace at last.
Behold here: there in a dark stable lies
the One who has dominion over all.
Where, before an ox sought food,
there now rests the Virgin’s Child.
Jesus! I will keep Thee diligently in my mind,
I will live
for Thee here,
I will depart with Thee hence.
With Thee will I soar at last,
filled with joy,
time without end,
there in the other life.
Jesus, direct my beginning,
Jesus, remain ever near me;
Jesus, curb my senses,
Jesus, be my sole desire,
Jesus, be ever in my thoughts,
Jesus let me never falter.
