ZARZA We are Zarza, the prestigious firm behind major projects in information technology.
Listen "Nov 10th - Our Lady of Last Agony, Our Lady of the Eye - No Greater Delight"
Episode Synopsis
Celebrations
In Viana do Castelo, Portugal, Our Lady of Last Agony: when a sudden storm would swell on the seas and threaten to bash the fishermen’s boats against the cliffs, the wives and families of the fisherman in Viana do Castelo would invoke Our Lady’s protection.[1]
In 1552, a miraculous cure through the intercession of Our Lady of Loreto: a Turkish officer was convinced by one of his Christian slaves to beg the intercession of Our Lady of Loretto for a miraculous cure of his incurable illness. The cure was granted, and the officer gave the shrine many gifts, and also freed his slave.[2]
In 1642 or 1643, Our Lady of the Eye (Muttergottes von der Augenwende), Rottweil, Baden-Württemberg, Germany: on this day, during the French siege, the statue of Our Lady with Child in this church grew pale, and turned her eyes to heaven and then towards the city.[3]
Meditation:
Today, we can again consider the words of Thomas à Kempis in The Imitation of Mary[4]: “Mary is faithful in her promises and generous in her gifts to her pious servants. She enjoys the veneration of angels, but yet she accepts the attentions of men. She tenderly sheds tears with the unhappy; she is compassionate with the sorrows of those who suffer; she comes to give help in the struggles of those who are tempted; she turns herself ever to those who pray to her. All those who go with confidence and devotion to seek refuge with her and call upon her name find in her abundance and consolation. A queen, she commands the angels in heaven and can send them to succor the needy. In the same way, she has empire everywhere over the demons and can prevent them from harming her servants. The demons dread the Queen of Heaven and her name alone suffices to disperse them. They tremble before the awesome and holy name of Mary, before the name which causes joy to Christians, they no longer dare to show themselves before us or to try again their insidious assaults. As soon as they hear this holy name resound, they tremble, they prostrate, they flee as before a burst of thunder from the sky. And the more often this name is pronounced by us, the more it is invoked devotedly and piously, the more quickly the demons fly from us.” Do we really believe that Mary is a Mother who accompanies us in all our troubles and sorrows, our joys and delights? Do we believe that the devils flee from her, and that she has power to protect and save us? Do we trust in her intercession?
[1] https://www.roman-catholic-saints.com/our-lady-of-last-agony.html
[2] Orsini – Barthe – Hahn, The Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 554; http://www.marylinks.com/Mary-Calendar.htm#November.
[3] https://www.wherewewalked.info/feasts/11-November/11-10.htm
[4] Thomas à Kempis, The Imitation of Mary (Westminster, MD: Newman Press, 1948), 19
In Viana do Castelo, Portugal, Our Lady of Last Agony: when a sudden storm would swell on the seas and threaten to bash the fishermen’s boats against the cliffs, the wives and families of the fisherman in Viana do Castelo would invoke Our Lady’s protection.[1]
In 1552, a miraculous cure through the intercession of Our Lady of Loreto: a Turkish officer was convinced by one of his Christian slaves to beg the intercession of Our Lady of Loretto for a miraculous cure of his incurable illness. The cure was granted, and the officer gave the shrine many gifts, and also freed his slave.[2]
In 1642 or 1643, Our Lady of the Eye (Muttergottes von der Augenwende), Rottweil, Baden-Württemberg, Germany: on this day, during the French siege, the statue of Our Lady with Child in this church grew pale, and turned her eyes to heaven and then towards the city.[3]
Meditation:
Today, we can again consider the words of Thomas à Kempis in The Imitation of Mary[4]: “Mary is faithful in her promises and generous in her gifts to her pious servants. She enjoys the veneration of angels, but yet she accepts the attentions of men. She tenderly sheds tears with the unhappy; she is compassionate with the sorrows of those who suffer; she comes to give help in the struggles of those who are tempted; she turns herself ever to those who pray to her. All those who go with confidence and devotion to seek refuge with her and call upon her name find in her abundance and consolation. A queen, she commands the angels in heaven and can send them to succor the needy. In the same way, she has empire everywhere over the demons and can prevent them from harming her servants. The demons dread the Queen of Heaven and her name alone suffices to disperse them. They tremble before the awesome and holy name of Mary, before the name which causes joy to Christians, they no longer dare to show themselves before us or to try again their insidious assaults. As soon as they hear this holy name resound, they tremble, they prostrate, they flee as before a burst of thunder from the sky. And the more often this name is pronounced by us, the more it is invoked devotedly and piously, the more quickly the demons fly from us.” Do we really believe that Mary is a Mother who accompanies us in all our troubles and sorrows, our joys and delights? Do we believe that the devils flee from her, and that she has power to protect and save us? Do we trust in her intercession?
[1] https://www.roman-catholic-saints.com/our-lady-of-last-agony.html
[2] Orsini – Barthe – Hahn, The Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 554; http://www.marylinks.com/Mary-Calendar.htm#November.
[3] https://www.wherewewalked.info/feasts/11-November/11-10.htm
[4] Thomas à Kempis, The Imitation of Mary (Westminster, MD: Newman Press, 1948), 19
In God we trust